Dear Families,
I must have been really tired when I wrote my BLOG last night because I made a few errors. The field trip was today, the 14th and was wonderful. Ask your child! We come back to school, Monday January 4th, not the 3rd.
I also forgot one last thing. I was asked if there were any art supplies I might need and "yes" there are as I would like the students in my class to have the opportunity to oil paint when we get back from Christmas break. I need the following and cannot afford to purchase these items myself:
Canvases should be 11 x 14 and I need 20. The oil paint colors we will need are Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Ultrmarine Blue, and Titanium White. I also need some brushes, thin plastic (like painter's use) to cover the floors and tables, and the safer version of turpentine (I can't remember what it is called). It would also probably be a good idea to have plastic gloves.
For the art supplies, BLICK Art on India Street is a good place.
Thanks
Kim
Arriving at Smith Ranch
Arriving at Smith Ranch!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
"Tis the week before Christmas Break!
Dear Families,
Thanks to all the families that came out to Barnes and Nobles last Thursday! I thought the poetry recitations went very well and I was proud of those students that conquered their fear of "public speaking"!!
I also appreciate the support all of you parents are giving your children in finding resources for their informational reports. The last I checked, which was on Friday, there were only a few students that hadn't brought their information. I did neglect to send a note home with the students on Friday regarding bringing supplies to school for their dioramas. Again, the idea is for them to create a scene from their chosen person's life inside a shoe box. We talked about the supplies they could use on Friday. I would like to have these items, no later than Wednesday morning. Please contact me, if you have any questions.
On Monday, December 18th from 10am-2pm we will be on an exciting field trip to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Thanks ahead of time to all of you wonderful parents who volunteered to drive. Don't forget to pack a lunch for your child as we will be there over the lunch hour.
Our last day of school is on December 18th. That afternoon, I am planning for students to relax and have fun decorating cookies and one other suprise item for home! I think we all deserve to let our hair down a bit as they mostly work hard while they are in class with me! School will be back in session on January 3, 2010!
I hope you all enjoy your holidays.
This week in school, your children will be:
Having lots of laughs during our morning meetings.
Learning new vocabulary and grammar skills (compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions).
Working on their fictional narrativies. They have their overall outlines completed and will now start adding details, making careful word choices, and checking for spelling and punctuation errors.
Completing an assessment in math.
Continuing work on their project, which will include finishing "Patty Reed's Doll", starting to write their informational reports, make dioramas, and hopefully if time allows create some desert art and poetry. They will also be watching a PBS special about the west during the 1800's.
Our first progress reports for the year will be completed in January. I'm excited to share with you all the ways your child has grown and developed.
Sincerely,
Kim
Thanks to all the families that came out to Barnes and Nobles last Thursday! I thought the poetry recitations went very well and I was proud of those students that conquered their fear of "public speaking"!!
I also appreciate the support all of you parents are giving your children in finding resources for their informational reports. The last I checked, which was on Friday, there were only a few students that hadn't brought their information. I did neglect to send a note home with the students on Friday regarding bringing supplies to school for their dioramas. Again, the idea is for them to create a scene from their chosen person's life inside a shoe box. We talked about the supplies they could use on Friday. I would like to have these items, no later than Wednesday morning. Please contact me, if you have any questions.
On Monday, December 18th from 10am-2pm we will be on an exciting field trip to the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, CA. Thanks ahead of time to all of you wonderful parents who volunteered to drive. Don't forget to pack a lunch for your child as we will be there over the lunch hour.
Our last day of school is on December 18th. That afternoon, I am planning for students to relax and have fun decorating cookies and one other suprise item for home! I think we all deserve to let our hair down a bit as they mostly work hard while they are in class with me! School will be back in session on January 3, 2010!
I hope you all enjoy your holidays.
This week in school, your children will be:
Having lots of laughs during our morning meetings.
Learning new vocabulary and grammar skills (compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions).
Working on their fictional narrativies. They have their overall outlines completed and will now start adding details, making careful word choices, and checking for spelling and punctuation errors.
Completing an assessment in math.
Continuing work on their project, which will include finishing "Patty Reed's Doll", starting to write their informational reports, make dioramas, and hopefully if time allows create some desert art and poetry. They will also be watching a PBS special about the west during the 1800's.
Our first progress reports for the year will be completed in January. I'm excited to share with you all the ways your child has grown and developed.
Sincerely,
Kim
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Ten School Days Until Christmas Break!!!!
Dear Families,
Our mandatory Family Night meeting will be held at Barnes & Nobles at 6 pm on Thursday, December 10th. Please attend so you can stay informed of important IA updates and information. As I've mentioned before, my class is memorizing poetry to recite at 6:30 in the bookstore that night. Please have your children there by approximately 6:15, so that we are organized and ready to go! Should you decide to purchase Barnes & Noble items that night or any time from December 10th-16th, a percentage of the proceeds goes towards the 8th grade Washington D.C. trip. Also, rather than going home after picking up your child, an IA dinner is being held at Applebee's before the meeting from 4-8 pm. IA gets 15% of the proceeds, so invite friends and family to join in.
In class, we are continuing to study California history. Students have been asked to choose a historical figure that was significant to California's history. Most students chose their person on Friday, but some did not. The requirement for Monday is that your child have their historical figure chosen and bring in three informational resources about that person. The resources can be a book and two internet articles or any combination of the two. Your child will be writing an informational report on their chosen person. Additionally, because we are reading about westward expansion and pioneers, we have recently discussed bartering. Students were asked to bring in five items on Monday to barter away (items should be things your child can part with) during our "Bartering Fair" A note went home on Friday, so I hope you all received it!
For math, we have been studying mean, median, and mode and how to organize data. Students and I co-created a tally chart and line-plot that described the number of people in our families. The lowest number was three and highest was eleven! We are also practicing various strategies for addition and subtraction as well as skip counting and drilling on multiplication facts. Students are also having to learn how to round in order to calculate ball park estimates, a skill we commonly use as adult. The rounding is presenting some difficulties.
Students are busy writing their next narrative, a fictional one about a dilemma with water. We have everything from a boy falling in a walrus tank (mine), to avalanches, sinking boats, and being pulled into ocean waves without being able to swim. Ask your child what they are writing about. The process of writing these narratives well is time consuming, but time well spent. Your child is learning to plan, organize, and revise what I consider to be fairly high level pieces of writing.
We are also working hard on learning 15 new high level vocabulary words weekly. For example this week, students learned the meanings of words such as contempt and abrupt. They also took a pre-test on these words in spelling. At least four of the students were able to spell all 15 words correctly on the pre-test which tells me that I need two lists in the future. Our final spelling test will be on Monday. Each week your child makes 3 X 5 cards with their words on them. I have asked them to practice them at home and at school, so you might ask them about them. A good time to practice together is in the car while driving to school.
We are also practicing grammar on most days. We have gone over all capitalization requirements for 4th grade and we are on to punctuation. For the most part, this is going well; however, using commas to separate an appositive from the noun that proceeds it is a bit confusing, so we will be engaging in additional lessons on this topic this week.
I would like you and your child to begin gathering supplies for them to create a diorama of a scene from their historical figure's life. As a matter a fact, if your child could be ready to bring their shoe box and supplies by Monday, December 14th, that would be great as we will start working on them that day. Upon our return from Christmas break and soon as their informational reports and dioramas are done, your child will also need to create a costume depicting their historical figure. When all is ready, we will conduct a Wax Museum in our classroom, where your child is the expert on their historical figure, they are dressed as them and the entire school as well as families will be invited into our room to learn! I will keep you updated concerning the date.
I will also be looking into having an artist come into the classroom to teach oil painting after the Christmas break. I will need supplies for this venture such as oil paints, brushes, turpentine, and canvases. I would like each student to paint the California Poppy. After the paintings are completed, we can transfer the images onto fabric and make a classroom quilt. So, I will also need fabric and quilting supplies. If you can supply any of these items, I would appreciate it. We did a similar project last year and the end result was beautiful!
Please contact me with any questions or concerns. I think that is it for now!
Sincerely,
Kim
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Holiday Season is Upon Us!
Good Morning Families,
I hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving. For myself, I have spent time enjoying my family and making sure to take this time to reflect on the many blessings that exist in my life. Of course, my own children are my biggest blessing, but when I think of each and every child in my class an additional smile comes to my face. I hope all of you will be ready to come back to school committed to learning and making our class run like the strong team I know we can be. We only have a brief period of time (14 days) of school before we are out again for Christmas vacation, so let's make them count!
Please remember that Monday the 30th of November is a Professional Day for the teachers at IA, thus there is no school! We will be looking at curriculum, daily schedules, discussing positive discipline, and delving into our current and upcoming projects.
Speaking of projects, when we return to school, we will be continuing to study California's history through finishing "Patty Reed's Doll" and starting on "By The Great Horn Spoon", a story about California's gold rush. Within the reading of each book, students will actively engage in writing, math, science, and history activities. Letters written by students pretending they are pioneers should be posted outside our classroom shortly after returning from Thanksgiving break.
Also, shortly after we return, your children are invited to perform the poems and monologues they have chosen at the parent meeting at Barnes and Nobles at 6:30pm on December 10th. Students will have time to practice memorizing their poems in class. I would also like to see them take them home and practice. If you have any questions, please contact me via email or in the classroom.
I am looking for a donation of fabric to make bookbags for the back of each students chair. I like the tables to be free of books and folders during the day, so there is plently of room to work. Is anyone willing to help me calculate the amount of fabric, purchase it, and help to make them? Please let me know.
As soon as I have information about progress report dates, I will let you all know. Until then, take care and I will be updating my BLOG weekly by each Monday for the remainder of the year.
Sincerely,
Kim
I hope you all had a restful Thanksgiving. For myself, I have spent time enjoying my family and making sure to take this time to reflect on the many blessings that exist in my life. Of course, my own children are my biggest blessing, but when I think of each and every child in my class an additional smile comes to my face. I hope all of you will be ready to come back to school committed to learning and making our class run like the strong team I know we can be. We only have a brief period of time (14 days) of school before we are out again for Christmas vacation, so let's make them count!
Please remember that Monday the 30th of November is a Professional Day for the teachers at IA, thus there is no school! We will be looking at curriculum, daily schedules, discussing positive discipline, and delving into our current and upcoming projects.
Speaking of projects, when we return to school, we will be continuing to study California's history through finishing "Patty Reed's Doll" and starting on "By The Great Horn Spoon", a story about California's gold rush. Within the reading of each book, students will actively engage in writing, math, science, and history activities. Letters written by students pretending they are pioneers should be posted outside our classroom shortly after returning from Thanksgiving break.
Also, shortly after we return, your children are invited to perform the poems and monologues they have chosen at the parent meeting at Barnes and Nobles at 6:30pm on December 10th. Students will have time to practice memorizing their poems in class. I would also like to see them take them home and practice. If you have any questions, please contact me via email or in the classroom.
I am looking for a donation of fabric to make bookbags for the back of each students chair. I like the tables to be free of books and folders during the day, so there is plently of room to work. Is anyone willing to help me calculate the amount of fabric, purchase it, and help to make them? Please let me know.
As soon as I have information about progress report dates, I will let you all know. Until then, take care and I will be updating my BLOG weekly by each Monday for the remainder of the year.
Sincerely,
Kim
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Weekly Update from Kim's Room
Dear families,
Our class is busily working every day and having fun! On occasion we can't complete work in class. Most of the time, we just finish it the next day, but on a rare occasion I may send something home. When that happens, it would be great if students could finish the work and return it the next day. I'm writing this because I recently did send work home from our "Wordly Wise" program as I want all students to have and an opportunity to increase their vocabulary and working with this program is just one of the ways we can achieve this. I would love to see more of it returned!
For our Fun Fair on Sunday, the 15th we need canopies! For instance, parents have volunteered to "man" the used book sale and I want them to have shade from the sun. I also have some students who want to have a make-over booth. If you have a canopy and it could be available, please contact me ASAP!
Don't forget that we will be visiting the San Diego Mission next Tuesday for a field trip. I need drivers and for students to bring $2.00 to school to pay for the docent tour. All of these field trips enrich your students learning and school enjoyment. Let Michelle or I know if you can drive. I know it will be both educational and fun!
On December 10th, the parent meeting will be at the Barnes and Nobles bookstore at Hazard Center near the school. Your children are memorizing Shel Silverstein poems to recite that night for your enjoyment! Please put it on your calendar as an event not to miss. Students will be reciting them in class as well, but I know they would love to recite them in front of their families. I hope you can make it!
I also hope to see you all this Thursday night, the 12th for the parent meeting! Our classroom will be displaying your child's "All About Me" scrapbook. It's also a great way to stay current on other school events.
Sincerely,
Kim
P.S. Some of you missed conferences. If you were too busy and would like to reschedule, please contact me.
Our class is busily working every day and having fun! On occasion we can't complete work in class. Most of the time, we just finish it the next day, but on a rare occasion I may send something home. When that happens, it would be great if students could finish the work and return it the next day. I'm writing this because I recently did send work home from our "Wordly Wise" program as I want all students to have and an opportunity to increase their vocabulary and working with this program is just one of the ways we can achieve this. I would love to see more of it returned!
For our Fun Fair on Sunday, the 15th we need canopies! For instance, parents have volunteered to "man" the used book sale and I want them to have shade from the sun. I also have some students who want to have a make-over booth. If you have a canopy and it could be available, please contact me ASAP!
Don't forget that we will be visiting the San Diego Mission next Tuesday for a field trip. I need drivers and for students to bring $2.00 to school to pay for the docent tour. All of these field trips enrich your students learning and school enjoyment. Let Michelle or I know if you can drive. I know it will be both educational and fun!
On December 10th, the parent meeting will be at the Barnes and Nobles bookstore at Hazard Center near the school. Your children are memorizing Shel Silverstein poems to recite that night for your enjoyment! Please put it on your calendar as an event not to miss. Students will be reciting them in class as well, but I know they would love to recite them in front of their families. I hope you can make it!
I also hope to see you all this Thursday night, the 12th for the parent meeting! Our classroom will be displaying your child's "All About Me" scrapbook. It's also a great way to stay current on other school events.
Sincerely,
Kim
P.S. Some of you missed conferences. If you were too busy and would like to reschedule, please contact me.
Monday, November 2, 2009
It's Almost Thanksgiving!!
Dear Families,
I want to thank all of the families that brought treats and supplies for our Halloween party on Friday. The students had lots of fun, probably ate a bit too much sugar, and wrapped each other in toilet paper like mummies. They also had fun visiting the 1st grade haunted classroom!
I also want to thank those parent drivers that volunteered for our Mission Trails Regional Park field trip. Students enjoyed being out in nature and gaining knowledge about ecosystems by looking, touching, and smelling various plants. Our guide was informative with a great sense of humor and shared fascinating stories to maintain interest and attention! All-in-all, a great learning experience.
Upcoming events include the following for the month of November:
Wednesday, November 4th, 1:30-6:30pm are student-led conferences. Please email me or drop by to sign up for your conference time. Right now, I only have six parents signed up and I know you are all interested in knowing how your children are doing!
Thursday, November 12th, 5:00-8:00pm is our monthly parent meeting. This will also be a time for you to see your children's work from their "All About Me" project.
Sunday, November 15th, 10:00am-4:00pm is the Fall Festival, hosted by IA parents. I need volunteers to "man" the booksale booth. Hours to volunteer will be broken into two-hour shifts. In other words, from 10am-12pm, from 12-2pm, and from 2-4pm. Please email me if you can help at this important fundraising event.
Tuesday, November 17th our fourth grade needs volunteer drivers for a field trip to the San Diego Mission. Fourth grade standards cover learning about the California mission system. Kids love to learn by doing! Please let me know if you will be able to help.
Thanksgiving break - November 23rd-27th.
I hope you can make any or all of the events listed above. If you have questions, let me know!
Out daily learning consists of the following this week:
Morning Meeting - Highway 3/Full Responsibility
Wordly Wise - 15 new high level words and activities to learn the words in various parts of speech
Grammar - Punctuation, capitalization, and thank you letters
Writing - Final drafts for autobiographical narratives and introduction to the fictional narrative
Math - Number uses
Reading and Comprehension - Patty Reed's Doll
Social Science - Patty Reed's Doll This book helps students to understand the western migration that was taking place in the United States in the mid-1800's
Science - Ecosystems and introduction to food chains within the ecosytem.
I think that's it for now! Please contact me with any concerns or questions that come to mind.
Sincerely,
Kim
I want to thank all of the families that brought treats and supplies for our Halloween party on Friday. The students had lots of fun, probably ate a bit too much sugar, and wrapped each other in toilet paper like mummies. They also had fun visiting the 1st grade haunted classroom!
I also want to thank those parent drivers that volunteered for our Mission Trails Regional Park field trip. Students enjoyed being out in nature and gaining knowledge about ecosystems by looking, touching, and smelling various plants. Our guide was informative with a great sense of humor and shared fascinating stories to maintain interest and attention! All-in-all, a great learning experience.
Upcoming events include the following for the month of November:
Wednesday, November 4th, 1:30-6:30pm are student-led conferences. Please email me or drop by to sign up for your conference time. Right now, I only have six parents signed up and I know you are all interested in knowing how your children are doing!
Thursday, November 12th, 5:00-8:00pm is our monthly parent meeting. This will also be a time for you to see your children's work from their "All About Me" project.
Sunday, November 15th, 10:00am-4:00pm is the Fall Festival, hosted by IA parents. I need volunteers to "man" the booksale booth. Hours to volunteer will be broken into two-hour shifts. In other words, from 10am-12pm, from 12-2pm, and from 2-4pm. Please email me if you can help at this important fundraising event.
Tuesday, November 17th our fourth grade needs volunteer drivers for a field trip to the San Diego Mission. Fourth grade standards cover learning about the California mission system. Kids love to learn by doing! Please let me know if you will be able to help.
Thanksgiving break - November 23rd-27th.
I hope you can make any or all of the events listed above. If you have questions, let me know!
Out daily learning consists of the following this week:
Morning Meeting - Highway 3/Full Responsibility
Wordly Wise - 15 new high level words and activities to learn the words in various parts of speech
Grammar - Punctuation, capitalization, and thank you letters
Writing - Final drafts for autobiographical narratives and introduction to the fictional narrative
Math - Number uses
Reading and Comprehension - Patty Reed's Doll
Social Science - Patty Reed's Doll This book helps students to understand the western migration that was taking place in the United States in the mid-1800's
Science - Ecosystems and introduction to food chains within the ecosytem.
I think that's it for now! Please contact me with any concerns or questions that come to mind.
Sincerely,
Kim
Monday, October 26, 2009
October/November Events!!!!!!!
Dear Families,
Happy Monday! Halloween is less than a week away and I would like to have a Friday celebration. Are there any parent volunteers out there who would be willing to join us at approximately 12:30pm to celebrate? Let me know! I also need a donation of treats (Halloween cupcakes, drinks, napkins, etc....). Students can bring their costumes to wear during our celebration or wear them all day - please no scary masks!! Let me know if you can volunteer!!!
Other upcoming events include the following:
Happy Monday! Halloween is less than a week away and I would like to have a Friday celebration. Are there any parent volunteers out there who would be willing to join us at approximately 12:30pm to celebrate? Let me know! I also need a donation of treats (Halloween cupcakes, drinks, napkins, etc....). Students can bring their costumes to wear during our celebration or wear them all day - please no scary masks!! Let me know if you can volunteer!!!
Other upcoming events include the following:
- Wednesday, November 4th, 1:30-6:30pm/Student-led Conferences. The sign-up sheet for conferences is right outside my classroom door.
- Thursday, November 12th, 5-8pm/Dinner, parent meeting, and exibition of "All About Me" project.
- Thanksgiving Break - November 23rd- 27th
- December 7th- 11th/Borders Book Sale Fundraiser. Take your flyer into Borders, buy books, and 15% of your purchase goes to IA. The parent meeting on Thursday, December 10th will actually be held at Borders and will include student performances (stay-tuned for more information).
- Parent arranged Fall Festival in IA parking lot - date to be announced.
I hope you can make any or all of the dates above. If you have questions, please let me know!
During the school day, your children are starting to learn about 8 to Great during our morning meeting time. This program is designed to teach life skills for success. After our morning meeting we study new words (students are also practicing "acting" the words out) and grammar. In our daily writing program, students are in the midst of writing their autobiographical narrative into paragraphs. After they finish, we will be looking over their writing for revisions and final editing. In writing as well as other activities here at IA, we are committed to excellence and beautiful work. In math, we are almost finished with Geometry! Students will be assessed today and be moving on to the next unit. During this unit, students will be taking an imaginary tour of the world. They will learn about the countries they visit and the people that live there. Additionally, they will be collecting and examining numerical data and become more aware of the "use of numbers". For Social Studies/Reading/Math, we are reading a book called Patty Reed's Doll . We are looking at a young girl's trip from Illinois to California through the eyes of her doll. Students are learning why people moved to California in the mid-1800's, what it was like to travel in a covered wagon, the hardships that was endured, and for the math portion we will be calculating time needed to travel a certain number of miles. This week we will also be singing camp songs, drawing and coloring covered wagons, and pressing flowers like our pioneer girl in the story. For science, we will "kick-off" learning about ecosystems with our field trip to Mission Trails which is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28th from 9:30am-1:00pm. Students are being asked to bring a bag lunch, so we can picnic after the tour. Please also send your child with a $1 donation to cover the cost and I need volunteer divers, so contact me immediately if you can drive. Ask your children about their enriching MAPS activities!
I think that's it for now! As always, please contact me with questions or concerns reagrding your child's education here at IA.
Sincerely,
Kim Brunetto
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Dear Families,
We are finishing up the "Me Project" and are ready to head forward with our learning. As you know, we will be going on our first field trip on Thursday the 15th of October to the Serra Museum in Presidio Park in San Diego. This field trip will "kick-off" our study of California history, a fourth grade standard. Please be sure to be at school before 9am as I would like to have all the students in vehicles and ready to drive to the site at 9am sharp! After the docent-led tour, we will enjoy a picnic in the park, so please be sure to send a bagged lunch with your child.
In math right now we are learning studying Geometry. Students are drawing, describing, and playing games to recognize polygons as well as practicing math facts. We are also practicing vocabulary by using a program called "Wordly Wise." Some of these higher level words are actually showing up in student writing. Yeah! We have been doing a lot of writing with the "Me Project". One of the most exciting pieces is an autobiographical narrative that students have put a few weeks into planning. I think you will be impressed and see growth even from their first writing project. The program I am using comes from the Learning Headquarters, a well-respected curriculum in the teaching world!
We will be exibiting work from the "All About Me" project on October 29th. Stay-tuned for more details.
On November 4th, that is a Wednesday, we are having student led conferences. Please come in and sign up for a time that works best for you. Please feel free to email me also with a time that works best for you. The conferences will last 15 minutes and the first one will start at 1:15. If this date does not work for you we can schedule for another date. I will be sending a form home that you should go over with your student prior to the conference.
Hope everyone is well! You all have amazing kids and we are really making progress and are absorbing so much. Keep the communication open. If you have any questions or comments let me know.
Kim
We are finishing up the "Me Project" and are ready to head forward with our learning. As you know, we will be going on our first field trip on Thursday the 15th of October to the Serra Museum in Presidio Park in San Diego. This field trip will "kick-off" our study of California history, a fourth grade standard. Please be sure to be at school before 9am as I would like to have all the students in vehicles and ready to drive to the site at 9am sharp! After the docent-led tour, we will enjoy a picnic in the park, so please be sure to send a bagged lunch with your child.
In math right now we are learning studying Geometry. Students are drawing, describing, and playing games to recognize polygons as well as practicing math facts. We are also practicing vocabulary by using a program called "Wordly Wise." Some of these higher level words are actually showing up in student writing. Yeah! We have been doing a lot of writing with the "Me Project". One of the most exciting pieces is an autobiographical narrative that students have put a few weeks into planning. I think you will be impressed and see growth even from their first writing project. The program I am using comes from the Learning Headquarters, a well-respected curriculum in the teaching world!
We will be exibiting work from the "All About Me" project on October 29th. Stay-tuned for more details.
On November 4th, that is a Wednesday, we are having student led conferences. Please come in and sign up for a time that works best for you. Please feel free to email me also with a time that works best for you. The conferences will last 15 minutes and the first one will start at 1:15. If this date does not work for you we can schedule for another date. I will be sending a form home that you should go over with your student prior to the conference.
Hope everyone is well! You all have amazing kids and we are really making progress and are absorbing so much. Keep the communication open. If you have any questions or comments let me know.
Kim
Monday, September 28, 2009
PICTURE DAY IS COMING!!
Dear Families,
"Picture Day" is coming! I sent home packets with your child today, so if you would like a picture of your child please be sure to get the paperwork completed and returned to me before Monday, October 5th. Fourth grade students will be photographed at 9:35am on that day.
Students have been busy at work in a variety of areas. One of the exciting programs I just started that is meant to increase your child's vocabulary by 100's of words is called Wordly Wise. Your children were introduced to 15 new words today. Throughout the week they will be engaged in meaningful activities in order to master meanings as well as spelling. Each week we also work on 10 additional words children already know, but that are spelling demons. For instance, there, their, and they're. They have also been introduced to four types of sentences. Ask them about powerful sentences and if they can describe for you a "Double the Who" or "Triple-Decker sentence. We will be reviewing these types of sentences on numerous occasions. They will use them in their autobiographical narrative that we started planning last week.
In math, we are studying Geometry. We have talked about lines, rays, and line segments and started talking about angles today. In order to make math more hands-on we have looked at line segments on actual blue prints, used geoboards to create line segments, created angles with straws and twist ties, and will be building geometric solids. In project math, students will also be graphing information on all students' career choices and their future incomes. I'm hoping to compete the graphs this week, but at this point only a few students have looked up their career income. It would be great if you could sit down with your child and look on the computer or in a library book regarding their future career choice. In addition to graphing the income, I also want them to understand what they will be doing in their chosen work and where they might have to move in the country to work in their field (geography).
For the "All About Me" project, students have made scrapbook covers, they all need to have completed a second interview with their parents, and have started to decorate their shoes in a way that represents who they are. Additionally most of them have completed writing about a summer activity they enjoyed. Stop by and read the writing posted on the bulletin board outside my room. This week students will be bringing home a family tree to complete. If you have photos of any of the people on the family tree that can be copied for their scrapbook, please send them along. Any stories about their relatives will also make the family tree come alive! I appreciate your efforts!! Students are also reading books of their choice and completing book reports. This part of the project has two purposes. For one, students and I will understand the type of fiction they prefer and two, they will understand the elements of plot.
Finally, we are beginning to touch on map skills and we will soon be looking at ecosystems for science.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email. I am looking for a room parent to help me with the student store. If you are interested, please let me know and I will explain what is needed. Also, the kindergarten teacher, DeeDee and I want to have a used book, DVD, and game sale; however, we need donations. We would love for you to make more space on your shelves for new books and get rid of the old ones. Donations can be dropped off in my room.
Thanks for your caring,
Kim
"Picture Day" is coming! I sent home packets with your child today, so if you would like a picture of your child please be sure to get the paperwork completed and returned to me before Monday, October 5th. Fourth grade students will be photographed at 9:35am on that day.
Students have been busy at work in a variety of areas. One of the exciting programs I just started that is meant to increase your child's vocabulary by 100's of words is called Wordly Wise. Your children were introduced to 15 new words today. Throughout the week they will be engaged in meaningful activities in order to master meanings as well as spelling. Each week we also work on 10 additional words children already know, but that are spelling demons. For instance, there, their, and they're. They have also been introduced to four types of sentences. Ask them about powerful sentences and if they can describe for you a "Double the Who" or "Triple-Decker sentence. We will be reviewing these types of sentences on numerous occasions. They will use them in their autobiographical narrative that we started planning last week.
In math, we are studying Geometry. We have talked about lines, rays, and line segments and started talking about angles today. In order to make math more hands-on we have looked at line segments on actual blue prints, used geoboards to create line segments, created angles with straws and twist ties, and will be building geometric solids. In project math, students will also be graphing information on all students' career choices and their future incomes. I'm hoping to compete the graphs this week, but at this point only a few students have looked up their career income. It would be great if you could sit down with your child and look on the computer or in a library book regarding their future career choice. In addition to graphing the income, I also want them to understand what they will be doing in their chosen work and where they might have to move in the country to work in their field (geography).
For the "All About Me" project, students have made scrapbook covers, they all need to have completed a second interview with their parents, and have started to decorate their shoes in a way that represents who they are. Additionally most of them have completed writing about a summer activity they enjoyed. Stop by and read the writing posted on the bulletin board outside my room. This week students will be bringing home a family tree to complete. If you have photos of any of the people on the family tree that can be copied for their scrapbook, please send them along. Any stories about their relatives will also make the family tree come alive! I appreciate your efforts!! Students are also reading books of their choice and completing book reports. This part of the project has two purposes. For one, students and I will understand the type of fiction they prefer and two, they will understand the elements of plot.
Finally, we are beginning to touch on map skills and we will soon be looking at ecosystems for science.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email. I am looking for a room parent to help me with the student store. If you are interested, please let me know and I will explain what is needed. Also, the kindergarten teacher, DeeDee and I want to have a used book, DVD, and game sale; however, we need donations. We would love for you to make more space on your shelves for new books and get rid of the old ones. Donations can be dropped off in my room.
Thanks for your caring,
Kim
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
4TH GRADE CLASSROOM UPDATE!
Dear Families,
Whew, last week flew! Students are getting to know each through lots of team building activities and classroom assignments. We have been practicing daily routines, signals, and classroom protocol. Agreements regarding behavior have been made and are being discussed daily. I'm happy to say all is going well.
Base-line assessments in math, spelling, and writing have been completed. I will have a good idea of how to group students based on skill level next week. During small group work, I will have an opportunity to work even closer with students in order to support them in a variety of ways. My goal is to find just the right balance between challenge and too easy. In other words, I don't want your children to be frustrated while learning, but continue to master academic and social skills.
So far, students have met a character named Rikki Tikki Tavi from an in class read aloud. I think they enjoyed this story and were adept at identifying Rikki Tikki Tavi's character traits. They were even able to support their answers with evidence from the book. They have also picked D.E.A.R. books from our in class library for silent reading thoughout the day. Ask your child about the difference between a "Must Do" and a "May Do"! I have asked each student to bring a book from home, for our "All About Me Project". This book will be used to write a book report, but I would like it to be one that students are excited about reading or one that they have read before and are willing to read again. Some students have remembered to bring a book and others still have not. We will be starting the reading on these books next Monday, so please remember to send a book with them to school. My main objective is for them to understand the elements of plot, a fourth grade standard, and thought it would be more enjoyable if they had a choice on their book. We also learn more about our likes and dislikes when we see each others' book choices.
Students are working hard in writing. They are describing themselves in writing from a picture or drawing of themselves engaged in an activity. They are answering detail questions to extend their writing, as well as including sensory details. Most students have completed rough drafts and are ready to begin revisions. They have also done what I call a "Power Write". Students are given a writing prompt and are asked to write as much as possible within three minutes. The idea is that over time they will build their writing fluency or their ability to write more. We will do power writes at least twice a week. As students build their writing skills, this activity will be easier. They have also just completed an "I Am" poem, another part of the "All About Me Project". Stop by the classroom to read these wonderful poems.
In math we have been checking multiplication knowledge and learning about graphing. Students learned about gathering data and actually created a triple-bar graph today after polling
each classroom at IA about hair color. They will be creating graphs in the "All About Me" project that will touch on differences and likenesses within our classroom as well as future career aspirations for each individual.
We have also been learning about earthquakes. Students had the opportunity to work in small groups and create posters to demonstrate what they had learned as well as practice their presentation skills. My main objective in studying earthquakes was not only knowledge, but also to help students to learn how to effectively take part in a small group and begin the process of becoming comfortable presenting in front of a group. So far, so good!!
I think that's it for now. Don't miss our IA game night, next Tuesday, the 22nd of September.
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kim
P.S. I already have some great pictures of our class. I'll post them on my next BLOG as I am waiting for my computer to be repaired!
Whew, last week flew! Students are getting to know each through lots of team building activities and classroom assignments. We have been practicing daily routines, signals, and classroom protocol. Agreements regarding behavior have been made and are being discussed daily. I'm happy to say all is going well.
Base-line assessments in math, spelling, and writing have been completed. I will have a good idea of how to group students based on skill level next week. During small group work, I will have an opportunity to work even closer with students in order to support them in a variety of ways. My goal is to find just the right balance between challenge and too easy. In other words, I don't want your children to be frustrated while learning, but continue to master academic and social skills.
So far, students have met a character named Rikki Tikki Tavi from an in class read aloud. I think they enjoyed this story and were adept at identifying Rikki Tikki Tavi's character traits. They were even able to support their answers with evidence from the book. They have also picked D.E.A.R. books from our in class library for silent reading thoughout the day. Ask your child about the difference between a "Must Do" and a "May Do"! I have asked each student to bring a book from home, for our "All About Me Project". This book will be used to write a book report, but I would like it to be one that students are excited about reading or one that they have read before and are willing to read again. Some students have remembered to bring a book and others still have not. We will be starting the reading on these books next Monday, so please remember to send a book with them to school. My main objective is for them to understand the elements of plot, a fourth grade standard, and thought it would be more enjoyable if they had a choice on their book. We also learn more about our likes and dislikes when we see each others' book choices.
Students are working hard in writing. They are describing themselves in writing from a picture or drawing of themselves engaged in an activity. They are answering detail questions to extend their writing, as well as including sensory details. Most students have completed rough drafts and are ready to begin revisions. They have also done what I call a "Power Write". Students are given a writing prompt and are asked to write as much as possible within three minutes. The idea is that over time they will build their writing fluency or their ability to write more. We will do power writes at least twice a week. As students build their writing skills, this activity will be easier. They have also just completed an "I Am" poem, another part of the "All About Me Project". Stop by the classroom to read these wonderful poems.
In math we have been checking multiplication knowledge and learning about graphing. Students learned about gathering data and actually created a triple-bar graph today after polling
each classroom at IA about hair color. They will be creating graphs in the "All About Me" project that will touch on differences and likenesses within our classroom as well as future career aspirations for each individual.
We have also been learning about earthquakes. Students had the opportunity to work in small groups and create posters to demonstrate what they had learned as well as practice their presentation skills. My main objective in studying earthquakes was not only knowledge, but also to help students to learn how to effectively take part in a small group and begin the process of becoming comfortable presenting in front of a group. So far, so good!!
I think that's it for now. Don't miss our IA game night, next Tuesday, the 22nd of September.
Please email me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kim
P.S. I already have some great pictures of our class. I'll post them on my next BLOG as I am waiting for my computer to be repaired!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
WELCOME 4TH GRADERS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Families,
Just wanted to let everyone know how excited I am to be your teacher in the upcoming year. I cannot wait to build a fun, safe, and enriching community. I am really anxious to meet you all and find out more about you! Our first few weeks will be a time of team building, learning procedures, and starting our first project (The All-About-You Project). Our class will be incorporating math, history, reading, writing, and science into this learning adventure. A couple of things students will need to bring to class in those few first weeks of school include a book they want to read or one they have read and are willing to read again, a picture of them enjoying an activity, and old pair of shoes. It sounds a bit mysterious, doesn't it? More will be revealed as we start this fun and informative project!!!
I would like school supplies to arrive with students within the first week of school! If you have not received a list, please see Donna at the front desk or ask me. Some of the supplies will be used on a community level with our classroom, so please don't get too attached to a particular set of markers, for example.
Just outside my door, you will find a small cork board. This board is for parents. If you have a question or concern when you drop or pick up your child and prefer to hand write a message to me, you can post it in an envelope outside my door. I will get back to you within 24 hours. My office hours at this time will be on Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 if you would like to meet face to face. If this time doesn't work for you and you desire a meeting, let me know. My email address is kim@innovationsacademy.org. or post a note outside my door. Please know that you are welcome to visit the classroom at anytime to see what your child is doing or to volunteer.
Speaking of volunteering, is anyone interested? I have two requests at this time. I need a parent(s) to make (23) bookbags for the back of students chairs. This way, they can keep their silent reading book and literature study book with them at all times, as well as their pencil pouch. I think it will be a great way to stay organized. Any takers? I also need some volunteers to help with the student store when it is up and running. K-8 students will have staggered breaks and lunches. I would like to make the student store available to them during those times,so will need some help manning the store. Students will have the opportunity to man the store before and after school. This is a great opportunity for students to practice math skills and to raise money for classroom/school needs.
I am also looking for donations of supplies to my classroom. Please take a look at the following list and if there is anything you can provide, I would appreciate your help.
Sheet Protectors
Paperclips
Chart Paper
Tissue Paper (all colors)
Pencil Top Erasures
Speciality Papers (ask me)
Tape (all kinds)
Disposable forks, spoons, plates, cups, and bowls
Dry-erase markers
Kleenex
Binder clips
Paper Towels
Clipboards
Book Sets (ask me)
Envelopes
Construction Paper
Paint and Paint Brushes
Glue Guns and Glue Sticks
Canvases for oil painting
Ziploc bags (all sizes)
I know this is going to be a great year! Enjoy your last few days of summer and I will see you all on Tuesday.
Kim
Just wanted to let everyone know how excited I am to be your teacher in the upcoming year. I cannot wait to build a fun, safe, and enriching community. I am really anxious to meet you all and find out more about you! Our first few weeks will be a time of team building, learning procedures, and starting our first project (The All-About-You Project). Our class will be incorporating math, history, reading, writing, and science into this learning adventure. A couple of things students will need to bring to class in those few first weeks of school include a book they want to read or one they have read and are willing to read again, a picture of them enjoying an activity, and old pair of shoes. It sounds a bit mysterious, doesn't it? More will be revealed as we start this fun and informative project!!!
I would like school supplies to arrive with students within the first week of school! If you have not received a list, please see Donna at the front desk or ask me. Some of the supplies will be used on a community level with our classroom, so please don't get too attached to a particular set of markers, for example.
Just outside my door, you will find a small cork board. This board is for parents. If you have a question or concern when you drop or pick up your child and prefer to hand write a message to me, you can post it in an envelope outside my door. I will get back to you within 24 hours. My office hours at this time will be on Tuesday from 3:30-4:30 if you would like to meet face to face. If this time doesn't work for you and you desire a meeting, let me know. My email address is kim@innovationsacademy.org. or post a note outside my door. Please know that you are welcome to visit the classroom at anytime to see what your child is doing or to volunteer.
Speaking of volunteering, is anyone interested? I have two requests at this time. I need a parent(s) to make (23) bookbags for the back of students chairs. This way, they can keep their silent reading book and literature study book with them at all times, as well as their pencil pouch. I think it will be a great way to stay organized. Any takers? I also need some volunteers to help with the student store when it is up and running. K-8 students will have staggered breaks and lunches. I would like to make the student store available to them during those times,so will need some help manning the store. Students will have the opportunity to man the store before and after school. This is a great opportunity for students to practice math skills and to raise money for classroom/school needs.
I am also looking for donations of supplies to my classroom. Please take a look at the following list and if there is anything you can provide, I would appreciate your help.
Sheet Protectors
Paperclips
Chart Paper
Tissue Paper (all colors)
Pencil Top Erasures
Speciality Papers (ask me)
Tape (all kinds)
Disposable forks, spoons, plates, cups, and bowls
Dry-erase markers
Kleenex
Binder clips
Paper Towels
Clipboards
Book Sets (ask me)
Envelopes
Construction Paper
Paint and Paint Brushes
Glue Guns and Glue Sticks
Canvases for oil painting
Ziploc bags (all sizes)
I know this is going to be a great year! Enjoy your last few days of summer and I will see you all on Tuesday.
Kim
Thursday, April 30, 2009
What's Goin' On?
Dear families,
Greetings! I hope you are all well! We only have a short time until the end of the school year, and yet we have so much going on! Your children have been engaged in STAR testing this week. The fifth graders have been in my room. What a great group of kids! They're all respectful, kind, and motivated.
Today, from 1:00pm-3:30pm you are invited to visit your child's classroom to hear about all of the wonderful work your children have been doing.
Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 5th (6pm-7:30pm) for a parent meeting. Come and hear about great engaging activities for your kids during the summer and updates about I.A.The school will hold a raffle for $25 gas card, movie tickets, and an Arbonne Skin Care Basket. Your raffle-ticket is attached to your INNOVATIONS UPDATE. Updates are being sent home today with your child.
If you would like a yearbook, please stop by the office to complete your order. The orders are due on Friday, May 1st. On Friday, from 4pm-7pm there is also a "social". All upper grade classes are invited. Students can hang out with friends in the MPR, munch, dance, play board games, and do crafts.
Please make arrangements for you child's care on Monday, May 4th as this is a teacher professional day.
On Thursday, May 14th your children along with students in Jeremy's class are taking a field trip to the EcoCenter. The cost of this field trip per child is $10. Please send $10 to school by May 5th. A permission slip is in the INNOVATIONS UPDATE. Transportation is provided. We will be picked up an alternative energy bus.
Also in May on a Tuesday or Thursday, my Egypt & Japan Monday Mini-Project will be visiting the San Diego Museum of Man and the Mingei Museum. We'll eat lunch in the Japanese Tea Garden. Driver's are needed. Please contact me or Michelle. So far in the Monday Mini-Project your children have been uncovering a crime, by finding clues in an Egyptian and Japanese guide book. Next week we will be engaging in Egyptian and Japanese art and listening to music from both countries.
As you know in math we continue to use DI as a method of teaching. But in Language Arts for some time now, the students have had the opportunity to do independent reading. Along with the reading, they write daily summaries and work independently on grammar, editing, and comprehension skills. We use DI for spelling. For history
we have been studying the Revolutionary War. I have tried a number of approaches in order to make their study interesting. We are almost finished with "Liberty", an engaging movie series that reenacts the war. Mixed in are historians speaking about various general's personalities, military strategies, etc. Most students are making soldier recruitment posters. Early in the war, George Washington needed more men and recruitment posters were used for that purpose. Soldiers were promised land and money for service in the army!
I believe that is it for now. Please contact me with concerns or questions.
Sincerely,
Kim
Greetings! I hope you are all well! We only have a short time until the end of the school year, and yet we have so much going on! Your children have been engaged in STAR testing this week. The fifth graders have been in my room. What a great group of kids! They're all respectful, kind, and motivated.
Today, from 1:00pm-3:30pm you are invited to visit your child's classroom to hear about all of the wonderful work your children have been doing.
Please mark your calendar for Tuesday, May 5th (6pm-7:30pm) for a parent meeting. Come and hear about great engaging activities for your kids during the summer and updates about I.A.The school will hold a raffle for $25 gas card, movie tickets, and an Arbonne Skin Care Basket. Your raffle-ticket is attached to your INNOVATIONS UPDATE. Updates are being sent home today with your child.
If you would like a yearbook, please stop by the office to complete your order. The orders are due on Friday, May 1st. On Friday, from 4pm-7pm there is also a "social". All upper grade classes are invited. Students can hang out with friends in the MPR, munch, dance, play board games, and do crafts.
Please make arrangements for you child's care on Monday, May 4th as this is a teacher professional day.
On Thursday, May 14th your children along with students in Jeremy's class are taking a field trip to the EcoCenter. The cost of this field trip per child is $10. Please send $10 to school by May 5th. A permission slip is in the INNOVATIONS UPDATE. Transportation is provided. We will be picked up an alternative energy bus.
Also in May on a Tuesday or Thursday, my Egypt & Japan Monday Mini-Project will be visiting the San Diego Museum of Man and the Mingei Museum. We'll eat lunch in the Japanese Tea Garden. Driver's are needed. Please contact me or Michelle. So far in the Monday Mini-Project your children have been uncovering a crime, by finding clues in an Egyptian and Japanese guide book. Next week we will be engaging in Egyptian and Japanese art and listening to music from both countries.
As you know in math we continue to use DI as a method of teaching. But in Language Arts for some time now, the students have had the opportunity to do independent reading. Along with the reading, they write daily summaries and work independently on grammar, editing, and comprehension skills. We use DI for spelling. For history
we have been studying the Revolutionary War. I have tried a number of approaches in order to make their study interesting. We are almost finished with "Liberty", an engaging movie series that reenacts the war. Mixed in are historians speaking about various general's personalities, military strategies, etc. Most students are making soldier recruitment posters. Early in the war, George Washington needed more men and recruitment posters were used for that purpose. Soldiers were promised land and money for service in the army!
I believe that is it for now. Please contact me with concerns or questions.
Sincerely,
Kim
Thursday, April 16, 2009
How time has flown!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Families,
How time flies! Here we are only about eight weeks from the end of the year. What an adventure we have had and we're not done yet!!!
Some of your children have chosen to make an excursion to Egypt and Japan with me. We'll float along the Nile River and discover that Japan is composed of many islands. Do you know how many? This is the new Monday Mini-Project. To start, students will be playing a Who-Done-It game that will have them uncovering all kinds of facts about their country. We will also be exploring the music, food, traditional clothing, some history, language of the country, etc....as well as creating an environment within my classroom representing each country. My goal is to also visit "The Museum of Man" in Balboa Park for the Egyptian Exibit and the Japanese Tea Gardens to experience a Japanese snack! I will keep you updated on the field trips as we will need drivers and I love including you all in your child's education.
During our social-emotional lesson-time, all teachers are currently introducing our "Keys to Achieve". These are behaviors we want all IA students to learn to be more effective not only in the classroom, but in life. Examples, of the topics include making eye contact, active listening, spreading happiness, ect...a list of our "Keys" is available upon request. I have been integrating these new "Keys" with our "8 to Great" program students have been learning from the beginning of the year. They work well together!
Your children and I are currently engaged in some test preparation for the STAR test. It seems that some of the students are worried about the test. I have told them that their score is not something that follows them their entire life and if they do well - great! They are all unique in their abilities and that even if they were in school 24/7, we may still not cover all of the questions asked on this particular test. Please encourage your children not to worry.
Please join us at an Italian Dinner Fundraiser on Thursday, April 23rd from 3-6pm. For all of us busy working parents, BMH Italian Restaurant is offering a dinner for four that even includes dessert for $20.00.
On Sunday, April 26th, we would like to invite all families to an exciting event in Balboa Park, called "Servapalooza". Servapalooza will feature hands-on service projects hosted by 50 community organizations, a Parade of Wishes for youth groups, youth performers, raffles, silent auction, food, vendors and much, much more!
We plan to march in the parade with a banner from IA, and are committed to getting involved with the many service-based activities.
Tickets are available for three Civic Center Off-Broadway productions for families of IA. This is a fantastic opportunity to expose your children to the acting-out of well-known stories most of your children are familiar with. Contact michelle@innovationsacademy.org.
That's it for now,
Kim
How time flies! Here we are only about eight weeks from the end of the year. What an adventure we have had and we're not done yet!!!
Some of your children have chosen to make an excursion to Egypt and Japan with me. We'll float along the Nile River and discover that Japan is composed of many islands. Do you know how many? This is the new Monday Mini-Project. To start, students will be playing a Who-Done-It game that will have them uncovering all kinds of facts about their country. We will also be exploring the music, food, traditional clothing, some history, language of the country, etc....as well as creating an environment within my classroom representing each country. My goal is to also visit "The Museum of Man" in Balboa Park for the Egyptian Exibit and the Japanese Tea Gardens to experience a Japanese snack! I will keep you updated on the field trips as we will need drivers and I love including you all in your child's education.
During our social-emotional lesson-time, all teachers are currently introducing our "Keys to Achieve". These are behaviors we want all IA students to learn to be more effective not only in the classroom, but in life. Examples, of the topics include making eye contact, active listening, spreading happiness, ect...a list of our "Keys" is available upon request. I have been integrating these new "Keys" with our "8 to Great" program students have been learning from the beginning of the year. They work well together!
Your children and I are currently engaged in some test preparation for the STAR test. It seems that some of the students are worried about the test. I have told them that their score is not something that follows them their entire life and if they do well - great! They are all unique in their abilities and that even if they were in school 24/7, we may still not cover all of the questions asked on this particular test. Please encourage your children not to worry.
Please join us at an Italian Dinner Fundraiser on Thursday, April 23rd from 3-6pm. For all of us busy working parents, BMH Italian Restaurant is offering a dinner for four that even includes dessert for $20.00.
On Sunday, April 26th, we would like to invite all families to an exciting event in Balboa Park, called "Servapalooza". Servapalooza will feature hands-on service projects hosted by 50 community organizations, a Parade of Wishes for youth groups, youth performers, raffles, silent auction, food, vendors and much, much more!
We plan to march in the parade with a banner from IA, and are committed to getting involved with the many service-based activities.
Tickets are available for three Civic Center Off-Broadway productions for families of IA. This is a fantastic opportunity to expose your children to the acting-out of well-known stories most of your children are familiar with. Contact michelle@innovationsacademy.org.
That's it for now,
Kim
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Making Learning Fun!!!
Dear Families,
The field trip to the bank was a great success! The highlight and I'm hoping your children shared this with you was our trip into the bank vault where students had the opportunity to hold $50,000.00. All hands were up wanting a turn! The bank also gave each student a piggybank with a dollar in quarters to begin saving. I thought that was very generous! In our "Money Class" this week, students learned how to keep track of inventory in our school store, how to write a check, and keep track of deposits and expenditures in a transaction register. You might consider letting them write checks for your bills as they all seemed to quickly understand the steps!
As you know, the students (3rd-8th) also had their first school dance last week. We had a volunteer DJ who did a superb job in bringing current, student chosen music to our ears! I bought 144 balloons for decoration and to have on the dance floor. The balloons were blown-up by the students that morning and ended up being an ice-breaker for the students. They played with them instead of dancing for a good part of the dance. However at one point, they were all in a circle having a dance-off! Refreshments were served during the dance. All money raised was donated to the student store account.
In history, we continue to read about "Taxation without Representation" which was the impetus for the colonist to rebel against England prior to the Revolutionery War. We recently read about Samual Adams and his part in the war. We also found out that he was originally a brewer of rootbeer. Yesterday, we spent time in the Kroc Center kitchen preparing the ingredients to bottle our own rootbeer. I hope its good! I'm planning on rootbeer floats for Friday after lunch!
Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 26th. I would like to rally my home-room students and parents to join me at "Servapalooza", a service festival and parade of wishes. "Servapalooza" will feature hands-on service projects by 50 community organizations, a Parade of Wishes for youth groups, youth performers, raffles, silent auction, food vendors, and much more. There will be Service Stations where students can volunteer in over 50 fun hands-on projects protecting the environment, caring for youth, servicing the hungry and homeless,and improving health. Registration starts at noon and events after. I will keep you posted as we get closer. Innovations Academy would also like to donate money to this organization. We have a goal of $500.00. If you are interested in making a donation of any amount, please bring it to my classroom and I will get it into the proper hands.
As always, please feel free to contact me through my email or stop by the classroom.
That's it for now,
Kim
The field trip to the bank was a great success! The highlight and I'm hoping your children shared this with you was our trip into the bank vault where students had the opportunity to hold $50,000.00. All hands were up wanting a turn! The bank also gave each student a piggybank with a dollar in quarters to begin saving. I thought that was very generous! In our "Money Class" this week, students learned how to keep track of inventory in our school store, how to write a check, and keep track of deposits and expenditures in a transaction register. You might consider letting them write checks for your bills as they all seemed to quickly understand the steps!
As you know, the students (3rd-8th) also had their first school dance last week. We had a volunteer DJ who did a superb job in bringing current, student chosen music to our ears! I bought 144 balloons for decoration and to have on the dance floor. The balloons were blown-up by the students that morning and ended up being an ice-breaker for the students. They played with them instead of dancing for a good part of the dance. However at one point, they were all in a circle having a dance-off! Refreshments were served during the dance. All money raised was donated to the student store account.
In history, we continue to read about "Taxation without Representation" which was the impetus for the colonist to rebel against England prior to the Revolutionery War. We recently read about Samual Adams and his part in the war. We also found out that he was originally a brewer of rootbeer. Yesterday, we spent time in the Kroc Center kitchen preparing the ingredients to bottle our own rootbeer. I hope its good! I'm planning on rootbeer floats for Friday after lunch!
Mark your calendar for Saturday, April 26th. I would like to rally my home-room students and parents to join me at "Servapalooza", a service festival and parade of wishes. "Servapalooza" will feature hands-on service projects by 50 community organizations, a Parade of Wishes for youth groups, youth performers, raffles, silent auction, food vendors, and much more. There will be Service Stations where students can volunteer in over 50 fun hands-on projects protecting the environment, caring for youth, servicing the hungry and homeless,and improving health. Registration starts at noon and events after. I will keep you posted as we get closer. Innovations Academy would also like to donate money to this organization. We have a goal of $500.00. If you are interested in making a donation of any amount, please bring it to my classroom and I will get it into the proper hands.
As always, please feel free to contact me through my email or stop by the classroom.
That's it for now,
Kim
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
LOTS OF NEWS!!!
Dear Families,
On Monday any of your children who are in my "Money" class will have the opportunity to go on a field trip to a bank (The Union Bank in Lemon Grove). They will get a tour of the bank and even be able to go inside the vault and hold $100.00 bills. We leave the school at 12:40pm and return by 2:15pm. We need parent drivers!
I have made a couple changes for the school dance which is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th. The tickets have been repriced at $2.00. Refreshments will include pizza, water, juice, and soda. Pizza slices will sell for $1.00 and drinks for $0.50.The 3-5th graders will have the MPR room to themselves for the first hour only (1-2pm). The 6-8th graders will have the second hour (2-3pm). We will have a DJ for both groups. All of these students have had the opportunity to offer their music choices to the DJ. However, only appropriate music will be played! I hope all your children can come.
In history, your children are learning about the Revolutionary War. One of the activities is for student partners to write a Revolutionary newspaper. Students have chosen their headline event article, a historical figure to write a biography about, and will be writing an editorial from the patriot or loyalist point of view. (They are also interested in debating from these two points of view. My idea is for them to debate publicly and be dressed in costume from that time period. I'll keep you posted!) We have talked about the role of the newspaper during this historic time period and its impact on the Revolution taking place. Students had the opportunity to view a brief video clip showing the printing process at that time and I want to tie in a trip (if possible) to the San Diego Union so students can talk to a writer, hopefully an editor, and see a contemporary printing process.
In science, students are engaging in experiments and learning about Scientific Method. These classes are being taught by Jeremy. As I see more of his project, I will share more information with you.
I think that's it for now. As always, please feel free to email me with any of your concerns or questions.
Kim
On Monday any of your children who are in my "Money" class will have the opportunity to go on a field trip to a bank (The Union Bank in Lemon Grove). They will get a tour of the bank and even be able to go inside the vault and hold $100.00 bills. We leave the school at 12:40pm and return by 2:15pm. We need parent drivers!
I have made a couple changes for the school dance which is scheduled for Wednesday, March 18th. The tickets have been repriced at $2.00. Refreshments will include pizza, water, juice, and soda. Pizza slices will sell for $1.00 and drinks for $0.50.The 3-5th graders will have the MPR room to themselves for the first hour only (1-2pm). The 6-8th graders will have the second hour (2-3pm). We will have a DJ for both groups. All of these students have had the opportunity to offer their music choices to the DJ. However, only appropriate music will be played! I hope all your children can come.
In history, your children are learning about the Revolutionary War. One of the activities is for student partners to write a Revolutionary newspaper. Students have chosen their headline event article, a historical figure to write a biography about, and will be writing an editorial from the patriot or loyalist point of view. (They are also interested in debating from these two points of view. My idea is for them to debate publicly and be dressed in costume from that time period. I'll keep you posted!) We have talked about the role of the newspaper during this historic time period and its impact on the Revolution taking place. Students had the opportunity to view a brief video clip showing the printing process at that time and I want to tie in a trip (if possible) to the San Diego Union so students can talk to a writer, hopefully an editor, and see a contemporary printing process.
In science, students are engaging in experiments and learning about Scientific Method. These classes are being taught by Jeremy. As I see more of his project, I will share more information with you.
I think that's it for now. As always, please feel free to email me with any of your concerns or questions.
Kim
Monday, March 2, 2009
New Student Store to Open Soon!!
Greetings I.A. Families,
I want to thank everyone who so generously donated used books, CDs, and other items to our sale last Thursday. For the students and myself, it was a great success. We earned a little over $260.00 and enough to start ordering some items for our students store (KIDS, Inc. - students in my Money class picked the name). Today, students had the opportunity to begin a discussion about jobs in the store, hours of operation, scheduling students at the store, and had a chance to do some comparison shopping, and calculating of profits. Whew! Our next fundraiser as mentioned in a previous BLOG will be a school dance. There has been a change regarding the school dance for primary grades. After careful consideration, and talking with the lower grade teachers, I have decided that for March, we will only have the upper grade (3-8) dance on March 18th. Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, March 10 (we postponed sales just a bit). Tickets have also been re-priced at $1.00 each, per my discussion with the students in my Money class. Profits, again will be allocated for the puchase of stock for the store. We are planning a refreshment stand at the dance. Any donations of juice boxes, water bottles, or snack bags would be greatly appreciated!
We also sold the original art work quilt at the book sale. Innovations Academy purchased it and it is on display in my room! The money we earned from the quilt will finally give us a chance to do some microfinancing in developing countries - our goal from the beginning of the year. Additionally, the "Stupendous Solar System Cookbook" was on sale at a price of $12.50 (the cost of color printing and binding). This cookbook was an offshoot of students learning about the solar system and later creating a scale model with fruits and vegetables on the field at the Kroc Center. I will be turning in the original student cookbook for printing this week, so if you are interested, please contact me immediately.
As we wrap up the solar system lessons and fun, we are next turning to history and exploring the Revolutionary War. Students will be asked to created a newspaper with a story about an important event during the war, a biography of an important historical figure from that time period, and finally an editorial from a loyalist and a patriot. Students will also have the opportunity to propose a project of their own regarding this important time in history. We have about four weeks for this project!
Regarding those long lost animal reports. Your children will have them back soon for final revisions. I must apologize as once we got into the report cards, they took a back seat and we have yet to completely finish them - but we will. I would also still like to get a field trip to an animal shelter of some kind or another.
All of I.A.'s fourth graders will be completing a writing assessment on Tuesday, March 3rd. We practiced for it today in Language Arts and I believe they have a good idea how to approach the writing prompt (how to plan, perhaps use a graphic organizer, and how to structure their writing, etc...).
Don't forget the field trip on Thursday, March 5th to the San Diego Museum of Art where your children will learn California and U.S. History through the presentation of art. I've been looking forward to this field trip since the beginning of the year when I first read about the program.
As you can see, life is full and enriching for your children. If you have any questions or concerns, as always, please contact me via email.
Sincerely,
Kim
I want to thank everyone who so generously donated used books, CDs, and other items to our sale last Thursday. For the students and myself, it was a great success. We earned a little over $260.00 and enough to start ordering some items for our students store (KIDS, Inc. - students in my Money class picked the name). Today, students had the opportunity to begin a discussion about jobs in the store, hours of operation, scheduling students at the store, and had a chance to do some comparison shopping, and calculating of profits. Whew! Our next fundraiser as mentioned in a previous BLOG will be a school dance. There has been a change regarding the school dance for primary grades. After careful consideration, and talking with the lower grade teachers, I have decided that for March, we will only have the upper grade (3-8) dance on March 18th. Tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, March 10 (we postponed sales just a bit). Tickets have also been re-priced at $1.00 each, per my discussion with the students in my Money class. Profits, again will be allocated for the puchase of stock for the store. We are planning a refreshment stand at the dance. Any donations of juice boxes, water bottles, or snack bags would be greatly appreciated!
We also sold the original art work quilt at the book sale. Innovations Academy purchased it and it is on display in my room! The money we earned from the quilt will finally give us a chance to do some microfinancing in developing countries - our goal from the beginning of the year. Additionally, the "Stupendous Solar System Cookbook" was on sale at a price of $12.50 (the cost of color printing and binding). This cookbook was an offshoot of students learning about the solar system and later creating a scale model with fruits and vegetables on the field at the Kroc Center. I will be turning in the original student cookbook for printing this week, so if you are interested, please contact me immediately.
As we wrap up the solar system lessons and fun, we are next turning to history and exploring the Revolutionary War. Students will be asked to created a newspaper with a story about an important event during the war, a biography of an important historical figure from that time period, and finally an editorial from a loyalist and a patriot. Students will also have the opportunity to propose a project of their own regarding this important time in history. We have about four weeks for this project!
Regarding those long lost animal reports. Your children will have them back soon for final revisions. I must apologize as once we got into the report cards, they took a back seat and we have yet to completely finish them - but we will. I would also still like to get a field trip to an animal shelter of some kind or another.
All of I.A.'s fourth graders will be completing a writing assessment on Tuesday, March 3rd. We practiced for it today in Language Arts and I believe they have a good idea how to approach the writing prompt (how to plan, perhaps use a graphic organizer, and how to structure their writing, etc...).
Don't forget the field trip on Thursday, March 5th to the San Diego Museum of Art where your children will learn California and U.S. History through the presentation of art. I've been looking forward to this field trip since the beginning of the year when I first read about the program.
As you can see, life is full and enriching for your children. If you have any questions or concerns, as always, please contact me via email.
Sincerely,
Kim
Monday, February 16, 2009
Today is President's Day!
Dear Families,
It's Monday, February 16th and I'm resting at home with my children! I'm hoping all of you are enjoying the extra time off from school and have had some extra cuddle-time with your children!
Last week your children had the opportunity to listen to Stephen Pullom's dad tell about the history of money. He is completing his PhD. in History and was able to enrich the basic discussion with additional history facts. After his lecture, students watched a film about money and bartering. Additionally, the students had the opportunity to make and design their own coins!
Donations of books, CDs, and DVDs are coming to my room. We are shooting for February 26th as the first used book sale. I plan for us to have a table out in front of the school before school, at lunch, and just after school. Also that evening is the Kroc Center's Family Literacy night. I would ask if anyone would be willing to volunteer to man the booksale table from approximately 6:00-8:00pm that night? Please remember, all donations will go towards opening and stocking a student store for Innovations Academy.
Regarding the student store; please mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 11th (1:00-3:00) for the lower grade (K-2/3) dance. Tickets for the dance will go on sale on March 1st and will cost $0.50. The upper-grade (3-8) dance will take place on the following Wednesday, March 18th (1:00-3:00). Ticket cost will be the same. Refreshments will be on sale at the dance. Student committees are taking responsibilities for decorating, the refreshment booth, activities, and ticket sales. All proceeds will be donated to funding the student store.
Our next field trip is on March 5th. We need drivers to take students to the San Diego Museum of Art. The cost for students is $5.00. Please get your money into us as soon as possible! Your children have the opportunity to learn U.S. and California history through art. What fabulous enrichment!
Your children continue to be a joy. It's been such a gift to get to know them and watch them grow academically, emotionally, and physically!
Sincerely,
Kim
It's Monday, February 16th and I'm resting at home with my children! I'm hoping all of you are enjoying the extra time off from school and have had some extra cuddle-time with your children!
Last week your children had the opportunity to listen to Stephen Pullom's dad tell about the history of money. He is completing his PhD. in History and was able to enrich the basic discussion with additional history facts. After his lecture, students watched a film about money and bartering. Additionally, the students had the opportunity to make and design their own coins!
Donations of books, CDs, and DVDs are coming to my room. We are shooting for February 26th as the first used book sale. I plan for us to have a table out in front of the school before school, at lunch, and just after school. Also that evening is the Kroc Center's Family Literacy night. I would ask if anyone would be willing to volunteer to man the booksale table from approximately 6:00-8:00pm that night? Please remember, all donations will go towards opening and stocking a student store for Innovations Academy.
Regarding the student store; please mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 11th (1:00-3:00) for the lower grade (K-2/3) dance. Tickets for the dance will go on sale on March 1st and will cost $0.50. The upper-grade (3-8) dance will take place on the following Wednesday, March 18th (1:00-3:00). Ticket cost will be the same. Refreshments will be on sale at the dance. Student committees are taking responsibilities for decorating, the refreshment booth, activities, and ticket sales. All proceeds will be donated to funding the student store.
Our next field trip is on March 5th. We need drivers to take students to the San Diego Museum of Art. The cost for students is $5.00. Please get your money into us as soon as possible! Your children have the opportunity to learn U.S. and California history through art. What fabulous enrichment!
Your children continue to be a joy. It's been such a gift to get to know them and watch them grow academically, emotionally, and physically!
Sincerely,
Kim
Friday, February 6, 2009
Exciting News!
Dear Families,
My Monday mini-project is all about money! For instance we are learning about goods and services, various ways to use money (spend, save, and share), making change, and the history of money. We will also be taking a field trip to a bank. Students will be able to go inside the bank vault and hold a stack of one hundred dollar bills. The date for this field trip is March 16th. We will be leaving at 12:30 and return at 2:30. WE NEED PARENT DRIVERS! Please email me with your availability. Along with the classroom work we are engaged in, the students would like to open a school store. In order to fund the purchase of store items we are planning a used book, DVD, and CD sale. Please look through your shelves for these items you are willing to donate and bring them to my room (218). The date for the sale is not set yet as I want to accumulate some donations first. Hopefully, I will have a date to share by the time I send out my next Blog. We are also planning two dances; one for the primary grades and one for the upper. Again, the proceeds from the dances will fund the school store. The dates are Wednesday, March 11th and Wednesday, March 18th and will be right after school at 1:oo. I will keep you informed as we get closer to those dates.
On March 5th we will be visiting The San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. The art museum does a presentation of U.S. and California history through the art at the museum. WE NEED PARENT DRIVERS! The cost for admission to the museum is $5. If we have enough parent drivers, we can avoid the cost of renting a bus or taking public transportation. Please let me know as soon as is possible if you are willing to drive. Students will need to bring a bag lunch!
There is a Monday Parent Meeting in the MPR room at 6:30 pm (February 9th). We will be talking about DI instruction and how it is done. Please try to make this informative meeting.
I believe that's it for now. Please email me as soon as possible if you are available to drive for a field trip, with any questions you may have, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kim
My Monday mini-project is all about money! For instance we are learning about goods and services, various ways to use money (spend, save, and share), making change, and the history of money. We will also be taking a field trip to a bank. Students will be able to go inside the bank vault and hold a stack of one hundred dollar bills. The date for this field trip is March 16th. We will be leaving at 12:30 and return at 2:30. WE NEED PARENT DRIVERS! Please email me with your availability. Along with the classroom work we are engaged in, the students would like to open a school store. In order to fund the purchase of store items we are planning a used book, DVD, and CD sale. Please look through your shelves for these items you are willing to donate and bring them to my room (218). The date for the sale is not set yet as I want to accumulate some donations first. Hopefully, I will have a date to share by the time I send out my next Blog. We are also planning two dances; one for the primary grades and one for the upper. Again, the proceeds from the dances will fund the school store. The dates are Wednesday, March 11th and Wednesday, March 18th and will be right after school at 1:oo. I will keep you informed as we get closer to those dates.
On March 5th we will be visiting The San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. The art museum does a presentation of U.S. and California history through the art at the museum. WE NEED PARENT DRIVERS! The cost for admission to the museum is $5. If we have enough parent drivers, we can avoid the cost of renting a bus or taking public transportation. Please let me know as soon as is possible if you are willing to drive. Students will need to bring a bag lunch!
There is a Monday Parent Meeting in the MPR room at 6:30 pm (February 9th). We will be talking about DI instruction and how it is done. Please try to make this informative meeting.
I believe that's it for now. Please email me as soon as possible if you are available to drive for a field trip, with any questions you may have, or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kim
Thursday, January 29, 2009
We're making progress!!
Dear families,
Where did the January go? Your children are working hard and I'm seeing progress across all subject areas, but especially in writing. One of the strategies we use in class in order to find and correct errors is reading a finished piece of writing to a friend. It's amazing how this simple exercise helps students improve their work.
As I mentioned in my last Blog, report cards are coming. Teachers are turning in their evaluations on Monday, February 2nd, so you will be receiving them shortly after that. In some cases, I will be having your child assessed to move into a different level. The decision to move a child to a different level is based on test scores and classwork. If this occurs, I will send home notification with the weekly paperwork you receive.
In my Language Arts class, I am going to start your children reading from a Literature Anthology. The vocabulary is more advanced and I believe the students will enjoy the variety of activities offered. I had some students read a selection today, and they were very interested.
Projects are going well! On Monday, your children should have come home with labels marked, "Spend", "Share", and "Save". They were asked to label three containers and decide how they wanted to use their allowance (if they get an allowance). The idea is for them to understand the ways people use money. We discussed short and long term saving goals and giving to charities. They also learned about bartering and why money evolved. Since the end product of this project will be to open a school store, they also spent time learning how to make change. We will also be looking at costs and profits. On February 9th, a speaker (Stephen Pullom's) dad will be explaining the history of money. Stephen's dad is working on his Ph.D in History!
For our Solar System project, students have had the opportunity to create a scale model and convert distances from kilometers to centimeters. They learned an easy way to divide by 10,000,000! Our scale model went on paper first and next week will be created with the edibles I mentioned in my last Blog.
That's it for now! As always, if you have any questions or concers, please email me.
Kim
Where did the January go? Your children are working hard and I'm seeing progress across all subject areas, but especially in writing. One of the strategies we use in class in order to find and correct errors is reading a finished piece of writing to a friend. It's amazing how this simple exercise helps students improve their work.
As I mentioned in my last Blog, report cards are coming. Teachers are turning in their evaluations on Monday, February 2nd, so you will be receiving them shortly after that. In some cases, I will be having your child assessed to move into a different level. The decision to move a child to a different level is based on test scores and classwork. If this occurs, I will send home notification with the weekly paperwork you receive.
In my Language Arts class, I am going to start your children reading from a Literature Anthology. The vocabulary is more advanced and I believe the students will enjoy the variety of activities offered. I had some students read a selection today, and they were very interested.
Projects are going well! On Monday, your children should have come home with labels marked, "Spend", "Share", and "Save". They were asked to label three containers and decide how they wanted to use their allowance (if they get an allowance). The idea is for them to understand the ways people use money. We discussed short and long term saving goals and giving to charities. They also learned about bartering and why money evolved. Since the end product of this project will be to open a school store, they also spent time learning how to make change. We will also be looking at costs and profits. On February 9th, a speaker (Stephen Pullom's) dad will be explaining the history of money. Stephen's dad is working on his Ph.D in History!
For our Solar System project, students have had the opportunity to create a scale model and convert distances from kilometers to centimeters. They learned an easy way to divide by 10,000,000! Our scale model went on paper first and next week will be created with the edibles I mentioned in my last Blog.
That's it for now! As always, if you have any questions or concers, please email me.
Kim
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Weekly Update!!
Dear Families,
Just a reminder - tomorrow is the performance for Classics4Kids. If you haven't yet sent $6.00 to cover your child's ticket, please send it in as soon as possible. Your children have had the opportunity to listen to some of the piano version of the piece they will hear and the entire orchestral version. We have also reviewed what the composer was writing about in each of the movements. Mimes will be acting out these interpretations as we listen to the music at the performance! What a great enriching cultural experience!
Report card time is nearing! Myself and all the teachers at IA will be working hard to have them ready in early February. If you have any questions once you receive them or before - as usual, please contact me via my email.
Sincerely,
Kim
Just a reminder - tomorrow is the performance for Classics4Kids. If you haven't yet sent $6.00 to cover your child's ticket, please send it in as soon as possible. Your children have had the opportunity to listen to some of the piano version of the piece they will hear and the entire orchestral version. We have also reviewed what the composer was writing about in each of the movements. Mimes will be acting out these interpretations as we listen to the music at the performance! What a great enriching cultural experience!
Report card time is nearing! Myself and all the teachers at IA will be working hard to have them ready in early February. If you have any questions once you receive them or before - as usual, please contact me via my email.
Sincerely,
Kim
Thursday, January 15, 2009
What Happening!
Dear Families,
First, I would like to share with you what a tremendous job your children did today as historical experts at our "Wax Museum" event! Most students were in a costume to represent their chosen historical figure. The entire school had a chance to come into our room, view the dioramas your children created,and ask questions about why their historical figure was important. As you know, your children have also been working hard on their historical personal narratives. Wow! What a great job they have done. They have also been very patient with me as I've asked them to rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite! Their narratives will be on display in my room. Please feel free to stop by for a visit.
We will be starting two new projects in the coming weeks. The first will be focusing on the solar system - however, ours will be edible. This project will cover math, science, and writing standard. As a final product, I'm hoping to either create notecards with the students original art or an "Out of this World " cookbook. If we write the cookbook, recipes will use the fruits and vegetables we are making the solar system with. The second project will be focused on money. This project will focus on math (percentages,decimals, division, etc...) along with some history. I'm hoping for a field trip to a bank. Additionally, we will be opening a school store with the students in charge of ordering snacks, pencils, etc...and keeping track of the profits. I need to talk to the students, but think a good idea is to use the profits towards additional computers. Whew!
Ok - just a couple of reminders. There is no school on Monday, January 19th due to Martin Luther King day. Also, we have another performance coming up called Classics4Kids. Please send $6 with your child as that is the cost per seat. I recently went to a Classics4Kids training and am sharing that information with your children to enrich their experience.
I think that's it for now! As always, please contact me with any concerns.
Sincerely,
Kim
First, I would like to share with you what a tremendous job your children did today as historical experts at our "Wax Museum" event! Most students were in a costume to represent their chosen historical figure. The entire school had a chance to come into our room, view the dioramas your children created,and ask questions about why their historical figure was important. As you know, your children have also been working hard on their historical personal narratives. Wow! What a great job they have done. They have also been very patient with me as I've asked them to rewrite, rewrite, and rewrite! Their narratives will be on display in my room. Please feel free to stop by for a visit.
We will be starting two new projects in the coming weeks. The first will be focusing on the solar system - however, ours will be edible. This project will cover math, science, and writing standard. As a final product, I'm hoping to either create notecards with the students original art or an "Out of this World " cookbook. If we write the cookbook, recipes will use the fruits and vegetables we are making the solar system with. The second project will be focused on money. This project will focus on math (percentages,decimals, division, etc...) along with some history. I'm hoping for a field trip to a bank. Additionally, we will be opening a school store with the students in charge of ordering snacks, pencils, etc...and keeping track of the profits. I need to talk to the students, but think a good idea is to use the profits towards additional computers. Whew!
Ok - just a couple of reminders. There is no school on Monday, January 19th due to Martin Luther King day. Also, we have another performance coming up called Classics4Kids. Please send $6 with your child as that is the cost per seat. I recently went to a Classics4Kids training and am sharing that information with your children to enrich their experience.
I think that's it for now! As always, please contact me with any concerns.
Sincerely,
Kim
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A New Year!
Dear Families,
Happy New Year! Your children have returned to a very rested teacher! I wasn't setting my alarm over the holidays! I hope all of you enjoyed the extra time with your extraordinary children.
On Tuesday, they came to class and wrote resolutions for the New Year. They had three categories to write resolutions about. However most of the resolutions that were the most important to them centered around improving their family relationships. I thought that was pretty amazing.
We are bursting at the seams with project ideas. On Monday, January 12th, your children will be presented with four options for projects. All of our projects keep California standards in mind! These projects are multidiscipinary or in other word will cover more than one subject (i.e. math, science, LA, art...).
As always, if you have any questions at all, please contact me via email!
Thanks,
Kim
Happy New Year! Your children have returned to a very rested teacher! I wasn't setting my alarm over the holidays! I hope all of you enjoyed the extra time with your extraordinary children.
On Tuesday, they came to class and wrote resolutions for the New Year. They had three categories to write resolutions about. However most of the resolutions that were the most important to them centered around improving their family relationships. I thought that was pretty amazing.
We are bursting at the seams with project ideas. On Monday, January 12th, your children will be presented with four options for projects. All of our projects keep California standards in mind! These projects are multidiscipinary or in other word will cover more than one subject (i.e. math, science, LA, art...).
As always, if you have any questions at all, please contact me via email!
Thanks,
Kim
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