SAD #46 2003-2004

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FIRST GRADE

Here, the children from the elementary School in Dexter show us their idnetification. The E in GRADE was misplaced but the photographer takes the blame for that. The little guy holding the E probably could not even spell GRADE and if he could, he would not have been able to see the E was out of place. They did very good for first graders and should be very proud.

These first graders planted two trays of fir tree seeds under the direction of Cynthia Hall from Hall's Christmas tree farm. Mrs. Hall had the kids take a peat pot, fill it with potting soil, tamp the soil gently but firmle into the pot. Then count out four seed, place the seeds in the pot and press the seeds into soil. Then the kids had to water the seeds with a spray bottle of water. Quite a little undertaking for such young people. They did real well.

After all the kids had a chance to plant at least one peat pot, the entire process moved to Garland. In the Garland elementary the same procedue was followed but only one tray of peat pots was needed.

Two weeks after planting and under the lights at the Law's greenhouse, this is what the trays look like. Nearly every peat pot has at least one baby tree growing and up to four little trees. The light brown material on top of the potting soil is vermiculite. It was added to the peat pot to help prevent it drying out as often as it would without the vermiculite.

Samatha Hubbell's Garland Elementary First Graders really were impressed. They all wrote Mr. & Mrs. Law thank you notes. That was pretty awesome for first graders and we really appreciated it.

To Alex: We are glad you liked to plant Christmas trees and I am pretty sure you will see us when you are in the second grade and the third grade too.

To Joe: We were glad you liked to have us come. We enjoyed it too and APPRECIATE is a pretty big word for a first grader to use.

To Brody: I enjoyed teaching you how to plant tree seeds. I enjoyed bring the trees to Garland and showing them to you. I also enjoyed telling you about our web site. And yes, the trees are small but they will grow just as you will.

To Cammie: Yes, we had fun. Probably just as much fun as you had learning about trees. It will be quite a while before next year but you should know, the trees won't be much bigger next year than they are right now.

To Ray: I appreciate the fact that you appreciated us comming to your class room. APPRECIATE is a pretty hard word for a First Grader to use. You did well.

To Shannon: You're welcome. Mrs. Law and I really enjoyed showing you your trees, how they will look when you are in the Third grade and come to the farm and trans-plant your trees into a transplant bed. You can tell your Mother I think you are a pretty good writer for a First Grader.

To Keri: We are glad you think it was special. We thought it was special too. If you do drive by this summer and you can get your folks to stop, I will show you the trees again and I will give you a rose. Mrs. Law and I have lots of roses.

To Michaela: Your very welcome for us coming to your school. We enjoyed it. That is a very interesting thought you are having, trying to imagine the Christmas tree in someone elses house. Some people a lot older than you don't have such thought-provoking ideas. Keep thinking thoughts like that. Imagination is the key to the future.

To Matt: I thought you would like to see the trees growing that you planted. I'll bring them to your school again next year.

To Dakota: You're welcome. We enjoyed teaching you how to plant Christmas trees. We also enjoyed coming to your class and showing you the trees you planted. They are not very big yet and they grow very slow. But, they will be Christmas trees when you are in high school.

Remember, all of the first grade classes together, including Garland, have three trays of seedlings. Each tray holds 36 peat pots for a total of 108. In two years, those 108 seedlings will be transplanted into a TRANSPLANT BED on the tree farm in Dover. You will be Third Graders then and you will be bussed to Dover to do the transplanting.

THIRD GRADE

The Third Grade from the Exeter Elementary School was the first to plant the seedlings. Here, Mrs. Cynthia Hall, Hall's Christmas Tree Farm shows all of us how to do it. She was the Teacher Of The Day and we all owe her a big round of "THANKS"! The entire school district should know that the planting went off really well as seen by the photo below. The two rows in the foreground were planted by the Third grade from SAD 41, Milo. The two rows on the outside edge of the transplant bed are those planted by SAD 46. Remember, next year you're comming back to lay out a big planting grid in the field. You can look at your trees at that time.

Here is the Exeter kids at the beaver dam. I told you guys and girls that we would never see a beaver until we were quiet for a long time. That's all I knew about beaver. When I told the kids from the Guilford Third Grade the same thing one little boy said, "Well, what's that right there swimming?" Sure enough, there was a beaver swimming in the pond.

Now I would like to take this opportunity to recognize all of you guys and gals in Mrs. Grant's Third Grade Exeter Consolidated School. That was a real nice letter you wrote and yes it was fun dispite the fact it was pretty miserable weather.

To:

Alaina	Morgan	Destiny
Matt C.	Elizabeth	Lauren
Matt T.	Neil	Crane
Lee	Chris	Harley
Courtney	Adam	Jane
Emmah	Sarah	Holly
Haley	Anthony	August
Cole	Sam

Thank you for signing the letter telling us how much it meant to you. That means a lot to us.

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