Oh my goodness! Our Harvest Celebration was tremendous fun. We had lots of treats to eat and crafts to complete. I could not have done it without the brave volunteers who spent the day with us. Hats off to Vivian’s mom, Jaleesa’s dad, Anika’s mom, and Makaela’s mom. You are wonderful! Photos will be posted soon on our photoblog.
Mrs. P
Here’s a few quotes from our class today.
Today was special because we got to weigh a pumpkin and count the seeds. Lynette
Today was special because we got to count seeds with our buddies. Brandyn
Today was special because we got to eat pumpkin seeds and pumpkin pie. Daniel
Today was special because I got to hold a heavy pumpkin. Vivian
Today was special because we made pumpkin faces. Nnaemeka
Check our Twitter feed or Shutterfly for some pictures of the activities.
It’s time to schedule conferences! Look for the sign-up lists outside our classroom door. Don’t be shy! I just love this part of my job.
Mrs. P
If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend, head on over to Elk Grove Park for the Giant Pumpkin Festival this Saturday and Sunday between 10 AM and 5 PM. The Pumpkin Regatta is my favorite event. Of course, the giant pumpkins are very impressive and you can even get some of their seeds to grown your own humongous gourd. Be sure and stop by the Elk Grove teachers’ booth for some free games to play. You might even see me there!
Here’s the link for more information:
http://yourcsd.com/pumpkinfestival/
Mrs. P 😀
Library books are due on Monday.
We are going to Fog Willow Farm on Tuesday.
The Jog-A-Thon is on Wednesday. Wear tennis shoes for running! Please send in your pledges this week. The money will be used to purchase new PE equipment. FYI: Our turn to run will take place between 9:30 AM- 10:00 AM. Parent helpers are needed.
Homework and Folders are due on Thursday.
Minimum Day is on Friday. (All Kindergartners come for the morning session. Our schedule does not change.) We will spend part of the day with our 4th/5th grade buddies working on a special project.
We were all sooo ready to head to the pumpkin patch, but the rain came down, down, down. We have rescheduled the trip for Tuesday, September 30th. I expect some chaperones will not be able to take an additional day off, but maybe some others will become available. Please let me know if you are one who will accompany us on Tuesday.
A huge THANK YOU is going out to all those parents who stuck around and helped with picture day. As far as I could tell, everyone brought their best smile this morning.
Mrs. P 😀
Looking for some ways to help in class or at home? Read on!
The take-home work is on the counter next to the door. Just pick up a project and bring it back in a day or so. A sample or directions will be included.
In class help has many options. For example:
Mondays- collect library books from students
Daily- put notices in student cubbies
Weekly- lead a small group activity; sharpen pencils
Monthly- check in student homework; prep new homework packets
Occasionally- assist with special art, science, or technology projects; be a guest reader (or listener)
Here are some in-class projects that I have planned:
O.R.E.O cookie project- we’ll be stacking, measuring, and graphing Oreo cookies in a nationwide project.
Symbolic Monarch Migration- we’ll be decorating paper butterflies and sending them to children in Mexico as we learn about migration.
Tulip Garden- we’ll be planting tulip bulbs and comparing our observations with other classes around the world through Journey North.
Donations needed: Oreos (4 packages); tulip bulbs (24 or more); potting soil and a barrel.
There are many more projects in the works, including Twitter and Skpe; but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself. Let’s just say that you will be amazed and eager to join us.
On Thursday the 25th we will be taking our first field trip. We are heading to the pumpkin patch at Fog Willow Farm in Wilton. The bus will be leaving at 8:30 AM and we plan to return at 11:00 AM. The cost is $10 per student and $4 per chaperone. Chaperones will need to drive in their own vehicles since the bus will be full of students.
A few students have not yet turned in permission forms. I will not be able to accept them after Tuesday, the 23rd. If your child will not be attending, just let me know.
You may have noticed that Picture Day is also on the 25th. So, I have arranged for our class to be first in line for photos. If you would like your child to change from “picture” clothes to “field trip” clothes, please let me know and send them in a clearly labeled bag. I will do my best to make sure clothing changes take place. If you are able to stay and assist, I would be very thankful.
Mrs. P
Howdy!
Our travels to the Western Territories were less than treacherous and more than exuberant! I overheard many students say, “This is HARD, but it’s so FUN! Our pioneer spirit was challenged and encouraged throughout the day as we attempted to craft and play just as thousands of pioneer children did on the Oregon Trail in the 1840s.
Thank you to our many volunteers who participated before, during, and after the event. I could not do this without you. You have created a memory that will be treasured by every child who joined us. I hope you enjoyed yourself, too.
The photos have been posted to our Shutterfly account. You can order prints or even create a photobook from there. Just click on our Photoblog tab and follow the instructions. I will resend our password in an email, in case you have misplaced it.
Our second day of digital learning was a WHOLE lot of fun! It was the first time I declared a BYOD event and it was tremendous. Eighteen students brought their own device so we had non-stop opportunities to share and learn some of the latest games and apps around. A HUGE draw was Minecraft. We set up Mrs. Petuya’s World and started building. There is an art gallery, a fossil museum, and a roller coaster so far. So many students were able to be the teacher and really get me off to a great start on this impressive game. There is so much knowledge embedded in this popular game, that you can’t help but absorb facts and learn to make better decisions as you create your world. I am looking forward to playing it often. We also found out about an app called 2048. You will definitely learn your doubles facts and some programming basics as you play. Another thoroughly engaging app is Video Star. Several students collaborated and created an adorable little music video to go with a song called “I Heart Hand Signs”. It will soon be posted on my YouTube Channel if you would like to watch it. I will email you the link so you can easily find it.
I wish we had enough time left in the school year to do it again. Many teachers at Carroll are very curious about what we have been creating with technology in our classroom this year. So I suspect that my students will have more opportunities for BYOD, blogging, and making movies in the future.
Mrs. P.
