Last Day's News!

I just wanted to share with families the magical moments we had here at school today. In our pajamas, snow outside and watching the Polar Express with Mrs. Myer's first grade. There were moments that were so sweet I had tears in my eyes as I watched the children eat candy canes and share the magic of the movie.

Later, we went out and had a rousing game of snow soccer and guess what? Not a single argument. There is surely magic in the solstice!

Have a safe and wonderful new year and best wishes and hopes for the next decade!

Pajamas and the Polar Express

Tomorrow children are invited to wear their pajamas to school, as we will be watching the classic holiday tale, Chris Van Allsburg’s Polar Express.

Before the movie, children will exchange their Secret Santa Gifts.
So, wear your pajamas and come to school ready to celebrate the Winter Solstice and Holiday Season!

Journals

If you could have lunch with a famous person who would it be? What would you talk about with this person?

If I could have lunch with anyone I would have it with Miley Cyrus because I like her . She is also very nice. Also because she has really good music. We would talk about Christmas and what we might want for Christmas.We also might talk about what we do on Christmas day. That is who I would eat lunch with . Who would you eat lunch with?


Heather

Some December Book Projects

News!

Homework: Home Connections page 41 only.

Free Choice!

One day in snowville it was Christmas Eve. Santa was about to leave when he got hit with a floating gift list from J.L. Santa said, "What is this? Oh NO!"
One of the elves said, "What's the matter?"
"We forgot J.L.'s presents." The elves were running in panic. Until Santa said "Stop"! Then Santa said, "We are canceling Christmas". The elves started to talk to each other again. "But," Santa said, "I'm not finshed my sentence. I was going to say that we are going to cancel Christmas until we make J.L.'s present's." What are you writing for free choice?

J.L.

Reading Letters

This week kids read silently each morning and today they wrote about what they were thinking as they read. Here are some examples...

Journal

My Journey on the Mayflower

My Journey on the Mayflower...
Hi I'm Missy Hopkins,And this is my journal.I am going to Cape Cod on the mayflower with my five people family and 97 other people.Soon we will have too make it 96 other because my mom,Elizebeth Hopkins,is having a baby!I could only bring one toy.So I took my ragdoll and snook my journal.It took us 66 days to get there.Well that was my journey on the mayflower.


Your best pioneer,
Gabby {Missy}

News!

First of all I want to say how cool it was to get a powerpoint presentation emailed to me from a fourth grader! I remember emailing papers and projects in grad school, but not elementary school! How cool are they!

And...here is a picture of my sugar free hazelnut coffee syrup. Kids thought I was pouring wine in my coffee the other day so I thought I would nip that rumour in the bud! :)

Remember: Projects are being presented on Monday after lunch if parents want to stop in and see!

Tracy

Journals

News!

Homework: Math worksheets on area and perimeter and word problems.

If you could cook any meal for your family, what would you cook? Describe the meal and tell how you would make it.

If I could cook any meal I would cook turkey and a Christmas dinner. There would be 20 peolpe there for me not the dinner they would be there because i cook so great food.I would also cook my famous food of all, cereal they will love it, or else! I would also cook ratatouille and this dinner will be on a sunday. after we finish the dinner we will watch foot ball all day.Then the ladys would go in my mom's bedroom to watch girl T.V. like One Tree Hill. What would u cook for peolpe and family?

P.S. I DON" NO HOW TO COOK RATATOEY.

By the best cook in the world,

Seth 8.11 am 12/17/09

Journals

News!

Homework: Read the article on the Mayflower and write five facts you learned.


The kids have been in the lab all week working on their literature responses and they are going really well. If you have some time, stop by the classroom on Monday afternoon and we will be seeing book projects and you can read some of the literature responses.

There will be a holiday party on the morning of the 23rd. Please bring in Secret Santa gifts at that time.

Also, please DO NOT feel obligated to get your child's teachers holiday gifts. If you want you may donate $ towards the new playground equipment.
Thanks!

What if monkeys could be servants?

If monkeys could be servants they would go crazy. They would eat all of the food and throw it everywhere.They would eat ice cream and candy all day after that they would get all hyper.They would go around knocking down tables and chairs.Then people would go flying everywhere and knocking other people down. Then the monkeys would go around jumping on everyone while the people try to get up. What is your story about monkeys being servants?





Morgan

A time I was really happy!

I had a birthday a couple years ago. The only reason I was happy is because I got a bb gun. My dad helped me load my gun and I blew up a can! Then my dad pulled out a bow with some arrows. My dad pulled out his muzzel loader and blew up three cans in a straight line.

J.C.

P.S. I got my bow and B.B. gun on the same day. My dad used up all of my pellets on that day too. What did you write about?

Journals

Journals

Boys in the "Lunch Bunch"

This was what the boys wanted to do today in their lunch bunch group....

News!

Homework: Some of the children need to finish working on their number corner book pages 28,29,33,and 36. Many have finished. Also some kids need to finish their spelling packets.

Holiday Concert is tonight. Please be here at 5:30. It promises to be a good time. Also, if you are looking for a good dinner alternative there is a soup supper here at 4:30 before the concert. Proceeds benefit the playground fund.

Shout out to the kids today for doing some great work on their literature responses. Stephanie's was particularly well done and as she was finished early, hers was used to help the others understand what to do. Great job Steph!

Write about the book you are reading.

I'm reading the book Bakugan. The main character is Dan.His friends are Maroocho, Shun, Julie, Allice and Runo.He likes to battle other trainers.He has a bakugan named Drago.Dan relys on Drago,and Drago relys on Dan.In battles Dan uses Drago a lot.Dan gets a new bakugan named Juggernoid.Masquerade wants Juggernoid so Dan and Masquerade battle.Dan was down to his last bakugan, Drago.He ended up winning.Dan and Juggernoid did not get along too well but Dan thought he was a good bakugan.


Stephen

A true story that has happened to you....

This is something that has happened to me, when I was three my dad was working on the roof so I decided that I wanted to climb the ladder. So when my mom saw me she said '' Scott your son is on the roof ''. But what I was saying was '' Stuck, stuck stuck ''. When I was at the at the top. What my dad said was '' Hi buddy, what are you doing ?'' That is what has happened to me.

P.S. it is true.



Cole Lee Crady

News!

Homework: Don't forget to finish reading your book for your literature response work on Monday. Make sure you have AT LEAST TWO character traits with proof.

We are studying Pilgrim immigration now. Ask your student what two ships the Pilgrims PLANNED to sail to the new world. Also ask them about King James.....

Shout out to the whole 4th grade for some awesome problem solutions to the JC's basketball problem. I was blown away by their thinking. We shared most of them on the document camera with the class and posted Stephen E's concise and elegant solution on the blog!

Hey parents...Heads Up! Secret Santa is coming down the pike. Kids will pick their Secret Santa today. We will set a 5 dollar limit. We will have a one time gift give away at our holiday party on the 23rd.

We will be sharing book projects on Monday the 21st in the afternoon (12:30-2:00ish). Parents are welcome to come see what kids did! They look like they are going to be great!

Journals

Journals

Pilgrims

If I was a Pilgrim it would be awesome. Because then I would be able to go to Holland then travel back to Englind.Iwould like to go there because I could go on the Mayflower that the Pilgrims built. I would also be able to travel on the Speedwell and Icould also work with the Pilgrims. Thats what I know about the Pilgrims what do you know?

Steven

Journals

JC's Basketball Games

Check out this problem and an elegant solution!

Hint: Start at the bottom and work your way up!

What if an elf went to a school dance?

If an elf was at a school dance it would dance with Nikol. Nikol would faint on S.C. .S.C. would smack the Foo Fighters on the knees. Then the Foo Fighters would nail Stephen in the head! Stephen would knock over the food! Popcorn was everywhere. Then it is all over, and Nikol and the elf are still dancing for $20! The end!



Noah

News!

Homework: Read and fill out character trait web. Make sure you choose three character traits and give three pieces of evidence (proof) for each trait. This is the sheet that came with your December Book Project packet. Finish Silent One constructed response.

Snow!

Last year when the daycare kids and I went sledding, the snow was so deep that we couldn't move to go down the hill.Also last year when me and Hannah went outside there was a mountain of snow. We slid down it, and after we slid down we were in the driveway. This morning when I got in the car I could see my breath. One year my mom and me built a tunnel out of snow. The daycare kids and Reeghyn went through it. What do you like to do in the snow?


bailey

Journals

Journals

News!

Homework: Put finishing touches on the problem solving piece from today, spelling and read for book project.

Today we talked about the reasons the Pilgrims had for leaving England. Ask you student about King James I, Puritans, Separatists, and Holland. What two ships did the Pilgrims plan on sailing to the New World?

Remember....2 hour delay tomorrow for teacher training.

What did you do this weekend?

This weekend I got a hair cut, I went out to lunch, then I went shopping, and that's what I did on Saturday. On Sunday I went to my cousin's house while my dad went hunting. He saw a deer but the deer saw him before he saw it. I helped my aunt and uncle put up Christmas decorations. I put up a snowman. It was so cold we had to take five minute breaks. After we were done I went in and played my DSI. I played Mario against my cousin, and I won. What did you do this weekend?


Ryley

Tall Tale with exaggeration and simile

Gigantaca
There once was a baby that was born, she was a speical baby. She had a good sense of smell, hears well, and sees in black and white like a dog. when she grew up to be tall, and when I say tall I mean really tall. She can't fit through doors she allmost steps on people! At least she says sorry. When she grew up she could touch the sky because she was so tall. She is still having growsperts! She is also so smart she knows everything in the world. You wanna know how she is so tall? Well then I'll just tell you anyways. She has a neck like a giraffe So she would have a lot more bones than a normal person does. Hm...
Maybe that's why people think she's so speical even though she freaks people out when she almost steps on everybody! But they might have forgiven her, it matters how much damage she did to the person. Everyone in her neighborhood has a nickname for her it's Gigantaca.


Stephanie

Journals

Journals

News!

Homework: Home Connection number 13, and read for your book project.

Math and Muffins is tomorrow!

News!

Homework: Math worksheet, work on book reading, finish number corner pages 31, 32. Some kids have finshed their number corner books and worksheet.

Shout out to Seth and Dresden who worked really well together in math class today. Also shout our to Stephen E. for sharing some GREAT math thinking today. Thanks also to Justin L. who helped tutor another student.

Math and muffins is on this Friday. Come see what we are collecting this month!

Also happy birthday to Brynn and thanks for the brownie - candy cane balls and thanks to Heather for bringing in chips for all!

Use five vocabulary words in sentences or a story...

I used to collect Match Box and Hot Wheels cars. I snared an animal before. At the Apple Fest my mom disperses my old baby clothes. She sometimes gives us some of the money. I am a methodical person. My sisters are haphazard.




Nathan

December Book Project

December Book Project

This month, instead of a reading calendar, you will choose a book to read for a month long book project.

There are several steps to this project.

1. Choose a chapter book AT YOUR READING LEVEL that you can comfortably read after school and finish in two weeks.

2. The book for this project should be fiction. It can be any genre within fiction, historic, realistic, humor, science fiction, mystery etc…

3. You will be focusing on character traits. Think of Horton Hears a Who and the related painted essay called Horton Gives a Hoot. In this book Horton was brave. What words can you use to describe YOUR main character?

4. Keep track of the character’s traits on the attached character trait sheet. Make sure you give examples of how you know the character is like this FROM YOUR BOOK.

5. In class, we will be working on a literature response. You will need to have finished your book and your character trait page by MONDAY, DECEMBER 14. That will give you two weeks to finish your book.

6. Finally, you will be working on a BOOK PROJECT that shows what you know from reading your book. There are many, many projects you can choose. You could do a poster, shoe box diorama, PowerPoint presentation, song, poem or rap. You could make a book cube and write about the book on each side. You could even write a play based on the book and present it to the class. Or, how about a puppet show! There are many different ideas and you can even make up your own. If you read a story set in Egypt, you could do some research on Egypt and tell how the setting was important in your book. Be creative. You will be presenting the project to the class on DECEMBER 21st!


Dates to remember:

December 14 – Book all read and character trait page done. We start working on the literature response in class.

December 21 – Book projects due and presentations begin!

So, choose a great book and get started. You may also borrow a book from my library, the school library, or head to the town library. You do not need to buy a book for this project.

Some helpful websites:
http://www.region15.org/curriculum/CHARACTERIZATION-Portrait.pdf

http://home.att.net/~teaching/litcircl/charact.pdf

http://education.vermont.gov/new/pdfdoc/pgm_curriculum/literacy/writing/benchmarks/grade_4/grade_4_1_7_response.pdf

The funniest thing I ever saw was.....

The funniest thing I saw before was on A.F.V= America's Funniest Home Videos. On a movie that I watched a dead health inspector said, ''I was a bad suicide bomber. I set the bomb for 30 minutes but it went off in four seconds.''


Dresden