Wednesday, February 27, 2013

This morning, the school had an assembly to recognize the middle schoolers who competed at LEST.  This afternoon, the students worked on the Reader's Theaters they will present at Chenoweth House!  In Science, we talked about gravity and weight. 

Silverwood reading forms are due tomorrow!  The spelling and memory tests are tomorrow!

Homework for today is...
Read Leah's Pony during 20 minutes of reading
Spelling worksheet p. 79-80

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

In Christian Studies, we read about God speaking to Samuel as a boy and ways that God speaks to us.  In Math, we continued working on multiplying by nine.  This afternoon, we discussed facts and opinions.  The students looked for examples as they read Leah's Pony, which is a historical fiction story that takes place during the Dust Bowl.  I gave the students some information about the Dust Bowl and showed them some pictures from that time.  In Science, we talked about forces.  In Music, I played the song The Four Seasons: Spring and had the students draw a picture of what the song made them think of.  They are really creative with coming up with a story that goes with the song! 

Tonight is Re-Enrollment Night at 6:30.  Students can bring a game or puzzle to do with others in our classroom!  They can wear free dress or pajamas. 

Friday is Grandparent's Day!  Let me know if your child won't have someone to spend the day with them so I can pair them up with someone.

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (Lesson 5-6)

Monday, February 25, 2013

This morning, we worked on multiplying by nine.  We wrote all the facts in order and talked about the patterns and some tricks you can use to figure out the answer to a x9 fact.  We reviewed how to use a related fact to help you solve a multiplication fact.  In Social Studies, we did a review of the 50 states and shared information about what we've learned about the Southwest Native Americans. 

This afternoon, we started talking about action verbs.  Our spelling words this week are all compound words.  In Art, we listened to the song "An American in Paris" and came up with a picture of what it makes of think of.  We took a look at the painting Avenue du Bois and pointed out which parts of the painting match parts of the song. 

A note is coming home about a second field trip to Chenoweth House.  If you are interested in driving, fill out and return the bottom part of the note.  A note about Family Fun Night is coming home today too! 

Re-Enrollment Night is tomorrow at 6:30.  Third graders can bring a game to play in our classroom during that time!  Friday is Grandparent's Day.  Let me know if your child doesn't have a grandparent (or someone to act as one) so I can make sure they will be paired up with someone! 

Homework for today is to read for 20 minutes and to get started working on the memory and spelling.  The tests will be on Thursday this week because of Grandparent's Day on Friday. 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Since we've learned almost all of our multiplication facts, I taught the students a review game called Three in a Row. They seemed to have a really fun time with it! It really made them use some algebra to figure out which factors would get them the product they wanted! In Social Studies, I read a book to the students about the Southwest Native Americans, and I shared some pictures from my trip to Mesa Verde National Park. This afternoon, we watched the fifth graders' D.A.R.E. graduation.

Class and individual pictures are coming home today if you ordered them, as well as hot lunch order forms. Some students have to finish the final drafts of their how-to paragraphs this weekend.

Family Fun Night is coming up on Friday, March 1st from 6-8pm. This year we our theme is Sports! Invite your friends, family and neighbors! With only 30 minutes of your time you can help make this family night another great success. Help is needed in several areas including games, ticket sales, food helpers, store helpers, and cleanup. Can you bake? We are also having a cake walk at Family Fun Night and we need cakes, cookies, pies, cupcakes, and other treats! Home-made or store bought, whole desserts, a dozen or half dozen items, all would be appreciated. We are also accepting candy donations at the office to be used for prizes.

This year for signing up to volunteer or bring a dessert for cakewalk we're using VolunteerSpot (the leading online signup and reminder tool). Please sign up for Family Fun Night - here's how it works in 3 easy steps:
1. Click this link to go to our invitation page on VolunteerSpot: http://vols.pt/RtvZDx
2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on VolunteerSpot)
3. Sign up! Choose your spots - VolunteerSpot will send you an automated confirmation and reminders. Easy!

Note: VolunteerSpot does not share your email address with anyone. If you prefer not to use your email address, please contact Jeanette Allwardt to be signed up manually.

Contact Jeanette Allwardt at:
jallwardt@gmail.com
396-5822
BLS Parents page on Face Book

Entry Ticket Prices: $5 per person, $20 per family, kids 2 and under are free. Entry includes dinner of 1 Kosher Hebrew National Sausage, chips, and a drink. Additional sausages can be purchased for $1.50 each.

Tickets:
$2 – 6 tickets
$5 – 17 tickets
$10 – 35 tickets
$20 – 75 tickets

Games: Silly String (4 tickets – other games are 1 ticket per play), Bowling, Butterfly Garden, Cakewalk, Fishing Pond, Football Bean Bag Toss, Photobooth.

Free activity rooms include Stick Horse Racing, Coloring, Basketball and Golf, and the Movie room.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

This morning, we acted out the story of the ten lepers and talked about different kinds of prayers. We continued working on multiply by eight and solving word problems in Math. The students started doing research on the Southwest Native Americans. On Monday, the third through fifth graders can stay after school for activities with the staff from Lutherhaven until 4:00. On Tuesday, we have Re-Enrollment Night from 6:30 to 7:30. Students can come to the classroom during that time to play games. On Friday, we have a half day and Grandparent's Day! Homework for today is... Math worksheet (Lesson 5-5) Vocabulary p. 20 Adjectives p. 22

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

I hope everyone had a nice break!  I had a good time at LEST watching our middle schoolers do a great job in the competitions! 

This morning, we worked on multiplying by seven and solving problems by looking for a pattern.  This afternoon, we talked about adjectives that compare.  Our spelling words this week are all those kind of adjectives.  In Science, we continued our study of motion by talking about distance, direction, and speed.  We talked about distance and time being used to calculate speed.  In Art, we talked about another element of art:  texture.  The students came up with different adjectives that describe an object's texture.  Then they went around the room feeling and making rubbings of different textures.

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (Lesson 5-4)

Monday, February 11, 2013

In Math, we worked more on multiplying by six.  In Social Studies, we finished studying the Plains Native Americans.  This afternoon, I gave the students a spelling test over words we've already done this school year just for fun and review.  I started reading a story called The Prince's Poison Cup, which is an allegory of God's redemption story.  We worked on writing complete sentences to questions about the story. 

Homework for today is...
Math worksheet (Lesson 5-2)
Some students still need to choose a book for their next book project

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Today, the students started working on a couple reader's theaters that I am hoping to have them perform at our next visit to the Chenoweth House!  They are working on Jack and the Beanstalk and Aesop's Fables.  We started working with articles (a, an, the).  We went over that we use "a" before a word that starts with a consonant and "an" before a word that starts with a vowel.  In Science, we talked about different kinds of motion and things that make those kinds of motion.  We defined motion as a change in position. 

Homework for today is...
Read Lon Po Po during 20 minutes of reading
Choose book for next book project (due Monday)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

In Christian Studies, we talked about Conversation Hearts that are given on Valentine's Day.  We thought of some messages that we thought could be on Conversation Hearts if God were to give us some! 

In Math, I talked to the students about understanding what the story problems are about and what they are asking you figure out.  I've noticed some students taking whatever numbers they see and doing an operation with them without really thinking about what they are doing.  We did a couple problems from past homework assignments together so they could see what I meant. 

In Reading, the students compared and contrasted Lon Po Po and Little Red Riding Hood.  In Science, we started a new unit on forces and motion. 

Homework for today is...
Spelling p. 71-72

Monday, February 4, 2013

Today in Math, we worked on multiplying by three.  Students are bringing home array flashcards to start studying those today.  We finished our study of the Southeast Native Americans.  In Reading, I read Jack and the Beanstalk and Waynetta and the Cornstalk to the students and had them fill out a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting the two stories.  Tomorrow, the students will read Lon Po Po in their reading books and compare and contrast it to Little Red Riding Hood. 

A letter is coming home today about our Valentine party.  Let me know if you are interested in helping out with the party. 

P.E. Exercise Logs are coming home today.

Tomorrow, we will be taking our class picture.  Students should bring the order forms and money with them tomorrow if you are interested in purchasing pictures. 

Homework for today is...
Book project

Friday, February 1, 2013

The students got to build forts with their blankets, desks, and chairs, and then read inside them!  They also got to share the books they wrote with one another. 

Book projects are due on Tuesday!  Students should work on those this weekend if they haven't yet so they aren't doing it at the last minute! 

Valentine's Day is coming up!  We won't have school that day, but we'll have a Valentine's Day party on Wednesday, the 13th at 1:45 to the end of the day.  If you are interested in helping out with that, please let me know!  I'll be sending home a letter next week about bringing Valentines. 

We will be taking class pictures next week on Tuesday.  Picture order forms are coming home today.