Hello RTH Families!
Fall is in the air and the Red-tailed Hawks are welcoming the more temperate weather and the
outside recess time it has brought with it. Hopefully after fall break we will be able to begin
opening our garage door and expand our work area.
We have been busy at work in class. In fact, it could be said that we are BUSY BEES! Speaking of
which...the students and I are very excited about our classroom auction project, THE RED-
TAILED HAWKS BEE HOTEL! Inspired by all of the bee research initiated last year, we have
delved deeper into the life, needs, and habits of bees. In our research, we have learned of the
benefit that a well-designed (and beautiful) bee hotel can bring to Native Arizona Bees (did you
know there are over 1,400 species of bees in Arizona?!).
We have been learning of the types of bees that would benefit from a bee hotel, and are
working with Mr. Mike to build a beautiful, functional, eco-friendly habit for these beneficial
pollinators. To "furnish" our Bee Hotel, we will need many things from nature, including logs of
varying shapes and sizes, large and small sticks, untreated pine wood, untreated wood blocks,
reeds and bamboo. If you have any of these items (or would like to go on a NATURE HUNT with
your student to find some over fall break) we would greatly appreciate your contribution.
Our completed Bee Hotel will house a variety of solitary bees (which are by nature non-
aggressive) and hopefully some humming birds as well. Our habitat will consist of 3 beautiful
garden art structures, with 24 individual compartments. I am very excited about the beauty of
this project, the learning associated with it (including biology, engineering, woodworking etc.),
and the hands-on construction that the students will be able to experience. Please be sure to
put the Keystone Fall Festival Art Walk on Saturday, October 22 in your calendar, so that you
have an opportunity to see this amazing project!
In other news, we are very happy to be able to resume our classroom observations! Scheduled
observations will begin after fall break. Please sign up as soon as possible, and be sure to save
the date in your calendar. Rescheduling missed observations is difficult due to the number of
families that we have, as well as the distraction caused in the classroom by missed
appointments (our hosts are always eager and ready to greet and serve our guests). In addition
to signing up for your observation, please also sign up for a parent & teacher conference.
Conferences are most beneficial when scheduled AFTER the classroom observation, within a
few days of your visit. Please email me if you have any difficulty signing up for either an
observation or conference.
As previously promised, I have attached another easy, kid-friendly snack idea for your student.
It is always fun to have your students be part of the snack and meal preparation (and it also
makes if much more likely for them to eat the results).
Please enjoy this month's snack idea and have a wonderful fall break!
See you in October!
In peace,
Mrs. Amie
