What at great celebration today! Thank you parents for all your help!

WOO HOO!  Our class WON the box top challenge for the entire school!  Students have earned a special treat Monday afternoon before the Mega Party!  Thank you parents for sending in so many box tops!  YOU ROCK!

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:   continued class novel Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm, wrapped up Wordly-wise vocab, noting details

Writing:  letter to incoming 2nd grade students

Math:  Multiplication strategies

Science:  Force and motion

Students of the week:

Saylor and Belle

Upcoming Events/Important Info

Important info regarding Mega Party:

This is just a quick note with some guidelines for this year’s MEGA Party, coming up on Monday, May 22nd (with a rain date of Tuesday, May 23rd).

First and foremost, we need volunteers!  Parents, guardians, and any building-access-approved relative (we’re not picky!), please click this link to sign up to help out, either serving snow cones or monitoring a bounce house: http://signup.com/go/MATBlOj

– When students arrive for their time slot, they should remove their shoes when they enter Coach Durr field.  Shoes can be left at the fence.  We are highly (highly highly – did I mention highly?) encouraging students to WEAR SOCKS!  The bounce houses can get hot, and socks will prevent little feet from being scorched.

Also, if you have extra socks your child could bring in to offer to someone else who might have forgotten, it would be greatly appreciated!  

– All students must remove eyeglasses, jewelry, and any hard or sharp objects before coming out to the field.  If a student can’t see to walk out to the field without eyeglasses, they can wear them out to the field, but they need to be removed and handed to a teacher or parent volunteer before entering a bounce house.  If a student absolutely cannot see well enough to bounce without eyeglasses, I am sure we can make an exception, but no guarantees that the eyeglasses will come out of the bounce houses in one piece.  Sport eyeglasses that will stay on a child’s head via strap are okay.

– We will again have some non-bounce activities .. “shooting stars” basketball and tee-ball  so if kids can’t bounce for whatever reason, there will be something they can do.

– All students must empty their pockets before coming out to the field. Otherwise, stuff LIKE FIDGET SPINNERS will invariably end up LOST ?  .  Especially no pencils, pens, or again, anything remotely sharp!   These are bad for anything inflatable.

– Absolutely NO flips, wrestling, or other forms of “rough housing” are allowed in the bounce houses.

– There will be snow cones out at the field for kids.  One snow cone per student.

– Parents/guardians should apply sunblock to their kids before they get to school.

– The schedule:

8:40-9:30 Kindergarten

9:40-10:30- 3^rd grade

10:40-11:30- 5^th grade

11:40- 12:30- 4^th grade

12:40-1:30- 1^st grade

1:40-2:30- 2^nd grade

– If it rains on Monday, tell your kids not to panic!  The party will then happen on the following day (Tuesday).  Hopefully if it rains this year, knowing this in advance will avoid any tears.

– Teachers can bounce too!!

– Song requests (new this year!): http://bit.ly/MP2017Song – Parents should fill out this form on behalf of their child, and all requests WILL be vetted for appropriateness!

Email, or text me with any questions you might have (my info is below.. parents are welcome to as well) and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Thank you!

Pete Clark

email: [email protected]

text: 904.540.4649

5/22:  Book/Beach Towel Day!  We will be spending time reading in and out of class on Monday, May 22nd.  Students are allowed to bring in (with your permission) books from home.  Please also allow them to bring in a beach towel as we will be outside reading!

5/22:  Box Top Winner Treat at 1:15 and Mega Party – 1:40 – 2:30

5/23:  Game Day!  Students are allowed to bring in board games to school!  Please do not send any electronic devices.  🙂

5/23:  A.R. Celebration – Ice cream sundaes for those who met their goal!

5/24:  Movie Day – Students are allowed to bring in any Rated G movie.  IT MUST BE RATED G!  🙂  Class will vote on which movie to watch.

5/24:  Last day of school, Report Cards sent home

Families,

  Just a reminder that our class celebration is tomorrow.  If you plan to join us, please meet in our classroom at 11:30 for superlatives.  Afterward, we will head out to the picnic tables outside to have lunch.  Students will not need to bring a lunch from home.  

Thank you!

Mrs. Saxon

SWIM WEEK FUN!  Students had a BLAST learning water safety and swimming at Calhoun Center this week.  Thanks so much to Coach Z for all the thoughtful planning to make this outreach a success for our school!

Congratulations to Gaby, Emi, Ennis, and Caenan for making it into the MILLION WORD Club! 

READERS ARE LEADERS!

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:   began class novel Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Writing:  2nd grade memory book

Math:  STAR Math, fluency tests

Students of the week:

Caenan and Brooke

5/19:  Class party – 11:00-12:30.

5/19:  Variety Show- GRADES 3 – 5 (We will be part of the audience!)

5/22:  Book/Beach Towel Day!  

5/22:  Mega Party – 1:40 – 2:30

5/23:  Game Day!

5/23:  A.R. Celebration – Ice cream sundaes for those who met their goal!

5/24:  Movie Day, last day of school, Report Cards sent home

FLASHBACK FRI-YAY!

Thank you so much for making me feel SO loved during teacher appreciation week!  WHOA!  I was overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:   began class novel How to eat fried worms by Thomas Rockwell, sequencing, and reading non-fiction

Writing:  “Special” writing project

Math:  3rd grade prep

Social Studies:  Economics

Students of the week:

Nolan and Honora

5/8-5/11:  Swimming Days

5/11:  Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

5/12:  ALL LIBRARY BOOKS DUE!!  $5 for class party due

5/12:  Islander Music Concert

5/19:  Class party – 11:00-12:30.

5/19:  Variety Show- GRADES 3 – 5 (We will be part of the audience!)

5/22:  Book/Beach Towel Day!   Mega Party – 1:40 – 2:30

5/23:  Game Day!

5/24:  Movie Day, last day of school, Report Cards sent home

• Reminders:
  
• Last homework packet will be going home next week.  Please encourage your child to read nightly to reach their individualized A.R. goal for this quarter.
• On May 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th our class will be having swim lessons.  The lessons will be from 11:00-12:00 at the Solomon Calhoun Pool.  Please read the following information: 

-Please send your child to school with their bathing suit ON, with clothing over-top.  (We will have resource before leaving.)

-Be sure your child has a change of clothes in a bag (for after the lessons).  Include undergarments, socks, a brush, whatever your child may need

– Send a towel with your child

– Apply sunscreen prior to school

-*STUDENTS MAY BRING GOGGLES IF THEIR EYES ARE SENSITIVE TO CHLORINE*

– We will be having lunch back at school, in cafeteria.

• Thank you to our amazing parent volunteers this year!  Whether you have helped in the classroom or with PTAO, PLEASE plan on attending the volunteer appreciation breakfast!  More info below!

Students wearing their broccoli necklaces after reading “How to be a Perfect Person in Just 3 Days”.  We had 4 students officially wear it for 24 hours.  I heard some hysterical stories involving dogs eating their necklace or their parents having them wrap the broccoli in tin foil while they slept!  HA!

This book had a great moral for students! Perfection is SO boring!

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:  review, began class novel How to be a Person in Just Three Days by Stephen Manes, watched the original and updated Charlotte’s Web movies to do a triple comparison!

Writing:  wrote thank you letters to Amphitheater for new water bottles and water fountains, poems for poem-in-your-pocket day

Math:  review

Social Studies:  Economics

Students of the week:

Nolan and Honora

5/2:  Swim Field trip forms DUE.  If you need support financially or don’t plan to have your child attend, please let me know ASAP so I can make arrangements. 

5/8-5/11:  Swimming Days

5/11:  Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

5/12:  ALL LIBRARY BOOKS DUE!!

5/19:  *DATE CHANGE!*  Class party – 11:00-12:30.

5/19:  Variety Show- GRADES 3 – 5 (We will be part of the audience!)

5/22:  Book/Beach Towel Day!

5/23:  Game Day!

5/24:  Movie Day, last day of school, Report Cards sent home

• Reminders:
  
• No homework next week!  Students have worked incredibly hard this week and have earned a well deserved break!  As always, reading is non-negotiable!  🙂
  
• DE results will go home next week! 
• On May 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th our class will be having swim lessons.  The lessons will be from 11:00-12:00 at the Solomon Calhoun Pool.  Please read the following information: 

-Please send your child to school with their bathing suit ON, with clothing over-top.  (We will have resource before leaving.)

-Be sure your child has a change of clothes in a bag (for after the lessons).  Include undergarments, socks, a brush, whatever your child may need

– Send a towel with your child

– Apply sunscreen prior to school

– We will be having lunch back at school, in cafeteria.

Lighthouse Field Trip!

We couldn’t have asked for a prettier day to go!

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:  words ending in -sion and -tion, reviewed antonyms and synonyms, began class novel Charolette’s Web by E.B. White

Writing:  Re-visiting our writing community and previous work

Math:  Balanced Equations (SO much fun!), and adding/subtracting with money

Science:  Earth Day

Students of the week:

Liam and Gaby

4/24:  Interims sent home

4/26:  D.E. Reading Test

4/28:  D.E. Math Test, scholastic orders due

4/28:  Swim Field trip forms DUE.  If you need support financially or don’t plan to have your child attend, please let me know ASAP so I can make arrangements. 

5/8-5/11:  Swimming Days

5/11:  Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

5/17:  Class Party:  Time – TBA

5/19:  Variety Show- GRADES 3 – 5 (We will be part of the audience!)

5/22:  Book/Beach Towel Day!

5/23:  Game Day!

5/24:  Movie Day, last day of school, Report Cards sent home

• Reminders:
  
• On Wednesday and Friday of next week our class will take the Discovery Education test in Reading and Math.  Students are prepared and ready to SHOW what they KNOW.  My request from you is to ensure your child gets a good night sleep the night before, eat a healthy breakfast the morning of, and come to school ON TIME.  Thank you for your continued support in helping your child reach their highest potential!
  
• On May 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th our class will be having swim lessons.  The lessons will be from 11:00-12:00 at the Solomon Calhoun Pool.  Please read the following information: 

-Please send your child to school with their bathing suit ON, with clothing over-top.  (We will have resource before leaving.)

-Be sure your child has a change of clothes in a bag (for after the lessons).  Include undergarments, socks, a brush, whatever your child may need

– Send a towel with your child

– Apply sunscreen prior to school

– We will be having lunch back at school, in cafeteria. 

Voting for our favorite SSYRA Jr. book! 

Experimenting with force, velocity and traction using hot wheel cars! 

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:  syllables, point-of-view, completed Lesson 3 Wordly Wise vocabulary,  finished class novel – The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Writing:  Editing

Math:  Completed Geometry and Fraction Concepts and took test

Science:  Forces and Changes in Motion

Social Studies:  Wants/Needs

Students of the week:

Caenan and Emi

4/14:  No school

4/17:  Typed opinion pieces due for students who chose to type final drafts at home.  If your child did not bring home their opinion rough draft, they chose to write their final draft in class.

4/18:  Lighthouse field trip from 9:30-10:30.  We will eat in the cafeteria during our regular lunch time so there will be no need to send in a bagged lunch.

4/24:  Interims sent home

4/26:  D.E. Reading Test

4/28:  D.E. Math Test, scholastic orders due

5/8-5/11:  Swimming Days

5/11:  Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

5/19:  Variety Show- 3:00 – 5:00

5/24:  Last day of school, Report Cards sent home

Reminders:

• HELP NEEDED!!!  It is that time of year again!  Our students will begin computer based testing in April.  We need volunteers to serve as proctors during our testing sessions.  Please consider signing up for a session (or more!).  Proctor training only takes 10 minutes.  You are not responsible for any of the test materials.  You are simply another set of eyes in the room!  If you have any questions, please contact our School Counselor, Tricia McElhone or our Instructional Literacy Coach, Heather Eyestone.  We cannot thank you enough for all you do for our students.  Our goal is to provide your children with a testing environment that will allow them to show what they know!   Thanks to the support of our families, we know our students continue to shine! 

Sign-Up Genius link:    http://signup.com/go/KrpPMH

• Don’t forget to sign and return swimming field trip forms.
• Please have your child wear their RB Hunt shirt on our field trip Tuesday if one is available.

Happy Birthday, Ennis!

Enjoying yummy popsicles on this HOT day!

Happy birthday, Emi!

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:  Compound words, inferences, introduced Lesson 3 Wordly Wise vocabulary,  began class novel – The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

Writing:  Continued Opinion Writing with accountable talk :

Math:  Began Geometry and Fraction Concepts

Science:  Forces and Changes in Motion

Students of the week:

Cassidy and Ennis

4/14:  No school

4/18:  Lighthouse field trip – free for students, $8.75 for chaperones.  If you plan to chaperone, please meet us at the Lighthouse at 9:30 and bring your $8.75 for admission at that time.  I will not be collecting any money for this field trip.  🙂

4/24:  Interims sent home

4/26:  D.E. Reading Test

4/28:  D.E. Math Test, scholastic orders due

5/8-5/11:  Swimming Days

5/11:  Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

5/19:  Variety Show- 3:00 – 5:00

5/24:  Last day of school, Report Cards sent home

Reminders:

• HELP NEEDED!!!  It is that time of year again!  Our students will begin computer based testing in April.  We need volunteers to serve as proctors during our testing sessions.  Please consider signing up for a session (or more!).  Proctor training only takes 10 minutes.  You are not responsible for any of the test materials.  You are simply another set of eyes in the room!  If you have any questions, please contact our School Counselor, Tricia McElhone or our Instructional Literacy Coach, Heather Eyestone.  We cannot thank you enough for all you do for our students.  Our goal is to provide your children with a testing environment that will allow them to show what they know!   Thanks to the support of our families, we know our students continue to shine! 

Sign-Up Genius link:    http://signup.com/go/KrpPMH

Thank you to the Leth and Gassert families for donating books from the book fair to our classroom library!  Students are P-U-M-P-E-D to read them!

Magical finds during recess! 

James and the Giant Peach was phenomenal!  Great job, MMS!  Students enjoyed comparing the book to the play.  There were SO many differences!

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:  Prefixes, Open and Closed syllables, sequence of events/cause and effect, Lesson 2 Wordly Wise vocabulary test,  finished class novels – Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

Writing:  Opinion Writing with accountable talk :

Math:  Took Data test and began Geometry and Fraction Concepts

Science:  Life Cycles

Social Studies:  Economics

Students of the week:

Leta and Jaxon

4/14:  No school

4/18:  Lighthouse field trip – free for students, $8.75 for chaperones.  If you plan to chaperone, please meet us at the Lighthouse at 9:30 and bring your $8.75 for admission at that time.  I will not be collecting any money for this field trip.  🙂

4/24:  Interims sent home

4/26:  D.E. Reading Test

4/28:  D.E. Math Test

5/8-5/11:  Swimming Days

5/11:  Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast

5/19:  Variety Show- 3:00 – 5:00

5/24:  Last day of school, Report Cards sent home

Reminders:

• Please return your signed report card envelope if you haven’t already done so. 
• HELP NEEDED!!!  It is that time of year again!  Our students will begin computer based testing in April.  We need volunteers to serve as proctors during our testing sessions.  Please consider signing up for a session (or more!).  Proctor training only takes 10 minutes.  You are not responsible for any of the test materials.  You are simply another set of eyes in the room!  If you have any questions, please contact our School Counselor, Tricia McElhone or our Instructional Literacy Coach, Heather Eyestone.  We cannot thank you enough for all you do for our students.  Our goal is to provide your children with a testing environment that will allow them to show what they know!   Thanks to the support of our families, we know our students continue to shine! 

Sign-Up Genius link:    http://signup.com/go/KrpPMH

Taking advantage of the beautiful weather and eating snack outside!

Happy birthday Nolan!

Game Day Fun!  Students who met their AR goal for third quarter had a blast during game day! 

What LEARNING and GROWING went on in room 217 this week:

Academics

ELA:  Prefixes, Wordly Wise lesson 2 vocabulary,  began new class novels – Gooney Bird Greene by Lois Lowry and James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

Writing:  Poetry – figurative language and similes

Math:  Data

Students of the week:

Saylor and Noah

3/27:  Report Cards Sent home

3/28:  James and the Giant Peach field trip

3/30:  Book Fair visit at 1:00 – 1:30

4/14:  No school

4/18:  Lighthouse field trip – free for students, $8.75 for chaperones.  If you plan to chaperone, please meet us at the Lighthouse at 9:30 and bring your $8.75 for admission at that time.  I will not be collecting any money for this field trip.  🙂

Reminders:

• For our field trip to the amphitheater, please make sure your child wears their R.B. Hunt shirt (if available) and comfortable walking shoes.  We will eat lunch as soon as we return to school.
• We are in need of healthy snacks for students who forget to bring something in.  Examples are pretzels, raisins, crackers, etc.
• A note from Jo Ellen Parkey regarding James and the Giant Peach:

Good evening!

I have an opportunity for any of your parents who wanted to go to James and the Giant Peach, but were too late to sign up to go with the class: we need ushers. J

If any of your parents are willing to come to the Amphitheatre a little early and stay to help load the busses at the end, I could sure use the help.

They would not be able to walk over or walk back with R. B. Hunt, but they get to just sit and enjoy the show, so that will be nice.

The sign up link is: http://signup.com/go/xdXrhi

Thank you!

Jo Ellen