Ms. Amy's Montessorians

We are in our last week of FULL DAYS!  I can hardly believe it.   Some important things:

On Tuesday morning,  May 14th, we will be making up our Language RISE assessments.  Please help your child come to school well rested and with a tummy full of healthy food.  A water bottle would be great, too.

Field trip to Crystal Hot Springs is Friday.  Info sheet will be coming home tomorrow. Ms. Heidi has already contacted you as parents to arrange for rides.  Please contact her if you want to drive / chaperone and haven’t already.

Students will be participating in Model UN on Wednesday.  Please refer to this previous blog post for more information. http://blogs.mariamontessoriacademy.org/amyo/2019/05/01/model-un/

On Monday, May 20th, we will be participating in Maria’s Market with other upper elementary students.  The students may set up a booth and sell items that they have made or no longer want.  They may not sell candy or sodas.  We love you parents, but you are not invited to stay and attend this fun activity.   The students have been earning Maria Montessori money in class for the past couple of weeks in preparation for this market.  Goods and services must be approved by myself and students must be able to do it without parental assistance.  Deadline to have approval is Thursday the 16th by the end of the school day.

Next week is parent teacher conferences.   Please be aware these are COMPLETELY student led, so plan to have them there.  Students have been working hard putting together portfolios please come see what they have been working on.

May 21st-24th are early out days and school will be dismissed at 1:00pm.

May 22nd is our 6th grade bridging ceremony at 10:30am.  Please come celebrate the 6th graders as they complete elementary school and move on to junior high.  The parents of 6th graders are invited to come have breakfast with their students before the ceremony at 9:30am.  This is our way of celebrating the 6th graders as well as thanking their parents for their love and support.

May 23rd is crazy sock and/or hair day

May 24th is wear tie dye or your favorite sports team attire day

The last day of school is May 24th.  Students who ordered a yearbook will receive it that day.

If you have any questions please let me know.

Sunday, May 5 to Friday, May 10 – 6th graders to the Redwoods.

May 6 & 7 – Ms. Amy will be gone.  Ms. Susan will be taking care of the classroom while I am not here.

May 9 – Fifth grade writing RISE test 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon

May 13-17: school spirit week, stay tuned for more info about that.

May 14 – Make-up RISE Language Test 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon

May 15: Model UN and box top store

May 17: Crystal Hot Springs field trip.  You have already signed a permission form for this field trip, stay tuned for chaperone sign-ups.  The more the merrier.

May 20: Maria Market.  Students have been earning “money” to spend.  On the 20th, students will be able to bring a good or service to school to spend their hard earned cash on!  We have been discussing this in class already, and more info will come as it gets a little closer.

May 21-24: early release

May 21-23: Parent Teacher Conferences

May 22: Upper Elementary Bridging 10:30 AM.  Please feel welcome to attend to watch your 6th grader graduate from Upper Elementary into Junior High

May 24: Last day of school!

Any questions, email me.  Thank you!

Hello,

I sent home a letter today concerning our Model UN project.  We were doing this as an in-class project, but due to our internet permissions being changed, this has gotten more difficult.  As such, I am turning this project into more of a take home project.  Please find a copy of the letter that I sent home below:

Dear Upper Elementary Parents,

Our classroom has been working on a wonderful project connected to the United Nations called Montessori Model United Nations.  This being our first year in creation, students’ projects have been somewhat simplified and very focused.

Before Spring Break, students were asked to research their assigned country, and they are now being asked to research a particular United Nations topic focus.  This year’s topics are: Clean Water for All; Ending Racism; Climate Change: Protecting and Developing Energy Resources; and Biodiversity Preservation.  Each student chose a topic and a country.  You can find this information on this page, along with some questions needing response. (See below)

I have made the computers and books in my classroom available as much as possible for students to perform the necessary research. We now have run into a difficulty and need your help.

Due to a variety of reasons, the server at MMA (and thus the internet permissions) is being heavily refiltered to ensure the greater safety of our students’ internet access.  As we go through the transition, students do not currently have the ability to freely use the internet to continue their research.

Therefore, we are asking that you would allow and assist your student in completing the research and writing their position paper.  The paper should be a titled, double-spaced, bulleted notes page on the topic chosen.

Due: May 13^th, Morning.                            Date of school wide MUN event: May 15^th

Please email any questions you have concerning this project! Thank you

 

HEADING:

Committee: [Your Committee Title]
Topic: [Your Topic]
Country: [Your Country]
School: [Your School]

Topic Background

What is the definition of the topic? Where does the topic take place? Who is involved? How many people does it affect? Where, and in what ways? Why is this topic important?

History of this Topic in your Country

How has this topic impacted your country? What has your country tried to do about this topic? What types of policies would your country want the UN to adopt (or not adopt) on this topic?

Possible Solutions

What specific plans would your country like the UN to undertake to address this issue? What specific plans would your country like Members States to undertake in their own countries? Why would your ideas work? Give specific plans.

Here is a list of the students countries and topics they have been assigned.

Model UN

Sustainable Energy

Colton – Japan

Sacha – Ethiopia

Victoria – United Kingdom

Michael – India

Naomi – Belgium

Brilee – Panama

Climate Protection

Sammy – Japan

Ava – Ethiopia

Emery – United Kingdom

Bridger – India

Sammie – Belgium

Mea – Panama

Biological Diversity

Alex – Japan

Violet – Ethiopia

Kaylee – United Kingdom

Porter – India

Wyatt – Belgium

Hunter – Panama

Elimination of Racism

Sammy – Japan

Aizlynn – Ethiopia

Lucy – United Kingdom

Porter – India

Nik – Belgium

Axel – Panama

Safe Drinking Water

Kylee – Japan

Aizlynn – Ethiopia

Victoria – United Kingdom

Nicholas – India

Sammie – Belgium

Mea – Panama

Human Rights

Gage – Japan

Ava – Ethiopia

Shae – United Kingdom

Ethan – India

Irelynn – Belgium

Axel – Panama

Hello Families,

The link for parent teacher conferences is up.  Please sign up for a time that is convenient for you and your child.  This is a student-led conference, so bring your child along.  They are excited to show you what they have been working on.

https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/440649 – Tuesday May 21st

https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/471080 – Wednesday May 22nd

https://www.trackitforward.com/site/389525/event/440651 – Thursday May 23rd

I look forward to meeting with each of you.

Tuesday April 16, 2019 – SCIENCE RISE test – 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Thursday April 25, 2019 – LANGUAGE RISE test – 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Tuesday April 30, 2019 – Bird Refuge Field Trip

Wednesday May 1, 2019 – MATH RISE test – 9 a.m. to 12 noon

Friday May 17, 2019 – Crystal Hot Springs Field Trip

Wednesday May 22, 2019 – UE Bridging

 

5th Grade Maturation is tomorrow, Tuesday from 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.  If you plan on coming to this meeting with your child please sit by your child.  If your child has any questions you will be close by to answer them.  It also helps with the giggling.  The students giggle a lot during the presentation.  If a parent is close by to help them feel more comfortable it makes it easier on the child.  5th grade parents are all invited.

Thank you,

Ms. Amy

The girls should be meeting in the library and the boys will be meeting in Mr. John’s classroom (Rm 18)

UT state standardized assessments (now called RISE and Aspire Plus) will be on the follwing days for our class. These assessments are important to us for several reasons.

The state assessment data are important to your family because the results are one way to communicate how much your child has learned in English language arts, writing, math, and science. At MMA, we know that these tests are but one indicator of a child’s progress in these content areas.

The state assessment data are important to us because determining what a student knows or does not know is a vital cornerstone in individualizing learning experiences, which is the basis of a Montessori education. The results help us to identify needs for new and additional materials, tailor professional development for teachers, and determine where to best invest school funding.

Taking tests is a practical life skill, required for college entrance as well many professions. Doctors, lawyers, teachers, contractors, nurses, and cosmetologists (to name just a few) all must take tests in order to enter their professions. Standardized testing in school provides a valuable opportunity to practice taking tests in a low-stakes environment, better preparing our students for future assessments – which is why we encourage all students to participate.

If you choose to opt your child out of testing, please complete the Parent Exclusion from State Assessments Form. This form must be handed from you to either Ms. Lana or Ms. René, who will take 5 minutes to review this form with you. We ask that these forms are submitted no later than April 12th. Thank you for your cooperation and support.

https://worldbookonline.com/student-new/#/search/india%20population/type/ar?searchType=basicsearch

https://onlinelibrary.uen.org/

Username – online

Password – learning

 

Hello Families,

We have had a problem with the noise level in our classroom for quite some time.  Yesterday we had a class meeting and discussed different options to help our class work during work cycle and talk during recess and lunch.  The students voted and decided to implement the following new procedures.

• The students are expected to complete 6 challenging works during morning work cycle.
  • Prior to lunch they need to show Ms. Amy their work charts with all 6 challenging works checked off.  Ms Susan checks off work throughout work cycle.
• The students who talk or disrupt other students during work cycle will have a silent lunch with Ms. Amy in the hallway.
  • Talking or disrupting means: yelling across the classroom, disrupting other students while they work, talking to other students about something other than work, doing fortnite dances, touching or bothering students as they are working, making noises or singing, using the electric pencil sharpener (we have hand pencil sharpeners in the classroom so the children can sharpen pencils without disturbing the students who are working), not following the classroom rules (CHAMPS)
  • There were 5 students who had a silent lunch with Ms. Amy in the hall today.  They exhibited one or more of the behaviors mentioned above during work cycle.  
  • If your child has a silent lunch with Ms. Amy in the hallway you will be notified, starting tomorrow. 🙂 
• The students all agreed they should set a good example for the other students and follow our CHAMPS rules.  I have attached a copy of our CHAMPS for your reference.
• Every morning I write the word LEARN up on the board.  If the class is noisy I erase a letter.  If they are quiet I add a letter.  This is a silent way for me to let the class know their noise level is too high.  If the students earn four extra N’s (LEARNNNNN) then they can have 5-10 minutes of extra recess.
• The children also earn points on our classroom thermometer.  When the thermometer gets to the top the children earn an extra privilege.  They are currently working toward a Dr. Seuss party.  This party was scheduled for earlier this month but the students were being disrespectful so they lost the party.