Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
This Week: 1/28 - 2/1
Snoooow (hey-oh)!
I can't complain about a 5 day week that starts with a 2 hour late start! It was quite dicey this morning on the way in to school. I live in a very hilly area that gets quite treacherous (so much so, that my Dad had to bring me to work this morning).
Anyway, this week we have a full plate.
Appetizer: New spelling words come your way on Tuesday (hopefully)
Main Course: Native American projects and presentations will be completed by Tuesday, with the final quiz-ito(that's a baby quiz) on Tuesday.
Rich Dessert (that stays with you for a long time and maybe revisits you later on): Legend assignment (we're writing a Native American legend, with a rough draft due Friday 2/1, and a typed final due Friday 2/11).
Fourth Meal (the meal between dinner and breakfast): Canada! We're starting with basic geography of our northern neighbors this week.
If we don't clear our plates, we'll dive into the leftovers too: DOL, Grammar day (every Wednesday!), fun write (every Friday!), and of course spelling sort-it.
I'm certain our meal won't make you BARF, but the B.A.R.F. is due on Friday February 1st (p.s. you can choose to do a book conference with me if you'd rather)!
After diner entertainment: check this cool thing of the day (coming sometime this week): Travel Challenge
Did you digest all that?
Happy eating!
If you want a snack, you can try the extra credit option in the post below.
I can't complain about a 5 day week that starts with a 2 hour late start! It was quite dicey this morning on the way in to school. I live in a very hilly area that gets quite treacherous (so much so, that my Dad had to bring me to work this morning).
Anyway, this week we have a full plate.
Appetizer: New spelling words come your way on Tuesday (hopefully)
Main Course: Native American projects and presentations will be completed by Tuesday, with the final quiz-ito(that's a baby quiz) on Tuesday.
Rich Dessert (that stays with you for a long time and maybe revisits you later on): Legend assignment (we're writing a Native American legend, with a rough draft due Friday 2/1, and a typed final due Friday 2/11).
Fourth Meal (the meal between dinner and breakfast): Canada! We're starting with basic geography of our northern neighbors this week.
If we don't clear our plates, we'll dive into the leftovers too: DOL, Grammar day (every Wednesday!), fun write (every Friday!), and of course spelling sort-it.
I'm certain our meal won't make you BARF, but the B.A.R.F. is due on Friday February 1st (p.s. you can choose to do a book conference with me if you'd rather)!
After diner entertainment: check this cool thing of the day (coming sometime this week): Travel Challenge
Did you digest all that?
Happy eating!
If you want a snack, you can try the extra credit option in the post below.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Time...on your side?
Wow! The week is already half over. Maybe all of our work weeks should be four days long. I think we'd not only be happier, but also more productive because people wouldn't be running around tired all day long. Did you know that workers in the United States work longer hours and have fewer holidays than many people working in Europe? Actually, while countries such as Japan, Italy, the UK and others are seeing their average per week work hour decrease, the United States is seeing an increase in the number of hours worked. Could this decrease in working time lead to an increase in productivity? What about school hours?
The Federal Government does not dictate to schools the number of days or hours that you have to spend at school. That task is given to the states. Most states require the school year to be at least 180 days long. 2 states have a longer school year, 11 states have a shorter school year, and one state (Minnesota) does not have a requirement for the number of days public school students must attend schools. So, it is safe to say that the average U.S. students spends at least 180 days per year in school, with each school day averaging about 6.3 hours (you can check out other averages here) Our school day is over 6 hours long here in Newberg. Do you feel it should be shorter? Longer?
What if we went to school for 8 hours per day for 4 days each week (that'd be 10 hours per day for teachers...which many of us spend anyway)? Then, we'd have a four day work week and a three day weekend. Do you think we'd be as productive? More productive?
In fact, some schools in the U.S. have done just that. But, not for the 3 day weekend, they've gone to four 10 hour days in order to save money (less gas for the bus = more money for the school...you can read about that here).
Our time is so valuable that the government actually has a group of people who survey Americans about their time use. The findings from the American Time Use Survey are used by government agencies, business and the general public to change daily habits, make laws, sell products and do a variety of other things.
So, what do you think? Respond to 2 or more of the questions I've asked above and receive extra credit in CORE (responses need to be school appropriate, thoughtful and try to keep them error free)...you haven't got much time, so get started! :)
The Federal Government does not dictate to schools the number of days or hours that you have to spend at school. That task is given to the states. Most states require the school year to be at least 180 days long. 2 states have a longer school year, 11 states have a shorter school year, and one state (Minnesota) does not have a requirement for the number of days public school students must attend schools. So, it is safe to say that the average U.S. students spends at least 180 days per year in school, with each school day averaging about 6.3 hours (you can check out other averages here) Our school day is over 6 hours long here in Newberg. Do you feel it should be shorter? Longer?
What if we went to school for 8 hours per day for 4 days each week (that'd be 10 hours per day for teachers...which many of us spend anyway)? Then, we'd have a four day work week and a three day weekend. Do you think we'd be as productive? More productive?
In fact, some schools in the U.S. have done just that. But, not for the 3 day weekend, they've gone to four 10 hour days in order to save money (less gas for the bus = more money for the school...you can read about that here).
Our time is so valuable that the government actually has a group of people who survey Americans about their time use. The findings from the American Time Use Survey are used by government agencies, business and the general public to change daily habits, make laws, sell products and do a variety of other things.
So, what do you think? Respond to 2 or more of the questions I've asked above and receive extra credit in CORE (responses need to be school appropriate, thoughtful and try to keep them error free)...you haven't got much time, so get started! :)
Thursday, January 17, 2008
New Spelling Words!!!
Test on January 24th (that's next Thursday).
required words:
hoard
sore
hundred
locate
voyage
discourage
engine
board
cottage
oatmeal
challenge words:
Massachusetts
extraordinary
approximately
You can hit up the website for a blank spelling practice sheet (if you happen to lose your copy, or if you want to have some extra practice)!
Happy Spelling!!!
required words:
hoard
sore
hundred
locate
voyage
discourage
engine
board
cottage
oatmeal
challenge words:
Massachusetts
extraordinary
approximately
You can hit up the website for a blank spelling practice sheet (if you happen to lose your copy, or if you want to have some extra practice)!
Happy Spelling!!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
This week: January 14th - January 18th
Native Americans
This week we begin our mini-unit on Native Americans. Students will take notes on a few slides (sideshow will be posted to the website for those of you that miss any part of it). After the slide notes, we will move into projects. Students will be placed in 8 groups (one group per geographical region of the United States and Canada), groups will research each their region and present their findings to the class. The class will be responsible for taking notes on each presentation and then completing a test.
Meanwhile, in the Language Arts world...
Monday brings you similes, cliches and clauses
Tuesday is the Spelling Test (spelling practice sheet due)
Wednesday is grammar day and SSR
Thursday you will get new spelling words
Friday is fun write, SSR and DOL.
Also, we have about 400 new book orders floating around (3 for January and 3 for February)...if you want to order from any of them, please turn them in with your money by January 23rd (next Wednesday), or order online using the link from my website!
Have a fabulous week!
This week we begin our mini-unit on Native Americans. Students will take notes on a few slides (sideshow will be posted to the website for those of you that miss any part of it). After the slide notes, we will move into projects. Students will be placed in 8 groups (one group per geographical region of the United States and Canada), groups will research each their region and present their findings to the class. The class will be responsible for taking notes on each presentation and then completing a test.
Meanwhile, in the Language Arts world...
Monday brings you similes, cliches and clauses
Tuesday is the Spelling Test (spelling practice sheet due)
Wednesday is grammar day and SSR
Thursday you will get new spelling words
Friday is fun write, SSR and DOL.
Also, we have about 400 new book orders floating around (3 for January and 3 for February)...if you want to order from any of them, please turn them in with your money by January 23rd (next Wednesday), or order online using the link from my website!
Have a fabulous week!
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Resolutions?
This week we are tackling spelling list #5, with a test on January 15th and the spelling sort it on January 11th.
Also, we are reading, reading, reading...reading log #2 is due today! (Wednesday)
Aside from those fabulous tidbits, and of course the weekly stuff (fun write Friday, and grammar Wednesday), we will be looking at why people make resolutions, how to keep them, and making some good ones of our own. The projects are coming along nicely and I can't wait to see the final results on Friday when the project is due.
Next week, we will start a min-unit on Native Americans, from there we'll be heading to Canada. Bet you can't wait 'eh?
Also, we are reading, reading, reading...reading log #2 is due today! (Wednesday)
Aside from those fabulous tidbits, and of course the weekly stuff (fun write Friday, and grammar Wednesday), we will be looking at why people make resolutions, how to keep them, and making some good ones of our own. The projects are coming along nicely and I can't wait to see the final results on Friday when the project is due.
Next week, we will start a min-unit on Native Americans, from there we'll be heading to Canada. Bet you can't wait 'eh?
Friday, January 4, 2008
Happy New Year!
Ahoy.
I hope that each of you have had a wonderfully relaxing, and incredibly fun 2 week break, I know that I have! It's been wii-tastic. :)
Did you make any resolutions his year? When we arrive on Monday we'll be looking back on 2007 and looking ahead to 2008. Our goal will be to make plans for 2008 based on how things went in 2007. Start thinking about the things you enjoyed in 2007 and how to make things even better in 2008! Resolutions are a tradition dating back to the ancient Romans... we'll talk more about that on Monday...
Until then, enjoy the last 2 days of homework-free land. I'll be here playing Wii and Guitar Hero, shopping for shoes and getting your chapter 5 tests graded and ready to go for pass back on Monday. I hope that you will get lots of rest, have lots of fun and sit back and prepare for the hard work and fun that we have ahead!!
-Miss B
I hope that each of you have had a wonderfully relaxing, and incredibly fun 2 week break, I know that I have! It's been wii-tastic. :)
Did you make any resolutions his year? When we arrive on Monday we'll be looking back on 2007 and looking ahead to 2008. Our goal will be to make plans for 2008 based on how things went in 2007. Start thinking about the things you enjoyed in 2007 and how to make things even better in 2008! Resolutions are a tradition dating back to the ancient Romans... we'll talk more about that on Monday...
Until then, enjoy the last 2 days of homework-free land. I'll be here playing Wii and Guitar Hero, shopping for shoes and getting your chapter 5 tests graded and ready to go for pass back on Monday. I hope that you will get lots of rest, have lots of fun and sit back and prepare for the hard work and fun that we have ahead!!
-Miss B
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