Heads Up to a Happy Halloween Schedule....

5B,
Tomorrow will be a very different schedule due to the new and extra events we have going on in 5th grade.   Remember, tomorrow is our first day of switching for guided reading.  You'll be mixing up with students from 5A, and some of you head over to Mrs. Halverson's room, while others hang out with me!

Also, we have our Halloween movie trailers to share with the other 5th graders.  5A and 5C have worked on some as well, so we'll be sharing all of them for a Halloween activity.  Remember, you can bring a snack and drink if your family approves.

Of course, we also need to get our final paragraph from McGregor 5th graders and see how our Halloween story ends!  I see they added to it, but I'm not sure if they are all of the way done.  So, I guess we'll see tomorrow!  What a great way to celebrate Halloween together!

I'll go over our crazy schedule tomorrow morning, too!

A few reminders...
1) Social Studies Venn Diagram- a few of you seemed to forget to have this done for today.  Please show your Cadet Pride by getting it in Thursday.
2)  Mrs. Sorenson's Math:  Math Box 3.6
3)  Conference Sign-up for Parents - Conferences start on Monday:)
4)  Note about conferences for parents - to be returned - need by Friday.
5)  Report Cards - looked over and the envelope should be signed and returned.

Remember, some of our activities on Halloween are privileges that don't need to be shared with everyone if Cadet Pride is shown, right??  Be the 5B that I know you are:)

I'll know you checked the blog if you spell out my morning greeting to you for tomorrow!  You'll find it by putting together the orange letters in this post.  Write it down and show it to me in the morning!

Have a great night!

Report Cards Tomorrow!!!

5B, when you come in Wednesday morning, I'll have a treasured gift waiting at your "homes"!  Your first quarter report cards:)  How sweet of me, right?!

Yippee!!!  

This is such a short post tonight that all you have to do is tell me if you are excited, scared, nervous, worried, unsure, freaked out, etc., about getting your report card when you come in Wed. morning.  How easy is that, huh?  

Have a good night... Don't forget about social studies homework the past 2 nights.  Many people didn't hand in the map worksheet from Monday, and there's the Venn Diagram for the 2 Native American tribes for tonight!  

Thanks for the birthday treats, Haylee!

Sleepy Slow-Moving Monday.... (But...still a great day!)

Ok, 5B,
I'm sorry it's later than normal, but I had several meetings after school, then had to pick up Isaiah, then make supper while playing "doggie" with little man..., then clean up from supper....and now... well, here I am:)

I'll keep it WAY short, BUT be sure you share the note I handed out today about conference sign-up and the note to return back to help out with conferences, ok?

OH, and don't forget homework:  Mrs. Halverson's and Mrs. Sorenson's math groups have homework, I think.  And there was a social studies worksheet (both sides).  Some of you FLEW through it today in the 3 minutes I gave you.  I'm hoping those 3 minutes don't prove to be your careless, silly mistaken work:(  I guess we'll see!

Ok, I'll know you checked the blog if you READ what the McGregor students added to our story!  It's sooooooo awesome!  After reading it, send me an email of what you think we should add next.  Our story will only have 2 more paragraphs - 1 from us and 1 from McGregor.  McGregor will end the story and we'll all share it together on Halloween (Thursday)!

Here are the last lines of our paragraph.  Then read on to see what McGregor added.

Just then, Evan woke up to Rosie’s hands on his face. He screamed! (from Cresco)
 
Evan thrashed his arms about and pushed Rosie off him and out of the open window beside his bed. He watched her fall to the ground and lay there. For a second Evan thought he was safe, but then Rosie got up and began climbing the vines on the side of the house back up to Evan’s window. Evan began to panic. He quickly scrambled out of bed and headed for his bedroom door. He raced toward the stairs, he needed to get as far from Rosie as possible. Halfway down the stairs he stumbled over the carpet and tumbled down the steps. Evan knew he needed to find a place to hide. He quickly jumped into the coat closet and moved as far away from the door as he could. He couldn’t hear anything from outside the closet. Then he thought he felt something brush against his leg.

So?? Now what? Email me with ideas! I'd love to see what you think! You are all such creative authors! I have some ideas, too! But it needs to be a majority/group decision.

Wonderful Last Week...Ready for Another One!

Happy Sunday, 5B,
Last week was such a fantastic week of listening, working and laughs! Let's keep it going!  Here's a quick video of Isaiah to get you "pumped" up... Heeheee.. You'll get the joke hopefully when you see it.  Oh, and this video, usually can only be opened on laptops, so if you're trying with an iPad or other device, it may not open.  Stop in at the Discovery Center in the morning 8:15 if you want to see it:)

Actually, I think the song "pumps" me up even more than the swinging:)

This week has a few extra events in it, so here's a quick heads-up!  Please remind your families to be signing up for fall conferences.  I'll be sending home a note on Monday to ask for help with conferences, too:)
Monday:  CT classmates
Wednesday:  Report Cards Go Home!  Ooh....
Thursday:  Halloween!  Skype with McGregor to read through our Ring Around the Rosie Halloween group story!  Maybe some other events, too??  Who knows what you'll be in for in 5B, right?
Friday:  Can you believe it is NOVEMBER???  CRAZY!

There is also going to be another event/change this week.  However, I will only tell you about it if EVERY 5B student who is present on Monday morning, asks me this question, "What is the big change for this week?"  Check with everyone from 5B to see if they know what to ask.  If they don't, be a friend and TELL them:)  Otherwise, I'll just have to keep it a secret from you...heheheeeeeeee....

5B Students Care About Gum...

I want to give a HUGE shout-out to Hailey, Connor and Bradley for being such fantastic role models for scraping the gum away off of our classroom floor at recess today.  No one knows how it got there, and we're not concerned about who did it.  We just know that being responsible and fixing it, is the most important learning point.


 The rest of our day went well, too!  In math, a nasty teacher (yours truly, me:) gave out a challenge question to her math students.  Can you figure out this?  How can you prove that a triangle's three angles add up to 180 degrees using nothing but a straight line or angle to measure it?  No cheating with a protractor or looking it up somewhere.  The only other tools we used in math class were a scissors (if chose to) and a pencil.  Anyone ELSE up for the challenge?  Show me in the morning if you chose to try this out:)

Exciting news from McGregor!  We got the 2nd paragraph BACK!  They continued the Ring Around the Rosie story for us.  I bet you are excited to see what they did!!!  We'll work on it in the morning!   Yippee!  We will actual split the class up to do 2 things in the morning:  1) Read from Out of My Mind (and finish coloring the Character Counts paper bags) and write another paragraph to Ring Around the Rosie.  I'll know you checked the blog if you ask me which group you'll start with in the morning!  You'll either be a 1 or a 2.  OK?

Also, don't forget to show what it means to be TRUSTWORTHY and work FAIRLY with your Cadet TEAM on Friday by wearing Cadet colors or mottos!  Be sure to remind your families about the singing at the football game (AND the soup supper before the varsity game - ooh....warm.... yummy...soup....).

Another reminder for families:  Be sure to sign up for a conference for Mon., Nov. 4 or Thurs., Nov. 7.  It's important to choose a time that your 5B student can attend as well.  After all, it is ALL about him or her:)  If you have any questions at all about the process, call the school office - 563.547.2300.

Lastly, have a fabulous Thursday evening...
Tomorrow is FRIDAY:)

BUSY short Day!

My Goodness, 5B,
Some days it's like a whirlwind of events!  Here are a few photos from the last 2 days. They represent a new student who joined our class (Erkel - very nice glasses, Cresco police officers as guest speakers, grandma and great-grandma visiting - wow! Oh, and there's also a pic of our frustrating experience with Edmodo when working with our Connecticut classmates.

I tried to get a picture of a few of your video games from our Arcade but they would not load on the blog:(  Sorry....  We can plan on taking 15 minutes of our morning to continue playing each other's games.  If you haven't finished yours yet, then you can use that time to do so.

I think tomorrow will be more of a smooth day.  I can't believe how much we packed into our short day!  Whew!!  I didn't even get a chance to ask you how you were going to spend your free afternoons.  

I'll know you checked the blog if you come in on Thursday morning, stand at your "home" and make a "nutty" (funny, silly, goofy) face.  Don't say anything.  Just stand there like a statue.  Wait until I take a picture of you. Then you can sit down.   Don't tell anyone else what you are doing if they ask.  This will prove who is checking the blog and who is NOT:)  

Don't forget to wear 

PURPLE tomorrow!  

Green on Wednesday! Responsibility:)

I'm running behind tonight, 5B, so I'll keep it short.

I met with the Luther teacher that works with all of your Luther pen pals.  We had a great chat and are excited to have 5th graders have college experts to help you with your writing!  I'll explain that more later this week!

Remember that tomorrow is a 3-hour early out.  We also should show our responsibility by wearing GREEN.  We have a busy crazy day for an early out.  We will do some more practice safety drills, meet with Connecticut (if there's time...really crazy), have some literacy class, have our Video Game Arcade, switch for math class, go to music and then lunch!  Wowser!  It will fly by.  So we need to be extra helpful with our chatting and better transitions.

Also, we need to get our pen pals (both 5th grade in McGregor and Luther College students) some letters back.  We are all kind of at different spots with it, so if you HAVE NOT written back to your McGregor pen pal, please start that right away as you come in on Wednesday morning.  If you DO have that done, ask me for your Luther pen pal letter.  If you are DONE WITH BOTH, then come see me:)  I'll have something for you:)

That's how I'll know you checked the blog.  You'll either be working on your 5th grade pen pal, college pen pal or asking me what you can do?  Have a great night. Sorry it's short, but supper must be served:)

Oh, AWESOME job on the Ring Around the Rosie Halloween story!  Mrs. Halverson read it and thought it was super!  I'm sure McGregor students will LOVE IT!  I can't wait to see what they do with the next paragraph and what the nightmare will be.....  Muuuaaaaaaaaaa!!

2nd Quarter Has Started Off Smoothly:)

Great day back after the weekend, 5B!  But thanks to you, I have the sound of your quiet, whispering voices saying "mama" haunting my head!!  Grrrr!!  Shame on you!

The group Halloween story we will be writing with our McGregor pen pals has been chosen:
"Ring Around the Rosie"  I'm curious to see how this story will develop with the creative minds we have in 5B...and then adding on the imagination in our McGregor pen pal's minds, too!  We'll start writing it tomorrow, right away in the morning as we come in.

Remember, tomorrow's Character Counts dress up  color is:

The color for CARING...thinking with your HEART...

Other reminders:

Tuesday:  Officer Miner is visiting classrooms.  Band is today.  Many people have band lessons.  

Wednesday:  Conference Sign-up is open for parents.   5B Kids, remember, it's important that you are able to come to your conference, too, so plan your schedule with YOU being available:)  

It's also a 3-hour early out.  

Tell parents about Friday's home football game!  We are asking all Kindergarten through 5th grade to help sing the school song to support our school and show CADET PRIDE and SCHOOL SPIRIT!  Meet up beforehand and walk out on the field together! I'll go, too!  I'll bring Isaiah to join in with us:)  

I'll know you checked the blog if you come in and see a piece of paper with a name on it at your "home."  It will be one of your classmates.  Since Tuesday is a day to show "caring" and thinking with your heart, please think of 2 compliments you can give to the person whose name you have.  I'll have a reddish bag with me.  Please put the paper with the compliments in that bag.  Then you can get ready for the morning routine.  Ok?  As soon as the attendance and pledge are done, we'll start in with our story, "Ring Around the Rosie".... :)

Have a good Monday night!  

Hasta Manana (Spanish...can you figure it out?)

Dreary Weekend...But Full of Excitement!

Well, 5B,
I think the cool fall weather is here for good:(  I guess it's about time, huh?  So, that means you need to

be making some common sense choices about what you are wearing outside before school and during regular recess, ok?  Some of you are forgetting to wear jackets or even long sleeves???  It's even that time that hats and gloves might be smart to throw in your backpack.  OK?  No sense in freezing out there when you have an logical solution!

I was able to stop by Rodney's Halloween on Saturday night! I took some fun pictures.  I would have added more, but Bump was not working well for me :(  Grrrr...

Also, I have to share about my Saturday plans!  It was so much fun! I ran in the 5K Thor-a-Thon!  It was so fun because I saw some of our 5B students running, too!  Great job to Morgan and Trystin for choosing to EXERCISE on a Saturday night with family and friends!  Here's proof that I made it!  (Mrs. Midthus was my running buddy:)

We made it... without stopping or walking...Woo-hoo!

This week has some extra events.  Look below to have a heads-up!
Character Counts Week - Dress Up Days
Monday:  Wear Yellow- RESPECT - Not able to meet with Connecticut friends (will go again on Wednesday).  We will have guidance with Mrs. McCabe though:)
Tuesday:  Wear Red (or some shade of it) - CARING - Remember it is a band day, with a later recess.  Also, Officer Miner will be stopping by 5th grade to chat about good choice.
Wednesday - Early Out - Practice Drills - Wear Green - RESPONSIBILITY
Thursday - Wear Purple - CITIZENSHIP
Friday - Wear Blue or Cadet clothes - TRUSTWORTHY/FAIRNESS

Don't forget about your Synonym Scramble pages 10 - 12.  I don't give much homework, so I'm expecting it to be done and returned without any excuses, ok??  Also, 3 of you have math tests to get signed and returned.  Please do so:)

Last item of business...  If anyone has a family member that likes to sew or is interested in helping out our classroom, could you pass the word along?  We have a futon cushion that keeps falling down, and we are thinking a couple straps would help it stay up.  If you know of anyone that is capable and interested, send a note with your 5B student, email me, or give me a jingle!  I'd pay for whatever the materials and labor costs:)

Finally.... I'll know you checked the blog if you come in and work on your video game.  We'll be having a "My Doodle Game Arcade" on Tuesday, so you'll want to get moving on that game if it's not done already:)  Have a great rest of your weekend:)

Tomorrow is..........

Woo-hoo!  What a busy, productive week, 5B?!  Can you believe all of the activities we did this week? It's crazy!  The UNI play and dome, Connecticut classmates, mentoring, pen pal letters back from college students AND 5th graders, new math grouping, the END OF THE QUARTER!??  Now, that's even crazier to me!!  That means we are 1/4 of our way through our year with our 5B family...sniff, sniff...tear...tear...  

REMINDER!!  You all have a social studies assignment tonight.  I sent an email reminder to you and your family's emails to help you out.  A few of you have been forgetting to bring back work the next day, so let's see if EVERYONE can make it happen!  Remember, getting your work done would be an example of a reason why you WOULD mentor or why you would NOT mentor.  

Last note... You will get to meet your 5th grade pen pal tomorrow through Skype.  We will also be doing an activity with our 5th grade McGregor pen pals.  It will be to create a group Halloween story!  So get your thinking caps on.  We will take time tomorrow to brainstorm titles for this story.  Remember, it has to be school appropriate, so don't get too gruesome, ok?  That's how I'll know you check the blog.  Write down one idea for the title of a Halloween story.  Be creative and unique.  Here's mine...  

Blat, the Bat:  My First Halloween Scare