January 30, 2014

Homework:
Math Sheet #63
Progress Report Signature
Acceptable Use Agreement Signature

Today's Highlights:

We had our awards assembly today for December and January. Look at our wonderful kids!  

Reminders:

John Halligan assembly next Tuesday. Fairfield spirit day tomorrow. 

January 29, 2014

Homework:
Math sheet 62
CNN due tomorrow
Acceptable Use Agreement needs to be reviewed and signed
Progress Report Signature

Today's Highlights:

The students made multiplying decimals make sense today!  Ask them what you get when you multiply 10ths by 10ths and 10ths by 100ths.  Tomorrow they will complete a Gizmo on multiplying decimals using the area model.  http://www.explorelearning.com/ This is the website for the Gizmos.  You can explore and try some out without having an account or have your child go on his or her account.  The posters shown are the Best Practices for teaching math.  We want our students to use these practices on a daily basis.  The multiplying decimals lesson, without immediately teaching the traditional algorithm, is an example of constructing viable arguments and critiquing the reasoning of others.  It also required the students to look for and make use of structure.

Reminders:
Dress Like A Coach tomorrow for Souper Bowl Spirit Week
Bring in soup or a canned good!
The John Halligan assembly is next Tuesday.  There was a mailing that went home explaining this to you.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

January 28, 2014

Homework:
Math sheet #61
CNN Student News Question set-Due Thursday
Reading Log
Today's Highlights:

We have spent many days talking about how to multiply decimals without knowing the "traditional" way of multiplying decimals.  Today we were able to "throw out" a strategy of lining up the decimals to multiply them.  Students were asked to think about the 2 problems in the photo.  Are they the same problem?  Why or why not?

Reminders:
Spirit Day tomorrow:  Dress in the colors of the Broncos or Seahawks.
Bring in a can of soup for Souperbowl Week (canned goods are absolutely okay, any non-perishable item will do)  Sign the progress report if you have not seen it yet.  Clothing/outerwear for cross country skiing!

January 27, 2014

Homework:

Math: Sheet #60

Reading Log due tomorrow

Signed progress report returned

Today's Highlights:

We are starting new units in social studies and science.  Today the students received the book they are to read as part of our Project Sweet Talk unit. We are using Sugaring Time and Maple Sugarin' In Vermont.  Joanna Jerose is in the process of contacting sugarers to interview and arranging for us to visit Cecile and Tom Branon's sugar house.   We will have our celebration for Project Sweet Talk in the spring as part of the school's Fairfield turns 250 celebration.  In science we are studying Magnets and Motors.  This is a very hands on unit that the kids love.

Reminders:

The students need snow pants for cross country skiing.  We have gym on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. They also need mittens/gloves and a hat or hood.  Please email me if your son or daughter needs any clothing.  Progress reports went home on Friday.  Please sign the second page and return.  This is a direct print out from PowerSchool that you can access on your own at any time  through your account.  If you do not have an account yet and you want one please contact me so I can send home the information again.  

January 23, 2014

Homework:
Sheet 59 for math
Reading Log
CNN was due today

Highlights for today:
Today was a quiet day and the students were on task and well behaved.  Erin's MRI was clear and she can start skating again!  She will have to work hard in PT to strengthen her legs and knees.

Reminders:
Notes for change of plans, as always..... but this class is real good about that.  Dressing for weather!  I know it's a fight with middle school kids, but as long as they have gloves and hats in the backpacks that would be great!
The video for ROAR is going to go on youtube. I just want to make sure that you all know that.  We will have it done by next Friday and it will debut after the John Halligan presentation.

January 22, 2014

Happy Birthday to my Dad!  73 years young!
Homework:
Math Sheet #58
Reading Log
CNN student news question set due
Today's Highlights:
We started updating our e-portfolios today.  A copy of the goal page will be sent home with your child's progress, probably on Friday.
Reminders:
I am out tomorrow morning to find out the results of Erin's MRI, she has been off the ice for weeks!  I will be in school by 11:30.  Judy Magnan will be in for me.

January 21, 2014

Homework:
Math- Sheet # 57
Reading Log
Social Studies-CNN student news question set, due Thursday

Today's Highlights:
We started planning for our class video.  If you have not given permission for your child to be in an online video, and you want him or her to take part in this project, please send in a note saying you have given permission.

Reminders: Progress Reports are going home this week.

January 16, 2014

Homework:
Reading Log
Science: Quiz, diagram a solar and lunar eclipse including the penumbra and umbra.
Today's Highlights:
Still working on our videos!

Reminders:  NO school on Monday!

January 13, 2014

Homework
NO math, copy machine was broken
Reading log due tomorrow
Finish eclipse assignment if you haven't finished it yet
Today's Highlights
We continued working on videos that we are creating on the mini ipads.  We have a total of 6 now with 1 large ipad.  The kids are having fun!  Next week we will create a class video to the song "Roar" by Katy Perry.  The theme is kindness, acceptance, and tolerance.
We are wrapping up our division of fractions unit and will begin a unit on Ratios and Proportions.
Reminders
Please remember to send in a note for any change of plans.

January 8, 2014

 Homework 

Math sheet 5

Reading Log

Book Project due Friday

Today's Highlights

Ask your child about the videos they are making and why we are making them. I talked to the kids today about having a guest teacher tomorrow (substitute) and the expectations I have for their behavior. I explained that tomorrow they are having company and need to be very respectful.

****Sorry this is so late. I had a meeting until 4:15 and then Erin's hockey game at 5:30. I am doing the blog at the rink on my phone--what did we do without technology? We just scored... Go Comets!

January 7, 2014 #2

I think I can post the video now.  I took the video on my phone and tried to get it on youtube.  After a half hour I gave up.  Tonight I did the same exact thing I did after school and it worked the first time. Go figure!  It is an example of kids having fun while learning and collaborating with one another.  They are teaching themselves how to use imovie.

January 7, 2013

Homework:

Math sheet 54

Book Project due Friday

Reading Log

No CNN

Today's Highlights:

I have been trying to share a video of kids working on Video Star today.  We had 8 ipads that groups worked with to learn how to make videos.  The video sharing isn't working so I will try again tomorrow.  Usually I upload it to youtube and then share on the blog, but not today!  I don't know why.  The kids made great videos.  We had a lot of fun and will continue to do it tomorrow.  We finished the movie.  It was so great!  I want to watch it again with them.  I'm sure they missed some things and it would be great to stop it and discuss scenes next time.

Reminders:

None that I can think of today.

January 6, 2014

Homework:
Math-Sheet #53
Reading-Project due this Friday

Today's Highlights:
We went to an assembly today and found out that Mrs. Pigeon was chosen as teacher of the year for Vermont by the Veterans' of Foriegn Affairs.  She is so well deserving of this.  I am lucky to have been able to teach with her when I taught 3rd grade.  We watched Remember the Titans and will finish it tomorrow morning.  The kids are enjoying it and we will talk about it tomorrow once we finish it.  We received 3 new ipad minis today!!!!! We now have one ipad for every 4-5 students.  Tomorrow the students will "play" with imovie to get us ready for our video that we are going to make about kindness and tolerance.



Reminders:
Book projects due this Friday.

January 2, 2014

~Happy 2014~

Homework:
A note that says you can watch "Remember the Titans" and "The Blindside".
Book projects are due next Friday, January 10th.  We spent most of the day starting these and working on them.  Time tomorrow will be given also, but not as much as today.
Today's Highlights:
We reviewed the rubric for this project. Here is the link for a copy-
https://docs.google.com/a/fcsuvt.org/document/d/1ZoWRdSt_MDkGAQ_opG0GYX4hRu3OZcJTNipsEI0qWZo/edit
Reminders:
Permission to watch the movies and book projects due next week.