Shingobee February Update

Dear Shingobee Families,

As we anticipate next week's long weekend, we wanted to give you an update on what Shingobee students have been doing recently. We are concluding our persuasive writing and climate change studies with projects raising awareness on issues students feel passionate about. Students composed letters to local representatives on topics ranging from animal rights and the drafting age to texting and driving. They also created posters to inform others about how global warming will impact different species. On Tuesday, we will be visited by several students from A1 to learn about how GRS' urban farm is a step to mitigate climate change in our local community. 

Some upcoming events:

• Tuesday, February 13, 3:15-4:00pm is the next Critter Cash Committee Sale! It will be held in the Adolescent building in the dining room. If you would like to attend, we ask that you please pick your child up as usual and walk them over to the other building. Students are invited to make crafts and/or bake treats at home to donate to our sale; we ask that they include ingredients of the treat. Participation is optional and proceeds from the sale will be shared among all of the UE classrooms. Our students and pets thank you for your generosity and support!

• On Wednesday, February 14th, we will be celebrating kindness in our community. We ask that students share the community gifts they made for homework on this day. No other cards or gifts are needed.

This month, we are beginning every day by reflecting on a quote from an African-American change agent. We are also starting an exploration of poetry--students will be posting some of their work on our blog, so keep an eye out! Last week, we experimented with techniques to create found poems with homemade "magnetic" poetry and "blackout" texts. On Friday, we shared poems with Little Elk River class, who are just beginning their own poetry study. 

Finally, if you are interested in visiting Shingobee to talk about your life and/or work, we have many open slots for our Storytelling/Job Talk series on Friday afternoons from 12:15-1:00pm. Please sign up using this link!

Warmly,

Alaina and Amanda