12/2/2014

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break! I know I enjoyed relaxing with my family and eating yummy food. We have a lot of work to do in these three weeks and not a lot of time to complete it. Please be sure to look on Edmodo for the weeks homework.

New Sites

Don't freak out.... We are doing most of this project in class. However, some of the kids asked that I send home the website so they can work on it at home as well. Some, not all, are creating a Powtoon (www.powtoon.com) based on either Frederick Douglass or Susan B. Anthony. They are researching these two American hero's and adding the facts to their Powtoon or other project. They are working hard and are so excited! :)
Their userid is their lunch number and their password is their birthdate.
Also, you i-Ready ( https://login.i-ready.com/)  is now available for use at home. They have finished their benchmark testing and can now learn and earn game time.

Also, I have joined the twitter craze. Please follow me @mjsames. I will be "tweeting" fun things we are learning here in the classroom. Please let me know if you do not want your child's picture on twitter.

Oct. 27th

Red Ribbon Week
See below for the daily theme.

Hope you have all logged onto class dojo. It is an awesome website that gives you more insight than the score card. It will keep you up-to-date, via email with any behavior changes.

Please read each subject for helpful tips.

Assessments this week:
NONE! :)

10/23/14

ITBS testing will be finished tomorrow! Thank goodness. As a way to release stress please bring your children to Fall Family Fun Fest to blow off some steam. Bracelets are $15/each or $45/family.

Next week is Red Ribbon week: Monday: Bring a huggable stuffed animal
Tuesday: Wear a hat
Wednesday: Crazy socks
Thursday: favorite team shirt (Seahawks!!!)
Friday: Book character Dress Up Day

Short week

*Although it may be a short week it is jam-packed with learning and fun. Don't forget this Friday is "Dig It". It starts at 8:15. Be there or be square.

*Don't forget to complete homework every night. This includes reading for 30 minutes a day. They should have an AR reading log in their binder (if not there is extra in the classroom). On this sheet they will record what book they read and the score they received on their AR test. Please make sure they are reading good fit books. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfecFjBHfc8

*Family Fun Night at Morgan Falls Park- This is an event open to everyone.

Family Night -- Saturday, October 18th from 6:00pm - 9:00pm at the Saints Stadium!

Please come out and play with your park friends. It's a great event! We will have Jumpies, a DJ (10 year old DJ FACE from America's Got Talent), Punt Pass and Kick Games, Dance Contests, Bon Fire, TV TRUCK (to watch your favorite college games), Food and A LOT OF FUN!

Tickets are only $5 to get in per child. The food from American Roadhouse is sold separately!

Bring your family, a folding chair or blanket, and your Sandy Springs Spirit!

GO SSYS FALL FAMILY NIGHT!

 

*Next week is ITBS testing: Please be sure that your child gets enough sleep and a great breakfast in the morning.

 

*We have a TENTATIVE due date for the animal projects is Monday the 20th. However, this will probably be extended due to the Dig It rehearsals.

 

* Fall Festival night October 24 from 5-8! So excited to see you there! :)

9/23/14

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

The last couple weeks have been jam packed with learning. We are working on always doing our best. Something they should always ask themselves when completing an assignment is whether or not they tried their best.

9/12/14

Awesome week!
Don't forget to start your Tiger Trot-a-thon calendars. The blue pledge folders will be coming home Monday to start collecting money. Please keep your eye out for sign-ups for conferences. I know it's earlier than normal but I would like us to get started ASAP.

Upcoming...

I hope everyone had a great time at the Picnic. I know I did. :) Thanks to all that gave for our donor's choose we were funded for a 2nd iPad. The students will take their STAR reading and math test this week in the computer lab. Please be sure to talk to them about the importance of this test. Remember if you ever have any questions/concerns I'm an email away. Also, this Friday is Spirt day. Your child can wear their Spalding shirt and jeans.

1st week

Thank you so much for sending me this group of sweet, respectful, and hard-working student. I have to say this has been my smoothest 1st week of school EVER!!!!
We started working on Democracy and the Branches of Government this week. There is a great youtube rap that helps the kids remember (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt5K4ZK0ILY&list=PLNyOgK6CH0HUaPHfCRtD6nfCCmhmwU2wh&index=1 ).
In Reading, we started reading the book, "Because of Winn-Dixie". The kids have seemed to enjoy the beginning of the book. Next week we will also begin our Fairy Tale, Folktale, and Fable sections. The kids are supposed to be able to find the moral of the stories.
The All-Stars just finished their first major writing assignment. They wrote about what they did this summer. They began with brainstorming, then a rough draft, onto editing, and then their final copies were published. Next week, I will have some of them begin to type up their work and save it to an online portfolio.
Math we reviewed place value. We will start rounding sometime next week. They are focused on their xtramath practice and the growth I have already seen on there is wonderful. Don't forget if you were here last year your child should still have access to ixl.

Wish list:
Also, I have a couple projects posted on Donor's choose. If you could help me out by passing along my site to anyone you know that may be interested in donating I would forever be grateful. It is a tax write-off. http://www.donorschoose.org/project/iteach-theres-no-app-for-that/1230113/?verify=-563203851#/project/iteach-theres-no-app-for-that/1230113/?verify=-563203851&rf=page-siteshare-2014-08-project-teacher_1505347

Dates to remember:
8/22- Back to school picnic (They PTA is still looking for volunteers.)

8/23- Sean H.'s birthday
8/27- Evan R.'s Birthday
8/29- Spirit day (If you still need spirit wear let me know and I can send home an order form.)

Busy Week

This has been a crazy buzy week. Tomorrow the spelling bee will take place for all 4th and 5th graders. It is also Early Release Day so please make sure you have made arrangements. Also do not forget that we are out of school Monday for MLK Day.
GO SEAHAWKS!!!! 

Welcome back I hope that everyone had a nice and relaxing break. Don't forget next week 1/15 is Early Release day. :)