What’s Up in the Sky
Our 1st Grade students are starting a new Expedition called “What’s Up in the Sky: A Study of the Sun, Moon, and Stars. Students are building their literacy and science skills as they engage in a study of the what is in our sky. They will be learning about the patterns we can observe in the sky as well as how different authors have used their knowledge and observations of the sky to write stories. To begin this new study 1st Grade students are making observations and connections to different pictures of the sky and what they notice and wonder about each of the different pictures. Soon these students will be engaged in lab activities where they will be able to create, explore, imagine and research with their classmates.
1st Graders are hard at work on math and their new expedition Sun, Moon, and Stars. For expedition they are watercolor painting to match photographs, later they will paint pictures to match self written poems. For math they are working as partners to add numbers with unifix cubes.
2nd Graders are being paleontologists. Practicing their fossil digging skills on chocolate chip cookies, and then moving on to digging dinosaur bones from fossil kits and recording their findings just like real scientists. This week they also got to create air dry clay dinosaurs.
Learning through play
At the Early Learning Center we believe children learn best through play. We are all about paint, glue, color, and imagination. Play is central to a child’s learning and development. It also helps your child to build confidence, feel loved, happy, and safe. Through play other important skills are addressed, such as fine motor skills, cognitive development, social skills, math, and language skills. Forms of play can occur in many different areas of an early childhood setting such as block area, sensory stations, or a specific area set up for dramatic play. When your child plays it gives them many different ways and times to learn.
SMALL ENGINES
Students in Kettle Falls have access to courses that teach students real life skills, and one such example is Mr. Gary Axtell’s small engines course. Each year community members volunteer small, broken down engines, such as lawn mowers and chainsaws for students at KFHS to rebuild. Students work in teams to refurbish the engines. Advanced students in small engines work on special projects that may be a personal or donated engine. One such example is the Honda 70CC motorcycle that Kettle Falls High School counselor Paula Gormon brought in for student Bryce McMillian to rebuild. It is a 1970 Honda motorcycle. Bryce is working diligently to get the bike on the road again.
FCCLA
Students participating in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) at Kettle Falls High School met shortly before Christmas break to celebrate their accomplishments as a team. Students in FCCLA engage in many community service events ranging from the Trunk or Treat event at the high school on Halloween, to blood drives and food drives for the community. During the party, students ate and exchanged gifts in an unusual fashion. With dice and presents moving from student to student! We are so proud of these students and the service they give to our community.
