Crazy Week Behind... Another One Ahead!

Well.. Let's see what we accomplished this past week, shall we?

through pictures

High School Celebration of Activities

A little freeze dance fun... Is Noah proposing to Carter????

But there's more....

PreK Buddies - Constructing with spaghetti and marshmallows!

PreK Buddies - Games and Social Skills

PreK Buddies - Can YOU make a machine out of 2 apples slices,
4 grapes, a 1/2 of a cheese stick and 2 toothpicks?

And still more...

Skype with developer of Skype Qik app!  Lots of learning here!

Just 5B acting "natural" one day as I walked in!!
Hilarious!!

And finally....

Time for Kids Assembly!  Don't forget to fill out the booklet!
If you can get 8 of those postcards addressed to 8 DIFFERENT people
you know, the Skittles and 2 bears are YOURS!  Bring in your booklet
Monday if you're done.  Tuesday is the final day to bring it in!

Ending our week with a play about the history of Iowa, Howard County and Cresco!

5B, your Wordle turned out fantastic! Check it out below!

Are you exhausted??  Nope!  Me neither!  That's just how we roll, isn't it!?

Ok, so for....

It's MARCH!! Woo-Hoo!  It definitely does NOT feel like it though.  It will be busy again this week, but we won't have so many different trips/assemblies to plan for! 

It will be busy with finishing up activities and projects we've started AND getting ready for the... 

11 of you volunteered to help with the video our class is in charge of!  I have it all ready for you.  There'll be some singing involved:)  Don't worry... you'll be fine! We'll do this Monday at recess!

Projects to Complete THIS WEEK...

STEM activity Monday morning (since we ran out of time on Friday)

Hand in Time for Kids booklets (Monday or Tuesday)

Publish neatly 3 original poems (by Thursday)

Memorize 1 poem for Poetry Slam (by Thursday) for dress rehearsal

Finish and edit Book Review with Luther students to post online to the world (by Thursday)

Prepare for Iowa Assessments (all week long)

And last... but NOT LEAST... on Friday, March 6 from 2:30 - 3:15....

I sent an email reminder to ALL of your families (and YOU, too) just so no one would forget:)  I'm soooooooooo excited about it!

This was a VERY long blog post this weekend.  Sorry!  But there's ONE last thing you need to know for this week!  I'll know you checked the blog if you go to the link below to see the one thing I did NOT mention on the blog...  Write it DOWN and show it to me as you come in Monday morning!

Click Here to See

Oh, and if you have ANY Dr. Seuss books at home... I mean, ANY, could you lend them to our class this week?  Be sure to check with your families first please! (be sure you have your family's name in them before adding them to our crate!)

IA Assessments Are ALMOST Here!

(Remember...no groaning... get that mindset to be positive and excited!)  Mrs. J seems to be pretty impressed walking into our classroom each time (and I don't think it's only because of the snacks).  Let's show her and yourselves and your teachers and your parents AND THE STATE that we've got it "going on" here at Crestwood Elementary!  Attitude is everything!  

Be sure you give your families the note that came home today about Iowa Assessments.  They are scheduled for March 10, 11 and 12.  We want everyone to be prepared, feel pumped and to have goals to meet!  

To help out the rest of the elementary, we need to create our video about Think and Search Questions.  This is a great way to work on since it takes patience and some real "searching" in the text to find the answers...  We'll have to find a TEENY bit of time to do this on Friday or take some volunteers who are NOT in band on Monday morning.  I'll know you checked the blog tonight if you come in and tell me if YES, you are interested in helping with the video or NO THANK YOU, I'LL PASS.

Other Helpful Information for Tomorrow!

We have another goofy schedule. Check it out below!

Attendance, Lunch, Pledge - normal:)

8:30 - 8:50  Cadet Time - RIGHT AWAY!

9:05 - 9:25  Reading Rally Assembly by Time for Kids

9:30 - 10:00 Social Studies

10:00 - 10:30  STEM with Mrs. Suckow

10:35 - 11:05  STEM with Mrs. SORENSON (huh? what?)

11:10 - 11:55 Music

Lunch 

Breaks

1:00 Load Bus to Cresco Theater

1:30 - 2:30  Play "History of Howard County"

2:45 Return to School

Work on Video, Hostage, Share Weekends

Wacky Wednesday and Wild Weather, Huh?!

I hope everyone got home alright with all of that snow!  Maybe some of you will actually get to do some outside fun and play!  I'm jealous if you are sledding, building snow forts or just tromping around in the new fallen snow!  I don't mind snow and cold if I'm bundled up:) So get yourselves covered from head to toe and get out there!

Be sure to share about...










Have your parents try out the same test you took today.  AFTER they take the test, show them the list below to explain what each means! Compare them to your score that you had today in guidance class. Are you and your parents alike or different?

Click Here for the TEST

Tomorrow is our Skype with Derek!  Talking to him about his app, Skype Qik, is a great opportunity for all of us to learn more about coding and how video chatting works!  I'll know you checked the blog if you add to the list on TodaysMeet.



Please share....
1) An important question that would helpful and interesting to find the answer to when talking to Derek
2) What we've learned about coding so far this year - not just the games you've used - actually what you KNOW about how to code or what steps are involved

Click here to share BOTH parts of the blog proof:)

I'll be choosing a student from our class (or maybe 2 of you) to introduce our school or ask a question based on what you share for blog proof:)

Started the Day WITHOUT your TEACHER!

This was ANY or EVERY teacher's dream to come into a classroom full of kids who got started on the routines withOUT the teacher even present!  I have bragged and bragged about you to all who I encounter today.  You are truly a class full of Cadet Pride!  Now, don't let that go to your heads and get overly confident or cocky.  Being modest and humble about your "AWESOMENESS" is what makes you so AWESOME!

So, keep up the amazing work.  I need to get more copies of green and yellow tickets made to shower you with them!  I owe you each one from today's line coming in from recess - that was top of the class modeling!

I said I'd let you know about the schedule change for Thursday through the blog!  Well, how many of you have heard of Skype?  (hahahaaa... yeah, like we haven't used Skype in class before - funny!) Well, Mrs. Vandervort as arranged for us to Skype with the lead developer of the Skype APP!  He's worked in London, England and Stockholm, Sweden and is excited to MEET YOU in 5th grade at Crestwood Elementary!  Too sweet, huh?!  He's willing to answer any questions you have about coding his Skype app, his job, coding in general, what other jobs he's had, what training he's done to help him at his job, whether or not he had coding classes in elementary, junior high, high school or college, etc.  We will only have 30 minutes with him on Skype, but it will be great to have ANY time at all with someone who has helped change our world through video chatting!  Maybe you don't use Skype but use Face Time or another app similar.  Maybe YOUR question might be about how they are similar or different.  I am so excited to make this happen for you!  A great shout-out to Mrs. Vandervort for setting it up!

Ok!  So, blog proof... Hmmm... Let's see.  Tomorrow is your 2 week meeting date with your Secret Mission Possible Leader, Mrs. McCabe.  I know you've been working on some of the Random Acts of Kindness with me, but have you been doing your secret mission over the past 2 weeks?  Hmm.. I'm curious... So, as you come in Wednesday morning, grab your pink secret mission folder, and bring it to me.  Show me how many you ACTUALLY completed over the past 2 weeks.  Mrs. McCabe will be coming at 10:45 for a check in and class.  Cadet Pride is NEVER RANDOM, so if you KNOW you have NOT finished all 14, then make a plan tonight (in the morning if you check then) on a post-it note and finish out your plans.  Find more people to do something nice, thoughtful, caring, sweet, inspiring, helpful, etc. for so we can be the class that ABSOLUTELY ROCKS the WORLD!  Add any of the extra ones you did tonight or in the morning.

Bring in that post-it note and just put it in your pink folder in the morning.  All of those secret missions don't need to be written on that white sheet, as long as you have them recorded somewhere and have them with you! (You can also count the one you did if you got your picture taken and are up on the bulletin board!)

Peace Out, Homeys!
Rest of the Week Reminders
Wed. - 3 hour early out, My Life in Dog Years, Coffee Talk, Secret Mission Folders due
Thurs. - You know the new special activity, Biggest Klutz Coffee Talk, Bar Code Tattoo Coffee Talk
Fri. - Special Reading Assembly, goofy schedule, field trip to Cresco Theater "History of Howard County"

A Great Start to a Crazy Scheduled Week!

Today was a super day, 5B!  Tomorrow will be a lot of fun being with our buddies.  I'm going to share on the blog what the Centers will be over at the Preschool so you have an idea of what activities you'll be helping with.  Mrs. Marr sent me an email explaining each center.  Read below:)

1. Murals in the hall of machines: 

On large paper that we are going to let students draw their own machine creations on. (robots, favorite machines, etc). 

2. Table structures: 

Student groups will be given a set of noodles and marshmallows and asked to create a structure using their materials. 

3. Floor Builders/Games: 

Choose between board games and/or some of our building materials we have had in the classroom for this unit of study.

4. Snack: 

Visit and eat a snack. Color some pages of simple machines if done early.  

5. Books: 

We have several boxes of books about machines we got from the AEA but we have not been able to read very many. They are great books- we just need lots of readers to get us through them! 

I'll know you checked the blog if you write down which of the activities YOU (as a 5th grader) are most excited about! ALSO, write down the name of your "buddy" or who you had last time at least.  

This will be a GREEN ticket for those who have this proof.... and sadly I'll start handing out white tickets to our "non" blog checkers :(  Yep... Hard Core is my new middle name:)  

Are You Ready for a 5 DAY WEEK?

I know!  It's going to see like we are running a marathon with 5 DAYS in a row!  Well, don't get your panties in a bunch over it!  It won't seem too tough to adjust to 5 days since almost EVERY day has a goofy twist to the schedule!  I just used 2 examples of figurative language there!  Can you figure out what I was meaning by "Don't get your panties in a bunch"?

Use context clues to be a word detective!  

On Thursday of last week, I told you that you'd get to vote for our 5B Cadet Pride Celebration activity ONLY by checking the blog!  So, here are the list of suggested celebrations below.  Go to the TodaysMeet link UNDER the list of ideas and choose for ONLY ONE.  WE'll go with the majority OR if there are 2 REALLY close ones, we could possibly combine them (but we'll see - no promises).  Please use the # on the TodaysMeet.  Do NOT write out the words.

IDEAS:

#1:  Movie and Snack 

#2:  Another Indoor Snowball Fight

#3:  Extra Recess

#4:  PJ Party - all wear pajamas 

#5:  Bring own snacks for a week

#6:  Costume/Dress Up Party

#7:  Camping Party - S'mores, sleeping bags, flashlights

#8:  Nap Time (???  that was  REAL suggestion...I'm just listing what you guys said!)

#9:  Right to chew gum in class (Sorenson and Suckow rooms) for the rest of the year - Rules/Expectation would have to be discussed

Vote for ONE Idea on this TodaysMeet Link

Ok, here's the REAL blog proof for checking the blog this weekend.  Our schedule this week is WACKY and WILD, starting with Monday even! Look at the events EACH day.  There is only ONE day this week that does NOT have a crazy change about it.  Read through each day.  Whisper in my ear on Monday morning which day will be the NORMAL day.  Oh, and I made it all difficult to read, so you'll have to highlight it below as if you're reading a secret message!  Muuuaahhhh... Evil is my middle name (well, no, actually it is Jean, but it would still sound good).

Monday:  

New Cadet Time Groups  with Mrs. Suckow

Switching for Classes in the MORNING!  

Pep Assembly at High School in afternoon at 2:45

Tuesday:

Going to our Pre-K Buddies to do STEM activities

Will have to move My Life in Dog Years to Wednesday

Wednesday:

3- Hour Early Out

Guidance - Have you been doing your Mission POSSIBLE?  I'm a little concerned some of you have not been writing down your missions.

Thursday:

This day is normal.... As of right now.  

Who knows what may happen as the days move along.

Friday:  

Reading Rally Assembly at 9:00 in the gym about Time for Kids

Going to a play at the Cresco Theater at 1:05 - The play is about the history of Howard County (where we are!!)

A BONUS for checking the blog.  Take out your Math and Social Studies RIGHT AWAY as you come in to remind yourselves that we'll be switching classes after Band and Newly Set Up Cadet Time!

T.G.I.THURSDAY!!!!!

Ode to 5B

A Day in 5B....
Broken table...
Broken foot...
Chatting about shaving off hair...
Waaah game...
Preparing for conferences...
Some yellow tickets...
Learning about the brain....
3 Little Bears, Cha, Cha, Cha, Cha
A few white tickets....
Gum or no gum?... That is the question...I now know the answer!
Some green tickets....
A Day in 5B...
Priceless

I'll know you checked the blog if you come straight in, put your snowball up without talking to anybody, get in a meditation pose and think positive thoughts about how our day will go...  You can move when I whisper these words into your ear...

"You're a little whippersnapper."

Baby Post Tonight...

HA!  Get it?


Baby.....






Post....










Really short one tonight!  Busy, busy with conferences...Wait, YOU were leading the conferences! Don't forget book club reading and coffee talks for Wed. and Thursday.

I'll know you checked the blog if you go to this TodaysMeet Link AFTER you finish your conference and share how YOU thought it went!  If you do NOT have a conference tonight, share what you are most nervous about or most looking forward to for your conference.

Have a great night!  I'll be tired tomorrow:-)  Be patient and nice to me:)

3 Day Weekend... 3 Day Week.... and Another 3 Day Weekend!!

These 3 weeks are kind of weird, aren't they?  However, we still need to "keep calm" and stay in control, right?  We had such a great indoor snowball fight celebration from Cadet Pride points, that I'm excited to set a new goal and activity for us!  So, even though it's a good schedule, the best thing you can do is SHOW that you can handle it, right?!

Carter gets Ethan to laugh!

I thought you'd want to think back to the fun we had on Friday with the Valentine activities we did with "Honey, I know you love me, but PLEASE don't smile!"  These pictures are SOOO  HILARIOUS!  Be sure to share them with families!

Brady can barely hold himself together to try and get Carter
to laugh.

Carter gets Josh!

Landen has NO PROBLEM getting Jackie to laugh!

We thought Emily was immune to anyone's charm
until Ethan went to the lengths of his creative
mind and blew her a kiss!  (Yep, that was
Mrs. Sorenson's idea) AND it WORKED!

Also, don't forget all of the Random Acts of Kindness that we need to be doing!  Let's week was the "official week" but there's never a time that RAK won't be appreciated!  So, check out the bulletin board for a new one from last Friday!  Another 5B caring heart STRIKES again!  Let's try to do more on Tuesday!  I'll be ready with my camera if you tell me who or where I need to be!

The BIGGEST reminder for this week is.... 

STUDENT LED CONFERENCES on Tuesday and Thursday! Remember, your family can come in ANY time during that hour block.  They do NOT have to worry about the specific time slot online.  We'll have more time to practice on Tuesday during the day so you feel comfortable and confident to lead a professional, serious conference!  And yes, I bought the cookies!  They are ready, too!

Here's a quick reminder for this week's schedule - remind families, too!

Tuesday - Conferences, 1 hour early out

Wednesday - Normal :)

Thursday - Conferences, 1 hour early out

Friday - No School!  Another 3 day weekend!

Finally, Happy Presidents' Day!  Did you realize our US Presidents are the reason you did NOT have school on Monday?  If not, shame on you!  If you did, good for you!  Either way, I'll know you checked the blog if you check out this link about interesting facts about some of our former US Presidents!  Browse through the list (pictures and captions) of weird facts.  Find one you think is REALLY weird or strange.  Write down the President's name and the interesting fact you liked. After we do the Pledge, bring your paper with you to the floor and get ready to share the weirdness from our country's past!  

Nothing Random about 5B's Cadet Pride!

Although this is International Random Acts of Kindness Week, 5B isn't being random at all about their behaviors, choices and respect!  The most awesome thing about 5B is that it doesn't need to be a special week for you to show what amazing caring hearts and minds you have inside!  We have 3 of our classmates who has put purpose and effort into doing something caring for another so far this week!  Check out the bulletin board on Thursday for the 2 that did it today!  Sneaky and thoughtful!

Also, today was such a treat to have Amanda share her experiences (good and bad) as a writer, poet and former 5B student!  5B, please remember that once you're a part of this family, you'll always be welcomed home, just like Amanda!  5D got to enjoy her sharing as well.  You can see how interested they were in listening to her share.  Both classes were TOP NOTCH listeners with the best Cadet Pride EVER!  So proud of both classes!!

Tomorrow is our BIG CELEBRATION for our 6,060 points for CADET PRIDE behaviors! It's not quite "The Hunger Games"..... we'll call it....  "The Snowball Games"!  We will only have 15 minutes to enjoy this fantastic reason to celebrate! So, we'll have to have excellent self-control and listening before we start.  Emily and Tyler, your teams are set up below.  You will have the protective shields, but remember, you are leaders of a team.... they are your responsibility to keep safe and plan strategically!

Team Emily!
Ethan
Josh
Brady
Jason
Lyli
Annabelle
Noah
Alaina
Andrew

Team Tyler!
Tim
Cameron
Carter
Dylan
Kyleigh
Jacy
Jordan
Landen
Jackie

I'll be in it for the Free-For-All portion, but these will be set for the Team portion!

I'll know you checked the blog.... if you can give a helpful reminder of advice to how we should go about playing with Cadet Pride.  I'll ask for you to share your advice with the class right away in the morning.  After the pledge, I'll make this statement, "We can't hide our Cadet Pride EVEN when we throw snowballs."  At that point, stand up and I'll call on you to share your helpful advice to the class so that we have a respectful BUT fun activity!

Arc Attack Was AWESOME!

 Wow!  It's a good thing I don't need my hearing to write this blog because my ears are RINGING still!  But it was such a cool event to see! My eyes and brain are thinking...WOWWWWWZA!!  My ears are say, "What did I ever do to you?"

I know there were a lot of questions for the Arc Attack group members that didn't get asked.  Mine was about that white mat on the stage and what it was made of to not burn through the stage with all of that current!  

This will be your blog proof... I'd like to know either a question you had for them (that was not already asked) or something you'd like to learn more about after seeing/hearing Arc Attack!

Click on the is TodaysMeet Link

No, this is not a picture I took.  They said there was no
photography allowed.  I got this from the website.  I didn't
realize they had come all the way from Texas!  

Reminders for the Rest of the Week...
All Week... Finding People and Places to Leave Random Acts of Kindness Notes (Even though Cadet Pride is NEVER Random)

Wednesday:  Math Test, Math Review Page Due, Coffee Talks for some

Wednesday:  Make-Up Guidance Class

Wednesday:  Special Guest coming to Literacy Class - A Poet!

Thursday: INDOOR SNOWBALL CELEBRATION!! Captains Emily and Tyler... prepare to lead your teams to victory!  

Friday:  Valentine Exchange (optional) :)

REALLY QUICK BLOG!

Tomorrow... Field Trip!!

Tomorrow... CADET PRIDE 100%!

Tomorrow...  More Conference Preparation!

Tomorrow... BLUE SHIRT!

Tomorrow... your proof will be for the blog...  Take the number of "o's" from the word tomorrow and divide it BY the number of "r's" in the word tomorrow.  Write the answer as a decimal!  Show me your work on a note in the morning!

If you want more division practice before your test on Wednesday, visit this link below!
Click Here!  (It's called Math Monster from the Math Playground website)

6060 Cadet Points!!!

Woo-Hoo, Baby!!!

Your Cadet Pride has been simply outstanding, and it shows by your point total on Friday!
Goal = 6,000 points
Actual Points Counted = 6,060!!!
As each of you left on Friday, you whispered to me who you'd like to "pelt" during our indoor snowball fight celebration planned for Thursday after P.E. Well, it looks like some of you should be worried because....

Conference Sign Up...
I have 10 of our 20 5B classmates signed up for conferences as of Sunday afternoon.  The link will close down on Wednesday, Feb. 11 (this WEEK), so your parents will have to call the school and ask Linda to sign you up.  School Number:  563.547.2300
Here's the link for your family to sign up for yourselves though!  Click Here

Let's see if we can get all 20 kiddos signed up BY WEDNESDAY!  I may throw in something EXTRA on our Indoor Snowball Fight Day if we can do this!!  

Field Trip on Tuesday!

Check out the video for Arc Attack (Click Here)!  This looks like one of the best shows I will have ever been to at the Gallagher Bluedorn Theater in Cedar Falls, IA.  I can't WAIT!!

We'll be leaving around 10:00 a.m. on a chartered bus.  It's only about an hour away, so we don't need TOO many extra items, but you are welcome to bring a device of your own to play school appropriate games, apps, music, etc. while on the bus ride.  Using it for Snapchat, texting, Face Time, calling classmates, etc. will not be allowed.  If using your device inappropriately or in some way the teachers have clearly stated "no" to, results in your device being removed.  So, keep in mind why we are going on this trip, right:)  Getting your WIFI hooked up with the bus, however, will NOT be the teachers' priorities as we get going!  So, be patient and respectful if bringing a device along.  Also, it will be YOUR responsibility to keep track of it.  It can NOT come into the theater with us though, so you'll be leaving it on the bus, unattended.

If anyone wants to bring a DVD for the ride, we could maybe put it on for the ride there and back.  If you have one that is school appropriate, bring it MONDAY.  I'll hold onto it and keep it safe for Tuesday;-)!

Blog Proof... Hmm...  How about this?  We have SO MUCH to do this week, and our time will be cut short because of our trip to Cedar Falls on Tuesday, Mrs. McCabe is making up guidance class on Wednesday AND our Valentine Exchange on Friday, that we'll need EVERYONE to be putting forth 100% effort to accomplish our activities!

Here's your proof...  Look at the list of encouraging statements below.  Decide which one you think would be BEST for you to follow! When you come in Monday morning, sit in your new home (remember, we switched spots) and stare at the floor.  Don't chat with anyone, go STRAIGHT there.  When I say, "What's your advice for the week?", you tell me the phrase from below that you're going to follow!  Be sure the phrase you choose makes sense with the question I'm asking!

Another Great Week...Wrapping Up!

My goodness... It is difficult (notice I did not say the "h" word) to come up with new and creative ways to compliment you, 5B!  So many of you have just shown the most amazing, model behavior for Cadet Pride that I could ever ask for!  So, thank you, thanks, gracias and many other versions of thank you!





Tomorrow will be MOVING DAY!  You've been in these "homes" all of January and the beginning of February, so it's time to move on!

The way I know you'll have checked the blog is if you go to the TodaysMeet link and list any spot you have NEVER sat at.  That could be a general area like "I've never been on a blob before" or "I've never been on the stools."  Or it could be "I've never sat on the the brown futon, but I have sat in 2 of the other comfy chairs before."  So, be honest.  Your classmates have good memories, so there's no use in trying to sit in a spot again when others know the truth:)



Lastly, remember, (thanks to Brady!) that Friday (tomorrow) is the first Friday of the month and is designated as Cadet Nation T-shirt Day!  If you can't find yours, then just be sure to where something that shows your support for our school spirit - BLUE!  I'll have a special reward for those who make the effort to do this!  That will be in addition to those who show blog proof!!

Remember...
Blue Parent Notes (4 of you)
Pester Parents about Signing up for Conferences - you MUST be present to lead:)
Coffee Talk Reading Pages