I don't know how I haven't updated my website since August of last year! It's been such a whirlwind and it's been far too long since I've written about the various things that have happened since school started 5 months ago.
Recap::
August:
Kindergarten and 1st Grade Lesson Theme was Friendship.
2nd Graders started reading from "The 7 Habits of Happy Children" and we finished the first chapter from that book: Be Proactive.
September:
K+1 Lesson Theme was Learning.
2nd Grade Lesson Themes were planning ahead and putting first things first. Students learned about working before playing and making detailed and helpful plans for themselves.
3rd Grade lessons began in September. We started following the Adventures of Dakota, a Friendly Wolf who teaches children about life. The first lesson was on rumors and stopping rumors from spreading.
4th Grade lessons also began in September. Students listened to the stories from "The Treasure", a guidance adventure story that led three individuals to a life-long, priceless treasure. We started with Teamwork and learned about working together and solving problems together.
October:
Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Lesson Themes were all on Bullying, as October is Bullying Awareness Month.
3rd Grade Lesson Theme for this month was Bullying and Diversity. Students were able to connect those two themes and learn that diversity is to be celebrated.
4th Grade Lesson Themes were Respect and Empathy. It went along with our Bullying Awareness Month as all people deserve to be respected, and having empathy helps people connect to one another.
We had our annual Anti-Bullying Spirit Week and had fun dressing in silly ways that reminded us all of how it is important to respect and show kindness to everyone we meet.
November:
K+1 Lesson Theme was Personal-Social Development.
2nd Grade Lesson Themes were on "win-win" and Listening before talking. It's important for students to be able to resolve conflicts effectively on their own, as well as learning to listen to peers and teachers.
3rd Grade Lesson Theme was Personal Strengths and Grief and Loss. Students learned about self-confidence, and how to cope with losing someone.
4th Grade Lesson Themes were Anger Management and Self-Discipline. Controlling ones anger is an important lesson to learn, as is self-discipline in making sure students do what is right.
December:
K+1 Lesson Theme was Diversity
2nd Grade Lesson Theme was Synergy, which means to work together. Students learned the importance of teamwork.
3rd Grade Lesson Theme was Conflict Resolution. Students learned to deal with problems on their own and work through issues with friends and family.
4th Grade Lesson Theme was Uniqueness and Responsibility. We focused on how we are all unique and different. Then we talked about being responsible for ourselves and doing work before playing, relating it to time management.
And finally... January!!
For Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade, we had to go through lessons that helped us get motivated for coming back to school. We talked about meditation and relaxation and open-mindedness.
3rd and 4th Graders continued with each of their adventurous stories from "Dakota" and "The Treasure" and finally finished up their books. 3rd Graders learned about Prejudice and Conquering Fears, and 4th Graders learned about Encountering Problems and Persevering. We will pause lessons for 3rd and 4th graders until March, where we will pick it back up with Career Lessons and SOL Prep.
I had 3 topics of Small Groups running from August to December; I led a total of 5 groups within those three topics, which was quite busy but very rewarding. I have started one new Small Group, and hope to add a few more as time goes on and we all get back into the rhythm of things.
As always, if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns, feel free to contact me and we can set up a meeting to discuss your child's needs.
Mrs. Argenbright