Happy 2009 from Maplewood LMC.

Kindergarten will illustrate their “Someday” wishes and they will be bound into a classroom book to share.  A folktale unit will include Mother Goose Rhymes and Fairy Tales.  The unit will end with a puppet play of  “The Three Billy Goats Gruff.”

First Graders will compare two folk tale versions of “The Mitten.”  They will then learn about Hans Christian Andersen and his stories that are not folklore but written like fairy tales.  A puffy flannel board kit will tell the story of  “Patrick’s Dinosaurs.”

Second grade will hear a cassette recording of the book “Owl Moon” and learn about owling.  The story “Prize in the Snow” will lead to a discussion about living in harmony with winter wildlife.  Author, Gary Paulson, will be introduced by reading his picture book “Dogteam.”  This will lead us to nonfiction books about dog racing and the Iditerod Race in Alaska.  The Big6 research method will be used to learn how to search print encyclopedias for information.

Third graders will enjoy two winter poems (“The Runaway” and “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening”) by Robert Frost in picture book format.  Review of finding information in print encyclopedias will include use of the “Wildlife Encyclopedia” as a group, as we follow the steps of the Big6 method of research.  Students will also find information using the World Book Online Encyclopedia.  A biography book about “Snowflake Bentley”, who studied snowflakes, will be shared.