Ms. Kaley's Classroom Room 24

Hello Everyone!

Thank you everyone for getting your child to the the UTA train station on Wednesday!  The kids had a great time.  That is all for field trips this year!  That’s a wrap!

We had some great science projects from the 1st and 2nd graders come in this week!  We only have a few kiddos left who need to share!

Upcoming Week:

LAST Project of the year! Book report on either the genre of Science Fiction or Fantasy.  We will be talking about this genre in the month of May.  Students will choose one more option from the book report list that they haven’t done.  Here is the list again:

Book Report Presentation Choices

*You may only do 1 choice once

___Book cover

___Oral report to the teacher and/or class

___1 page written report

___A wanted poster for a character in your book

___Poster advertising your book

___Design a bookmark

___Make a poem about your book

___Create a picture book about your favorite parts from the beginning, middle, and end

___Create a video about the book

___Dress up as favorite character and tell about the book

___Create a mobile with 5 events

___Write and draw an alternative ending

___Create a timeline with at least 10 events

___Draw a map describing places

___Create a travel brochure

___Make a puppet show explaining your book

___Create a board game

___Diorama of a scene

___Do a 1 page report about the author

___Create a week long journal as if you were the character

2nd SAGE TEST- 3rd graders will take their 2nd SAGE test on Wednesday.  We are 9am-12noon again.  Please make sure your student is on time to eat breakfast and that a snack is packed for them that they can take into the testing environment.  Here is the second sign up for breakfast!

Breakfast Sign up!  

Teacher Appreciation Week May 8th-May 12th 

Monday– Best grace and courtesy from students and give a high 5, hug, or handshake

Tuesday– Bring a flower for your teacher and assistant teacher.  Flowers may be real, fake, a drawing, or homemade

Wednesday– Make a note/letter for each of your two teachers

Thursday– Bring a drink for each of your two teachers.  I like flavored waters and Arnold Palmers.  I also enjoy coffee and hot teas.  Ms. Anna likes any kind of juice

Friday– Teacher Spirit Day!  Wear your teacher’s favorite colors and maybe donate a classroom supply.  I will hint that we are on our last few pencils!  My favorite colors are aqua, green, and pink. Ms. Anna’s are green and blue

Ms. Anna is PREGNANT!  She is due around Thanksgiving time.  She doesn’t know what she is having yet and is hoping to find out at the end of the month

This week marks the start of end of year reading and math tests for all students.  I am having the students accomplish their end of the year CBM Math computer test this week.  DIBELS reading will also begin on our side of the building this week. Next week I will be doing UURC (University of Utah Reading Clinic) reading level tests

3rd Graders will begin Upper Elementary shadowing next week and into the 3rd week of May in Ms. Stephaney’s class.  Her classroom will also be our partner on the day of  3rd grade bridging.

Starting Monday May 1st our class will begin earning classroom coins and dollars.  This will be income practice for our Store Day that will happen May 18th.

Store Day is coming! – May 18th from 9am-11am will be Store Day!  Our kiddos will earn classroom money (and also possibly owe) over the next few weeks that will be used on Store Day.  It works like a yard sale and it become the student’s business.  Students may bring in items to sell (toys, books etc that they no longer want, treats/snacks, or crafts.  A lot of other Upper Elementary classrooms participate and we team up with them.  After Store Day is over we all debrief after to talk about successes and who earned what.  This is a favorite end of the year event, so mark your calendars!

Past Week:

This past week we had the local fire department come and present on Fire Safety.

In group lessons:

Level 1s: Partitioning circles, squares, and rectangles 

Level 3s: Area of shapes

In cultural this week: Zoology/Physiology

Level 1s: Review the 5 classes of vertebrates and Endangered animals

Level 2s: Muscular system, Nervous system, and introduction to the brain

Level 3s: Spiders 

Dates for May:

Hard to believe it is May already.  I don’t feel like it is the end of the year yet, but it will quickly come!

Snack: Alden has snack again this week

Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hello Everyone!

Upcoming Week:

Monday– 1st and 2nd grade science projects are due!  We will do a few projects each day, so if your child needs a few more extra days their absolute last day to turn in their project for credit towards their progress report is Friday.

Tuesday– Fire Safety Show from our local fire department at 2:00pm.  We will do cultural lessons right after lunch time.

PLEASE READ!  Wednesday– Field Trip!  The weather calls for rain.  The museum is mainly indoors with only one smaller area outside.  However, we will need to walk outside to get there and also to go eat at the food court.  Please provide your child rain gear: umbrellas, boots, jackets, etc.  Have your child dress in layers so they can adjust to the weather and as they move about the children’s museum.

*Please be at the Frontrunner station on Wall Ave by 8:10am.  This will give the teachers time to make sure everyone is accounted for and give out wrist bands for the frontrunner. The train leaves at 8:37am and we do not wait for anyone who is late.  Please review your hot pink paper regarding our itinerary. We will travel to North Temple Station and then walk from there.  This will avoid the need to take TRAX.  I still need permission slips from Calvin and Janessa.  I need them by Tuesday.  Ms. Jalee’s class will also be traveling with us.  Discovery Gateway will move our classes to certain areas of the museum so that an area isn’t over crowded.  They will also take each class and do a presentation with them.  Adults who plan on coming will help the students travel, walk, and stay safe out in public.  We will mostly function as a whole group, but their will times where students can stay with a chaperone when it comes to lunch time and if the museum lets them have any time to go where they want in Discovery Gateway.

*We start gathering everyone around 1:15, do a head count, walk back to North Temple Station and then catch our train, which leaves close to 2pm.  This get us back to Ogden Station close to 3:00pm.  PLEASE PICK UP STUDENTS AT WALL AVE FRONTRUNNER STATION.  If you pick up other students at MMA, I recommend picking up the student at the frontrunner station first and then head over to MMA.

Thursday– Spring Concert at MMA!  Here is the email sent to me from Ms. Connie:

Past Week:

Hello Everyone!

Upcoming Week:

Kids had a good week back!  Here are a few reminders:

1. Field trip is April 26th!  A hot pink paper went out so you knew itinerary.  Please refer to that pink paper for our schedule.  If you are coming on our field trip, you will purchase your UTA ticket at the station.  The kids in our class get to ride free.  We need to meet at the UTA frontrunner station on Wall Ave by 8:10am.  It is important to be on time.  We do not wait if someone is late.  The train leaves at 8:37am promptly.  The trains run every hour, so if you miss our train, you will need to meet us there at Discovery Gateway.  The train ride is very easy and takes an hour to get there.  We all sit together and we will ride it to North Temple.  We will get off and do a short walk and then go into The Gateway where we will walk to Discovery Gateway on the corner.  We eat lunch at The Gateway at their food court.  Students may bring money to purchase lunch at the food court, if they wish.  We will start collecting everyone around 1:30pm to make sure we have a head count and then will head back to North Temple station.  We should be arriving at Ogden station on Wall Ave at 2:50pm.  Please be prompt in picking up your child.  We stay with all children until everyone is picked up.

*If your child attended the Nature Center field trip, then you signed off on the permission slip for Discovery Gateway!  I only need permission slips from Janessa, Calvin, and Lucy.  I sent them home with those students this past week.

*If you are looking to come on this field trip, please email me!

            2. This Thursday is our 3rd graders first SAGE test.  It will be the writing test that will require them to write 2 essays.  If a child doesn’t finish, they will get to finish it at another time.  Please remind you child that testing it nothing to worry about and it won’t impact their graduation to Upper Elementary.  We want them to do their best and to not rush.  Please help emphasize that they can take breaks to eat a snack, get a drink, walk around for a few minutes, and to use the bathroom as needed.  Since we provide a nice breakfast for them that morning, please pack your child a snack just for testing.  Breakfast will be right away as they come in Thursday morning.  Once they have eaten, they can run around outside on the playground once they are done.  I will take them into the computer lab by 8:55am to get settled.  Once the last 3rd grader is done I head back to class.  Ms. Anna will stay with the 1st and 2nd graders during morning work cycle.  We will pick up with our regular afternoon schedule after that.  If you are coming in to help with food, please come at 8:00am.  Please review your email for the online sign up that went on Tuesday for breakfast supplies.  If you are planning to come and help that morning, please email me, so I can let you inside.

The 3rd graders will also be collecting and washing their own eggs from the chickens at MMA for their scrambled eggs.  They will be getting a lesson from Ms. Leigh and the Erdkinder class in JR High on how to collect and wash the eggs.

Friday is an early release.  Please arrange pick up at 1pm.

Box tops is this Tuesday the 18th.  The last Box top store day will be May 16th.

Past Week:

Thank you thank you 3rd grade parents for supporting your child in our first 3rd grade Teach and Learn Science Project share.  The projects were fabulous!

Home Project for April: 1st and 2nd graders will have their science project due April 24th.  Students in 1st or 2nd may choose any area of science to do a home project on.  They may do a report, an experiment demonstration, explain how something works, or even an invention!  The options are not limited!

In group lessons:

Level 1s: Picture graphs

Level 2s: *break this week as we are ahead of schedule in fractions and geometry

Level 3s: Fractions on a number line and identifying the fraction on the number line

In cultural this week: Botany

Level 1s: Photosynthesis and flowering plants

Level 2s: Photosynthesis

Level 3s: Carnivorous plants and The Venus Fly Trap

Friday: Bee presentation from the Wadsworth family. Bronson’s grandfather does bee keeping and came in and educated the class on bees and their hives!  Thank you so much for doing this!  The kids loved it!  We are working on drone, worker, and queen bee models in class and labeling the parts.

If you celebrate Easter, Happy Easter!  Have a great rest of your weekend!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hello Everyone!

Hope everyone is enjoying Spring Break!  Before we know it the end of the year will be here!  April will be busy, but lots of fun too!

Upcoming Field Trip!: Discovery Gateway will be April 26th.  This is a field trip we take the Frontrunner to.  If you want to be a chaperone, please email me and let me know.  Students ride UTA for free.  A donation link for the field trip will be posted soon.

Past Week

This past week, we completed the in class book report on Fractured Fairy Tales.  My heart exploded on how adorable they turned out.  We read the traditional fairy tale of The Three Little Pigs and then the Fractured fairy tale The True Story of the Three Little Pigs a few weeks ago.  This week, before Spring Break began, each student signed up to do an activity.  The choices were:

-Comparing the two books with a Venn Diagram

-Write a newspaper from the human’s perspective on the Big Bad Wolf situation

-Write your own fractured fairy tale

-Performing groups: perform the traditional story and a group performs the fractured fairy tale

-Write a letter to the Big Bad Wolf as a reporter wanting to know more about what happened

Ms. Anna recorded the performances.  If you would like to see it, please email her at ahafen@mariamontessoriacademy.org

In cultural this week: Geography

Level 1s: Finished up landforms: strait/isthmus, system of lakes/archipelago, salt dough land formations 

Level 2s: Igneous rock review, metamorphic rocks, looked at samples of rocks

Level 3s: Kinds of clouds: stratus, stratocumulus, cumulus, cirrocumulus, cirrus, and cumulonimbus 

Upcoming Week:

3rd grade Science projects and April Home Project: 3rd graders will have their science projects due this coming Friday, April 14th. Parents are welcome to come and see!  We will be in the gym from 1-2:30.  1st and 2nd graders will be picking their science topics this week for their project that will be due April 24th (a Monday).  3rd graders WILL NOT have to do another science project.  Their studio science project covers their April home project.  1st and 2nd graders will pick any area of science they are interested in and present a home project to our class.  It can be a report, experiment, model etc.  Have fun with it and get creative!  The science projects are always fun to see!

Snack: the parent that signed up for this week is no longer in our class.  If anyone would like to provide snack for us this week, please let me know.  After this week, we are good until mid May.

Have a great rest of your Spring Break and upcoming week!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hi Everyone!

My trip to San Diego was great!  I didn’t have the greatest WiFi access during my trip, so sorry I didn’t post last weekend.

Past Week:

Ms. Anna said they did a nice job while I was out Monday.  Everything kept to the schedule for our week. Ms. Rachel came in Wednesday afternoon after lunch to do Botany.

Ms. Anna caught up with our 3rd grade students regarding the 3rd grade science project due on April 14th.

Beatriz- Moon

Erik- Simple Machines

Lydia- Living and Non-living things in an environment

Ashley- Sun, Earth, and Moon’s relationship

Tae’Lynn- Gravity (teaming up with Aatiana)

Ari- Simple Machines

Lucy- Simple Machines

Calvin- Matter

Since we are back to Studio this coming Friday (March 24th), we will be going over project expectations and will use this coming Friday March 24th and March 31st as in class working days.  Please have your 3rd grader bring any of their work or materials to work on in class.  I can help support them and they can work with other students in their class who are working on the same or similar topic.

This week in group lessons:

Level 1s: Limericks, naming coins and adding pennies, nickels, and dimes

Level 2s: Limericks, Measuring with length

Level 3s: Limericks, area and perimeter practice

Friday: St. Patrick’s Day writing and activities

In cultural this week: History

Level 1s: Time to the quarter hour.  Parents!  This is where a lot of first graders usually get stuck.  Please help support your first grader in knowing time to the full hour, to the half hour, and to the 15/45 minute mark on an analog clock.  They have been practicing during work cycle with our time boxes, but it’s good to get them to do it in real life while you each do your own family routines and events.

Level 2s: Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn information

Level 3s: The Cretaceous Period and dinos from that period.

Upcoming Week:

This coming Saturday is the school’s annual Gala at The Timbermine.  Our gala basket looks great!  Tickets still be bought at the door if you still want to go.

March book report: We will be going over fractured fairy tales this week and next.  Fractured fairy tales are the March project.  I am going to have this project be an in school project.  We will be reading one of the stories and then each student will either team up or work individually on an activity to present their understanding.

Box Tops: I believe Box Top store is this week!

3rd Grade Testing Dates and Breakfasts:

I received the final schedule for our 3rd graders SAGE testing dates.  As Montessori parents, please help your child understand that testing is not a judge of who they are.  Help them understand it is a practical life skill.  We like to keep testing calm and more of a right of passage.  On testing days we do a breakfast.  These breakfasts also ensure every 3rd grader gets a full tummy.  As we approach the end of April I will send out a sign up for those who would like to come in and help and provide food items.

SAGE Writing: April 20th 9am-12pm.  Breakfast at 8:15 for 3rd graders only

SAGE Math: May 3rd 9am-12pm.  Breakfast at 8:15 for 3rd graders only

SAGE Language Arts: May 10th 9am-12pm.  Breakfast at 8:15 for 3rd graders only

Snack: we will need snack for this coming week and next 🙂

Have a great rest of your weekend and week!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hello Everyone!

Past Week:

We had a busy, but enjoyable Literacy Week!  Here is what we did:

Monday– Read You’re Here for a Reason by Nancy Tillman.  We went about regular work cycle afterwards.

Tuesday– We had the Spelling Bee at 9am and it went until 10am.  I read the story of Hansel and Gretel and how fairy tales are fictional stories.  The students worked on a STEM project that had them assemble a trap to catch the Witch and allow the Hansel and Gretel characters to be freed from the trap.

Wednesday– Read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein.  Students who chose to do the two activities focused on how they can reflect on themselves and how they can be like the tree in the book and how they can help people.  Ms. Rachel came in the afternoon for Botany.

Thursday– Was Dr. Seuss’s 113th birthday!  We read Oh, the Places You’ll Go.  Students chose from the variety of activities based on the book.  In the afternoon I read The Foot Book.  Students traced, cut, and measured their right and left feet.  We combined everyone’s and had Ms. Steph’s upper el classroom measure.  We also did the community art project based on Nancy Tillman’s book Thursday afternoon

Friday– The students had studio in the morning and then we had the kids take the True Colors Personality Test to allow them to see how many of our students are similar to them, but also who is different.  Students who finished participated in our Read-Athon until it was close to the end of the day.

In Cultural this past week: Geography

Level 1s: We began our landforms unit.  We got to Island and Lake, Bay and Cape this week.  We will continue to work on the different kinds next time we have Geography.

Level 2s: We talked about geysers and how they work.  Then, we briefly went over igneous rocks from the Rock Cycle.  We will continue The Rock Cycle and the 3 kinds of rocks next time we have Geography.

Level 3s: Reviewed the water cycle and students finished up their book.  We also went over weather tools this week.  We will begin our weather unit next time we have Geography.

Upcoming Week:

As a reminder from last week’s post, I will be leaving around lunch time on Thursday.  I will be out of town until Tuesday.  Ms. Marleen and I are traveling to San Diego to a Montessori conference being held there.  Ms. Anna will take over and hopefully Ms. Dixie will be able to sub for me while I am gone.  She is Ms. Trish’s long term sub for Ms. Jill since Ms. Trish is due to have her baby soon.

Other than that, we should have a smooth week.  Next Friday, March 17th will be an early release and there is no school for students on March 20th.

3rd Grade Studio Science Projects:

For studio, I teach 3rd grade science.  For just 3rd graders, students will get to make a project based on a topic we studied this year.  Your 3rd grader will get to “be teacher” and will present their project to other students.  My hope is to have all 3rd graders present at once in the gym or large location.  Project Due Date will be announced soon.  I am finalizing the availability of the gym. The outcome looks like it might be April 14th (the Friday after Spring Break) Project just for 3rd graders!

Here is what our students chose to present to others on:

Beatriz- not sure yet.  Will choose this week

Erik- Simple Machines

Lydia- Living and Non-living things in an environment

Ashley- Sun, Earth, and Moon’s relationship

Tae’Lynn- Gravity (teaming up with Aatiana)

Ari- Simple Machines

Lucy- not sure yet.  Will choose this week.

Calvin- was absent. Will choose this week

*Students may choose to do an experiment, presentation, building project, Powerpoint, game, models, or anything they can think of that will explain their topic’s concept.  For example, if a student chose Simple Machine they can pick from any of the 6 simple machines to focus on.  We talked about compound simple as well.  For this unit we discussed the different kinds and what their purposes are for and why they make work easier.  Mass was also discussed in this unit because simple machines are used to help humans make moving mass easier.  A student can pick an example of a simple machine to report on how it works,  they can build and have others try it out to explain how it makes work easier, they can report on all 6, etc.  I wanted my 3rd graders (and every 3rd grader in the school will be doing this) to be able to prove their favorite concept through a creative science project.  I don’t want it to be science fair style, I want the students to enjoy the creative freedom on how they will teach others their concept.

Snack: We don’t have anyone signed up for snack this week.  Thank you Enrique for dropping off snack for this past week!

Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hello Everyone!

Past Week:

Thank you to all that came and helped on the field trip this past week.  The kids had a blast!  We learned about where the cocoa bean came from that morning before we left and the kids got a flow chart and we cut out the steps and put them in order.  When we were at the factory the flow chart we did was identical to the chocolate movie they showed.  I thought that was pretty cool!

We also had an “in school field trip” this past week as well!  Scale and Tails came this past Wednesday to present on reptiles.  They will be coming back in March to present on birds!

Spelling Bee winners!  This past week I asked who was interested in participating in this year’s Spelling Bee and we found our top 2 spellers: Calvin and Lydia.  Congrats!  Our Spelling Bee contest for Lower El will be this coming Tuesday February 28th at 9am.  Parents are welcome to come and watch.  Lower El classes will also be there to support our 2 contestants.

This week in group lessons:

Level 1s: Types of lines in Geometry- horizontal, vertical, parallel, perpendicular

Level 2s: Types of angles and missing angles in them- Complementary and Supplementary angles

In cultural this week: Zoology/Physiology

Level 1s: About birds and different kinds of birds

Level 2s: The Circulatory System

Level 3s: Echinoderms- starfish and sea urchins

Upcoming Week:

This coming week is Literacy Week!  We will be doing literacy activities everyday in class as part of their work cycle.  We also have Ms. Rachel coming in for Botany on Wednesday.  Here is a rundown at our busy week:

Monday– Read: You’re Here for a Reason and art project.  The whole school will be reading this same book and will do the same project to combine everyones.  PE and Music will still continue in the afternoon.

Tuesday– Spelling Bee 9am.  Fairytale day: Hansel and Gretel read and then do STEM project based on the story

Wednesday– Poetry day: Shel Silverstein funny poems and read The Giving Tree.  Students will do a few activities based on the book.  Ms. Rachel will be in for Botany from 12:45-1:45.

Thursday– Dr. Seuss Day!  We will read Oh! The Places You’ll Go and will do 2 activities based on the book.  We will also read The Foot Book and have our students trace both their feet to measure and then combine with the rest of the class.  We are hoping to join up with Ms. Steph’s Upper El class as well on this.  Thursday night is Literacy Night!  From 6-8 please come to MMA to do fun activities around the school!  This was our most successful and most participated after school offering last year and we hope to out do it this year!  I will be running MyOn with Ms. Elise in the computer lab as a choice to do.

Friday– Studio in the morning and then class personality tests in the afternoon.  At 2pm, the Lower Elementary will then do a Read-A-Thon!  Please allow your child to bring a pillow and a few books to read until 2:40ish.  Students may pick anywhere in the school to quietly read.

Ms. Kaley out of town- On March 9th Ms. Marleen and I will be traveling together to San Diego, CA to the AMS annual Montessori Conference.  I will be leaving early on March 9th around recess time.  Ms. Anna will be covering my studio for Friday as well as the afternoon.  Ms. Dixie will be subbing that Friday and following Monday, however, she is soon to cover for Ms. Jill’s assistant, Ms. Trish for the beginning of her maternity leave.  As of now, Dixie plans to help Ms. Anna Friday March 10th and Monday March 13th.  I will return Tuesday March 14th.

Snack- nobody is signed up for snack for this coming week. If you would like to cover snack this week please let me know 🙂

Have a great rest of your weekend and upcoming week!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hi Everyone!

Thank you to everyone who came for conferences!  We appreciated seeing you all and checking in with the middle of the year.

We kept to a normal schedule on the half days by sticking to our normal work cycle morning.

We didn’t get to any cultural lessons this past week due to our specials on Monday, the Valentine’s Day party Tuesday afternoon, and the 3 early outs.  We will only get to some Zoology/Physiology and a few afternoon group lessons this coming week due to Presidents’ Day and our field trip Thursday.

Upcoming Week:

Tuesday- Lockdown drill in the afternoon.  Our school will practice what to do if we go “into lockdown.”  Our class will sit tightly and silently together until notified.

Thursday-  Field trip to Mrs. Cavanaugh’s in SLC Thursday!  Students will meet at school and we will have a lesson on chocolate’s origins and process.  We ask that if you are picking up your child or carpool, please be at the school at 10:00am.  We will get everyone ready to go then.  Our hope is to leave no later than 10:15.  Our tour starts at 11:00am.  Looking at the weather, there is a potential for some snow.  Should some snow be coming down, we still plan to go, but let’s have all drivers get to school earlier so we can have more time on the roads.  All permission slips are due to me by Wednesday.  

For our field trip, if you would like to make a donation to make sure all students are covered, please click here for the 2.00 dollar donation to ensure future field trips.

CLICK HERE for LINK

Home projects DUE Friday!- The free project choice is due this Friday the 24th.  Students get the chance to pick anything they would like to teach others.  They may present it by using a visual (powerpoint, poster, tri-board, model, report etc.)  We love allowing a free choice to see what kind of creativity and interests they have!

Please check our snack link to make sure our weeks are covered.  Thanks everyone!

Cheers!

Ms. K

Hello Everyone!

A few reminders I forgot to mention!

Classroom essentials:  I have a list of students who are in need of slippers for our classroom.  Part of the dress code for our school is to have some inside shoes (slippers, crocs, slip ons).  We have our students putting their slippers in their lockers now because it was a solution to having our slippers in the middle of the hallway.  This is also the time of the year when some students outgrown their inside shoes or they are too beat up to function.  Please ask your child about their slippers and remind them to wear them.  If they say they don’t then they need a new pair.

Another item that is greatly needed is a water bottle.  We have students consistently asking for drinks.  To manage this, please provide a water bottle.  For those who don’t have one right now they are using a cup.  It has cut down on the disruptions and leaving the classroom.

February project- February is a home project month!  It is a free choice, so that means that students get to pick what they would like to present to the class.  Ask your student what they would like to teach the class if they could be the teacher.  Some students may do some research and present about an animal, another may love science and want to do a project related to a field of science, another student may want to know more about a place they’ve always wanted to visit and present about that.  The choices are endless.  If your child loves to read and wants to do another book report that is fine as well.  Please, no video game, cartoons, or movie cartoons.  Due date is Friday February 24th.

Nut Allergy reminder!:  We have a student with a severe nut allergy to all nuts.  Please, when getting Valentines that have treats to make sure no nuts are in the food/treat given.  Thanks!

Hello Everyone!

The zoo came this past week for 2nd graders and all went smoothly.  Class pictures also took place that afternoon and were completed for the upcoming yearbook.

Field Trip update!:  Ms. Anna and I booked Mrs. Cavanaugh’s Chocolate Factory in SLC for Feb. 23rd (a Thursday).  We will have the permission slips to sign at PTC.  This field trip will require parent drivers.  We will start out at school and won’t leave until mid morning.  During that time, we will learn about chocolate’s origins and process.  At 10:00am, we will start packing up.  We want to leave by 10:15am.  We are due a the factory at 11:00am.  They will have an hour long tour and education on how chocolate is made.  At noon, they will eat lunch there.  After lunch, any parents who wish to come and students can shop in the chocolate store.  We will gather at 1:00pm and then leave shortly after.  Any students returning back to MMA will wrap up with cultural with us and then leave when the bell rings at 3.  Please email Alicia Thomas and also let me know if you can drive and/or set up a carpool with other parents who can’t make it or take their child.  This field trip will require a $1.00 for any parents who come.

Money due from Nature Center:  Awkward to state, but due to all the many chaperones that came to the Nature Center in January, the Nature Center sent an invoice back to our MMA office paying for everyone.  Ms. Jalee forgot that the budget would cover only 3 chaperones per class, so we used more than we wanted to.  The kids are always covered, but we could use budget back from any of the parents who went on the field trip.  If you attended, a $3.00 cover should be dropped off to Melanie in the office. I am also going to post a donation link for the chocolate factory if you wish to contribute $2.00.  I will email out that link and post it when Melanie emails it to me.

PTC sign up: Currently, we have 17 families signed up to come to Mid Year PTC. They are NEXT WEEK!  Wednesday-Friday. Please bring your child with you and we will have them show you a favorite work they are doing and continue making/improving goals for the rest of the year.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP

Valentine’s Party: Please keep an eye out from Alicia, our room mom, about our Valentine’s Party.  Kiddos are allowed to bring Valentine’s for everyone.  If a small treat is part of the exchange, please make sure it is wrapped.  All treats will go home and will be eaten after school.

Past Week:

I had a few meetings this past week during the school day and with the zoo, a bit of our schedule for afternoon group lessons had to be skipped.

In group leveled lessons:

Level 2s: Piet Mondrian introduction.  He was an artist that worked with only squares and rectangles and 2nd graders are using their angles knowledge to apply his art.  They will begin the art project this Wednesday on their Geometry day.

Level 3s: Fractions on a number line.   3rd graders used IXL and on worksheets to apply their knowledge. Fractions on a number line is something you can help them with at home.  They are working on ordering fractions that come in-between 0 and 1 whole.

In cultural this week: Botany

Level 1s: Roots and parts of the root.  Ms. Anna brought in rainbow fingerling potatoes that were sprouting lots of roots for them to examine and see in real life.  Try it at home!  Take 1 potato and keep it in a dry dark place (pantry).  See how long it take for it to begin using its nutrients to shrivel and begin growing.

Level 2s: Leaf art and parts of a leaf review

Level 3s: Birthday flowers, Valentine flower meanings, and the review of the stamen.

Snack this week: Daxton.  We have an available spot open next week.  Please check our snack sign up link to the right of the blog 🙂

Have a great upcoming week and Super Bowl Sunday!

Cheers!

Ms. K