Students with Big Hearts and Welcoming Arms

On Wednesday, January 9th we got a new student in our fourth grade classroom.  One 4th grader took it upon herself to get a BIG cookie that said "WELCOME TO KA" on it to share and celebrate the arrival of our new classmate.  I was so impressed that day with how excited students were, how welcoming and friendly they acted, and what kind and sincere thoughts they had about our new friend.

First Emergency Lockdown Drill

Today, we discussed the procedures for an emergency lockdown drill.  We will have our first drill at 9:00 Am tomorrow.  Students know where to go in the room that is not visible from any window.  This discussion led to many concerns and worries about if a situation like this were to arise.  I would like to encourage you to take the opportunity tonight to talk with your student about any concerns or feelings they may have.  Our intention is to practice these situations to keep kids the safest they can possibly be in the event of an emergency.

NEW YEAR'S GOALS

Today, we reflected on last year, and set a new goal for 2013!

New Monday Folders

We have new Monday folders in class! I always struggle with how to keep track of and/or consequence students if they don't have them anymore.  Getting work home, and showing the teacher that the parents received the work is a very important communication tool in elementary school.  With that being said here is my new plan for 2013:
Students need to bring back their Monday folders signed the next day.  If they don't we'll write a reminder in their planners.
The next day, if they don't have it, there will be a homework warning.
By the following Monday if it's still not back, they will be in charge of creating a new one.
The goal here is to help create responsibility in students taking things home and bringing things back to school- a skill they will need for the rest of their lives :)

Letters to Veterans

In the spirit of Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving, we are writing letters to Veterans thanking them for their services.  Today students worked with partners writing letters that will be delivered to the Veteran's Hospital of Des Moines.

MACKIN VIA

Today, students used guided reading time to explore Mackin Via website, that can be found on my moodle page.  This is a library of eReader books that students can use to read at school and at home.  This way, students can choose good fit books, with the help of the Guided Reading identifier on the webpage.  You'll need to check your e-mail for the username and password.  If you have any questions, let me know.  Please, use this resource for reading minutes at home! It's such an awesome resource! http://www.mackin.com/viaenter.aspx

COUGAR DENS- RESPECT!

Today, students participated in our monthly Cougar Dens.  Here's the youtube video we watched on RESPECT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGuT9-_Y5J4