December 14th-18th Robust Vocabulary

1. astonishing - If something is astonishing, it amazes and surprises you.

2. continue - If you continue to do something, you keep doing it.

3. doubt - If you doubt something, you do not believe it is true.

4. transform - If you transform something, you totally change it.

5. examine - If you examine something, you look at it closely.

6. devour - If you devour something, you eat it all up very quickly.

It's Christmas Time...in the Classroom!

To celebrate the Holiday season, we have a few new additions to our room. On our main bulletin board, we have written a very favorite thoughts about the holiday season on mittens.

Creating Our "Human Body"

Since Day 1 of our Human Body unit, the kids knew that we would be creating our own "body" at some point. This week, it finally happened! On Monday, we used what we know about our skeleton, muscles, circulatory system, nerves, and digestive system to create our own "body." On one side of our "body," we drew our brain, nerves, veins, our heart, bones, and even a few muscles. Then, on Tuesday, we were able to use the other side of our "body" to draw an image of ourselves.

After the students left on Tuesday afternoon, I put the "bodies" up for us all to enjoy our art work!

Learning about Subtraction

Some get it, some almost have it, and others are still trying to figure out how the whole thing works! What am I talking about? Subtraction, of course! Last week we worked in groups to practice taking quantities (of counter chips) and then subtracting a smaller quantity (usually one). The kids really enjoyed this and got to actually see subtraction instead of just writing numbers down on paper.

Our Human Body

We have been talking about the Human Body for several weeks now. We have discussed the skeletal system, the circulatory system, the digestive system, the nervous system, and the muscular system. The kids have really enjoyed learning about all the different areas of the body.

Our Bookbags are UP!!

At the end of September, I attempted to buy our class book bags from Really Good Stuff. In this process, I sent out a note asking for help with the purchase of hooks for the bags. I received the hooks and was very excited to put them to work. Unfortunately, Really Good Stuff did not tell me the bags were out-of-stock when I ordered. My original order was placed at the beginning of October. The bags FINALLY arrived on November 16, 2009. To say I was overjoyed is an understatement! I put the bags up over Thanksgiving and now they are there for us all to enjoy!

December 7- 11th Robust Vocabulary

1. reward - If you reward someone, you give something special or nice to that person for something he or she has done.

2. handsomely - To do something handsomely means to do it in a way that is great or more than you expected.

3. cruel - Something is cruel when it brings pain or makes you feel bad.

4. greedy - A greedy person wants a lot of something and does not want to share any of it.

5. consequences - Consequences are things that happen as the result of another action. If I walk on thin ice, the consequence might be that I fall through the ice.

6. regret - A person who has a regret feels sorry for something he or she did.

November 30th - December 4th Robust Vocabulary

1. nuzzled - If an animal nuzzled against you, it would be rubbing you with its face or nose.

2. pranced - If you pranced around, you would be walking in a bouncy, springy way, like a horse.

3. raging - When something is raging, it is happening in a strong or out-of-control way.

4. adapt - If an animal adapts to a place, it has body parts or ways of acting that helps it live there.

5. intriguing - If you think that something is intriguing, you are curious about it and very interested in it.

6. inhabit - If you inhabit a place, you live there.

Working with Manipulatives

For those of you not familiar with the term "math manipulatives," I thought I'd show everyone an example of just how awesome they can be! Last week, we used geometric shapes like they were puzzle pieces. By putting the shapes onto a pre-drawn image, the kids were able to manipulate them and come up with four different ways to fill in the same picture. It was a challenging but rewarding experience for all!

Thanksgiving Breakfast

We will be having a Thanksgiving Breakfast on November 20, 2009 at 9:30am. I hope to have items such as muffins, fruit, and juice at our breakfast as it will take the place of snack that day. Look for additional information to follow shortly!

November 16-21th Robust Vocabulary

1. ashamed - If you are ashamed, you feel bad about having done something wrong.

2. mused - If you mused about something, you were thinking about it.

3. soared - If you soared, you flew very high into the air.

4. athletic - An athletic person is active, strong, and able to play sports well.

5. awkward - If you are awkward, you move in a clumsy, rough way.

6. superb - If something is superb, it is the best it can be, or excellent.

TPS Book Fair

Don't forget that the book fair is at Taylorville Primary all this week! Feel free to drop in anytime from 8:15am until 4:00pm. I sent home the catalog last Friday in your child's folder. Our class will go on Friday, November 13th at 1:00pm!

Veteran's Day Holiday

Don't forget that Wednesday, November 11th is Veteran's Day. We will be out of school in honor of our veterans.

Kid's College

This year, TPS will be participating in the Kid's College program. Kid's College is an internet-based academic program that gives students the opportunity to enhance their reading and math skills while working at the computer.

This program is free of charge to all students at TPS. To participate, simply log on to www.kclogin.com. You will need to have Adobe Flash Player downloaded onto your computer for the program to function properly.

Click on "Student Sign-In" and then enter our classroom code: KCC72600

Have fun! The kids seem to really enjoy it in the classroom.

November 9-13 Robust Vocabulary

1. claimed - If you claim something, you say it is yours.

2. dine - Saying the you dine is a fancy way of talking about eating.

3. groaned - A person who groans makes a deep sound that shows unhappiness.

4. classify - When you classify something, you put it in a group with other things like it.

5. function - Something's function is its use. The function of a hat is to cover your head.

6. nutritious - When something is nutritious, it is healthful to eat.

November 2-6 Robust Vocabulary

Robust Vocabulary is something that we have been doing in the classroom since the beginning of school. However, thanks to my Alabama Reading Initiative training sessions, I have been able to use it more and more in the classroom in the past several weeks. On Monday, we introduce the first 3 words. Tuesday, we review and work with those same three words. On Wednesday, we learn the next 3 words, so on Thursdays we review and work with those words. Finally, on Friday of each week we do a big review of all 6 words.

I try to use the words in regular conversation as often as possible so that the kids are exposed to it time and time again. I think that by having you guys use it at home as well, we will be able to really develop a good understanding of these words!

The definition for our words are as follows:

1. applauded - If you applauded someone, you clapped your hands to show you liked what they did.

2. chatty - If you are chatty, you really like to talk.

3. gather - If you gather things, you bring them together in one place.

4. duty - A duty is a job you have to do.

5. envy - When you feel envy, you want something that someone else has.

6. resent - You might resent someone if you feel that that person is being treated better, or more fairly, than you are.

Halloween "Special Snack"

I think you can definitely call our Halloween "Special Snack" a success! We had an outpouring of chips, dips, cookies, cupcakes, juices, and treats brought in for our Friday special afternoon! Between the food, the help of some very wonderful parents, and a viewing of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! we had a whole lot of fun! Thanks to everyone for your help!