Tuesday, December 23

Tuesday, December 23

All Aboard! Time to head to the North Pole on the Polar Express!
Story on the SmartBoard: The Polar Express  By: Chris Van Allsburg 
Our classroom chairs will be placed in 3 rows facing the SmartBoard so the kids can see and hear the story come to life. Before leaving on our make-believe train ride to the North Pole, your child will be given a ticket to be punched and a bell at the conclusion of the trip.
 We are having hot chocolate and popcorn when we return from the North Pole!
 Project: The kids are making the Polar Express as it drives through the midnight snow.
Our book exchange is this afternoon. There is nothing better than to give the gift of reading!
At 2:00 today, the whole elementary will come together and have a holiday sing along. Your child will be with their Irish Connections teacher during this time and be given a special ornament handcrafted by their Irish Connections teacher.     

   Coming home wit your child today is a Holiday Homework Packet to do throughout the break. Return it on Jan. 5 to have lunch with me in our classroom.   
    
~The kids and I enjoyed singing carols with Maddie's grandma...

~Reindeer Games were a blast...especially running through the halls!

~Be sure to check your child's Wednesday envelope tonight! (Not to confuse you that it's Tuesday...)

~I want to thank all of you for sharing your child with me as you are helping me to continue my passion of doing something I love...Teaching! As you approach 2015, take time to look at that little cherub of yours and embrace their innocence, energy, and savor their youth because before you know it, that child is grown. May your holidays be truly special with your family and friends.
~See you in 2015~          

Monday, December 22

Monday, December 22
Reindeer Games!
Let the fun begin! 
Reindeer Songs, Stories, and Movement!
 It looks like we may be given the green light to do reindeer races throughout the halls of the elementary! Look out MLE...here we come!
 The kids will have music today as well as be treated to some beautiful harp music from Maddie's grandma, Colleen! 
Projects: Reindeer headband for our Reindeer Run and Rudy the Reindeer 

Writer's Workshop: Label a Reindeer and Reindeer Report
 A storybook reader is scheduled for 1:00 to read Merry Christmas SPLAT!
Math: Reindeer Dice Roll

~Your child should wear their pajamas to school tomorrow. The Polar Express departs at 8:15 am!

Friday, December 19

                Friday, December 19

Sight Words: be, all

Character Education:  Mrs. Weninger will focus on the Superflex characters Destroyer of Fun and Grump Grumpany today.Your child will bring home a descriptor of each today.

Writing: Jingles will be leaving after school today to head back to the North Pole. The children will write about being an elf.

 Math: Whole/Part-Part
Watch for it to come home today...Due Monday.

Library Day

DAILY 5

  Music Today 

~I have created a classroom project on Donorschoose.org that I invite you to see.
http://www.donorschoose.org/we-teach/1769829
The high school student council asked our class if we could come to the high school this afternoon to judge their 'Deck the Halls'. The children will vote on their favorite scene and report back to the council.
Santa's coming to our classroom at 2:00 today! 

~Have a holly, jolly weekend!

Thursday, December 18

Thursday, December 18

 Sight Word Focus: all

Language Arts:

Reading Workshop: We will reread The Enormous Watermelon to build fluency and introduce the words enormous and gigantic as synonyms.

Handwriting: X 
 Writer's Workshop: Noticing Details in Characters
 A storybook reader is scheduled for 9:30 to read Grumpy Badger's Christmas.

Math:

New Concept: Yesterday we played a game where we counted the cubes out of our bag and thought about all the different ways we could make that number.  For example, we counted out 7 cubes...4 of them might have been orange and 3 might have been green.    
Today I want to show you a new tool you can use to put numbers together and to take them apart. First I am going to count out 5 cubes and snap them together. Then I am going to count out 5 more, but I am going to break them into two parts. I am going to put 2 on one side and 3 on another. Then I can use my “math talk” cards to read my mat. "2 and 3 make 5." 
Whole Group Explore: Partner one will roll the dice, count the dots on the dice, and build a row with that many cubes. Partner one will put it on the “whole” box on their mat.  Partner two will count out the same number of cubes, then break them into two parts.  Partner two will place these parts on the “part” boxes on their mat.   You will use your math talk cards to talk about what you built.  
Student Application: Students will practice breaking whole numbers into parts while writing their number.

DAILY 5

SMART Room 
~Rosie is continuing to report good behavior to Santa...

~Look! The candy cane seeds are sprouting!

~Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns about your child's report card.

Handwriting: lowercase s and words that begin with s.

Math: More work with Whole/Part-Part
 The kids will also be working on the app, Splash Math with the IPads.

Computer class today.

DAILY 5

SMART Room 

Project: Our elf, Jingles, needs friends to share his holiday joy. The kids will 'elf themselves' by making life-size elves.
  Music Today 

~The book for exchange is due tomorrow.
~Jingles is peeking behind his letter!