Blogging Buddies: Music

Music is important and this is why.  One reason is almost anybody can learn it.  Another reason is you can make your own music in different ways.  You can use other instruments and by singing.  Instruments are a part of music, too.  There are other types of music like jazz, hip hop, classical, opera, instrumental, and gospel.  Music can give you patience.  This is why music should be our homework because you can express yourself.  How does music help you?  How many syllables are in “instruments”?

3rd Grade:  Kayla, Yeala, Nick
2nd Grade:  Brian, Grace, Karisse, Cailie

Blogging Buddies: Art

Art is good for you.  Art shows your creative skills.  You can use your imagination in various ways.  It is also a fun way to entertain yourself.  You can learn a lot from art.  One skill you can learn from art is to draw.  Painting is another skill you can learn.  Expressing yourself through art is a great way to show your feelings.  You can also demonstrate what you learned in science and social studies by drawing symbols or life cycles.  Making a diorama combines art and knowledge.  These are reasons why we should have art as homework.  What do you think you can learn from art?  How does art help you with creative skills?

3rd Grade:  Kaitlin, Bryan, Clarissa
2nd Grade:  Malia

Blogging Buddies: Sports

Sports are a very good source of physical education.
Fact 1:  Sports help you lose weight.
Fact 2:  Sports help you release stress.
Fact 3:  Sports help you get fit and healthy.
Fact 4:  A reason kids should play sports is so they can have fun.
Fact 5:  Sports can help you legs and hands learn to move quickly.
Fact 6:  You can learn to be cooperative with the team.

Sports can help you concentrate.  For example, you have to concentrate on the ball in basketball so you can score properly.  In every sport you have to run.  In every sport you can get to know new people.  In some sports you can get power and energy.  When I go to the gym, I run two laps to start my day.  It is good for you to play.  There are many kinds of sports like soccer, basketball, gymnastics and many more. What kind of sports do you like?

3rd Grade:  Deborah, Hamza, Aniket, Noe, Alexis, Devine
2nd Grade:  Sophia, Zaire, Jayden V

Blogging Buddies: Wild Animals

There are many kinds of wild animals that are important to us. For example, the Arctic wolf is fascinating. In the winter it turns white. It also howls at the full moon at night. Another example is the cheetah. It is the fastest animal on Earth. Studying animals is good for homework so we can learn to save some endangered animals. It also helps the people who want to become scientists or veterinarians. It is important to understand animal lifecycles and their habitats so we keep the world healthy for everyone. That is why learning about wild animals is important to us. What facts have you learned about wild animals?

3rd Grade: Jaelyn, Cristian, Adia
2nd Grade: Bela, Zoe, Jaden O, Isabella

Blogging Buddies: Video Games

Video games are important. One reason is they can teach you new things. For example, Terraria can teach you that when you mix sand with fire you get glass. In some video games, it makes you think harder. Using your brain to create is good because you can learn how to make real life things. Another reason is that you can use your imagination. As in Lego City, you can create trains, hotels, or houses. This is why video games should be our homework. These are some of the reasons why video games are educational. What video games do you play? What kind of video game system do you use, X-Box, Play Station, iPad, iPhone, Wii U, or Wii?

3rd Grade: Frank, Kris, Vincent
2nd Grade: James, Yaseen, Aidan, Oscar, Sufian

Blogging Buddies: Rainbow Loom

We like Rainbow Loom and this is why. First, we like Rainbow Loom because you can make bracelets and charms. We also like Rainbow Loom because you can make different designs. The last example is that we learn new skills. The kinds of skills we are learning are how to place and loop to make new designs. In conclusion, Rainbow Loom is a fun activity for adults and kids alike. We asked our classmates about their favorite bracelet designs. Here are the results:

Starburst 10          Ladder 1
Taffy Twist 1         Links and Knots 2
Fishtail 1                Truffela Twins 2
Sailor’s Pinstripe 3
Have you tried to make a Rainbow Loom bracelet? Rainbow Loom is fun and we know you will like it.

3rd Grade: Natalia, William
2nd Grade: Alisha, Meher, Samantha

Blogging Buddies: Minecraft

Minecraft is the best game ever!  In Minecraft you can go on adventures.  For example, you can make a portal and go the nether or the end.  Another thing you can do in Minecraft is tame cats and dogs.  You can tame an animal with a bone and raw fish.  You can also go fishing but first you have to craft a fishing rod and a boat.  Minecraft is a good game because you can learn about animals.  This is why Minecraft should be our homework.  What would you do if you were new at playing Minecraft?

3rd Grade: Paul, Ryan, Thomas, Lucas
2nd Grade: Justin, Charles, Taison, Jayden J

Reading Counts!

SRCThe following is an incomplete list of book titles that we discovered at storyline online.net that have a Reading Counts quiz.  Students can read these books on their own or listen to them on storylineonline.net and then take the quiz here at school.  It has been a challenge to find a way to get everyone some computer time to take the quizzes.  So it is no problem to stay after school in our class or the computer lab to take a quiz.  Just let me know and plan to stay with your student.  It only takes a few minutes to do a quiz.

A Bad Case of Stripes           Harry the Dirty Dog          Rainbow Fish          I Need My Monster          Guji Guji          Brave Irene          Sophie’s Masterpiece          Library Lion          Stellaluna          Chester’s Way          Sebastian’s Roller Skates          White Socks Only          Enemy Pie          Somebody Likes You, Mr. Hatch          The Night I Followed the Dog          Knots on a Counting Rope          Thank You, Mr. Falker

Yesterday our class had 1,286 points.  Today we have 1, 361 points.  How many points did we earn during our computer lab time?  Figure it out and bring your answer to school tomorrow.  There will be a small prize for every student that gets it correct.  No help allowed, please!

Mrs. P.

Westward Ho!

Wagon_trainWe will be a launching our study of the Pioneers and the Westward Movement next week.  I always have a grand time teaching this unit.  It is a remarkable period of our nation’s history.

As a special introduction to this unit, I scheduled another video conference about the Gold Rush and Pioneers. I have been assured that the video connection problems have been resolved so I am game to try it again.  Keep your fingers crossed for June 4th!

Mrs. P