Holi Celebration
Family Volunteers at Bixby
Some days it feels like the COVID-19 pandemic was a lifetime ago, and then I am abruptly reminded of how present its effects still are in many ways. One of…
The Importance of Free Time at Bixby
One of the many ways that Bixby is unique is the middle school-type schedule for elementary students. This is a key strategy for how we frame our curriculum/class time and…
Bixby’s ACIS Accreditation
On January 19th, the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS) Board approved Bixby School’s application for accreditation. We are so proud! For the past several years, our trustees, faculty and…
Discover Spanish at Bixby!
“Teaching language is not just about grammar, syntax, etc, but it's about the culture. Culture is the most important aspect.” At Bixby, Spanish is a part of the Kindergarten-5th curriculum.…
Allyson’s Beginning with Bixby Math
Allyson Rosenbloom is the Math Department Chair/4th-5th Grade Math Teacher. Allyson continues to create a fun and engaging environment for Bixby students! It was August of 2010 when I got…
Stones in the River
[et_pb_section bb_built="1"][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.71" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" border_style="solid"] According to the frontier-life author, Willa Cather “Most of the basic material a writer works with is acquired before the age of fifteen.”…
Our Reading Community Is Alive!
[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"] In January we started a google classroom that focused on sharing the books we are reading with each other. Students…
Cross Curricular Collaboration
[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"] At Bixby, there are many classes and teachers. Each teacher has a specialization and may teach several different grades. It…
Author’s Chair – A Day to Celebrate a Job Well Done
[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"] In writing class, we generate a lot of text. However, not all this work is shared with classmates and other…
Building Classroom Environment – 3rd Grade Interviews
[et_pb_section admin_label="section"][et_pb_row admin_label="row"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" background_layout="light" text_orientation="left" use_border_color="off" border_color="#ffffff" border_style="solid"] The beginning of the school year is filled with excitement and transition. Schedules are being learned, routines are being established,…
The Interest Study
The interest study is a time-tested, time-honored Bixby writing tradition. Essentially research papers, interest studies give students the opportunity to dive deep into personally captivating topics. The process is more…
Field Trips and Glass Slippers
One of my favorite parts of teaching is when an opportunity arises for a meaningful field trip. Leaving the classroom is always an engaging way to extend learning, and it…
Biographies of Classmates
Our latest project in the 4th and 5th grade writing room was completing biographies of classmates. Students began by choosing partners and interviewing each other. The facts, favorites, and anecdotes…
Studying Haiku Poetry = Active Problem Solving, Critical Thinking & Creativity
In writing class, I like to try and alternate the units between fiction and non-fiction. After working hard on a clear, concise, research report, it is often refreshing to return…
Second Grade Research Reports
“Research is formalized curiosity. It’s poking and prying with a purpose.” - Zora Neale Hurston Research can seem a daunting task in second grade. There is…
Handwriting Without Tears
Handwriting Without Tears is a literacy curriculum that children are using throughout the world, as well as right here in Bixby’s preschool. It is described as an “easy-to-teach, easy-to-learn curriculum…
Bixby 1st Graders Explore Ancient Egypt
Bixby first graders have been extremely busy! Over the past few months, they have been immersed in a cross curricular unit about Ancient Egypt. All first grade teachers have been…
The Power of Revision with Tom
Interviewer: How much rewriting do you do? Hemingway: It depends. I rewrote the ending of Farewell to Arms, the last page of it, 39 times before I was satisfied. Interviewer:…
Learning To Respect Our Elders
Last month, the first grade class took a small field trip to visit our neighbors at MorningStar Assisted Living and Memory Care. The elders were shining bright after spending time…
Making Pigeon Books In Colleen’s Writing Room
In writing class, I always look for ways to create projects that are engaging and fun, yet still purposeful. One of my favorite projects is making ‘pigeon books’ with second…