Tuesday, 3 December 2013

This morning we learned compound verbs, interjections, reviewed compound subject nouns and classified two sentences.  We worked on our Root Word packet, namely the root: capt, capit - head, chief, leader.  Students drew what they meant and finished the sheet.  We will be having a test on these words on Tuesday, 17th December.  We worked some more on impromptu haiku poems.  Mrs. Kirsch and I split the class for reading.  The focus was fluency and accuracy, pausing at commas and breathing at periods and dashes, to speed up our comprehension.  Students took turns making up comprehension questions that represented lower-level and higher-level thinking.  STUDENTS SHOULD BE READING AT LEAST 30 MINUTES EACH DAY IN THEIR BOOK CLUB BOOKS.  PLEASE SEND THEM TO SCHOOL WITH THEM SO WE CAN DISCUSS SPECIFIC PARTS.

In math we began our Geometry unit.  We learned acute, obtuse, right angles.  We learned how to make an accurate right angle with a scrap piece of paper.  We tested whether objects have right angles or not.  We also learned that right angles are 90 degrees, two right angles is a straight line of 180 degrees, three are 270 degrees, etc.  We pushed the concept to three whole circles, adding the degrees...  We learned the terms point, ray, line, angle, protractor, degrees, etc.  TODAY'S HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 1 AND TO DRAW A SIMPLE PICTURE USING JUST STRAIGHT LINES.  WE WILL BE MEASURING THE ANGLES TOMORROW.

History was a synopsis of our explorers, touching base with our biographies.  We also worked on our puppets.  Vitus Bering is a wonderful puppet and gave students the motivation to work on theirs.  Please remind your child to empty his cubby every day.  There are important notices to go home.

Monday, 2 December 2013

This morning we worked on handwriting to earn presents by Christmas.  Students may bring their handwriting packets home to work on.  We wrote in our journals, learned compound subject nouns, conjunctions, and interjections in classifying sentences, and sorted a new spelling list.  The activity integrates visual/spatial strengths with verbal/linguistic strengths.  We also wrote haiku poetry and got started on fluency passages.  Today marked the first day I have ever forgotten to send kids out to recess!!

STUDENTS SHOULD BE READING THEIR BOOK CLUB BOOKS FOR 30 MINUTES OR MORE EACH DAY.

In math students reviewed their math tests, which need to be corrected and signed tonight.  We got online to xtramath.com to complete a lesson on basic facts.  We will be frequenting this site often.  Students will come home tomorrow with their own home password for the site.  Tomorrow we begin geometry.

In history, we cut out our puppets.  Many students brought old clothes or material.  We hope to perform the puppet play next week.  Time TBA.

Below please see the letter that your students are bringing home.  We are lucky enough to perform American patriotic songs with about 10,000 other students in April at the Marriott Center.  WE NEED THE FORM AND CD/T-SHIRT MONEY BACK BY MONDAY.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear Parents:
This year we have the opportunity to perform with over 6,000 students from 74 Utah County
schools in the “Hope of America” student chorus showcase. This one-hour patriotic program will be
presented on Wednesday, April 16th. At the BYU Marriott Center. Students need to be in their
seats by 6:15 or they will be unable to sit in the flag formation with their class.
“Hope of America” promotes love of country, music, and good citizenship through a memorable
participatory event. The chorus wears red, white, blue, or yellow “Hope of America” t-shirts. They
sit in the shape and colors of the American flag, framed by students in yellow.
There is a $10 fee for each participating student. This cost helps us provide the following to each
student:
• CD Take home practice CD and lyric sheet
• T-Shirt A 2014 t-shirt design
• Event Photo Delivered to your school after the performance
There is no charge for attending the event or parking. Final performance details will be given in
March.
By signing the form below, you grant permission for your child’s image to be recorded in the filmed
production.
PARENTS: Please return this signed form & $10.00 in an envelope by:
MONDAY, December 9th , 2013
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STUDENT______________________________________________
YES My child will perform in the “Hope of America” Chorus and their t-shirt
size is (circle one):
Youth Med Youth Large Adult Small Adult Medium Adult Large Adult XL Adult XXL
***Enclose $10.00 (in envelope) or make check payable to: Arches Academy – Return to the office by:
MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013
I Authorize Arches Academy to Auto-Deduct $10 from my Account on file

Thursday, 21 November 2013

TOMORROW WE HAVE A FIELD TRIP.  WE WILL BE LEAVING AT 9:30 A.M.  AND RETURNING TO SCHOOL AT 12:30.  PLEASE SEND A WARM COAT AND A SACK LUNCH.

This morning we learned how to organize information to create a critical analysis essay for Summer of the Monkeys.  We noted such topics as setting, problem, character development, loyalty, physical challenges, choices, Grandpa's wisdom, wishes and reality, then and now, and many more themes from the book.  We drew a large triangle, with 3 smaller triangles inside, and mapped out the skeleton of the essay.  Tomorrow we will work more on this organizing and prepare to write the essay next week.

We also did handwriting, grammar, spelling, and reading re-telling practice.  Students chose a book club book.  The theme is survival.  HOMEWORK IS TO READ FOR 30 MINUTES OUT OF THE BOOK CLUB BOOK AND NOTE HOW FAR YOU READ.

MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISES 18 AND 19.  Students should draw bar models wherever applicable.  They lead to mental organization of concepts and a keen perception for what is being asked.  It is imperative that students break problems down and READ THE ACTUAL QUESTION!!!

We were so fortunate to have an extra hour for history today.  Students received cardboard to draw their puppet outlines.  IF YOU HAVE ANY MATERIAL OR EXTRA CLOTHING YOU WERE GOING TO DONATE TO A CHARITY, PLEASE SEND IT IN TO ARCHES INSTEAD!  We will be cutting out the figures tomorrow and "dressing" them next week.  Today we learned about the Golden Age of Exploration, the "when".

Wednesday, 20 November 2013

FIELD TRIP FRIDAY MORNING TO JOHN HUTCHINGS MUSEUM IN LEHI!

Handwriting, grammar, spelling, and a reading quiz started off the morning.  Mrs. K. and I taught students how to retell stories with details.  These things should be of particular note in doing online reading.  HOMEWORK IS 30 MINUTES OF READING.  Students will be coming home with book club books tomorrow.  They were introduced to them this morning.  The subject is survival.

MATH HOMEWORK IS TO PAGE 104.  Be very careful in reading the questions.  They do not take to long to do, but look at whether or not a fraction or the amount is being asked. We learned how to multiply fractions and whole numbers and how to draw bar models representing those fractions.

History class was a drawing lesson to prepare for creating our puppets tomorrow.  STUDENTS SHOULD BE RESEARCHING THEIR EXPLORERS AND BRINGING INFORMATION INTO CLASS TO WRITE IN THEIR BIOGRAPHIES.

4th Graders learned about variety in sentence beginnings.

Tuesday, 19 November 2013

Handwriting, grammar, spelling, and our new 3-point paragraphs for the week ended with Puppet Play scripts and a fire drill.

HOMEWORK IS READING A BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE FOR 30 MINUTES.

MATH HOMEWORK IS PAGE 97.  We will review this concept again tomorrow.

Students have explorer unit expectations.  They should be researching everything they can about their explorer:

• early life
• how became an explorer
• expeditions (dates)
• flag of country
• plants, land description, animals, agriculture, minerals, religions, traditions, people your explorer met on his journey
• sketches, samples, treasures, anything helpful for the king to decide whether or not to claim the country
• date of birth and death
• must be neat and best cursive
• annual rainfall and temperature grahs
• mode of transportation model
• map
• food
• trunk

Monday, 18 November 2013

FIELD TRIP FRIDAY MORNING.  WE NEED DRIVERS TO LEAVE AT 9:30 AND PICK UP IN LEHI AT 12:00.  PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE INTERESTED.

STUDENTS CAME HOME FRIDAY WITH A SCIENCE FAIR PACKET.  PLEASE REVIEW THESE CAREFULLY.

This morning, after handwriting, grammar, spelling, and journal, we brainstormed for a puppet play story-line.  It will be a fun show.  STUDENTS ARE WRITING A PAGE OF DIALOG FOR THEIR PARTICULAR EXPLORERS.  IT IS DUE TOMORROW.  IF NOT DONE TOMORROW, I WILL KEEP THEM IN A LITTLE DURING LUNCH TO COMPLETE IT.  Students  have had a week to research information and several opportunities in class, as well.

We finished reading Summer of the Monkeys today.  This week we will be creating a rough draft critical analysis of the reading.  HOMEWORK TONIGHT IS TO READ FOR 30 MINUTES.

MATH HOMEWORK IS PAGES UP TO 96.  We are working on dividing items into groups and finding fractions of those groups.

During Student Development we compared explorer leadership skills to the 7 Habits.  Students had a bit more time to research their explorers.

Wednesday, 13 November 2013

This morning we started our cursive packets.  Students have 5-10 minutes each morning to work on them.  A grab bag awaits completed packets.  They cannot be done sloppily.  We worked on plural and singular subject/verb agreement, synonyms/antonyms, and homonyms.  We also completed a spelling font activity and worked on 3-point paragraphs.  STUDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE THEIR PARAGRAPHS TONIGHT SO THEY CAN BE TYPED TOMORROW.

READING HOMEWORK IS CHAPTER 16.

Math was fun!!!  We dressed models in a new proper Arches Academy uniform and discussed what was proper and improper.  Models dressed in more or the same number of  items on top than on bottom were in improper uniform.  Those dressed in less items on top were in proper uniform.  We took pictures for the website.  We learned how to change mixed numbers to improper fractions and vice versa.  MATH HOMEWORK WAS A WORKSHEET. (THAT SAID, TWO OR THREE KIDS DIDN'T RECEIVE IT...SO THEY CAN WORK ON IT TOMORROW. IT IS 2 1/2 = ___3/2, ETC.)

For History today, students set a goal, used iPads, and researched like crazy!  We found maps, food, weather, and facts about our various explorers. STUDENTS SHOULD BE RESEARCHING THEIR EXPLORERS AT HOME.  FOUR GROUPS NEED TO BRING IN A TREASURE CHEST TO COLLECT ARTIFACTS.

Fourth Graders worked on Writer's Workshop, finishing up stories.  Great day!

Monday, 11 November 2013

This morning we wrote in our journals, were introduced to helping verbs (HV), and began another 3-point paragraph.  The paragraph is either "Things I am Thankful for" or " My Favorite Thanksgiving Foods".  We received and sorted new spelling lists with new spelling patterns.  Remember, students may move quickly on spelling if they choose.  They have an extra list to practice at home.  Remind them to bring it home.  We began chapter 14 from Summer of the Monkeys.  READING HOMEWORK IS TO FINISH CHAPTER 14.  ALSO, STUDENTS MAY GO ONTO RAZ-KIDS.COM AT HOME.  READING TIME IS 30 MINUTES DAILY.

Math was rough.  We learned so much:

1.  The number 1 divides to make 2/2, 4/4, 10/10, etc.
2.  A mixed number is a place on the number line.
3.  Improper fractions are bigger than one.
4.  Proper fractions are smaller than one.
5.  We can change improper fractions to mixed numbers and mixed numbers to improper fractions.
6.  HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 8 AND 9 (WE DID MANY EXAMPLES IN CLASS.  I will review these concepts heavily during the next few days.)

We were so lucky today!  We attended "Jack Frost", a Russian Cinderella play put on by UVU's Noorda Theater.  Thank you to all who drove.

After a fun Red-Rover recess with 2/3, we learned about the spice trade, Arab secrets, monopolies, peninsulas, archipelagos, etc.  STUDENTS HAVE ONE PAGE OF HISTORY WRITING TO COMPLETE NOTES ON.  SOME STUDENTS ARE USING HIGHLIGHTERS, OTHERS DRAWING ON PARAGRAPHS WHAT IS IMPORTANT, AND OTHERS WRITING NOTES.  Tonight, make sure your child experiments a bit with spices.  Maybe they can find out where their spices come from.

Wednesday, 6 November 2013

This morning we discovered many ways to make a cursive "X", reviewed grammar skills, a and an rules, and moved straight to our 3-point paragraphs.  We brainstormed many ways to create a descriptive sentence, using the five senses and feelings.  Tomorrow we will type the paragraphs and illustrate them.

READING HOMEWORK IS CHAPTER 11.  This is an important chapter because it leads into chapter 12 with the setting continuation.

MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 4.  We go very quickly to converting fractions and reducing fractions.  It generally takes a few days before the concepts are cemented.  Today we worked with special bars and blocks, finding equivalent fractions.

Drama and music led into Personal Development.  We evaluated the Native American Unit, distributed awards, and applied the Covery 7 Habits to our performance.  Some groups started many projects and finished few.  Others focused on a few projects, did them well, and were able to move on.  We had six students receive the Golden Arrow Award and 11 receive the Silver Tipi Award.  The focus of the lesson was to stress our positive traits.  All of us have negative and positive traits.  When we compare ourselves against others, our negative traits seem to be magnified.  It is important to realize that everyone has positive traits and that we are no exception.  Focus on our positive traits.

We also recorded what we know about explorers and a few things we want to know about them.  These next few weeks will be a LOT of content.  Exploration begins tomorrow!

Thanks for all your support.

Tuesday, November 5th, 2013

This morning we practiced "W" in cursive, worked on grammar sentence review, and learned how to write a 3-point paragraph.  Students chose between their three favorite places or three favorite games.  These are very structured paragraphs, which will be tightly organized.  Students will have creativity within rigidly formatted parameters.  These paragraphs lead to essay next month.

We began chapter 10 of Summer of the Monkeys in class.  CHAPTER 10 IS HOMEWORK.  I love that the kids are taking this book seriously.  It is such a fun, deep, learning kids book.

In math we learned equivalent fractions.  We will be using fraction bars tomorrow for a review.  EXERCISES 1-3 ARE HOMEWORK.  The students may have a difficult time with Exercise 3.  We will revisit it tomorrow.  It deals with adding different denominators.  We applied an appropriately romantic story about two fractions who fell in love with each other.  You may ask your child about the details.  Suffice it to say, it was mushy!  And, of course, it had a happy ending!

Foreign Language, Art/Writer's Workshop, Karate/Yoga, Technology and History rounded out the day.  We let loose for the last part of the day and had a well-earned recess, with a class game of Red Rover.

Your kids are the BEST!!!

Monday, 4 November 2013

THE COVEY CENTER TICKETS WERE HANDED OUT TO FAMILIES WHO ORDERED THEM.

ALSO, IF YOU HAVE NOT YET HAD PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES, PLEASE CONTACT ME.

This morning we wrote journal entries, practiced cursive "V", worked on grammar, new spelling lists, and took a quiz for chapter 8.  We began chapter 9 of Summer of the Monkeys, which talks about moonshiners.  Your kids may need a brush up on the prohibition!  We discussed it a bit.  This might be an especially fun chapter for dads to read with the kids.  You could tell your kids about big mistakes you made as a kid.
HOMEWORK IS CHAPTER 9.

In math we reviewed Cum. Test #2.  Students took their tests home to be signed and for corrections to be made.  Students have the opportunity to increase their test score by 1/2.  THE ONLY OTHER HOMEWORK, BESIDES TEST CORRECTIONS, IS TO GO ONLINE AND PRACTICE MULTIPLICATION FACTS.  We began fractions today, reviewing the terms numerator and denominator, and finding equivalent fractions.  The best help you can be to your child in math is to work on multiplication tables, factors, and multiples.

After drama and music, students arranged their Native American projects for display.  They will be awarded tomorrow according to their accomplishments.

P.E. and Science ended the day.

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

TOMORROW STUDENTS CAN WEAR COSTUMES TOMORROW.

This morning we learned cursive "T", reviewed the PPA and PNA, raced on spelling, worked on our Choose an Ending story, and began chapter seven of Summer of the Monkeys.  It is really neat that so many kids are getting into this book!  There is always a question from the beginning, middle, and end of the chapter on the quiz the next day.  CHAPTER SEVEN IS HOMEWORK!

Many students are illustrating legends for Writer's Workshop.  If your child hasn't written the Native American legend yet, have them go on to our class google drive (email sent home to parents yesterday with instructions!) and type out their stories.

MONDAY IS THE LAST DAY TO FINISH NATIVE AMERICAN FEATHER ASSIGNMENTS.

In math, we did Cum test #2.  I will grade these tonight.  Some students still have not completed them yet, but will have the opportunity to complete them tomorrow.  HOMEWORK IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL PAGES 40-66 ARE COMPLETED AND CORRECTED.  BOOKS WILL BE HANDED IN TOMORROW.

We wrote letters to the President on behalf of the Native Americans today.  Students found out where current Native Americans live, what opportunities they have today, and what contributions they make to Utah.

Tuesday, 29 October 2013

This morning we practiced cursive "S" and worked on branding our initials with a certain style.  We learned about PNA's (Possessive Noun Adjectives) and PPA's (Possessive Pronoun Adjectives).  We classified some very long sentences, labeling each word with a part of speech.  Very impressive how the students are coming along.  Next, we sorted our spelling words and then alphabetized them, before proceeding to reading Summer of the Monkeys Chapter Six.  CHAPTER SIX IS OUR HOMEWORK.  Be sure to quiz your child about the content of the chapter.  It helps them retain information for the quiz.  They should also be bringing their reading folders home and back to school again.

There is a big math test tomorrow: Cum. #2.  We have been reviewing the past two units on number sense for two days.  HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 12 AND TO FINISH THE REVIEW.  Please give your child a bit of practice multiplying 2-digit problems by 3-digit problems.  We need a bit of work on that.  ALSO, EACH STUDENT SHOULD BE REVIEWING MULTIPLICATION TABLES EVERY DAY.  There are great online games for such skill drilling.  Google: free online multiplication games.

Fifth Graders worked intensely on Native American legends.  Some have completed them and are now illustrating their works.  Others still need to put them in the computer.  OUR GOOGLE DRIVE ACCOUNT IS READY AND STUDENTS CAN ACCESS THEIR WRITING AT HOME AS WELL AS AT SCHOOL.  I WILL EMAIL YOU THE INSTRUCTIONS TO KEEP THE SITE SECURE:

For history, students wrote project guides, describing how the biography is to be done.

Biography

• birth and death
• childhood
• accomplishments
• tribe? area?
• interesting facts

Color-explosion sheet(at school)

• cursive
• large title
• spelling correct

Silhouette (at school)

• traced, cut, labeled
• beads, headgear, ornaments
• hung up

Monday, 28 October 2013

This morning we cut and sorted new spelling words, learned possessive pronouns, worked on our legends, and began Chapter 5 of Summer of the Monkeys.  HOMEWORK IS TO FINISH CHAPTER 5.

MATH HOMEWORK IS PAGES 63 AND 64 OF THE REVIEW 2.  We reviewed concepts from factors to order of operations to multiples to equations and expressions to long division and multiplication.  Our test will be on Wednesday.

Students began their famous Native American project today.  Tomorrow they will receive information about their person and summarize their life in a point-by-point biography.

Tribes are working hard on their requirements.

Friday, 25 October 2013

After cursive "R" and studying our spelling, we went outside for a school picture.  It was more like taking a family picture...painful and funny!  The results turned out surprisingly good.  Check out the school website: archesacademy.com.

Spelling test and Language Arts test.  Reading was Chapter 4.  STUDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE CHAPTER FOUR.  Quiz them on the content.  There is a 5 question quiz every day, and they have the opportunity to earn a quarter for each 5/5 quiz.

MATH WAS EXERCISE 11.  This is a tricky strategy for some students.  Remember: 34 x 56 is the same as 30 x 56 plus 4 x 56.  It is vital that students understand this concept.  First, have them estimate: 30 x 60 = 1800, so the logical answer must be somewhere in that neighborhood.  30 x 56 is the same as 10 x 56 plus 10 x 56 plus 10 x 56, so 560 +560 + 560 = 1680.  4 x 56 is 224.  Add the two and you get 1904.  (Hope my mental math was right on that one.)  We learned how to do it mentally and how to do it "Harry Potter style".  (There is a long-winded, exciting story about Hogwarts and Voldemort, with "bleiben" spells and "comma" curses...your kids will be able to tell you.)  Harry Potter math is multiplying vertically:

      34
    x56
    204
+1700
  1904

For Cultural Roundtable, we learned all about Costa Rica from the Spanish students.  We played a musical ball game for review.  It was pretty creative!

During project time, tribes got together to create visual representations comparing Native American life before the Europeans to our life today.  We will post these outside the classroom.  They were well done.  Students learned that synergizing increases creativity and retention.  It also helps in following instructions.  STUDENTS SHOULD BE TYPING OUT NATIVE AMERICAN LEGENDS.

Minicourses were so much fun.  One student actually brought me a sample from the Chocolate course!  In my class we learned about the special roles airplanes play in stealth.  We experimented with jet-propulsion using balloons, straws, tape and yarn.  Students raced their balloons across the common area.  We also worked on folding paper airplanes in certain styles.  Finding the best aerodynamic style based on the laws of physics will be the focus of our next course.

Thursday, 24 October 2013

DON'T FORGET TO WEAR SPIRIT DAY BLUE SHIRTS FOR THE ALL-SCHOOL PICTURE TOMORROW.

This morning we worked on cursive "Q".  We reviewed the job of the Subject Pronoun and classified sentences as a class.  Next, we raced with spelling sorts to prepare for tomorrow's test.  We created two essay templates on the board and students added appropriate information to build an essay.  Some students handed in the optional Drug Free essay today.

We read in Reader's Theater form and buddy reading from the 3rd chapter of Summer of the Monkeys.   HOMEWORK IS TO COMPLETE IT!  IF YOUR CHILD HAS COMPLETED THE READING, PLEASE HAVE HIM OR HER READ INDEPENDENTLY FOR 30 MINUTES OR GO ONTO THEIR RAZ-KIDS ACCOUNT.

MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 10.  We learned to multiply by 10, 25, and 50 in our heads.  This was serious math.  Example: 48 x 25 = 48 x 100 divided by 4.  The kids really liked doing these.  Tomorrow they will learn 48 x 25 = 12 x 4 x 25.  This is tricky math, but they are getting it!  THERE WILL BE A CUMULATIVE TEST BY WEDNESDAY NEXT WEEK.

Dance was awesome to watch today.  Your children are creating their own rendition of Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and are all on task so well.

Fourth Graders brainstormed Native American Legends.  They are writing their own to publish.  Please help your child brainstorm ideas, or ask them to relate the story to you.

During Social Studies we learned about Native American life and compared it with our lives today.  We discussed religion, nature, family, men and women and roles, babies, hunting, etc.  Tomorrow we will create small posters in our tribes depicting these topics.

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

DRUG FREE ESSAYS DUE TOMORROW!  NOT MANDATORY!

This morning we learned cursive "P".  We also did spelling sorts with Morse Code.  You should have heard the soft tapping; I thought we worked for the telegraph!  Grammar was about pronouns.  The kids call them Super Powers, after Subject Noun, because they have the power to take away the name and we still know who is meant in the text.  We worked on Bull Roarers here and there throughout the day, adding weather symbols to our Native American names on what used to be paint sticks but now are rain sticks.

For Reading, we happily strode through chapter two in Summer of the Monkeys.  The students first took a five question quiz.  Question 1 is always:  Is your reading assignment (or book) here to enjoy?  Question 2 is: Did you do read the assignment?  Question 3 is from the beginning, Question 4 from the middle, and Question 5 from the end of the chapter, to assess comprehension.  We then read, taking parts in Reader's Theater fashion.  Students were quick to pull out similes, characters, problems, and to catch humor.  HOMEWORK IS TO FINISH CHAPTER 2.

In math we worked like crazy on deciding how to show division story problems in bar model fashion.  Students were amazed that both Whole-Part and Comparison models could come up with the same answer.  I showed them there are many different methods to obtaining a correct answer and as long as you can communicate how they obtained the answer (and that it is the correct answer!) that I will not dock points.  HOMEWORK IS A WORKSHEET REVIEWING MULTIPLICATION, DIVISION, ADDITION AND SUBTRACTION STORY PROBLEMS.  YES, BAR MODELS MUST BE SHOWN.  If we slow down at the beginning of the year a little, I find that students speed up in comprehending processes a little down the road.

This afternoon we had an assembly given by Officer Clements, of the Orem Police force.  He talked to the students about drugs and had many fun activities to encourage them to stay off drugs.

We were fortunate to have two presentations from Native American tribes from our class:  a Navajo hogan and 20 Native American foods.  I don't believe the students will ever forget how Native American foods contribute to our society and the world after sampling today's mix.  Thank you, generous parents.  Thank you for your continued support.

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

TOMORROW IS BOOT DAY.  WEAR BOOTS TO GIVE DRUGS THE BOOT!

This morning we jumped straight into spelling sorts.  Spelling tests will be Friday.  STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE ALL OF CHAPTER ONE OF SUMMER OF THE MONKEYS READ BY TONIGHT.

Our school was privileged to have a doctor from Primary Children's Hospital give a seminar about Drug Abuse and Choices this morning.  PLEASE TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT STRESS OUTLETS, FRIENDSHIP ISSUES, AND SELF-ESTEEM.

In math we learned to bar model division problems. STUDENTS WENT HOME WITH A WORKSHEET TO PRACTICE DIVISION.  Some students will be experimenting with a short cut.  If they don't yet understand the shortcut, they are welcome to do it the long division method.

This afternoon we finished watching a movie about various Native American tribes.  Students worked hard in their tribes to complete projects. THE NATIVE AMERICAN UNIT IS DUE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH.  Students may want to get together at home to work on their projects.  They are VERY busy in class!

Monday, 21 October 2013

TOMORROW IS Tuesday: Crazy hair and socks day "Sock it Drugs!" 

8:30-9:45 Special guest speaker Dr. Kevin Nelson with Primary Children’s Hospital will talk about the dangers of smoking)

*Children will take Essays/Pictures home to complete (“I say No to Drugs”) to bring back on Thursday.

K-3 will probably only stay from 8:30-9:00/15, depending on how they're doing.

4-8 will stay longer. Math as normal.

This morning we reviewed cursive "O" and cut out new spelling sorts to work with.  We will be using the Morse Code to practice our words this week.  We then reviewed nature nouns and adjectives, chose our own Native American name, and decorated half of a Bull-roarer with the name.  Tomorrow we will do the other half.

After a brief assembly introducing Red Ribbon Week, we predicted what SotM would be about and divided into groups with Mrs. Kirsch to begin reading.  Mostly we got to page 4.  CHAPTER ONE IS DUE BY WEDNESDAY.  PARENTS CAN READ TO OR WITH THEIR CHILD, OR THE CHILD CAN READ IT BY HIMSELF.  Whatever you do, don't read ahead!

Math was hands on division with mini M&Ms.  STUDENTS TOOK HOME A WORKSHEET WITH 8 DIVISION EQUATIONS TO SOLVE.  Students must be methodical and show their work.  When we have done the long way and understand the concept, I will be able to show fun shortcuts.

During our afternoon time together students were divided into tribes of threes and all participated in a class simulation of why the Indian Reservations were formed.  Tribes have various opportunities to earn "feathers".

The meeting tonight at the Smart Building was very well attended.  If you are interested in seeing the building, there will be another tour Wednesday evening.

Thursday, October 17th, 2013

TOMORROW IS GRANDPARENTS' DAY.  SCHOOL UNIFORM IS REQUIRED.  SCHOOL GETS OUT AT 12:15 P.M.

This morning we perfected cursive "N", shared three books authored by 4/5 students, and prepared for Grandparents' Day by reviewing our Preposition Jingle.  We will be classifying sentences tomorrow.

Students designed small tombstones for sentence starters that must die in 4th/5th Grades.  They are:

then
and
so
but
because
or...etc.

We brainstormed a "choose your ending" story starter.

Students finished presenting their books read in book club.  I was impressed with the simple costuming and comprehension shown.  We will begin Summer of the Monkeys on Monday.

One fun thing we did today was Speed Booking.  Students sat in two half-circles and rotated every minute or so, having shared the main points of their non-fiction book.

HOMEWORK IS ALWAYS READING 30 MINUTES.  STUDENTS MAY READ ON RAZ-KIDS.COM FOR HOMEWORK, AS WELL.

MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 7.  It is dividing 4-digit numbers.  This is very difficult for about half of the class.  I will be pulling students out individually to work with them.  Please practice simple division with your child.  Examples are: 8563 divided by 5     2990 divided by 2, etc.

Students shared Dinosaur presentations today.  There are still a few to share tomorrow.  At 10:15 we will be sharing them with the grandparents.

Tomorrow is the end of Quarter 1.  I look forward to meeting with you shortly to show the goals and progress of your child.

GRANDPARENTS' DAY IS FRIDAY!!!

TOMORROW IS UNIFORM DAY.  WE WILL BE WALKING TO THE SCERA TO WATCH MERLIN, THE MAGICIAN AROUND 9:15 A.M., SO BRING A COAT OR SOMETHING WARM TO WEAR.

This morning we started the second half of the alphabet.  "M" in cursive.

We worked very hard on prepositions and object of the prepositions.  Students are becoming masters at classifying sentences.

In reading, students chose a small book for tomorrows circle share.  We are working on summarizing without giving away endings or too much.  In Writer's Workshop, three more books were finished for publication!

HOMEWORK IS TO READ FOR 30 MINUTES AND FINISH ANY UNFINISHED WORK (SEE LAST WEEK'S HOMEWORK LIST!

MATH HOMEWORK TODAY: is a front and back sheet of addition and subtraction.  The story problems must be done showing bars, brackets, labels, numbers, and question marks and sentences.  The last story problem is a humdinger!  It is extra credit!

Social Studies was fun.  We shared dinosaur presentations and made blurbs to go on the bulletin board downstairs.

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

This morning we listened while a new student author shared his book!  We then did a book-a-thon, reading in 3 different books for 3 minutes each, to see if we could find a different genre that would interest us.  Several kids found new books.

In grammar we reviewed the preposition jingle, moved our superheros in time and space, and classified sentences with many prepositional phrases.  We sorted spelling again.  TOMORROW IS A SPELLING TEST.

Students met in groups to solidify plans for book club presentations next Tuesday.  We then worked on Writer's Workshop.  Very impressive was a book by seven boys in the class...it will be published shortly.

HOMEWORK IS READING 30 MINUTES AND FINISHING OUR DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT WRITTEN WORK.  For this, students allow the reader into their thoughts when they are at their favorite spot on the fieldtrip.  The length is one page.

MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 3.  We learned how to draw comparison models and part whole models.  Students also learned a neat trick for subtracting zeros:

1000 - 367 = (1000-1) -367 + 1 = 999 - 367 (which can easily be done in your head) + 1 = 633

During art and history we worked on our DNM mural in tempera paints.  We worked hard and should have the bulletin board up pronto!

Monday, 7 October 2013

REMEMBER, FALL BREAK MEANS NO SCHOOL THURSDAY, FRIDAY, AND MONDAY.

This morning we wrote in our journals.  I am impressed with the entries.  They are getting longer and more detailed.  We learned that there are 49 prepositions and made superhero backgrounds for our superheros to practice prepositioning!  My reading class reported on their books and planned a presentation for the class next week.  Much of the planning has to be done in school, so the kids will be ready to present right after Fall Break. HOMEWORK IS GETTING PREPARED FOR THE PRESENTATION.  Students should reference the text as much as possible.  HOMEWORK IS READING FOR 30 MINUTES.  YOUR STUDENT CAN LOG ON TO RAZ-KIDS.COM TO PRACTICE READING.  THERE IS A LOT OF PROGRESS TO BE MADE BY ALL.

In math we reviewed Cum Test #1.  The average was about 16/20.  This is just the first of many such tests this year.  There is a green correction paper stapled to the test.  If students have parents sign the test, they can raise their test grade 1 point.  If students rework corrections on the green sheet, they can earn 1/2 of the points they missed (if they work the answers correctly).  HOMEWORK IS EXERCISES 1 & 2 IN UNIT TWO.  We will be learning tricks for addition and subtraction in the next few days.

This afternoon students completed an open-book Mountains test.  They were allowed to work together to review the concepts we have learned.  We then jotted down all the things we know about Native Americans to prepare for our new Social Studies unit.

We were busy with drama, music, P.E., and science.  Please ask your students about these subjects.  I know science generally has a lot of homework, but they have different teachers for each of these classes.

Friday, 4 October 2013 - Homework List here!

REMEMBER LOGO DAY ON MONDAY.

ALSO, FALL BREAK STARTS NEXT THURSDAY: OCT. 10-14TH.  SCHOOL WILL RESUME TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15TH.

This morning we had our Language Arts test, covering grammar, spelling, handwriting, and reading.  Students had time in Writer's Workshop.  Some are writing personal stories, others fiction adventures, and so on.  We learned what inferring is (what is the author really trying to say? why did he/she put that in?  why did he/she want us to read it?  is there a lesson to be learned?  We read about the Spartan 300 who fought in the battle at Thermopolae against Xerxes.  The themes that came out about inference were Freedom, Betrayal, and the worth of a life.  HOMEWORK IS READING 30 MINUTES.

In math we had our Cum. Test #1.  I collected math books to review and give a grade for Unit 1.  THE ONLY HOMEWORK IS TO WORK ON MULTIPLICATION TABLES DAILY.  There are many online games.  Please utilize them.  Here are a couple:

http://www.kidsmathgamesonline.com/multiplication/educationalmultiplication.html

http://www.fun4thebrain.com/mult.html

For Integrated Studies today we wrote a list of projects and homework we are working on.  The list is below:

Dinosaur Project based on the multiple intelligences.  Students have decided on math smart, picture smart, music smart, word smart, self smart, people smart, body smart, or nature smart.  Their projects are due Tuesday, October 15th, to be presented for Grandparent's Day.

Dinosaur Page of dinosaur information.  The pages will be compiled into a class book.  They are due Wednesday, October 9th.  Students are creating one page each of dinosaur information.  Some are doing comics, others writing a newspaper page, others fun pages, etc.

Dinosaur National Monument story.  These stories are fictional IF the child did not attend the field trip. If the child DID go camping, he or she writes a story of a specific incident that happened on the trip as if the audience can hear his or her thoughts.  These should be at least one page long and typed.  Font should be no larger than 16.

Mini-courses were great.  In mine, students learned about lift, weight, drag and thrust.  We experimented making various kinds of airplanes and studied some laws of aerodynamics.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, 3 October 2013

This morning we started right off with grammar.  We reviewed subjects, predicates, subject nouns, simple subjects, simple predicates, complete subjects, complete predicates, verbs, adjectives, adverbs and articles.  Next we progressed in Writer's Workshop.  Two more children completed books today and are now illustrating.  Lots of students finished up their Headmaster Hike write-ups and drawings.  I will be editing and printing them out to hang at school.  We completed the Root Word packet 10-14.  You can find it at :

http://i-participate.gr/wp-content/blogs.dir/1/files/group-documents/5/1292862234-bigwordsforlittlekidsetymology.pdf

TOMORROW IS A LANGUAGE ARTS TEST.  ROOT WORDS, GRAMMAR, AND READING QUESTIONS WILL BE A PART OF IT.

Math was a review of negative numbers and least common multiple. HOMEWORK IS REVIEW #1.  MY MATH CLASS HAS CUM. TEST #1 TOMORROW.

This afternoon we learned our final chapter in mountains.  Student found out about power, recreation, farming, minerals, moisture and more.  We  made small illustrations to decorate our bulletin board.  We are also working on a Dinosaur National Monument mural and intrapersonal writing piece.  WRITING PIECES ARE DUE BY WEDNESDAY - EDITED AND TYPED.  They focus on one aspect of the trip and are written as if the audience has stepped into your brain for a short while.  The pieces should be about 1 typed page in length.

Monday, 30 September 2013

FIELD TRIP TO UVU PLAY TOMORROW.  WEAR BLUE ARCHES SHIRT AND BRING A LUNCH.  This morning we worked on madlibs as an application of the grammar we have been learning.  Ms. Eileen Nagle, former Meridian teacher and now director at the Noorda Theater, presented a pre-play discussion about embedded prejudices and challenged us to watch for how the play resolves them. MONDAY HOMEWORK IS USUALLY ONLY READING AND MATH.

We worked on spelling and grammar back in the classroom till recess.

For math we solved story problems based on skittles and sourpatches.  We followed steps for the order of operations and created our own expressions.  HOMEWORK WAS EXERCISE 12.

Student Development was planning for the DNM Bulletin Board.

Wednesday, 25 September 2013

PLEASE PACK FOR DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT.  PACK WARM!!  IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT ASSIGNMENTS, I WILL BE HOME TONIGHT AND YOU CAN REACH ME AT 801 691 9227

This morning we created an Arches Sudoku, using letters instead of numbers.  Students worked on the cursive "L", a partner grammar activity, and learned how to self-edit and peer-edit their written work.  We then moved on to Writer's Workshop and reading. STUDENTS SHOULD BE READY FOR BOOK CLUBS ON MONDAY.  SAME ROLE AS LAST MONDAY.

Math was fun.  We worked on order of operations.  It is important that you know the expressions run from left to right.  Whenever an equation is solved in the expression, the solver goes back to the beginning and moves again from the beginning, left to right.  If, for example, the expression looked like this:

3 x 3 - 45 / (4+1)

We first do what is in the parentheses: 4 + 1 = 5

We go back to the beginning of the expression, which now looks like this:

3 x 3 - 45 / 5

Now we move from left to right again, starting at the beginning, and we look for x or /, whichever comes first in our left to right direction:

3 x 3 = 9

Now our expression looks like this:

9 - 45 / 5

Now we move from left to right again, starting at the beginning, and we look for x or /, whichever comes first in our left to right direction:

45 / 5 = 9

Now our expression looks like this:

9 - 9

Now we move from left to right again, starting at the beginning, and we look for x or /, whichever comes first in our left to right direction.  Since there are no more x or /, we look for + or -, whichever comes first in our left to right direction.

9 - 9 = 0

Our answer is 0

BECAUSE OF OUR CAMPOUT TOMORROW THERE IS NO MATH HOMEWORK.  STUDENTS NOT GOING CAMPING CAN ACCESS A FUN GAME AT:
mrnussbaum.com/orderops-play

It is a fun game.  We used it today on the iPads for practice.

After drama and music, we reviewed DNM animals and learned how contour maps operate.  We had a recess and read aloud a book about how Dinosaur National Monument got started.

Students then went to science.

Tuesday, 24 September 2013

This morning we wrote our own sixteen squared Sudoku puzzles to warm up.  We worked on cursive "K".  Next we made progress on our Headmaster Hike write-ups, moving to illustrations.  Tomorrow we will do peer edit groups.  My L.A. class did spelling tests, reading and Writer's Workshop.  HOMEWORK WAS 30 MINUTES OF READING.

Math was more Order of Operations.  We learned PEMDAS, or Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.  We worked more expressions/equations on the board and introduced a card game.  Tomorrow we will have an Order of Operations tournament.  HOMEWORK WAS A SHEET (EXERCISE 1) FROM LEVEL 5.

After lunch students attended Dance, Art, Karate/Yoga, Technology, and Social Studies.  In Social Studies we learned about mountain animals and their adaptations.  HOMEWORK WAS TO FIND THREE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT, PRINT OR DRAW A PICTURE OF THEM, AND FIND OUT A FEW INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT THEM.

Sorry to post so late.  A single mom of 6 kids in our neighborhood broke her leg and needed help this evening.

23 September 2013

This morning we worked a Sudoku to get our brains warmed up!  We next practiced cursive "J" and wrote an entry about Headmaster Hike.  My L.A. class worked on spelling.  THERE IS A TEST TOMORROW.  Students should have brought their spelling home to study.  We met in book clubs to summarize, work on words, connect, visualize and play games.  Today was the practice day for book clubs.  PLEASE BE SURE YOUR CHILD IS READING FOR 30 MINUTES EVERY DAY.  NEXT MONDAY, THE SECOND THIRD OF THE BOOK IS DUE.  ROLES REMAIN THE SAME.

For math, we reviewed multiples and the differences between factors and multiples.  We played a hundreds board multiple game.  We then learned the order of operations.  HOMEWORK IS EXERCISES 10 AND 11.  We will be reviewing the operations over the next week.  It is imperative that students know the order.  Today we learned the visual cue.  Tomorrow we will learn, "Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally".  Students who complete homework get their names put in a drawing.  5 students received prizes today!

After Drama and Music, students met to review the three major time periods of the earth.  PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD SUBMIT THREE FACTS ABOUT EACH TIME PERIOD TOMORROW.  We watched part of a dinosaur movie and reviewed our dinosaur projects.  PROJECTS ARE DUE THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 14TH.  Students will be displaying them for Grandparent's Day.

After a brief recess, students went to P.E. and Science.

Friday, September 20th, 2013

Awesome, incredible, wonderful day!  The Headmaster Hike was such fun!  We made a real, live wicki-up (home of the Paiute and Goshute tribes), played in the river, went exploring, and hoped a moose would (or wouldn't) make its presence known to us.

Thank you, thank you to all the parents who drove.  Every child seemed happy and busy; people worked together and played together.

It was loads of fun.

HOMEWORK IS READ, READ, READ FOR 30 MINUTES MINIMUM EACH DAY.  NO MATH HOMEWORK, EXCEPT TIMES TABLES, AND SOCIAL STUDIES EARTH LAYER PROJECT DUE MONDAY.

Parents, please send back the responses from the survey.

Keri

Thursday, September 19th, 2013

TOMORROW IS WOW DAY!  HEADMASTER HIKE!

PLEASE FIND ATTACHED THE RELEASE FORM (JUST IN CASE YOUR CHILD LOSES HIS/HERS)

2013-2014 Student Release Form

Student Name _________________________________________________

Parent Name _________________________________________________

Address _________________________________________________

City/Zip _________________________________________________

Phone Number Day _______________________

Evening _______________________

Cell _______________________

Parent Medical Insurance Company _____________________________________

Insurance Policy Number _____________________________________

Please list any health issues or medications being taken that the activity advisor should be aware of. (If so, please give instructions.)

_________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________ ___________________________________

(Name of Activity) (Dates of Activity)

This is to certify that my student has permission to attend the above named activity. In the unlikely event that my student becomes ill or is injured, I authorized the advisor(s) of this activity to act as my agent to secure the services of a physician, dentist or hospital and to incur the expenses for necessary services. I will provide for payment of these costs. (The activity advisor will contact the parent or guardian as soon as is reasonably possible should medical attention be necessary.)

It is understood that students who violate conduct or eligibility rules or who act in a manner that is detrimental to the safety or well-being of others may be sent home at the parent's expense.

I have read and agree to abide by the conditions stated above.

_______________________________ __________ ___________________________________

Student's Signature Date Parent's Signature

This morning we tried word associations by drawing "tale" very tall on the board and reading it "tall tale".  Students came up with their own creative renditions.  We practiced several ways to write cursive "H,h".  We also learned an adverb jingle to the tune of "Three Blind Mice".  No one was particularly thrilled with my opera version!

How? When? Where?
How? When? Where?
These are things that adverbs say:
How? When? Where?

We made a long list of sensible and non-sensible adverbs, worked on the root word "cian" and moved forward on our dinosaur page for our class book.  Each student is researching a topic of choice and writing a page for the class to enjoy.  Some students are making comic stories, others news reports, some information pages, etc.  HOMEWORK IS READING 30 MINUTES TONIGHT.  PLEASE MAKE SURE STUDENTS ARE COMPLETING THEIR BOOK CLUB READING.  Book club assignments are due Monday.

I have been totally impressed with the students in Mrs. Kirsch's reading class.  They are focused on the raz-kids website.  Good job!  Work hard at speeding up reading through re-reading.

Parents: READ OUT LOUD TO YOUR CHILDREN EVERY NIGHT AS PART OF YOUR BEDTIME ROUTINE.

In math we learned how to find multiples and common multiples of numbers.  We used hundreds boards to show multiplication patterns and highlight multiples.  PLEASE HAVE YOUR STUDENT GET ONLINE TO PRACTICE BASIC MATH FACTS EVERY DAY (EVEN FOR 10 MINUTES HELPS). HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 9.

After Foreign Language, Art, Dance, and Technology, students received a Release Form for parents to complete.  We discussed safety at DNM, particularly around the river.  Our lesson focused on the rock layers of the earth.  STUDENTS SHOULD FIND THREE FACTS TO SHARE WITH THE CLASS ABOUT EACH OF THE FOLLOWING PERIODS:
1. Precambrian/Proterozoia
2. Paleozoic
3. Mesozoic
4. Cenozoic
SOME THINGS THEY COULD FIND ARE ANIMALS OF THE TIME, PLANTS OF THE TIME, CLIMATE OF THE TIME, ETC.  This is due Monday.

Wednesday, September 18th, 2013

This morning we guessed numbers based on clues.  We then practiced cursive"G", created sentences based on parts of speech, brainstormed a class book page, sorted spelling words and worked on a spelling activity, and continued writing stories.  HOMEWORK IS 30 MINUTES OF READING.

We reviewed finding factors in Math.  We found common factors of numbers and learned that composite numbers are those with more than 2 factors.  Students worked together on number rounding and factor finding.  HOMEWORK IS THE FRONT AND BACK OF AN EXTRA PRACTICE SHEET.

After lunch, students reviewed the eight multiple intelligences and planned out creative projects for our Dinosaur/Dinosaur National Monument presentations.  Great ideas.  STUDENTS SHOULD BEGIN RESEARCHING AT HOME.

Tuesday, September 17th, 2013

This morning, after a logic puzzle, we practiced cursive F, worked on simple and complete subjects and predicates, prepared spelling lists for this week, received new root words, and worked more on Writer's Workshop. HOMEWORK IS 30 MINUTES OF READING.  The reading can be the student accounts on raz-kids.com, book club books, dinosaur research books, or independent reading books.

Math was intense.  Students learned divisibility rules for 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10.  HOMEWORK IS THE LAST PAGE OF EX. 8.

students should decide on a dinosaur topic that interests them.

Monday, September 16th, 2013

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DRIVE AND ACCOMPANY US ON OUR HEADMASTER HIKE FRIDAY, PLEASE CONTACT ME ASAP.

This morning we learned a line trick with multiplication:Crisscrossing, or intersecting lines forming points where they intersect.  3 lines intersecting 2 lines=6 points, etc.

We wrote in journals, learned that adverbs answer the questions: where, when, how; practiced cursive E and did spelling tests. 

My reading class was introduced to book clubs.  Students met to discuss reading speeds.  They have 3 weeks to complete the books.  Each student has a role to fill.  Roles will change each week.  PLEASE BE SURE YOUR CHILD IS READING HIS/HER BOOK CLUB BOOK.  They should not read ahead, rather they should prepare to present their assignment to the group.  For example, if your child is the Word Whiz, he or she will find five difficult words, look them up in the dictionary, prepare a worksheet for his or her group, and teach the group those five words.  If the role is that of Summarizer, he or she will write in 10 sentences or less, the gist of the story to that point, including main characters, problem, setting, etc.  Other roles are that of Visualizer (draws a detailed picture based on one of the scenes in the book), Connector (writes and shares Text-to-text, Text-to-Self, or Text-to-World examples based on specific pages in the book).  There is also a Game Master, whose job it is to create a simple game for that part of the book that was assigned.  A simple roll the dice or memory game is sufficient.  NEXT MONDAY THE FIRST THIRD OF THE BOOK IS DUE, ALONG WITH THE ASSIGNMENTS.  Students will be presenting to their groups every Monday.  At the end of the book, students will have one week to work on a big presentation for the class.

Math continues to be factors.  "It is a fact that factors start with ONE", is what I say often in teaching factors to the students.  We reiterated today that a Prime Number is a number that has only two factors.  The number "1" is NOT a Prime Number, because it has only one factor.  HOMEWORK IS JUST TWO PAGES OF EXERCISE 8.  Please don't do the third page.  We will be learning that tomorrow.

After Drama and Music, we wrote down everything we know about dinosaurs and Dinosaur National Monument.  We wrote down questions we have about both.  We then used iPads to research everything we could about topics surrounding dinosaurs and DNM.  Tomorrow students will choose an area of interest to become experts on over the next ten days.

P.E. and Science summed up the day.

Please be aware there is a new dismissal policy.  Students will go to my room at 3:10, where they will gather their items, write down homework, clean up, and then go to the gym to be picked up by 3:30 p.m.

Friday, 13 September 2013

This morning we had an assembly about computer safety and cyber-bullying.  Please discuss this with your child.

We did a Language Arts test and worked more on Writer's Workshop.  HOMEWORK IS 30 MINUTES OF READING.

Math was FUN!  We did extra homework and review this past week.  That gave us the opportunity to have centers.  One center was tangrams.  Another was a Prime Number Museum.  The third was "Down and Out".  The last was measuring out a smoothie recipe.  To say the kids enjoyed the hour would be an understatement!  NO MATH HOMEWORK THIS WEEKEND, except for multiplication practice.

After lunch we had Cultural Roundtable.  Denmark was the focus of the lesson.  The ESL students taught it.

For project work, we did service.  We cleaned up the playground and wrote appreciation cards to people who may need a boost.  I told the students about my relationship with my sister when I was young, and how her illness prompted me to be kinder and see the good in her.  I challenged the students to look for the good in others and be leaders, to make the first step to compliment others.  Students created cards for a special person in their life.

After Competition Choir and Team Sports we had minicourses.  Good day for all!

Thursday, September 12th, 2013

Root word reviews, safety assembly on stranger danger, reading strategy "wonderful words", writer's workshop and spelling.  Busy morning.  TOMORROW IS A LANGUAGE ARTS TEST.  THE ROOT WORDS WILL BE A LARGE PART OF IT.

MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISES 6 & 7.  Arrays.  Factors.

Social Studies was learning about mountains and "building" 8 mountains on the bulletin board.  (Sorry, parents!...but so many kids wanted to stay after!

30 MINUTES OF READING TONIGHT

DON'T FORGET THE ARCHES BARBEQUE!  6:P.M.

Wednesday, September 11th, 2013

This morning we had an assembly about why we don't bully at Arches Academy.  That sneaky stranger was there, trying to get the kids to do what they knew they shouldn't!  Thankfully the Arches gang came through and the bully had to leave.

Language Arts was packed with root words, spelling, grammar, and the questioning strategy.  THERE WILL BE A LANGUAGE ARTS TEST FRIDAY.  It will contain all of the above.  HOMEWORK IS TO READ FOR 30 MINUTES.

Math covered rounding large numbers.  In the thousands and ten thousands.  This is a step up from last year, but the same principle applies.  HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 5.  Student workbooks will be checked tomorrow.  Friday is a math games day for those up-to-date on assignments and corrections.

Drama, music, P.E. and science were the specialists of the day.  I am happy to report that the kids were so engaged in their learning that hardly anyone was ready or willing to leave at 3:15!

In Student Development, we are finishing up our intrapersonal reflection of the four/five main types of health.  Ask your child about his/her physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual health.  If you listen closely, you just might find out some new things!

Also, please discuss bullying with your child.  Make sure he/she understands that telling the person to stop is the first step.

Tuesday, September 10th, 2013

We started the day discussing safety tips we could use on the Safety Bulletin Board.  We then had a Safety Assembly.  Students identified reasons for being safe.

For Language Arts we cut and sort spelling words.  Students may take these home to work on, but must be sure they bring them back to school each day.  I listened to individual student reading while students read silently.  HOMEWORK IS READING 30 MINUTES.

ROOT WORD PACKETS SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH PAGE 6.  There will be a test on the words on Friday (This is a practice one).

Math homework was corrected and we reviewed the subtraction and addition of numbers beginning with the digit 9.  We practiced writing numbers in the millions.  We do have substantial homework M-Th, however, Friday we will apply lots of the math we learn in game and hands-on activities (blender smoothies, math games, measuring across the curriculum, etc.  MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISES 3 & 4.

After a fire drill, students went to lunch, where a very slick lady dressed in black, wearing a dreadlock wig and beaning, helped them practice making good decisions.

Foreign Language, art, karate/yoga, and technology followed.  We then learned about elevation maps and created our own.  STUDENTS SHOULD COMPLETE THEIR ELEVATION MAPS TONIGHT.

9 September 2013

This morning we brainstormed class jobs, evaluating how the classroom was coming along.  We then worked on cursive C, grammar, and vocabulary.  THE VOCABULARY PACKET IS DUE FRIDAY MORNING.  Students will take it home tomorrow.  There will be a vocabulary test Friday.

For reading we learned about text-text, text-self, and text- world connections.  HOMEWORK IS READING 30 MINUTES.

Math was intense.  We learned to add and subtract large numbers mentally when one of the numbers begins with a '9'.  465 + 98 == 465 + 100 ==565 - 2 ==563. Another example is 8471 - 970 ==8471 - 1000 == 7471 + 30 = 7501.  Hope this small tutorial helps.  HOMEWORK WAS EXERCISE 1 & 2.

In Student Development we learned about how Emotional Health is the lens through which we view the world and how our heart deals with changes.  As students illustrated pictures of themselves, we began a read aloud: Abel's Island.

Students also had Drama, Music, P.E. and Science today.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD GETS LOTS OF SLEEP!!!  AND BRINGS A SUFFICIENT LUNCH.

Friday, 6 September 2013

This morning we created a coordinate grid with 4 quadrants.  Students deduced where places would be based on degrees North, South, East, or West.

After journal writing and our Language Arts quiz, we played "Sparkle", a fun spelling activity. 

In my reading class, students participated in a "book sell", in preparation for book clubs to begin next week.  Students then worked more on organizing their stories, and some even began with rough drafts.

READING HOMEWORK IS 30 MINUTES TODAY, SATURDAY, AND SUNDAY.  Research shows students do 5-6 points higher on the ACT College tests when they have read 30 minutes every day.  The earlier, the better.

STUDENTS IN MRS. KIRSCH'S READING GROUP HAVE FLUENCY TEST TO DO DAILY WITH THEIR PARENTS.

In math, we reviewed homework and worked on a division flow.  THERE IS NO MATH HOMEWORK TONIGHT.  However, I strongly suggest students going onto some kind of multiplication tables online drill daily.

After lunch, students participated in a Spirit assembly and Cultural Roundtable.  They then took the Utah Counties test.  I will correct them tomorrow morning and enter the grades on the Achieve site.  When students were done, they began an "Alien Quest", looking for countries based on their coordinates.  This was very difficult, and we will practice it.  The most important part of this activity is teamwork!!!

Team Sports and Competitive Choir was followed by minicourse, which all involved enjoyed.

Have a great weekend.

5 September 2013

This morning we focused on longitude and latitude in the game "Hangman".  We reviewed declarative, imperative, exclamatory, and interrogative sentences, IN PREPARATION OF TOMORROWS LANGUAGE ARTS QUIZ.

Students practiced their cursive "B".

We learned that houses must be built on owned property.  They are planned and designed, with every detail on paper before the house is begun.  We compared this to writing stories.  Yesterday we brainstormed ideas.  Today we worked hard on organizing beginnings, middles, and ending.  Students love Writer's Workshop!

HOMEWORK IS READING 30 MINUTES.

In Math, we learned how to multiply two digit numbers mentally.  2 x 3T3 = (2 x 3T) + (2 x 3)=6T6=66.
We worked a lot with blocks and place value strips.  Tomorrow we will review division and learn a new way to divide.  Next week we will begin the workbooks.  HOMEWORK IS A WORKSHEET DUE TOMORROW.

After lunch, Foreign Language, Art, Music, and Technology, we met for Social Studies and drew latitudinal and longitudinal lines on watermelons, showing degrees, equator, Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn, the poles, and the earth's four corners (E,W, N, S).  Then we got to cut the watermelon into latitudinal and longitudinal slices and enjoy it!  TOMORROW IS THE TEST ON THE 29 COUNTIES OF UTAH.  There are online resources and maps that your child could study from.

To top it off, students got to choose minicourses.  It promises to be a fun day tomorrow!

4 September 2013

This morning we organized desks and began with a number teaser.  It went like this:

3 4 7 1 1 1 8 2 9 ?

The answer was 4.  Can you get it?

We worked on cursive A. We also did our spelling sort using shaving cream as our activity.  Mrs. Kirsch joined us for Writer's Workshop, where students took one of their ideas and brainstormed bullet lists to help them organize stories later.  HOMEWORK IS TO READ FOR 30 MINUTES.

In math we reviewed Place Value subtraction and worked like crazy on Place Value addition.  THERE IS A HOMEWORK SHEET THAT IS DUE TOMORROW.  Below is an example:

                     3T4 + 6T3 = 9T7 =97               or               5T2 + 5T3 = 10T5 = 1H5 = 105

                     or 4H8T9 + 3H3T1 = 7H11T1T = 8H1T1T = 8H2T = 820

We are working the problems like this so students can eventually add 489 + 331 mentally.  We have to slow down now, so we can speed up later.

After lunch, students went to Drama and Music.  They next had Student Development, which covers a number of subjects (7 Habits, 8 Multiple Intelligences, Parts of Health, Body Systems, Type III Projects, etc.)  We divided an outlined body into four parts and talked about the physical, mental, social-emotional, and spiritual parts of us that make us whole.  We broke each area down to parts and then discussed how each contributed to the well-being of the whole.

Students then had P.E. and Science.

DON'T FORGET TO STUDY FOR THE COUNTIES TEST ON FRIDAY!!!

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013

This morning we used Yes/No questioning and our talking stick to find clues to S.C., written on the board.  Impressive!  It took little more than 10 minutes for students to determine "Santa Claus" was the answer.  We then wrote in our journals, recording the number of words written, reviewed types of sentences and wrote our own for a class story tomorrow:

Declarative
Imperative
Interrogative
Exclamatory

We started spelling activities with word sorts.  This week the spelling will be completely in-class.  Next week it will be coming home daily.

For reading, we learned about predicting and wrote predictions for the story, "The Little Dipper". 

HOMEWORK IS TO READ FOR 30 MINUTES.

Math was fun.  We worked with groups of tens (T) and renamed numbers.  For example, 3T7 is 3 Ten 7, or 37.  Renaming numbers to their place value helps students be able to accomplish mental math.  H is hundred, and so on.  We also learned how to subtract using number bonding.  A MATH WORKSHEET WENT HOME!!!  DUE TOMORROW!!!

After Foreign Language, Art, Yoga/Karate, and Technology, students learned the location of Utah using latitude and longitude, East and West, Degrees, and hemispheres.  They studied the counties in an outside race and double-dare. All students took home a study sheet today.  Please review the counties with your child.  STUDENTS WILL BE TAKING A TEST ON THE 29 COUNTIES OF UTAH ON FRIDAY.  A good place to study is:

http://www.ilovehistory.utah.gov/place/counties/counties.html

August 30th, 2013

THANK YOU TO ALL THE DRIVERS TODAY!!!

This morning we played a logic game called "In and Out".  Words with double letters are "in" and words with no double letters are "out".  I didn't share the rule, but some of the kids caught on quickly.  Play this at home.  It will help their spelling!

We wrote all the cursive letters for further analysis and comparison at the end of the year. We identified the three Article Adjectives (we call them Articles): a, the, an.

Next, we worked on our genre posters and read samples of various genre.  STUDENTS SHOULD BE READING FOR THIRTY MINUTES EACH DAY.

We also considered some ideas for writing our own stories.

MATH HOMEWORK IS GOING ONLINE TO google, AND TYPING IN NUMBER BOND ONLINE GAMES.  THE mathplayground.com SELECTION IS THE SECOND ON THE LIST.  IT IS A GOOD REVIEW OF NUMBERS THAT MAKE 100.  IF YOU CAN'T FIND IT, THE WEBSITE IS:
http://www.mathplayground.com/PartPartWhole.html

After recess we attended the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival, where we enjoyed stories about trouble, slavery, mythology, and identity.  The students were well-behaved.  We will use these stories as a springboard for writing our stories.

Students chose between Team Sports and Competition Choir, were introduced to Mini-courses, and spent a wonderful time using the Science/Naturalist multiple intelligence to create their own topographical Utah maps to eat.  We learned:

Rocky Mountains
Wasatch Range
Uintah Range
Bear Lake
Great Salt Lake
Utah Lake
Strawberry Reservoir
Lake Powell
Lake Sevier (dry lake)
Flaming Gorge Reservoir

Have a great Looooooooonnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggg Weekend!  See you Tuesday!

Field trip tomorrow and Today's work

TOMORROW IS THE FIELD TRIP TO THE TIMPANOGOS STORYTELLING FESTIVAL.  STUDENTS SHOULD WEAR THEIR BLUE ARCHES ACADEMY SHIRT AND JEANS OR UNIFORM PANTS, SKIRT, ETC.  THEY SHOULD ALSO BRING A SACK LUNCH, AS WE WILL BE GONE FROM SCHOOL DURING THE NORMAL LUNCH HOUR.

IF YOU ARE DRIVING, PLEASE BE AT THE SCHOOL AT 10:20.

This morning we practiced a logic problem, did a spelling assessment, and worked on adjectives and adverbs in grammar.  We continued running records for reading fluency and spent time in Structured Independent Reading.  Students visualized a part of their reading.  We then discussed genre.  HOMEWORK IS ALWAYS 30 MINUTES READING. Students will create posters of their genre, but I forgot to hand out the poster board!

Math reviewed mental addition up to the thousands.  We then worked more on the placement tests.  Over the weekend the teachers and I will meet to place students in appropriate levels. MATH HOMEWORK WAS A BONDING SHEET TO 100.

After a busy afternoon, we worked on the verbal intelligence by creating a very short story of the inside counties of Utah.  Students are learning how to mesh creativity with logic and words.  We will have a test identifying the counties soon.  HOMEWORK WAS TO FINISH WRITING THE STORY.

August 28, 2013

CAN ANYONE DRIVE US FRIDAY MORNING AT 10:25 (10 MINUTES AWAY) AND PICK US UP AFTERWARD (12:30ISH)???

Students began the day with procedural safety drills.  We reviewed fire, earthquake and terrorist drills.  Some students shared what they had learned about the origin of their county names.  PARENTS SHOULD BE SIGNING THE HOMEWORK BOOK DAILY.  We also created a Reading Strategies booklet to refer to as we prepare for Literature Circles, or Book Clubs.  Today we listened to the Book of Virtues story "Please".  Students practiced the visualization strategy.  HOMEWORK IS 30 MINUTES OF READING!

In math we reviewed number bonding concepts using connect cubes.We are reviewing place value using "T" as the symbol for tens.  Example: 100 = 4T and 6T.  100 = 3T5 and 6T5.  10T = 1H (hundred).  Students then progressed in placement tests.  These are designed to be very difficult.  They show student thought processes, basic facts, problem solving methods, etc, that the children use.  We will use the results of these tests to place students appropriately in Singapore levels.  HOMEWORK IS TO COMPLETE THE MULTIPLICATION CHART.

After lunch students had Drama and Music.  They then came to me for Personal Development.  This is a neat class structured to help students grow mentally, physically, socially, etc.  It will encompass the 7-Habits, study skills, health habits, careers, news events/opinions, learning theory (multiple intelligences and Bloom's taxonomy), as well as giving us time to delve into personal interests in Type III projects.  Today we had an overview of the 8 ways people are smart.  We used logic smarts and verbal smarts to memorize counties, experimenting with which method was our personal favorite.  The students were so well-behaved they earned a recess!  HOMEWORK IS TO GOOGLE "ONLINE GAMES UTAH COUNTIES".  PRACTICE IDENTIFYING COUNTIES.

Students will finish with P.E. and Science.

New School Year!

What a great day we had!  Students got to know each other, played math games and began the placement tests, and learned about counties in Utah.

HOMEWORK:
Read 30 minutes.
multiplication.com (oops...guess we need a password now...I'll send home other websites)
Find out how your county got its name.

NOTE:
Fieldtrip opportunity Friday to Timpanogos Storytelling Festival.  CAN YOU DRIVE?  Call the school at 801 374-5480 or send me an email.