December 18, 2009
Dear Parents,
What a great week! The students had a blast with their gingerbread houses today. Thank you all for contributing and making that happen. I also received many little gifts and a great big one from you all--THANK YOU! I appreciate all the holiday well wishes.
Over the break, students have a few Saxon lessons and reading for the author study book report (sign p for authors is on the website and due by 12/25). The book report is posted and I handed it out today to the students. For Saxon:
Book 54: up to and including 54
Book 65: up to and including 59 or 114
Book 76: up to and including 114
Have a wonderful break! Thanks again!
Christy
December 14, 2009
Dear Parents,
We're in the final stretch! It's busy week: work hard-play hard. If you can bring items for the icing: powdered sugar, meringue powder, icing bags, please bring them tomorrow. All other items will be used Friday. Tomorrow we are going to Shamrock Farms. IPlease return your permission slip and encourage your child to dress warmly. Students will bring there lunches and water bottles.
The students desperately want to adopt a bunny for our class. One of the students in Amy's class has baby bunnies and has offered one to our class for $20. We also need a cage $75 (unless we can find one on Craig's List), food and accessories $25. We also need a home for the bunny over the summer. When those things are in place, I will say "yes". We have a bunny donation box for the students to bring in change and a sign-up on lthe website. I hate asking for anything else and it won't happen until after the break, but I also want to support the students with their "big plan". Please check out the sign up.
Sincerely,
Christy
December 11, 2009 Happy Hanukkah!
Dear Parents,
Thank you to everyone for meeting with me for parent-teacher conferences. We ad 100%, which is such a nice reflection of our classroom community. Thank you so much to Michelle and Louis Bermudes for the latke party today and to Calvin Terrell for the powerful activity. The students were very moved by the presentation. There is a related weekend writing task. Actually, we are starting the "This I Believe" project I mentioned at the parent orientation which helps children identify their personal identity. Next week, we have: Monday: 6th graders going to Sojourner Center and Burton Barr Library Tuesday: a trip to Shamrock Farms (Dress warm!) Tuesday: Icing Party at night for Parents willing to make icing for the gingerbread houses Friday: (morning and afternoon times): Gingerbread House Construction and traditional school work and lessons.
Christy
December 9, 2009
Dear Parents,
It's been great meeting with all of you for conferences-- a bit of a whirlwind. The next two weeks is VERY BUSY with field trips, speakers, crafts, and class work. We do not have spelling this week (with missing Tuesday and a half day Monday there was no way). We do have big math lessons, writing, and cultural. The cultural contract will come home on Friday for your signature along with cycle work. There are a few sign-ups the website: Latke Making: Items needed and volunteers needed Gingerbread House Construction: Items needed and *volunteers needed * For the gingerbread house construction, we need 60 bags of icing made. This is an enormous task and there are two ways we can do it. Either we can do it at school on Wednesday the 16th with student helpers or Shannon (teacher) is hosting a icing party for E2 on Tuesday (12/15) night at her house. Either way, I could really use some help with this task. The students really love to do this project and it's worth it :) Please email me and let me know if you can help. Thanks!
Christy
December 5, 2009
Dear Parents,
There is no weekend writing task this weekend; however, many students have cultural work to finish up. We did not send a progress report on Friday due to parent-teacher conferences. Thanks, Christy
December 3, 2009 Dear Parents, I'm guessing you have already heard...I'm expecting a baby this summer. My due date is July 27, 2010. Chris and I are thrilled. I'll see you all in the coming days at the conferences!
Christy
November 29, 2009
Dear Parents,
It's cultural catchup week! We will not have wordly wise spelling, but a few cultural vocabulary activities and a vocabulary test in class. children are not required to study at home, but they will likely have cultural projects to complete. All cultural work for the cycle is due Friday. Students have had 5 weeks with these works and I'm looking forward to some fabulous projects. Please sign up for conferences on the website or email me if you are having trouble. I have a few spots on Friday I would love to get filled up. It's very difficult for me to find that kind of time outside of the conference days to meet. I look forward to seeing all of you!
Thanks,
Christy
November 27, 2009 Happy Thanksgiving !
Dear Parents,
It was a great week. A few students had a few things to finish over the break. Please check out the work plan for highlighted items(on yellow paper). Three Saxon lessons are due Monday, but many children traded items for Saxon 1/2 passes at Barter Day. I did not assign weekend writing. Have a nice break!
Christy
November 23, 2009
Dear Parents, It's a short, busy week: work hard-play hard. Wednesday is our class pot luck and Barter Day (scroll down for more info on Barter Day). Please sign up to bring an item for the pot luck if you can. Today, tomorrow and Wednesday morning we will have business and lessons as usual. We will check work off daily and send home a basic progress report on Wednesday. We will have the spelling test on Lesson 7 Wednesday. I'm seeing some amazing Flat Stanley results coming into the classroom! I've seen photos, notes, emails, and even a self-published book documenting all of our Flat Stanley adventures. f you hear anything from friends or relatives, please ask your child to bring it into share and post in the classroom. Homework for this week is Saxon, spelling, and reading nightly. Students can take a break from Study Island, but will need to complete Saxon lessons over the break. Conference sign-ups are posted. Happy Thanksgiving and thank you for all that you share with me! Christy
P.S. New Saxon books went home today for those in need
November 20, 2009
Dear Parents, We had a very successful work week. Most students completed their contract on time. I suggested to students that did not have a healthy start on cultural work to copy a few items, gather research, and complete items at home this weekend. Next week is "orange week": the fourth week in our cycle. We will have a short, action packed week with lessons and worktime on Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday is our feast and Barter Day. Please sign up to bring something if you can. I'm also open to other ideas for items to bring . This weekend there is a writing assignment. Today we had a lesson on expository writing and the recipe for an essay. Rough drafts are due Monday along with any weekend work. The work plan should also be returned Monday. The first Saxon test is also attached to the work plan.
Thanks,
Christy