Nothing makes playing in the snow more fun than a warm, almost-spring day! Students enjoyed plenty of smiles, snowy adventures, and fresh air while making the most of the beautiful day outside. ❄️☀️
Mrs. Bellerose’s first graders are diving into learning all about money! 💰 There’s something extra exciting about learning when you can imagine coins jingling right in your own pocket. Be sure to ask them to sing the “Money in Your Pocket” song for you. It’s a super catchy tune that’s been stuck in our heads all week!
Celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday in first grade is always a joyful adventure! Each year during the week of March 2nd, we honor Dr. Seuss by diving into his silly, rhyming stories filled with colorful characters and imaginative fun. From mischievous cats to tricky foxes, his books help young readers practice rhyming, build confidence, and discover that reading can be exciting and playful. It’s a special independent reading time full of laughter, creativity, and a love of books that makes reading feel like a celebration.
First grade students working with our interventionist, Ms. Spaulding have been focusing on building strong fact fluency skills in math!
Students understand that to be a fluent mathematician, they need to:
Add quickly
Be accurate
Use strategies
To show mastery, students solve 20 equations in under 90 seconds with 100% accuracy. When they meet this goal, they earn a popcorn piece labeled with the skill they passed (for example, +2) to add to their personal popcorn bin.
Students begin by mastering their +0 facts and work their way all the way up through +10. We are so proud of their hard work — just look at all the popcorn they’ve earned! 🍿👏
After vacation, we have begun working on subtraction fact fluency and are excited to keep the momentum going!
Keep practicing those facts at home — speed, accuracy, and strategy make strong mathematicians!
Students understand that to be a fluent mathematician, they need to:
Add quickly
Be accurate
Use strategies
To show mastery, students solve 20 equations in under 90 seconds with 100% accuracy. When they meet this goal, they earn a popcorn piece labeled with the skill they passed (for example, +2) to add to their personal popcorn bin.
Students begin by mastering their +0 facts and work their way all the way up through +10. We are so proud of their hard work — just look at all the popcorn they’ve earned! 🍿👏
After vacation, we have begun working on subtraction fact fluency and are excited to keep the momentum going!
Keep practicing those facts at home — speed, accuracy, and strategy make strong mathematicians!
It has been wonderful to welcome some warm sunshine back to our days! Our students have been taking full advantage of the beautiful weather and were so excited to discover fresh, newly visible tar on the playground — the perfect surface for creative chalk fun.
Students spent time drawing colorful designs and creating hopscotch boards. One of the highlights was tracing each other’s shadows! As the sun moved across the sky, students noticed how their shadows changed in size and direction. They had so much fun outlining their friends.
This hands-on experience encouraged teamwork, creativity, and outdoor exploration. We love seeing learning come to life in simple, joyful ways — especially when it includes sunshine and smiles!
Students spent time drawing colorful designs and creating hopscotch boards. One of the highlights was tracing each other’s shadows! As the sun moved across the sky, students noticed how their shadows changed in size and direction. They had so much fun outlining their friends.
This hands-on experience encouraged teamwork, creativity, and outdoor exploration. We love seeing learning come to life in simple, joyful ways — especially when it includes sunshine and smiles!
This week our kindergarteners in Mrs. Gallison's class dove into some Dr. Seuss inspired fun with a rhyming sensory bin! Students searched through the bin to find matching rhyming picture pairs like frog/log and pig/wig. They were so excited to dig, discover, and say the words out loud as they listened for those matching ending sounds. It was hands-on, engaging, and such a great way to build those early phonological awareness skills.
Next week, we’re taking it a step further! Instead of just finding rhyming pairs, students will begin building their own rhyming words. They’ll use what they’ve learned to create word pairs and really focus on how changing the beginning sound can make a new word. We can’t wait to see them grow from recognizing rhymes to confidently creating them!
Next week, we’re taking it a step further! Instead of just finding rhyming pairs, students will begin building their own rhyming words. They’ll use what they’ve learned to create word pairs and really focus on how changing the beginning sound can make a new word. We can’t wait to see them grow from recognizing rhymes to confidently creating them!
Mrs. Whittemore’s class has been hard at work becoming grammar pros! ✏️📚
This week, students focused on finding and writing possessive nouns. Using their writer’s notebooks, they practiced forming singular possessive nouns and plural possessive nouns, paying close attention to where those apostrophes belong.
After practicing together, they were ready to try it on their own, independently writing possessive nouns and showing what they know! I love seeing their confidence grow as they apply new skills in their writing. Keep up the great work!
This week, students focused on finding and writing possessive nouns. Using their writer’s notebooks, they practiced forming singular possessive nouns and plural possessive nouns, paying close attention to where those apostrophes belong.
After practicing together, they were ready to try it on their own, independently writing possessive nouns and showing what they know! I love seeing their confidence grow as they apply new skills in their writing. Keep up the great work!
Our first February Play and Learn was a success! We had 11 kiddos join us for a fun, construction-themed hour. The children enjoyed a read aloud, played with puzzles and cars, and got creative making construction hats and pictures. We wrapped up our time together with a goodbye song and a snack. Such a sweet morning of learning, playing, and building community together!
Please enjoy March's Canaan Elementary School News:
https://bit.ly/4cIgFnZ
https://bit.ly/4cIgFnZ
I love seeing this kind of focused thinking in 2nd grade. 💛
Today, students were working on a phonics picture sort, really listening for the difference in beginning, middle, and ending sounds of two pictures. They said each word slowly, stretched the sounds, and had to decide exactly where the change happened before placing their picture. That careful listening and sound work is what builds strong readers.
It may look simple, but this is the foundation. Proud of the effort and concentration happening during literacy time! 📚✨
Today, students were working on a phonics picture sort, really listening for the difference in beginning, middle, and ending sounds of two pictures. They said each word slowly, stretched the sounds, and had to decide exactly where the change happened before placing their picture. That careful listening and sound work is what builds strong readers.
It may look simple, but this is the foundation. Proud of the effort and concentration happening during literacy time! 📚✨
Join us tomorrow for CES 1st Play and Learn for children ages 0-5. We'd love to see you!
We would love your support!
Just a friendly reminder to our CES families, all See's Candies fundraisers are due on March 6th. Please make sure to send in the completed form and payments. Thank you for your support!
This Saturday will be CES first Play and Learn for children ages 0-5. Siblings are also welcome. A caregiver must be present for the entire event. Looking forward to seeing new and old friends!
Yeehaw!
Mrs. Bellerose’s first graders roped in great behavior and hard work to earn a rootin’ tootin’ Cowboy & Cowgirl Valentine’s Party! Watching her lasso her little cowpokes was the perfect way to celebrate a class that always wrangles up kindness, effort, and heart. 💕🐴
Way to go, first grade!
Mrs. Bellerose’s first graders roped in great behavior and hard work to earn a rootin’ tootin’ Cowboy & Cowgirl Valentine’s Party! Watching her lasso her little cowpokes was the perfect way to celebrate a class that always wrangles up kindness, effort, and heart. 💕🐴
Way to go, first grade!
Join us for our first CES Play and Learn for ages 0-5. Caregivers must attend with their child.
For more information and to set up a registration date and time, please call the school in your hometown.
Using our fundraising funds, we recently purchased sleds for recess time. Students (and staff!) had a blast using the sleds. Everyone did a great job taking turns and being safe.
We're Hiring!
Ready to make a difference every day? Apply to join MSAD 54 today:
https://msad54skowheganme.tylerportico.com/tess/citizen/jobs/job-list/jobs.
Ready to make a difference every day? Apply to join MSAD 54 today:
https://msad54skowheganme.tylerportico.com/tess/citizen/jobs/job-list/jobs.
Please enjoy February's Canaan Elementary School News: https://bit.ly/45LE5V4