Updates

Happy Halloween!

Here are several notes for the week:

• Don't forget that reading calendars are due tomorrow, November 1st.  Some students saved a skip day and turned them in today.  Students will receive a coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut and an extra 30 minutes recess for turning in their reading calendar this month.
• Yearbook order forms went home yesterday.  The yearbook is $15 this year and the deadline for orders is Wednesday, November 21.  The yearbooks are delivered in the spring.
• A form for flu shots went home yesterday too.  Iowa County is doing flu shots for free at Iowa-Grant on November 6.  Please turn in the form by Friday, November 2.
• Youth wrestling is also organizing.  There is meeting for boys and girls on Thursday, November 1 from 7:00-8:30 in the IGEMS cafeteria.
• Finally, no homework tonight!

Galapagos Islands

This week we are going to read about a photographer who took pictures of the animals of the Galapagos Islands.  We watched the video above as a preview of what the area looks like.  Later this week we'll watch a couple of other videos that give more details about the animals of the Galapagos Islands.

Weekend Game

I've already told the kids, but this has to be one of my favorite games all year. It fits perfectly with our language arts as the kids are writing how-to directions this week. I have them write how to carve a pumpkin because it fits so well with this activity.

It goes through great detail to teach you how to carve a pumpkin. Make sure you have your volume on too, as there are some directions. Look at the directions carefully before you choose a pumpkin to carve.

How to Carve a Pumpkin Like a Pro

Veteran's Day Program

Our Veteran's Day Program is on November 12, 2012 at 10:15 a.m. this year.  Mrs. Wanie, who sets up the program, would like to know if there are more local veteran's who would like to be a part of the program.  If you or someone you know is a veteran and would like to come to the program please let us know.  You can send me an e-mail to me (avanovermeer@igs.k12.wi.us) or directly to Mrs. Wanie (kwanie@igs.k12.wi.us).

On another note, I look forward to seeing everyone at Parent/Teacher Conferences either tonight (Tuesday) or Thursday.

Book Fair Online

If you would like to order your child's books from the book fair online you can do that.  There is no tax and the shipping is free since books will be sent to the school.  Otherwise the book fair will be open on Tuesday and Thursday evening during parent/teacher conferences.

Iowa-Grant Book Fair Online

Questions From The Teacher

Parent teacher conferences are next week (not November like I wrote in the sheet home), and I had a few questions I wanted parents to think about before they come.

These questions aren't homework and you don't need to write them in a paragraph or anything. :)  I am just interested and curious to learn more about what the children and you think.

Blog Questions
  1.  Are you getting on okay and is it working?
  2.  Is it being sent to your e-mail?

Math Questions
  1.  How is homework going?  How long is taking and is there frustration?
  2.  What is your child's attitude toward the new math series?
  3.  What are your early feelings about the new math series?

General Questions
  1.  How is your child feeling about school and the year so far?

Thanks and see you all next week!

Calendar of Events

I have a few things that I added to the calendar that are coming up in the next few weeks.  I also updated the calendar at the right of the page.

1. Next Wednesday we'll have our first math test on multiplication and division.  This test will cover all the numbers we have worked on so far.  Only 6, 7, and 8 have not been studied yet.  Those will actually be the topic of our next unit.  We'll keep working on the problems and a few other things next week.
2. A book fair reminder has been sent home already.  The book fair runs at the same time as parent/teacher conferences.  We will go in and preview the book fair next week.  If you would like to buy books you can do that during conferences or send in money with the child early next week.
3. The WKCE testing window for third graders will be November 12-16.  We won't test on Monday; however we will show them a practice test before hand.  This is the first year that students take the WKCE and third grade only tests on Language Arts and Math.  Last year the test was broken up into three days with one section of language arts and math each day.  The test is not something they can study for, it is more general knowledge.
4. Finally, don't forget we have a day of off school on October 26!

Conjunction Junction

Unfortunately I am home with a sick child today, but I'm sure the students will work hard to keep learning without me.  They have been excellent at other times this year when I have been gone.

We are going to begin learning about conjunctions in language arts.  If there is time today, the students will watch the video below and then tell the teacher what a conjunction is.  Good luck kids!

Spelling, Pictures, and Lost & Found

Happy Monday!  I have a few items to pass along today.

• The spelling words this week are very difficult.  The words we are working on have kn, wr, gh, or ph combinations.  I have talked to the students about having a goal of improving by four or five words from the pretest.
• We were supposed to start the pictures of our parents today, but that will actually start on Tuesday.  We are going to do our egg experiment today.  That gives students one more day to turn in photos.  Remember that they need a picture at the following stages:  baby, elementary, high school, and adult.  Thanks to all those who have already turned theirs in.
• Finally, a note from the office. There are already lots of clothes piling up in the lost & found.  Please put initials or names on coat and jacket tags.  There are many nice pieces of clothing left up there all winter.  Our class will stop by today to look for any clothes that are ours.

Schoolhouse Rock

We only have 10-15 minutes of math today before the Green and Gold Experience so we are going to watch a couple more of the Schoolhouse Rock videos for numbers.

Threes


Fours


Nines

Parent/Teacher Conference Schedule

Here is the schedule for the Parent/Teacher Conferences.  If you need to adjust your time to fit your schedule better feel free.  Remember, I have two openings for each half hour so if there is a time open on the schedule just let me know you want to switch.

Tuesday, October 23
4:00  -  Skyler
4:30  -  Hailee and James
5:00  -  Emma
5:30  -  Hailey
6:00  -  Jackie and Colton
6:30  -  Montanna
7:00  -  Mariah and Brynn


Thursday, October 25

4:00  -  Alyson
4:30  -  Abby
5:00  -
5:30  -  Savannah
6:00  -  Owen and Nicole
6:30  -  Zachary
7:00  -

Reminders

• Don't forget to send in the 4 pictures of a parent or adult by Monday, Oct. 15.  We will be working on them right at the beginning of the week.  The three pictures are a baby, elementary, teen, and adult.
• The Green and Gold Experience is tomorrow!  Make sure that your child has socks for the day.
• We had a fire drill today at IGEMS.  It may be a good time to review what the fire proceedures are at your dwelling.
• Finally a parent article about iPads improving learning.  We have 10 iPads that are checked out in IGEMS.  We have been checking them out for use on Thursday and Friday.  The kids get very excited about them.  One student at a time also reads an eBook from my personal iPad.  So far we have been doing activities on the Internet and a few apps.  I hope to continue to find activities that fit our curriculum.  Here's the article:  CNN iPads

Classroom Parties

We will have four classroom parties throughout the year with the first one coming up at the end of this month. I split the kids up for each one in alphabetical order.

For each party we will have the members of the group decide what they want to do for an activity/game. We'll have two students in charge of food and two students in charge of games. I will meet with the group to decide who wants each job and send notes home so parents know.  The students work to develop the game ideas on their own though.

I have left a list of the committees at the lower-right side of the blog as well.  That way you can reference them later in the year.

Halloween Committee
Mariah
Emma
Colton
Brynn

Christmas Committee
Abby
Montanna
Nicole
Jackie
Alyson

Valentine's Day Committee
Hailey
Skyler
James
Jackson

Spring Party
Hailee
Zachary
Owen
Savannah

Life Cycle

We will be starting our first unit in science this week.  This unit focuses on “life cycles,” and we need a little help from you for a project the children will be doing.

Please help your son/daughter find photos of one of their parents from the following stages of life:

q  Infant        (Note:  one picture from each stage)

q  Child

q  Teenager

q  Adult

The pictures will be displayed in the hall with your child’s work on this project—they will be out of reach of little hands and will not be stapled, etc.  Please send them in a sealable bag (ziploc, etc.) with your child’s name clearly on the bag.  Also write your family name (ex. “Moen”) on the back of each photo in case they get mixed up with others while working on the project. Please send pictures that are no larger than 5X7.

Also, if you have digital images that don’t need to be returned that would be great too.  You can print those on your home computer to send with your child or send me an attachment of the four photos via e-mail (avanovermeer@igs.k12.wi.us).  If you send them to me I can print them in color.

Thank you for your help with this.  We need the pictures by next week Monday, October 15^th.  They’ll be sent home a few weeks after that.  You may begin sending them as soon as you’re ready.

No photos of parents will be used on the blog.  :) 

Language Arts

We have our first unit test in language arts next week.  We'll split the test up into smaller pieces so it isn't so overwhelming.  The first part will be on Tuesday and then we'll do a section a due on Wednesday and Thursday.  Because of this we won't have a new set of spelling words next week.

Here is a game for the weekend:  Hangman

News and Notes

• I am sending home the parent/teacher conferences sign up tonight.  Please return that form as soon as you can.   Conferences will be in the classroom this year.  They will be on Oct. 23 and Oct. 25 from 4:00-7:30.  If you can't come at that time just let me know and we can make adjustments.
• If anyone is still going to order Panther Pride items there are only a couple of things left.  Necklaces and eye blacks are the only thing left on the agenda.
• A reminder that if you are taking your child home after the parade to please send a note in the morning.
• Cool Free App:  I know not everyone has an iPad, but there is a cool new program that I found that can be used on the iPad or even regular computers.  It is called Storia by Scholastic.  It's a free e-reader from Scholastic who also does our Reading Counts program.  Of course the books cost money to buy, but I have bought several already for under a dollar.  I am letting students read a book from my iPad one at a time to try it.
• Finally, on days when we have testing like Monday and Wednesday I do not send homework home with the students.  They did their MAPs testing for math today and put forth great effort.  We'll do the same thing when we take the WKCE tests later this fall.

Congratulations...

...to the following students for turning in their September reading calendars!  Mariah, Emma, Colton, Brynn, Abby, Montanna, Nicole, Jackie, Alyson, Hailey, Skyler, James, Hailee, Zach, and Savannah.  Great work!


They will receive their extra thirty minute reading recess today and what a beautiful day to get some extra recess.  Starting with the October calendar students will receive an extra 30 minute recess and get the personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut's Book-It program.

Letter of the Day

We did the lowercase letter y today for cursive.  Since I have a three year old I know my Sesame Street fairly well.  We watched and listened to the video Don't Know Y today while we wrote our cursive.

Transportation Note

If students are traveling to Religion on Wednesday there is a new bus rule.  Students won't be dropped off in Montfort by the bus.  The student will need to get picked up by someone at the backdoor instead.  This is also the case for other activities like gymnastics.