SAGE Writing Test Tomorrow

Apr22

As an additional reminder, we have our SAGE writing assessment tomorrow.  Please be sure your kiddos get adequate sleep, eat a healthy breakfast and are on time for school to ensure a stress-free start.    

Also, send your student with a healthy snack for an extra boost of energy during our mid-test break.  Acceptable snacks include string cheese, yogurt, nuts or even a protein shake or bar.   Please do not send candy, sweets, or noisy snacks that come in crinkly packaging, or anything the might leave a cheesy, crumby trail (Cheetos, Doritos, etc). We want our students to be able to concentrate and the above mentioned items will create a distraction.

Thanks for helping your kids do their very best!

Cheers.

This entry was posted on April 22, 2014, in General.

In the Home Stretch

Apr14

I’m not sure about you, but for me, this year has flown by.  I can hardly believe we are down to the final 7 weeks of the school year.  It has been quite a whirlwind in room 24.  I am so excited to see the progress your kids have made this year.  They have grown so much, both academically and emotionally.   I’m so proud of them and how they have all carved their own niche within our classroom.  Students who were quite shy at the beginning of the year have come out of their shells and students who don’t know what a shell is, still don’t know what it means to be shy, but they lend their boisterousness to make our classroom the menagerie that it is.   I love them all.

Because it is the end of the year, that means testing.  Our class begins  testing next Wednesday, April 23rd.  Please be sure your children are accessing the practice tests at home.   Because lower elementary is also testing,  students do not have much computer time in the classroom.  When I say “much”, what I mean is, next to none.  It is important that they become familiar with the ins and outs of the program, so if you have a computer with internet access at home, please allow your children time to access the website.

This week we are wrapping up a unit on Science Fiction literary analysis.  We will be reading a short Ray Bradbury story, then we will watch a short film with the same title.  The students will analyze similarities and differences between the story and the film.  We watched Wall-E last week and did a character study.  I was quite impressed at everything the children got from the movie.  This unit combined science fiction analysis with Earth Day studies so we will also be doing poetry analysis using lyrics from a song.  When given the opportunity, these kids sure know how to dissect literature!

Tomorrow Lifetouch will be here taking Spring photos as a fundraiser for Operation Smile.  All proceeds will go to this amazing organization.  A flyer was sent home with your students today.  These photos are completely optional.  Photos for our 6th grade students will be taken next Tuesday, April 22.  A graduation photo, if you will.

We have the 6th grade field trip coming up April 27-May 2 and we are all so excited.  We also have a combined class fieldtrip, to the Leonardo Museum, May 6.  If you are interested in being a chaperone and would love to spend your day wrangling our amazing students please contact me.  We need 2 chaperones as we will be taking the Frontrunner and Trax to our destination.  More details forthcoming.

Don’t forget book reports are due April 23rd.  Your student was given a paper with the complete criteria for the book report.  Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Cheers!

Final Field Trip Meeting

Apr10

A reminder that today is the final meeting for the 6th grade field trip to the Redwoods! We are all so excited! The meeting is tonight at 6:30pm, in the library. Please bring your completed paperwork if you have not already submitted it.

We will be reviewing important details including revealing who your child’s chaperone and cabin mates will be. You won’t want to miss it!

See you there!

Cheers

 

This entry was posted on April 10, 2014, in Fieldtrip.

Pi Day and The Odyssey

Mar11

This Friday is Pi Day (3-14).  Because Friday is professional development, and since there is no school, we will celebrate Pi Day on Thursday.

 

We Love Pi!!

We will celebrate by discovering Pi, doing the Dance of the Sugar Pie Fairy and, of course, eating pie! In order to eat pie, we need to have pie. If you are interested in donating a pie, plates or plastic ware, sign up on the WeJoin in link on the sidebar.

Thursday afternoon, Weber County Library will present The Odyssey during an in class “field trip”.

As always, thanks for all you do to support our class!!

Busy Week Ahead

Mar9

Good Morning.  I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful weather this weekend.  I know I am.

We have a lot planned this week, and being that it is a short week, we are going to be very busy.

First off, we have been practicing with the new testing program SAGE.  This is the first year this format is being used by the State of Utah and we have so much to learn.  The only way for the students to be prepared to use this program is to practice.  We are practicing in class, but I’m asking you to have your students to practice at home as well.  In math, this new testing format, not only asks the student to answer the questions, but to build the equations as well. This type of critical thinking is so important as we begin preparing for Jr. High, and the rest of their academic careers.

With limited technology resources, and time, in the classroom it is imperative that you have your children practice at home.  Your students can take practice exams at home, by logging in as a guest, to the link below.   Click through the guest options and they can select math, language, writing or science exams.

https://utpt.tds.airast.org/Student/Pages/LoginShell.aspx

Tuesday we have our 5 and 6th level Maturation Program called, Growing Up Comes First.  This will be held from 9-10:30 and parents are welcome to attend.

This Friday is Pi Day (3/14) but since we are out of school, we will be doing some Pi Day activities Thursday morning.  I have some fun, learning activities planned as we celebrate Pi.

In addition, in the afternoon, we have a representative from Weber County Library coming to our school to introduce us to The Odyssey with a classroom presentation.  Each year Weber Reads focuses on a different subject and this year it is The Odyssey.  This will be a perfect introduction as our 5th level students have just begun studying Ancient Greece.

The Odyssey

 

Parents of level 6 students can be on the lookout for a packing list for the field trip to The Redwoods.  You should receive this by spring break (March 31-April 4) so you can finish gathering necessary supplies during the break.  The students are getting excited and I’m getting excited as well.