Ms. Laura's Class

Greetings all!

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we got this all underway.  This is just a couple of things for your information that pertain only to our classroom. For an indepth look at what you can expect over these next two weeks, please refer to the email that was sent to you through aspire earlier today.

First, please know that EVERY STUDENT has a packet with their name on it.  Please pick up these packets.  We worked hard to bring a balance to distance learning and are offering both paper AND technology.  While you are completely able to complete the packet alone, know that we as an upper elementary are offering all kinds of lessons, additional practice, videos and more to help supplement those lessons.  All of that will be found on Google Classroom.

5th grade MUST.  I repeat MUST. pick up their packet!  One of my expectations is that the epic project will be continued.  I have gone through bins and included ALL PREVIOUS DRAFTS your student has written as well as the outline for part 9.  It is imperative that you get this for your student! They have worked so hard on this project and I would like them to be able to complete it.  Part 10 will be released to students as a video on Google Classroom sometime in the coming week.  Once the part 10 draft has been written, you may begin rewriting your project into its final draft and form!

Second, please know that I will be available during normal school hours for any questions that you might have.  You have all been invited to the remind app.  This is a way to get in contact with me that goes right to my phone and will give me a notification.  If you have not yet signed up for this, please do so.  Go to Remind.com to sign up and enter our class code: b9e9gb

If you or your student needs more in-depth help, I would be happy to schedule a meeting for us to chat on the phone or video chat via zoom or google hangouts.  Shoot me an email so we can set something up.  And of course, I will always be available to you via the normal email way.

With all of this, please recognize that I will be working hard to maintain a work-life balance.  As wonderful as it is to be connected as we stay physically apart, it is important for my health and well-being that I am still able to disconnect and recharge.  Because of this, I would appreciate it if you would respect that I will only be available during my normally scheduled school hours (8 AM to 4 PM).  You are of course still welcome to e-mail and send messages through Remind outside of these hours, but be aware that I will not respond until I am “back on the clock” so to speak.

Please know that we are all in this together!  I already miss everyone like crazy.  The classroom has seemed so empty and sad the last two days as we have been pulling this all together.  I can not wait for this all to be over and to see your bright, shining faces again!  Stay healthy, stay safe, stay in touch!

Dear MMA Parents,

Upcoming Field Trips

A reminder that the 5th grade will be embarking on their BizTown field trip tomorrow, March 10 and the 6th grade will be taking the FrontRunner to experience the planetarium Wednesday, March 11.  I have individually emailed parents of students in these grades to give more information on this.  For both field trips, students will need to arrive earlier than normal, so please make sure you are checking your emails! Please email me with any questions.

March Take-Home Project

The take home project for March has been assigned!  It is due back the Monday after spring break.  This project is a fairly open-ended project intended for students to deep dive into ancient civilizations.  I have added the digital version of the assignment to the document tab above.

9th Annual Gala – March 21, 6-9 pm

The annual gala will be held at the Timbermine this year. My students are participating with an art piece which will be auctioned off.  All proceeds come back to the school and help pay for exciting experiences like the Redwoods.  Tickets must be bought in advance and include dinner.

Get your tickets here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/PKXZDD452OSKDFNIUZVB2LTK

If you would rather just donate to the school you can do so here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/W2ZB3OIQ3QOEGBPXKPKGBJTE

We also are creating a basket as a class to auction in the silent auction.  We are in need of donations to this basket to help make it happen.  Remember that making donations counts towards your 40 hours annually of volunteer time. Please see the below email from our room mom Ms. Christine:

Dear Parents!

As you know the annual Gala is fast approaching. Part the fun is the silent auction in which each class room is assigned a basket to put together. This year Ms Laura’s class basket is Summer fun: this can include yard toys, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, beach towels, goggles, sunblock, water toys, sunglasses and any other fun ideas you may have.

Please send your donations with your student to Ms. Laura’s class by Friday March 13. If you prefer to donate cash (information redacted for security purposes, please shoot Ms. Laura an email to get contact info.)

Any questions please feel free to call or text.

Thank you all for your help and support with this fundraiser!!

Christine Garcia
Ms Laura’s Room Parent

Yearbook Orders

The deadline for yearbook orders is fast approaching!  Get yours by going to ybpay.lifetouch.com and entering the order code: 13283720  The order deadline is 3/27/2020 and the cost is $20.  There is an additional $3 fee to have your name on the cover!  Unlike previous years, the office will not have extras available for purchase so get yours today!

Home Support of Curriculum

I often get the question what parents can do to support student learning outside of the classroom.  You can help by encouraging your child to read a book at their reading level for 20 minutes as well as 20 minutes on the website Prodigy every evening.  I’ve also included the spelling list so you can practice with your child.  This weeks list focuses around the Greek affix “phon” meaning “sound”

1. phonics
2. telephone
3. homophone
4. microphone
5. phonetic
6. phonograph
7. xylophone
8. symphony
9. smartphone
10. gramophone
11. megaphone
12. cellphone
13. cacophonous
14. accomplish (bonus word)

March At-A-Glance

March

• 10- field trip to JA BizTown (5th)
• 11 – field trip to planetarium (6th)
• 13- professional development for teachers – No School
• 21- MAPA Gala
• 26-Redwoods chaperone Meeting 5:30-7
• 30-April 3 – spring break – No School

Upcoming Field Trips

A reminder that the 5th grade will be embarking on their BizTown field trip next Tuesday, March 10 and the 6th grade will be taking the FrontRunner to experience the planetarium next Wednesday, March 11

Maturation

The 5th grade maturation lesson is upcoming.  A permission form went home last week for that, but about half have not been returned.  Regardless of whether you want your child attending that lesson, a permission form must be on file documenting your choice for every student.  Parents are welcome to attend the maturation lesson with their child.  Please make sure that form gets returned to me by Friday.  If you need a new copy, please reach out.

9th Annual Gala – March 21, 6-9 pm

The annual gala will be held at the Timbermine this year. My students are participating with an art piece which will be auctioned off.  All proceeds come back to the school and help pay for exciting experiences like the Redwoods.  Tickets must be bought in advance and include dinner.

Get your tickets here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/PKXZDD452OSKDFNIUZVB2LTK

If you would rather just donate to the school you can do so here: https://checkout.square.site/buy/W2ZB3OIQ3QOEGBPXKPKGBJTE

We also are creating a basket as a class to auction in the silent auction.  We are in need of donations to this basket to help make it happen.  Remember that making donations counts towards your 40 hours annually of volunteer time. Please see the below email from our room mom Ms. Christine:

Dear Parents!

As you know the annual Gala is fast approaching. Part the fun is the silent auction in which each class room is assigned a basket to put together. This year Ms Laura’s class basket is Summer fun: this can include yard toys, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, beach towels, goggles, sunblock, water toys, sunglasses and any other fun ideas you may have.

Please send your donations with your student to Ms. Laura’s class by Friday March 13. If you prefer to donate cash (information redacted for security purposes, please shoot Ms. Laura an email to get contact info.)

Any questions please feel free to call or text.

Thank you all for your help and support with this fundraiser!!

Christine Garcia
Ms Laura’s Room Parent

Home Support of Curriculum

I often get the question what parents can do to support student learning outside of the classroom.  You can help by encouraging your child to read a book at their reading level for 20 minutes as well as 20 minutes on the website Prodigy every evening.  I’ve also included the spelling list so you can practice with your child.  This weeks list focuses around the Greek affix “meter” meaning “measure”

1. thermometer
2. perimeter
3. chronometer
4. seisometer
5. millimeter
6. centimeter
7. micrometer
8. spectrometer
9. meter
10. barometer
11. diameter
12. kilometer
13. odometer
14. initiative (bonus)

March At-A-Glance

March

• 4 – History Fair
• 10- field trip to JA BizTown (5th)
• 11 – field trip to planetarium (6th)
• 13- professional development for teachers – No School
• 21- MAPA Gala
• 26-Redwoods chaperone Meeting 5:30-7
• 30-April 3 – spring break – No School

Field Trip Friday

Our field trip to the Natural History Museum of Utah and the Fine Arts Museum is this Friday.  I will be emailing chaperones within the next couple days to let you know who is in your car.  We were able to get plenty of drivers for this trip!

Yearbook Orders are Open

Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase a copy of our 10th annual yearbook! They are just $20 for a lifetime pf memories! To personalize your book add $3. Orders must be placed on or before March 27. The office will not have extra copies available on the last day of school. Get yours now!

All questions regarding yearbooks and pictures must be made through Life touch. The office does not receive any information about orders. Please call 800-453-9764 with questions.

Click on the link below to order and enter our school ID code 13283720

https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob

Literacy Week Next Week

Our celebration of literacy is next week.  We are looking forward to a week packed with all things reading and literacy, including our spelling bee and our literacy night!  Parents are welcome to attend the bee on Tuesday, February 25 at 9:30 AM in the junior high gym.  The flyer for literacy night can be found below

Home Support of Curriculum

I often get the question what parents can do to support student learning outside of the classroom.  You can help by encouraging your child to read a book at their reading level for 20 minutes as well as 20 minutes on the website Prodigy every evening.  I’ve also included the spelling list so you can practice with your child.  This weeks list focuses around the Greek affix “geo” meaning “Earth, ground”

1. geographic
2. geothermal
3. geography
4. geometry
5. geode
6. geological
7. geomancy
8. geocentric
9. geochemist
10. geologist
11. geographer
12. geocratic
13. phonetic (bonus)

February/March At-A-Glance

February

• 17 President’s Day- No School
• 18-21 Hope Week
• 20 Redwoods Chaperone Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 21- NHMU/FAM field trip
• 21 MMA Family night at Classic Fun Center, 5-9:00 pm
• 24-28 Literacy Week
• 25 School wide Spelling Bee
• 27-MMA Literacy Night, 5:30-7:00 pm

March

• 3- History Fair
• 10- field trip to JA BizTown (5th)
• 11 – field trip to planetarium (6th)
• 13- professional development for teachers – No School
• 21- MAPA Gala
• 26-Redwoods chaperone Meeting 5:30-7
• 30-April 3 – spring break – No School

Valentine’s Party, February 12

My class has chosen to celebrate Valentines a little early because Ms. Sarah is not going to be here this Friday.  Students can bring in their boxes and valentines, and we will have the pizza party that we earned by winning Chili Cook-off.  While students are able to bring candy with their valentines, please keep in mind that students will not be allowed to eat the candy while at school.

Permission Forms

There is still a large portion of my class that have not turned in permission forms for the field trip we have scheduled for next Friday, the 21st.  I will be emailing parents individually and sending home a second permission form today with students who have not turned that in.  My ultimate deadline is Wednesday.  If students do not have their form turned in they will not be able to attend the field trip.  This is because I need enough time to determine drivers and chaperones before the trip, as well as to find an alternate place for students to work if they choose not to attend.

Friday “Feel the Love” Event

Share the Love at MMA!

Come visit MMA on Valentines Day and take a guided tour and see if MMA is right for your family. Share the ❤️ of Montessori with your friends and neighbors! Children are welcome, but must be accompanied at all times by an adult guardian. To sign up for a tour, please RSVP for one of our scheduled tour times at the following link.

Feel the Love RSVP

Spelling Bee Upcoming

This Friday, our class will be participating in a class bee to determine who will go on to the school wide bee. Please work with your child to practice the words.  The words went home several weeks ago, but if you need another copy, I will be glad to send home a replacement.  Please let me know if you need a replacement list ASAP by email.  I cannot send the list digitally, so I will need time to make copies and get them in the hands of your student.

The spelling bee is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25, at 9:30 a.m. in the Jr. High gym.  Parents are welcome to come and watch their child compete.

Literacy Night

Home Support of Curriculum

I often get the question what parents can do to support student learning outside of the classroom.  You can help by encouraging your child to read a book at their reading level for 20 minutes as well as 20 minutes on the website Prodigy every evening.  I’ve also included the spelling list so you can practice with your child.  This weeks list focuses around the Latin affix “dict” meaning “to say or tell”

1. dictator
2. contradiction
3. predict
4. dictate
5. verdict
6. interdict
7. diction
8. dictograph
9. dictionary
10. edict
11. indict
12. dictional
13. valedictory
14. integrity  (bonus word)

February/March At-A-Glance

February

• 11-MMA Board Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 12-in-class Valentine’s Day party
• 17 President’s Day- No School
• 18-21 Hope Week
• 20 Redwoods Chaperone Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 21- NHMU/FAM field trip
• 21 MMA Family night at Classic Fun Center, 5-9:00 pm
• 24-28 Literacy Week
• 25 School wide Spelling Bee
• 27-MMA Literacy Night, 5:30-7:00 pm

March

• 3- History Fair
• 10- field trip to JA BizTown (5th)
• 11 – field trip to planetarium (6th)
• 13- professional development for teachers – No School
• 21- MAPA Gala
• 26-Redwoods chaperone Meeting 5:30-7
• 30-April 3 – spring break – No School

Science Fair Thursday

The 6th graders are participating in the science fair this Thursday.  Parents are welcome to come see projects between 1:30 and 3:00 pm

Permission Forms

The blue permission form (sent home after I realized the mistakes on the green one) is due back to me by Friday, February 7.  If you know who you would like your child to ride with, please put their name in the carpool spot on the form.  If you would simply like your child to be placed in a car with available seating, please leave that line blank.

Yearbook Orders are Open

Don’t miss out on your chance to purchase a copy of our 10th annual yearbook! They are just $20 for a lifetime pf memories! To personalize your book add $3. Orders must be placed on or before March 27. The office will not have extra copies available on the last day of school. Get yours now!

All questions regarding yearbooks and pictures must be made through Life touch. The office does not receive any information about orders. Please call 800-453-9764 with questions.

Click on the link below to order and enter our school ID code 13283720

https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectJob

Upcoming Dates

February

• 6 Science Fair
• 7 MAPA Meeting, 8:45 am
• 11-MMA Board Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 17 President’s Day- No School
• 18-21 Hope Week
• 20 Redwoods Chaperone Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 21 MMA Family night at Classic Fun Center, 5-9:00 pm
• 24-28 Literacy Week
• 25 School wide Spelling Bee
• 27-MMA Literacy Night, 5:30-7:00 pm

The permission form for the Museum of Fine Arts/Natural History Museum field trip, planned for February 21, is going home today

Please check your child’s backpack for a bright green form.  Please sign and return the second page, the front is for your information.  It is due by Friday, February 7.

We will need chaperones and drivers, so please let me know if that is a possibility for you!

I apologize that there was no blog post last week.

STEM week

Greetings all! STEM week is fast approaching.  5th grader’s inventions (along with their packet and their tri-fold board) are due Monday, February 3.  6th grade science fair projects (the tri-fold board and their research paper. PLEASE NO ACTUAL PROJECTS.) are due Thursday, February 7.

All documents to help complete these projects can be found digitally at the top of this page behind the “documents” tab.

HELP WANTED: We are still in search of judges for the science fair on Thursday.  If you, or someone you know, are interested in helping with this, please email me.

Chili Cook-Off

The chili cook-off is THIS Thursday from 5:30-7.  Please join us for some delicious chili, and make sure you vote for us!

Field Trips Upcoming

We have a whole class field trip to the Natural History Museum of Utah/Fine Arts Museum coming up on February 21.  Please look for permission forms coming home later this week.  We WILL need drivers/chaperones for this field trip, so please put it on your calendars and shoot me an email if you are able to chaperone.

The fifth graders have their JA Biztown field trip on March 10. We will need chaperones who can stay and volunteer to run businesses for this field trip.  If you are interested, please send me an email so I can get you on our volunteer list.

Reminder that all volunteers and chaperones need to have fingerprints on file to be able to attend field trips.

4th Grade FREE National Parks Pass

All 4th graders have the opportunity for a FREE National Parks Pass.

https://www.uponarriving.com/4th-grade-national-park-pass/

A 4th grader in our class took this picture at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park this January. He was also able to bring the family to join at no cost!

This is a picture looking down at the caldera of the most recent eruptive volcano. Capturing a rainbow crossing through.

This is an excellent opportunity, and I would encourage you to take advantage of it!

Upcoming Calendar

January

• 30 Chili Cook-off, 5:30-7:00 pm

February

• 6 Science Fair
• 7 MAPA Meeting, 8:45 am
• 11-MMA Board Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 17 President’s Day- No School
• 18-21 Hope Week
• 20 Redwoods Chaperone Meeting, 5:30 pm
• 21 MMA Family night at Classic Fun Center, 5-9:00 pm
• 21 NMHU/FMA field trip
• 24-28 Literacy Week
• 25 School wide Spelling Bee
• 27-MMA Literacy Night, 5:30-7:00 pm

Greetings all!  Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my rescheduled Parent Teacher Conferences.  I appreciated seeing everyone and having the ability to touch base.

Re-Enrollment is Active

There is one more week to re-enroll your child before enrollment opens to the public.  Please login to your Aspire account to re-enroll your child today!

No School January 20

This is in observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Chili Cook-Off January 30

5:30-7:00.  The cost is $5, children 5 and under eat free.  Come, eat all the chili you want, and vote for your favorite!  This is one of my class’s favorite events and we intend to enter a pot of chili.  I hope you all can attend!

Spelling List

This weeks prefix is the Latin Prefix multi- meaning many or much.  The words students should be studying are:

• multilingual
• multilevel
• multiform
• multiplex
• multisense
• multifaceted
• multiplier
• multimedia
• multicolor
• multistory
• multilateral
• multiunit
• multicultural

Conversation starters

Conversation around the dining room table getting stale?  Unsure what your child is doing in school?  Here are a couple things to talk to your student about!

• We have been learning about early humans and are about to launch into our study of Mesopotamia
• There have been very exciting science lessons happening for each grade! Check in about those.
• All three grades are working on big writing projects, they should have lots to tell you about that!

Math Website

I spoke with many of you during parent teacher conferences about a math resource for home.  We have decided to use Prodigy!  Prodigy is a web based math program that can be done anywhere on any device that has internet.  It plays a lot like a turned based role playing game (RPG) where the student must successfully solve a math problem to cast spells.  My students all have logins to the website already, and they should be playing for 20 minutes every evening to help them improve their math skills.  This is in addition to the 20 minutes of reading that should be done nightly.  Go to play.prodigygame.com to play!  (if you need to get your student’s login information please shoot me an email at lhughes@mariamontessoriacademy.org)