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:

• 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

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

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

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!

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

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

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