Planner Police

It is just so exciting to unpack new school supplies. Room 100 has spent the first couple of weeks getting organized. As students rotate between several classrooms, organization helps them experience success. Students are learning to maintain planners and binders daily. This task will only feel like a mammoth chore if it is neglected over a period of time. 

You may monitor your child's progress at home by checking the folders in the binder. Assignments are placed in subject folders and every student carries a folder labeled Take Home. Graded papers and school notes are placed in this folder. These graded papers may come out of the binder at night. I hope you will take time to discuss your child's work and offer encouragement. 

Organization skills are worthwhile life-long skills. The goal for organization is to eliminate tardiness, forgetfulness, and lack of preparedness.   

The Planner Police make frequent visits to Room 100. Their job is to check students' planners, binders, and desks. If needed, students are ticketed and encouraged to get organized before they get the incentive treat. 

Today's planner police treated the entire class to donuts. We are off to a great start. It has been such fun getting to know these kiddos.

Thanks again for equipping students with the needed supplies. 

Scream

We jumped right into writing this year with a piercing scream!  In my fifth grade classroom, I often combine writing lessons with art lessons. What a pair! 

We all agree that the first day of school is an explosion of fun, energy, nerves, and excitement.  Our first writing assignment captured our feelings in an essay titled, "Scream."  

After writing our essay, we took a look at Edvard Munch's art titled, "The Scream" to see how much expression can be created with lines and color. 

We worked on drawing a screaming face of correct proportions. We then had fun adding the hair color using watercolors and a straw to blow crazy hair.

The kids had a blast with this project!

Credit to the inspiration for this project- -Josyln who posted it on her blog in 2011.

Soda-lighted

Today is the start of the 2015-2016 school year. The middle school is a big change for most students. It is their first year in a new building, first day with several new teachers, first day with lockers, first day with new classmates. Clearly, first day jitters rule.  I wanted to do something fun for each of the students in my room. I got their attention {and smiles} with a soda pop theme.

To help students learn procedures and locate items in their new classroom, they were given a pop quiz. This quiz got students out of their chairs and exploring the layout of the classroom. 

The Pop Quiz included soda pops with encouraging notes. 

Team 1A teachers are soda-lighted to be teaching your child. There are so many fun things to do and learn in the fifth grade. We are looking forward to the adventure.  It is our goal that your child's fifth grade experience is filled with personal growth as a thinker and learner. We recognize that in order to be successful in school, children need support from both the home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a great difference in your child’s education. 

This team of teachers is cheering for your child - -

                        Mrs. Reedy - health and PE

                        Miss Hayse - music and choir

                        Mrs. Henderson - media and encore

                        Mrs. Full - language arts and math

                        Mrs. Polodna - keyboarding

                        Mrs. Pieper - science, social studies, and math

                        Mrs. Carlisle - art (absent from picture) 

Let the adventure begin!  

Open House Excite-Mint

It was wonderful to meet so many parents and families. Team 1A had a fantastic turn-out. We're hoping we eased some jitters and that first day of school will go much more smoothly!

Thank you for your involve-mint and commit-mint to your child's education! 

Did you pick up the handouts at the open house? If you were unable to attend, do not worry. You may access those papers by clicking here. 

This blog will be a valuable resource for the coming year. Please bookmark this site to stay in the loop. There are so many fun things for your child to learn and do in fifth grade. It all starts Thursday, August 13th.

The start of a school year is full of excite-mint. Truly, truly our families are worth a mint. 

A Bouquet of Newly Sharpened Pencils

 Thanks, Sydney! My pencil vase is front and center ;-) 

I confess that my heart beats a little faster when I stroll through the aisles of school supplies. I love neat piles of notebooks, brand new pens, and erasers in every color.

The excitement builds as I prepare for a new class of fifth grade students. I am immersed in setting up my classroom. I am a teacher who has the opportunity and the fun of creating the learning landscape for a group of students where the reading and writing inside these four walls will be engaging. 

Mark your calendar. School begins this week – Thursday, August 13^th. 
Sneak peak into Room 100 - -