Rainbow Beach (by Shire)

We walked for a half an hour on a trail that connected a corn field and a forest.  There were lots of milkweed buds in the cornfield.  In the forest we saw a beautiful spiderweb - it was picture perfect!  When people were arriving at the beach we told riddles and stories.  We popped popper plants to see how far they'd go.  Once we all arrived at Rainbow Beach, we spilt into small groups (5-6 in each group) and we gathered materials from the forest and beach and water.  We built sculptures with the materials we found.  After an hour each group had made a successful sculpture which we shared with the whole group and after that we started the journey back.  At lunch we saw a rare tiger beetle on Timmy's lunch box. 

4th Grade Papermaking (by Bowen)

In our last lesson with B.Z. Reily we had a wonderful time making paper in art class, with EveLynn Goodhind as an assistant. First, B.Z. made the partnerships, then we went over to a table and got a piece of cardboard and 4 napkins. Then one of the partners wrote the name. Then we went to the tables to pick the color of our first paper. Then you’d take a little screen and dip it in to the watery pieces of colored shredded paper and then pick it up and hold it up over the bin of shreds and let the water dribble off on into the bin. Then the partner that had written his/her name went off to a table with stuff like flowers and other little things from outside and also there was yarn. Then when the partner came back they put their little things on. Then they both went to EveLynn and gave it to her to put it on the drying rack. Then they’d do it over again with the other side of the cardboard.

Lucky, the Penguin With a Funky Shoe!

Lately we have been obsessed with this video:

It turns out that the penguin wearing the funky shoe is named Lucky and lives at the Santa Barbara Zoo. The bones in one of his feet didn't fully develop, and as a result he was unable to properly swim, walk, or boogie. The Teva shoe company designed and made a special bootie for him and now he's super funky! Here's an interesting video about that process:

Hermit Crab Fun!!

Today I brought in my hermit crabs! Hermione and Princess Rose. We let them walk around on the table. Then, there was a hermit crab race! We built a race track out of Jenga blocks. Hermione won one race and Princess Rose won the other. Hermione is the active girl and curious. Princess Rose is shy and stays in her shell a lot. Except they both know how to win a race.

I used to have another hermit crab named Bobo. Her name used to be Ginny before I changed it. She was like Hermione and Princess Rose. She was shy but curious. The hermit crabs are a lot of fun!

Winter Break

As Winter break nears, kids are on the edges of their seats for their 11-day vacation and their presents on Christmas and the new year of 2013. And for all I know people might be going to a place in a different state for the Holidays. And to you a Happy Holiday!

Cindy-Ella

Cindy-Ella, produced by Shutesbury Elementary School, is coming up on Tuesday, December 18. The plot is about a cowgirl who wants to go to a 3-day dance, but her evil stepmother says she has to do her chores. The animals decide to help her, then a fairy god mother comes and gives her beautiful clothes. Then she goes to the dance. If you want to know how it ends, come down to SES at 1 or 7.