Week 36 Recap

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Hi Everyone!

The end of the year is here already!  This past week we had the kids work on their end of the year packets that reflect on what they have learned and enjoyed this year in our classroom.  Students also worked on their final drafts and finished up any math check ins.  We got to a little bit of cultural this week too.  Field Day turned out alright for it ending up being inside.  The kids said they really enjoyed it. Thank you for preparing them for the weather.  The rain is going to continue into next week, so please prepare your child for rain into next week

Last Week of School

PTC meetings begin Tuesday and end Thursday.  Please bring your child to our meeting.  Tuesday’s slots are almost full, but we have plenty of spots for Wednesday and Thursday.  I still have a few of you needing to sign up on Track it Forward.  I am needing:

Abbie

Boston

Kaulin

Jaxston

Lili

Janessa

*If you cannot make it and I know a few of you work nights and can’t, I will send home their folder that has all their chosen works and progress.

Monday- FULL Day.  Store Day!  Looking to rain this day, so students can bring a blanket to set up their shop most likely in the school.  Have a back up plan in case the rain breaks and we end up being outside. Students will need:

Morning:

  1. Their sellable items and have them priced and ready
  2. A bag or container for their sellable items and their store set up
  3. Some kind of shopping bag to put anything that they buy in

Afternoon:

  1. Board or card game to play and share with one another.  No iPads, iPods, Kindles, GameBoy/Switches of any kinds.  It’s okay if their board game has an electronic part to it.  I’m looking for no screens

Please make sure students have a lunch for each day of this week 🙂

10:30am will be Kindergartener’s Bridging Ceremony in the big gym

 

Tuesday: Early Out-1pm.  PTC meetings begin.  Cleaning day in our classroom.  We will visit the book fair preview at 9am.  This Book Fair is BOGO!  Book fair is open Tuesday-Thursday during conferences.

10:30am- 3rd grade bridging.  3rd graders may be checked out after their ceremony.  Ms. Amity’s class will welcome all our 3rd graders to Upper El.  We are first in the ceremony.

Wednesday: Early Out-1pm.  PTC meetings.  Cultural activity morning.  1st graders will have a parts of a plant salad and decorate landform cookies.  2nd graders will go over phases of the moon and also decorate planet cookies.  3rd graders will learn about crustaceans and make crab dip.  I am looking for about 1 more volunteer for Wednesday to help us out.  Ms. Misha is going to see her girls bridge at 10:30am, so an extra adult on hand would be great 🙂

Thursday: Early Out-1pm.  PTC meetings last day.  Movie morning and cleaning out lockers and taking things home. Please provide a large bag for your child to bring some things home.  We found the bigger the bag the better!  Students may bring a pillow for the movie.

Friday: Early Out-1pm.  LAST DAY.  Yearbooks are distributed.  LE signing is from 9:30am-10:00am.  We will play some classroom games together and make sure students have all their things needed to take home before 9:30am.  10:00amish the school’s kickball game will take place.  K-5 grades are welcome to watch, play on the playground, and sign more yearbooks.  If the kickball games are rained out then the kids will continue to clean up the classroom more.

Last Blog Post: I have enjoyed our year together and teaching your child for however long I have had them.  For some of you I have had your other children and I am thankful you continued your journey with me. It means a lot.  Thank you for all your support, love, dedication to our classroom, your child, and to our school.  Your child has grown a lot this year and I am so proud of all them.  Thank you for the 2018-2019 school year 🙂  I wish them and your family all the best, support, and well wishes. <3

 

Week 35 Recap

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Hi Everyone!

Updates for rest of May:

This past week we had Botany with Ms. Rachael and we did 3rd grade breakfasts and testing!  It was a busy week!

The students began earning and owing classroom money as well for Store Day that will take place on May 20th from 9am-10:15am.  Ms. Amy, from Upper Elementary has stated that the big Store Day with the Upper Elementary (which we join in on) has been approved and we are hoping the weather will hold up and be a nice day for the kids to do it outside.

Store Day Information:  Store Day will be May 20th from 9am-10:15am for our class.  Students in our class use the money they earned in class to buy items from other student’s “stores.”  This is the big end of of the year one and is always a fun favorite!  Our students should discuss with you what they want to do for their store.  As mentioned they can sell items such as baked goods, popsicles, toys, crafts, a service (like nails or hair chalk for example) etc.  Students should come in on May 20th ready to set up their store and have their prices ready.  As students come in on May 20th we will have them set up their store and then have a quick circle to go over Store Day.

Kindergarteners will have their Bridging Ceremony May 20th at 10:30am in the Junior High gym.  If you have a Kindergartener and would like their sibling from our class to also attend, please come to our classroom to come pick them up and take them to the gym.

May 20th is our last full day of school and then the rest of the week will be early outs.

In the afternoon of May 20th, our students may bring games to play with one another.  No iPads or GameBoy type electronics.  The kids may play card games and board games with one another.  This will allow Ms. Misha and I to look over inventory and the kids get some time together.

May 21st will be 3rd Graders Bridging Ceremony at 10:30am in the Junior High gym.  After the ceremony you may take your 3rd grader, but please let me or Ms. Misha know you are checking them out.  That morning before bridging we will begin to clean items in the classroom. The students will help us dust, scrub, and organize the materials in the classroom. Early out at 1pm and beginning of PTC at 1:30pm.

May 22nd will be Upper Elementary’s Bridging Ceremony at 10:30am in the Junior High gym.  We have 3 students who have 6th grade siblings.  If you want your child to see their 6th grader at their ceremony, please come by our classroom and escort them with you to the gym.  Ms. Misha will also be seeing her 6th grade girls bridge during that time, so I am looking for some help on this Wednesday.  We are wanting to do a cultural lesson morning.  3rd graders will be learning about crustaceans and make Maryland crab dip with me in the kiva.  1st and 2nd graders will have their big activities too. 1st graders will do parts of a plant salad for parts of a plant in Botany this year and also their landform cookies for their lessons on landforms in Geography.  2nd graders will do planet cookies.  I might also have them make their body sized skeleton that day too if it works out for Physiology.  Early out at 1pm. PTC at 1:30pm

May 23rd is Crazy hair/hat/sock day.  We will do a movie this morning and being to make sure supplies of theirs begin making their way home.  We will also clean out lockers on this day. Early out at 1pm.  Last day of PTC.

May 24th is the last day of school.  It be sports/tie dye day.  Students may wear their favorite sports team apparel and or tie dye.  Yearbooks will be distributed and the kids will get to go around and sign one another.  There will most likely be the annual kickball game to watch too.  Early out at 1pm

Next Week: Teacher Appreciation Week

Monday- Students show their best Grace and Courtesy towards teachers and staff on this day. Giving your teachers a hug.

Tuesday- Flower Day.  Bring flowers or make a flower for both your teachers.

Wednesday- Make a picture, write a nice note, poem etc. for each of your teachers.

Thursday- Drink day!  Bring a drink for your teacher on this day.  Ms. Misha likes coffee and flavored waters and seltzer waters.  Ms. Kaley likes flavored seltzers and blue zero calorie Powerades.

Friday- Field Day and spirit day/donate a supply day.  Students may dress down for field day and can wear their teacher’s favorite colors. As far as supplies that we may need there isn’t much for this year.  I wouldn’t worry about any new supplies at this point.

*Field Day- Please watch the weather!  The kids are going to be outside and if it is rainy, windy, or chilly then they need to be dressed in layers to be comfortable.  I’m hoping the rain will hold off on Friday, but please prepare them!  Sunscreen is also advised.  Water bottles are needed as they will be running around morning.

 

Please remember to sign up for PTC on Track It Forward!  Sign ups are ready to go under the dates of PTC.  Have a great Mother’s Day to all you moms and have a upcoming week 🙂

Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

Week 34 Recap

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Hello!

We are done field trips this year!  We had a great time at the Planetarium and I want to thank all you for helping transporting your child to and from this field trip.

3rd grade testing and breakfasts: Monday and Wednesday begin 3rd grade testing for our class.  Monday is math and our students will test from 12pm-3pm.  If they finish beforehand then they will go back to class.  I will be with the 3rd graders during testing on these two dates.  Wednesday will be their language test and it will go from 9am-12pm.  Recess and lunch will still go on for just those students doing testing. If your 3rd grader already has completed their testing early than they will be with the 1st and 2nd graders on our normal schedule.  3rd grade breakfast needs a few more volunteers!  Even though it is directed towards 3rd grade parents, if you are a parent of a 1st or 2nd grader and want to help out, you are more than welcome to help us out!  Thank you to those who have signed up so far.

Breakfast times:  Eating time will be at 8:30am for Monday and Wednesday.  Misha will run circle for the 1st and 2nd graders on those days.  If you are volunteering, please come in at 8:15am when the doors open.  Wednesday doesn’t have anyone signed up for bacon.  I chose the microwavable bacon, but if someone wants to make regular bacon I’m okay with that.  We could also use some fruit for both days as well.   Please visit Track It Forward for signing up 🙂

Shadowing continues:  We will have Franky, Kaulin, and Jaxston shadow Tuesday and Tenley will shadow Thursday.  This will complete our shadowing for the year by the end of this week

Math check ins:  I have already completed the reading testing and DIBELS is all done for our class.  I will be using this week to do some check ins with where our students are in math.  This data will be part of their portfolio for the end of the year.  On Friday I will also be sharing with our kids our end of the year reflection packet.  This will also be part of their portfolio and a must for them to complete next week.

Classroom money begins Monday!:  We are beginning classroom money again for our end of the year Store Day that will take place on Monday May 20th.  We are hoping to team up with Upper El, but they said they are waiting to hear back on the approval to have the multiple classrooms team up together outside.  I told our class we hope we hear back about it soon, but if not, we will still continue our own end of the year Store Day.  It will be just like the one we did at Christmas time.  Plan with your child now on what they would like to sell at Store Day.  It could be toys, books, games, crafts, services, or food.  Plan on selling items that other would like to buy.  Since we hope it will be warmer, popsicles and little treats like that can be eaten during Store Day.  I will update more about Store Day as we get closer and let you know if we team up with Upper El.  This money round will involve earning AND owing.  Our class is beginning to feel the May fever and our 3rd graders, especially, are testing more limits.  Please make sure your child is helping our school and class out by reminding them to use and show their best grace and courtesy.  They are excited about money again and each student has made 3 goals for themselves.  If they “break” their own goal (or for some, a goal or 2 Misha and I want them to do) then they will owe money to the bank.  Doing their works and anything we need them to complete in a lesson or EOY check in/testing, jobs,  and random acts of kindness/generosity are going to be the easy targets to earn money quickly towards their Store Day.  Avoiding works, disrespect, defiance, breaking a school rule, and breaking their own goal are the main ones they decided that would make you owe money.

EOY Dates and Events:

PTC sign ups on Track It Forward are up and ready for you! 

*Waiting to hear details about Teacher Appreciation Week.  6th grade and 9th grade big field trips are happening this week, so rumor has it that it will take place the week of May 13th.  Stay tuned on more details and please read the MMM newsletter for more information.

May 13th in the afternoon form 1:30-2:30 will be the 3rd grade party

Field Day will be Friday May 17th in the morning until recess time.  At 5:30pm will be the 9th grade graduation in the JR High gym.

May 20th will be Store Day until 10:30am.  We will stop out students at 10:15am and then participate in welcoming the Early Childhood students into Lower Elementary at their Bridging Ceremony. Last full day of school. No school for Early Childhood students.  They are coming for their ceremony.

May 21st is the 3rd grade Bridging Ceremony to Upper Elementary at 10:30am. Once this ceremony is over you may take your 3rd grader early since it is an early release beginning May 21st.  PTC begins at 1:30pm.

May 22nd will be the Upper Elementary’s Bridging Ceremony.  If you also have a 6th grader bridging on this day and would like your Lower El student to attend, please stop by our classroom to pick up your child, so I can make sure your child is with you.  Again, if you choose to leave after their ceremony, please let me know if you are checking out your Lower El student too.  Early release.  PTC beginning at 1:30pm

May 23rd will be the first day of Spirit Week.  I don’t know what it will entail specifically, but I asked our teacher advisor and that is what is known so far.  Early release.  Last day of PTC.

May 24th will be the student’s last day of school!  Early release this day as well.

 

Hope you have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week.  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

Week 33 Recap

Posted in Conferences, Field Trips, Montessori Philosophy, Reading | No Comments »

Hello Everyone!

Upcoming Week!

We have our last field trip of the year on Wednesday!  I sent out an email Friday afternoon that outlined the needed information for this field trip.  Please read everything carefully!  Here the information restated:

Wednesday May 1st- Planetarium

For any of our students in our class who NEED a ride TO and/or FROM MMA (see link below) to go on the Planetarium field trip, I have a sign up ready for you all!
*Has to be a wejoinin sheet because I needed the two columns.  Add your volunteer time to Track It Forward.
 
If you can take a student(s) from our class, please sign up- certified or not.  If you are parent who’s child needs a ride to the TRAX station in the morning and a ride back to MMA after, please look at the drivers who are available and you can pick who you want your child to go with.
Drivers and student drop off will take place at North Shore.  Please catch your ride at 7:30am.  If you are willing to drive others, please be there at this time.  It is imperative to be on time for this field trip as the Frontrunner will not wait for anyone.  We are leaving a good amount of time so nobody feels rushed.
If you are dropping your child off/meeting us at the Ogden Station to catch the Frontrunner, we ask you be there at 7:50am.  This gives chaperones plenty of time to park, get a ticket to ride the Frontrunner (your child is covered!)  We can get the children banded with their Frontrunner wristband and do a headcount.
Information Quick Glance!
1. Catching rides from MMA to Ogden Station Frontrunner will need begin at 7:30am (PLEASE BE ON TIME!)
2. If meeting/dropping off at Ogden Station- 7:50am meeting time.  8:10am is the very latest I would like to see students being dropped off.   This is a built in buffer time.
3. Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha will both be present at Ogden Station.  NOT facilitating rides at MMA.
4. First 8 chaperones to come to me at Ogden Station get a free Frontrunner wrist band.  If I am out, the ticket station is right where we meet.
5. Your child NEEDS a backpack, lunch, water dressed for the weather, comfy shoes, school dress code
6. There is a nice gift shop, food trucks, and places to eat around the Gateway.  We will be eating outside by the big fountains at The Gateway.  Money for your child to eat out or buy things is your decision.  Eating at a restaurant will depend on the chaperone.
7.  If you are chaperoning, you will get other kids who you need to help us look after.  I want to put those groups together and tell you as soon as possible.
8.  We leave the Planetarium at 1:10pm at the very latest.  We will meet at the front of the Planetarium beginning at 1pm.  Please be aware of time chaperones 🙂
9. We catch the Frontrunner back to Ogden Station at 1:31pm.  The train arrives back to Ogden Station at 2:24pm
10.  PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE have your child picked up at Ogden Station at 2:24pm.  Every year we are waiting and are needing to call the office to call parents who are tardy.  This is important to be on time to pick up your child.  

*Please read Planetarium cover letter for further information.
Clark Chaperone Letter01_Adults Rules and Tips (1)  *The cover letter doesn’t attach to the blog, but it cover letter is attached in the email that was sent out Friday afternoon from me.
We will have an Evacuation Drill sometime Tuesday
Monday we will have Kindergarteners visiting for their shadowing experience.  Monday afternoon at 1pm we will gather the Lower El to have a mini assembly on how to travel on Frontrunner, go over the safety video, and go over rules.
Students will begin to earn classroom dollars again beginning next week May 6th.  The big end of the year Store Day that will take place with other classrooms will be on May 20th from 9am-11am.

Past Week:

This past week our students worked on their last Word Work!  Their Spiral Math has introduced them to their next grade level and is a review of the grade they are currently in and is getting them ready for their next grade.  We also finished up final drafts for the first opinion piece, “What Pet Makes the Best Pet?”  Starting Monday, students will pick their own topic they want to write an opinion piece on and do their last writing piece for the year!  It’s crazy how April is done this coming week, but that’s how it is every year!  May is going to be here and gone in a blink of an eye.
During May I will be doing some end of the year checking in on some skills for our portfolio.  We’ll focus on showing some current math, writing (from our opinion pieces), language arts, and some favorite cultural lessons.  We have pretty much wrapped up our scientific method processes for science at the beginning of April.
All reading testing from me is complete!  I focused on getting everyone done this past week andMs. Jamie, our reading specialist, has done the end of the year DIBELS reading part on everyone too!  Only thing that needs to be wrapped up is the 3rd graders need to do their DAZE (vocab word fill in the blank) part.  Ms. Jamie will grab them Thursday of this week.
Shadowing for the 3rd graders is underway!  We had about half of them shadow this week and rest will go next week.  Janessa will shadow this Thursday.
Thank you for everyone helping with transportation to and from our field trip to Sunshine Farms this past Wednesday.  I’m glad it was such a nice day to be outside.  It was interesting to hear how farmer Dan plans our his farm and gets the vegetables to local restaurants around Ogden.  The kids helped plant wildflowers, got a tour of the beds, helped move wood chips, and released lady bugs to help with the growing season.  For some students it was hard work that they normally don’t or haven’t ever experienced.  It was a good outside experience and it got our class their service time for the year by helping out farmer Dan.
PTC Sign Up: As a reminder, PTC sign ups are already up and ready for you all to sign up!  Students will run this conference to share their end of the year reflections and their portfolio.  I will have an end of the year progress report for Math and Language too. Please visit Track It Forward to sign up!
Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!
Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

Week 32 Recap

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Hi Everyone!

Thank you everyone for a smooth field trip this past Thursday!  The movie was adorable and the kids loved it!

Farm field trip- For our field trip coming up on Thursday, please make sure to sign up on Track It Forward to let me know your child’s ride situation.  I will send out an email on Tuesday updating what I know about rides thus far.  The farm’s address is tricky, so please DO NOT plug the address into your phone.  Please refer to this map for where the entrance is, parking etc.  We will be meeting where it says shelter and then we will all walk over together. If you are giving rides, please be at North Shore at 12:25pm.  We will be out to catch rides at 12:30pm. Kids may be allowed to wear jeans and good shoes to work outside in (boots, tennis shoes recommended).  It is supposed to be in the 70s and sunny on this day, so make sure they have a hat or bring sunscreen and a water bottle to have.  If your child doesn’t wear a school shirt, please make sure the out of dress code shirt is appropriate logo or graphics wise for school (no violence or vulgar sayings etc.).  Pick up from the field trip will be at 2:45pm at the farm.  You don’t have to return to MMA unless you need to get another child or your child needs to go back to MMA to catch a ride at dismissal.

Sunshine Family Farms Map

Upcoming week

This coming week I will be beginning the UURC reading level test.  DIBELS will also be beginning for 1st and 2nd graders as Ms. Jamie is working around 3rd grade testing coming up.  She is beginning with the early childhood this week and might begin the lower el towards the end of the week.  Regardless, end of the year assessments and testing are now in full swing!

3rd graders will begin their Upper El shadowing beginning this week.  They are paired up with an Upper El classroom to see what it is like and become familiar with their environment.  Their shadowing experience will also play into their end of the year reflection for their portfolios at the end of the year.  The teacher they shadow with will not necessarily be their teacher.  Our class was just divided amongst the teachers this year.  The schedule will be as follows:

Franky- John May 7th
Jax C.- Laura April 24th
Lillian- Amy April 22nd
Lili- Shanan April 24th?
Janessa- Amity May 7th
Tenley- Kirsten May 9th
Lexi- Kotie April 22nd
Kaulin- John May 7th
Jaxston- Amity May 7th
Bronson- Shanan April 24th?
*waiting to hear back form Shanan on the date I gave her.
Thank you to those who signed up for snack for the rest of the year!
If you want to get a head start on signing up for end of the year conferences, my sheets on Track It Forward have been up and ready to go for you all.
The Spring Concert is May 1st beginning at 6:00pm.  Students should arrive at 5:45pm.  Please refer to the MMM newsletter for the flyer!  Solid black pants and a solid colored shirt for their performance dress code.  Thanks!
Happy Easter and have a great upcoming week!  See some of you Thursday!

Week 31 Recap

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Hello!

We had a wonderful week back from Spring Break.  The kids came back ready to rock and roll.  We talked this week how the kids want more of a challenge towards better themselves and as a community.  This class meeting talk took place before Spring Break and we worked on it on Friday.  The kids will complete a classroom goal to earn 10 points.  When a goal is reached by the of the week then they get a little incentive.  There are 5 goals and as the kids reach another goal (or level) then they still have complete the previous goal PLUS the new goal.  We did this last year and they really liked it.  The 1st goal is the “Quiet” goal.  This goal will need the kids to cooperatively work together in group times such as circle time and lining up.  If they complete this goal by Friday then they voted on having a scavenger hunt as their 1st group incentive.  Tune in next week to see if they make it!

We had a super cute moment this past Friday during a 2nd grade small math lesson.  2nd graders are working this year on their addition and subtraction skills, but understanding multiplication.  We continued our practice with arrays.  I had them build arrays with Cheerios.  I invited others if they wanted to come.  We ended up with practically the whole class engaged in a book I read and then building their arrays.

Movie Field Trip this Thursday!

This Thursday is the movie field trip to see Disney’s Earth Day presentation: Penguins.  We will need your child to be dropped off at the Ogden Junction- The Megaplex at 8:45am.  Ms. Misha will be there to collect our students.  I will be at MMA to make sure kids are catching rides and then meet our class over there.  The movie begins for the kids at 9:15am.  To my certified drivers who signed up, THANK YOU!

Ms. Jalee has the sign up for any child needing a ride back to MMA.  Even if you aren’t a certified driver and you have room to take another kiddo back to school, please  sign up on this sign up sheet:  https://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/jsiix

(Have room to take kids back to MMA!  No certification required!)
 
Reminders:
1. If you are taking your child to and from the field trip, have them keep their stuff in your car.  If your child isn’t going with you then they will take it into the theater.
2.  Please provide a lunch this day
3.  No snacks for the movie please and no money is needed to bring
4.  If you are picking up students to take them back to MMA- PLEASE be there out front by the stairs at 10:30am.  The movie is likely to end around 10:15am, so between 10:15-10:30 (at the latest).
PLEASE DO FOR ME THE FOLLOWING:
1. Email me your child’s ride situation TO the field trip and BACK to MMA.  Please do this by Sunday (homework for you!)
Permission Slips NEEDED:
Parker (told me he will bring it Monday.)
Madison
Amelia
Jax C.
*Please have to me by Wednesday at the very latest.  If your child does not bring me their permission slip, they will be helping Early Childhood or Upper El while everyone is gone.  They will return to class after we get back.
Next Thursday- April 25th is our afternoon field trip to Sunshine Farms.  Please sign up on Track it Forward to let me know your child’s ride situation.  This field trip is for our class and for Junior High students in Ms. Leigh’s Advanced Erdkinder class.
We will eat lunch at 11:45am on this day and then begin to catch our rides to the farm at 12:30pm.  Please be at the North Shore parking lot for picking up by 12:25pm. We will meet you all out there.  There isn’t a chaperone limitation for this field trip or for the Planetarium coming up.  Please let me know in the Track it Forward ride situation or via email if you are planning on chaperoning (if you haven’t already).  I will be sending out an email tomorrow (Monday) after school to let you know whose permission slip for the farm I am missing.  I have extra permission slips in the classroom if you just want to stop in real quick.

Past Week:

We had Botany with Ms. Rachael this past Monday.  She talked about some parts of the flower as spring has sprung and the kids can now see these parts of the flower!
The 3rd grade party has been scheduled!  This is only information for 3rd grade parents.  I will talk more about it soon, but mark your calendars for Monday May 13th.
We worked on rough drafts this past week for our opinion writing.  Students are working on writing an introduction, state 4 reasons with details, and then write a conclusion.  Their topic is “which animal do you think makes the best pet.”  Our students are using their feelings to understand opinions in their writing.  It’s been fun to hear the dog vs cat kiddos talk and challenge each other.
We worked on some Botany and Geography for cultural this week.  This coming week we will continue our study of plants in Botany and begin wrapping up learning time for 1st graders, the needs of humans for 2nd graders, and when humans appeared on the timeline for 3rd graders.

Coming Up!

April 22nd- an early out Monday
3rd grade shadowing- our 3rd graders will be checking out an upper elementary classroom soon!  Since we are partnered with a junior high class this year, your child has been assigned a room to shadow and check out.  I am working with all the upper el teachers to see what day and time works for them.  I will email you all that information once I have everyone scheduled.
3rd grade breakfast will take place on 3rd grade testing days.  We will need help to make these breakfasts happen.  I will be making the Track It Forward sign ups soon!
Spring Music Concert is May 1st.  Please see the MMM newsletter sent out for the big flyer with the times and information.  When I post it on here it posts small.
WE NEED SNACK!  Nobody has signed up for the rest of the school year!  If you are willing to help us out, please sign up on Track It Forward!  Please and Thank You!
Thanks and have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!
Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

Week 28 Recap

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Hi Everyone!

Upcoming Week:

Reminder that I will be out of town beginning Thursday.  I will return Tuesday of next week.  I will be attending the annual AMS Montessori Conference being held in Washington DC this year.  There will be 2 subs- Ms. Alicia will cover for Thursday and next Monday and Ms. Amber will cover for Friday of this week.  We will follow a pretty normal schedule for the week.  This Friday I have left Misha some South America lessons and art work to do with the kids in the morning.

A Fire Drill will take place on Wednesday

Gala– The school’s Gala is this coming Saturday!  You can still purchase tickets at the door.  It will be up at Snowbasin this year.

Past Week:

This past week was Literacy Week.  The kids enjoyed the Dr. Seuss story of the day in our class and little activities we had throughout the week.  Thanks to a lot of you who came out for Literacy Night!  I had a great time making bookmarks and seeing their familiar faces!  The themed book for the school was called I Am Peace.  It was a book that talked about mindfulness.  We as a class have talked about trying to incorporate more guided mediations to practice mindfulness in our classroom.

We had Botany with Ms. Rachael this past Tuesday and she went over food chains with the kids.  She even showed pond water from Harrisville Park under her projected microscope and the kids go to witness even the simplest of creatures doing their food chain jobs.  They really loved it!

In cultural this week 3r graders wrapped up all 3 periods in the Mesozoic Era and next time we meet we will go over the theories scientists use on how they believe dinosaurs have gone extinct.  1st graders have been working on time and most have done really well knowing time up to the quarter hour.  This is something you can work on and practice at home.  2nd graders are wrapping up fundamental human needs in relation to world culture and being a good citizen.  We talked about communication this past week and have been going over their research about what countries speak what languages.  1st graders went over external parts of a mammal in Zoology and 2nd graders are working at their own pace towards researching and reading about different kinds of animals.  3rd graders have begun studying each part of a flower and began with the stamen (the pollen producing part of the flower).

Upcoming Events:

The Earth Day movie field trip is a go!  It will take place on April 18th and the movie will begin at 9:15am.  Transportation for this field trip will need to have students dropped off at the Megaplex at Ogden’s Junction next to Fly High.  Please have them dropped off at the front by 8:50am.  Please email me and Katie, our room mom (misskt2558@yahoo.com) if your child needs a ride and pick up to and from the movie theater.  I will email certain families to see if they can chaperone as the movie theater only wants each class to provide 3.  The film should run about 70 mins or so we aren’t 100% sure how long the film is, so please be at the Megaplex for pick up at 10:30am.  Cover letters will be sent out soon!

Our Planetarium field trip is now May 1st.  This will be an all day field trip 🙂  More to come

 

Have a great rest of your week!  I will NOT be making a post this coming weekend due to traveling.

Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

 

Week 27 Recap

Posted in Classroom, Reading, Shared School | No Comments »

Hello Everyone!

Past Week:

This past Tuesday we went to Union Station for our afternoon field trip.  It was nice a history lesson on some of the topics we have discussed this year.  Thank you for picking up in a very timely manner and having everyone who attended to help out.  Thank you thank you!

Upcoming Week:

We have quite a bit of events and things popping up this coming week! Please read carefully!

Literacy Week begins Monday!

  • Please have your child bring in a copy of the cover of their most favorite book.  We will hang them outside of our classroom!  They will get their copy back at the end of the week
  • If you have any old books your child(ren) no longer read or want we are doing a book swap all week long!  Kids may bring books to donate and if they see any books they really want they may pick up a book or 2 during the week for the book swap. There will tables located in both kiva areas.

Monday- Dr. Seuss activities begin in our classroom!  We will be reading the ABC book and then students will also be writing their own classroom ABC book to practice alliteration writing.  We will also be going over Limericks in the afternoon and students will write a Limerick by the end of this week.

Tuesday- An eventful day! Literacy Night will be Tuesday night from 5:30pm-7:30pm.  Clean up will begin around 7:00pm.  Come do some fun activities at MMA!  Usborne books will also be there and our class will do the book preview at 8:45am.  We will then read Literacy Week’s themed book for the year when we get back.  Our students will then go see Ms. Rachael for Botany from 9:35am-10:25am.  3rd graders will join in after computers.  Ms. Julia our PE teacher will be out this week and has a sub, however, there will be an assembly for Lower El from 1:00pm-1:30pm.  Out class will plan to be late to PE that afternoon.

Wednesday- Dr. Seuss’ Oh The Places You’ll Go will be read and an activity will take place.

Thursday- Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham.  The Antelopes and Badgers language groups will do a rhyming activity.  Crocs are going to work on some cursive skills and work on learning to read some cursive.

Friday- Dr Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat will be read and activity will take place. It is also the Literacy Week Read-a-thon!  Students may bring a few books to enjoy and a small pillow.  They will read from 10am-11am.  Early Release is also this Friday!  Please plan to pick up your child at 1pm.

Next Monday the 18th will be no school for students. It is a PD day for teachers.

Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week.  Hope to see you during Literacy Night Tuesday!

Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

Week 26 Recap

Posted in Classroom, Field Trips, Grace and Courtesy, Peace, Shared School | No Comments »

Hi Everyone!

Past Week:

We took a break from our morning Daily Starters and we read books as a class to get to know some famous African Americans that helped change history and were important figures.  The students worked on choosing an important figure for Black History Month.  We have a few students who need to finish up,  so we’ll work on hanging up their person of choice outside our classroom.  This past Monday afternoon I had a Harriet Tubman puzzle to put in order for each kid to do and also a timeline of Rosa Parks.

This past Tuesday was the school’s Spelling Bee!  The Lower El one was quite the nail biter at the end, but it was fun to witness!  It went for an hour and half and our class did a great job sitting.

Wednesday was our afternoon assembly from WSU’s Story Tellers.  Two storytellers came and told verbal stories to all of lower el.  Before we went to the assembly, our 3rd graders got to experience the dinosaur box I checked out for them from Weber State.  It cast models from real fossils that gave our kids some great fun visuals to see and feel regarding the dinosaur periods and dinosaurs we have been discussing.  The kids loved the box!

Friday in the afternoon we went back to review some scientific method skills and I had them do an activity called, The Cat’s in the Bag.  I had 8 bags and split the students up into small groups.  They had to guess the mystery items in their group’s bag and write detailed notes using as many senses as they could use.  The kids loved this activity and we will revisit it in a different way in the next few weeks.

 

Upcoming Week:

This upcoming week is our field trip to Union Station on Tuesday.  We will have recess at 11am and eat lunch at school at 11:30am.  After lunch we will restore the room and get ready to find rides at 12:30pm.  If you are taking your student or a carpool, please please arrive at the school no later than 12:30pm.  Ms. Misha doesn’t work on Tuesday afternoons, so I will need everyone to pick up their child/carpool at North Shore.  This way I don’t have to hang back with anyone and we can all arrive to Union Station at the same time.  Once you arrive to Union Station, please keep the children in the car until I arrive.  Pick up at Union Station will begin at 2:30pm.  If you have your own child, you don’t have to return back to MMA.  If a student is getting a carpool from you and needs to return to MMA, then they will head back and I will dismiss them from class at regular dismissal time.

We will continue to work on cultural acceptance lessons and skills.  This week we will talk about what does it mean to be a world citizen.

A Message from MAPA:

**Classroom Gala Basket Donations**

Parents, MAPA is in need of assistance for the classroom Gala baskets. We would ask that instead of donating items this year you donate money to MAPA and some of the volunteers will purchase everything for the baskets. We feel that this may alleviate any stress that providing items for the baskets may cause. We would ask you to be as generous as you can with your donation. We also ask that funds be donated by Thursday March 7th.
Thanks!!!
MAPA
March at a Glance:
March will be a busy time.  Next week is Literacy Week for MMA.  I will be doing Dr. Seuss activities each day along with their regular work cycle.  Next Thursday is also Literacy night at MMA.  More to come on Literacy Night soon for our blog.
Next Friday will be an early release on the 15th and that coming Monday the 18th will be no school for students.
March 21st-25th- I will be out of town.  I will be attending the AMS Montessori Conference in Washington DC.  We will have 2 subs that will come in.  Ms. Alicia and Ms. Amber both have Montessori experience.  Ms. Alicia will cover Thursday and Monday and Ms. Amber will do Friday.
March 27th- I will be at school in the morning and then will need to leave by 10:45am in the morning.  I will get the morning Math lessons in before I need to leave for an appointment.  Ms. Misha will cover the rest of the day.
Field Trips- We have the Planetarium planned for May 3rd, but we in the works of trying to plan 2 more field trips before the end of the year.  For Earth Day the lower el teachers are trying to see if we can go to Walker Theater to see the annual Earth Day movie.  I’ve been talking with Ms. Leigh, our Junior High class partner to see fi we can do anything together and she mentioned a farm trip to an organic dairy farm over by the Pepsi plant.  The kids would get to know farm life work and get to help out with some tasks.  I’ll keep you posted as those two field trips will both need field trip forms to sign.
Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!
Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha

Week 25 Recap

Posted in Classroom, Field Trips, Grammar, Home Projects, Peace, Shared School, Word Study | No Comments »

Hello Everyone!

Track It Forward ride sign up reminder:  Please remember to let me know what your child’s ride will be through track it forward.  Our field trip is next Tuesday on March 5th.  It will be an afternoon field trip.  Pick up is at MMA at the North Shore parking lot at 12:30pm.  Students will eat lunch prior to going.  We will meet at Union Station Museum on 25th street around 12:50ish. Our tours and lessons begin at 1pm and go until 2:30pm.  Pick up will be at the Museum at 2:30pm.

Spelling Bee Tuesday!  This Tuesday the 26th will be Spelling Bee day!  We have our top spellers ready to do their best for Tuesday’s Bee day.  Our spellers will be: Franky, Alex, and Jax.  Joseph is our alternate in case someone is absent or backs out.  The Lower El Bee will be from 9am-10am.  Parents are welcome to come and watch.  Parents with those students in our bee are highly encouraged to be there to support their student.

Wednesday– Class Pictures rescheduled day!  With the snow last week, we didn’t have everyone.  Again, we will try this Wednesday!  Our class and other the other lower el classrooms will attend a Storytelling festival assembly in the afternoon at 1:30pm.  Any cultural lesson we don’t get to will be made up Thursday.  WSU is also bringing us science boxes.  Our 3rd graders will work with the dinosaur box this Wednesday

Black History Month in Class Project:  This coming week is History Week for our school.  The Junior High is preparing their projects for March 5th’s presentation day, but for our lower elementary each classroom is running activities, lessons, and readings on a topic of their choice.  Our classroom will be honoring February’s Black History Month.  We have been reading Scholastics and we also did a learning on George Washington Carver (the inventor of peanut butter) this past week.  This coming week the students will get to choose an African American to learn more about.  We will hang up our classroom’s research and displays outside our classroom.

As we get into March we will honor Women’s Month.  This theme’s new bucket is Interdependence (Feb 25th-April 12th).  We will focus on cultural acceptance, peace lessons and how things we know and use have progressed over time (clothes, food, inventions etc.).  We will also move from the USA states to begin a South America study.  The last theme, Liberty and Justice for All will be a North America study.

We are reaching a stage in our curriculum where reviews will begin to take place on lessons already learned.  New language lessons pertaining to our word study and grammar towers are tapering off for some levels.  As we get into March I am going to hold lessons on poetry, figurative language, storytelling, and combine what they have learned in word study and grammar into these lessons.  Next week we will get into new writing lessons on opinions as well that will take us to the end of the year.

Have a great upcoming week and rest of your weekend!

Ms. Kaley and Ms. Misha