I  also wanted to publicly thank all the wonderful cooks in our classroom.  I so appreciate the meals that were given to my family the week of my surgery.  My family was so excited everyday when my husband would come home from Garrison Mill with a delicious meal.  It was such a thoughtful and caring gift at a really busy time of year.  I appreciate your thoughtfulness and caring.  Thank you.

Thank you also to all the parents who helped with the holiday party.  I understand it was awesome.  A special thanks is extended to Nadine Hamel for organizing everything.  Thank you.

Jan   6-9  Heroes Essay Contest Begins 9 Spirit Day - Wear Your GM Shirt   Relay for Life Hat Day 15 Target Parent Orientation 6 PM Media Ctr. 19 Martin Luther King Holiday - NO SCHOOL 22 Munch & Learn 10 AM   Talent Show Auditions   100th Day of School 23 School Dance 6:30-8:30 PM 26-30 Conference Week  12:20 PM Dismissal 27 County Reflections Reception Assignments: I am sending home a writing assignment. Each student is to complete a written paper on their hero.  I am sending directions and a permission slip in Thursday Folders.  These papers are due Wednesday, February 4th.  We will present them in class on the 5th. This is a mandatory assignment. Social Studies Project: We will have a test on Paul Revere on Wednesday the 14th.  The students will fill in a time line of events in Paul Revere's life.  I will send home a study sheet on  the 12th.  We are also reviewing in class. A long-term project will be assigned on Thursday, January 15th.  The students are to make a book about landforms. They will have 2 weeks to complete this project and it is a grade for social studies.  We talk about the projects and time management on a daily bases.  We are working on problem solving and division in math. The children are writing goals for 1009 and how they plan to achieve them. Conference notes go home Thursday. Please make every effort to come at your scheduled time.  If you cannot come at your time please return your alternate time as soon as possible.  I look forward to meeting with you all during conference week.  Welcome to Lyle our newest student. He is one of the guys after just one day. Nuna will be our Hero of the week next week. There is a lot going on this week so if you have questions please ask or email.  I am back at school but limit my pilgrimages to the front office. Congrats goes to the class for winning an ice cream treat on Friday. We are being rewarded for excellent lunchroom behavior. We are also still saving boxtops! Have a great week, your children certainly are!

We had an interesting lesson from a Well Star nurse today.  The lesson was, Germy Germs, that taught us about germs.  The instructor had us use lotion and then used a special light to see if we washed our hands.  We all did a great job.  I am linking "Henry Hand" link where you can learn more about germs.

Henry Hand

In math we are still learning our multiplication tables.  We will have 10s, 11s and 12s to send home by the break.  A great holiday gift would multiplication and division flashcards.  I am very impressed with our progress.

In social studies we are studying Paul Revere and the period of history as it relates to the forming of The United States. I hope everyone got the newsletter that had our course of study on it.

We have finished The Twits  and will have a test on the book tomorrow.  I will be reading holiday stories aloud until the break.  After the break, we will begin with Charlotte's Web.

Our Holiday party is in the works.  Mrs. Hamel has helped planned a festive celebration.  Please look for an e-mail about the holiday party and how you can help. The party is Dec. 18th from 12:30-1:30.

Also ,over the holidays, I always like the kids to keep their brains active.  Here is a build a snowman site that I hope they enjoy over the holiday.

Build a Snowman

Bullying is the topic of discussion in Guidance with Mrs. Britton.  The program is called Steps to Respect and is a very useful tool to allow students to discuss respect and issues of respect.  I am very glad we are using this very good program in our 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.

This should be my last post until 2009.  I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday.

We had an interesting lesson from a Well Star nurse today.  The lesson was, Germy Germs, that taught us about germs.  The instructor had us use lotion and then used a special light to see if we washed our hands.  We all did a great job.  I am linking "Henry Hand" link where you can learn more about germs.

Henry Hand

In math we are still learning our multiplication tables.  We will have 10s, 11s and 12s to send home by the break.  A great holiday gift would multiplication and division flashcards.  I am very impressed with our progress.

In social studies we are studying Paul Revere and the period of history as it relates to the forming of The United States. I hope everyone got the newsletter that had our course of study on it.

We have finished The Twits  and will have a test on the book tomorrow.  I will be reading holiday stories aloud until the break.  After the break, we will begin with Charlotte's Web.

Our Holiday party is in the works.  Mrs. Hamel has helped planned a festive celebration.  Please look for an e-mail about the holiday party and how you can help. The party is Dec. 18th from 12:30-1:30.

Also ,over the holidays, I always like the kids to keep their brains active.  Here is a build a snowman site that I hope they enjoy over the holiday.

Build a Snowman

Bullying is the topic of discussion in Guidance with Mrs. Britton.  The program is called Steps to Respect and is a very useful tool to allow students to discuss respect and issues of respect.  I am very glad we are using this very good program in our 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.

This should be my last post until 2009.  I hope you all have a safe and happy holiday.

Download Dec08

Have a great weekend!

This week started out excited with a dance performance that helped us learn about holidays around the world.  It was a great way to start the day.  In the afternoon, Chatahoochee Nature Center came to our class and we learned about "adaptations" of plants and animals. 

Your child has a completed set of flashcards from 2s through the 9s.  Please review these nightly with your child.  10-15 should do the trick.

We are starting a unit on maps and globes.  We will be working on map and globe skills until the break.

Elissa was a great "Hero of the Week" before the Thanksgiving break and Zoe is our Hero this week.  Next week will be Alex.

Welcome to Allie our newest addition to our class.  She is a pleasure and fits right in.

I am having difficulty uploading the calendar Mrs. Hamel has made for us.  Please check tomorrow for this month's calendar.

As always, have a great week.

A few reminders:

I will not be able to send or receive e-mails until December 1st.

Monday 12/1 We will go to the media center

                      Computer lab

Tuesday 12/2 Chattahoochee Nature center 1-2

Elissa was a great Hero of The Week, Zoe will be the Hero when we return

Please remember to read and practice math facts over the break.

Thanks Garrett, Nuna and Patrick for donating books to our classroom.  I hope you all found some great books to read over the break.

We are having a food drive via the student council until Dec. 18th.  It is a good role model to show our kids compassion for others.  Send in donations after the TG break.

I hope you all have a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving Holiday.  Count your blessings, even the small ones and we will begin again on the first.  Happy Thanksgiving

In January, when we have conferences, I always recommend that students begin keeping their own large calendar.  On this calendar, they are to put sports practice and family engagements as well as homework, tests and school events.

Mrs. Hamel has found them at Target on Shallowford in the $1 section.  If you guys want to get ahead it would be a good deal to purchase now.

Progress reports will go home this Thursday.  As always I like to send a progress report home for each student.  Even if their grades are not in danger.  I also o identify one area that the student needs to focus on.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

November began with an outstanding performance by our 3rd grade "chefs" and "potato mashers".  I was thrilled to see the children perform such a delightful program.  I was also impressed that each class member was able to come to our evening performance.  I know how difficult it can be to be available in the evening.  I thank you all.  Thanks also goes to the parents that helped with the performance.  If you pass Mrs. Zarin please let her know how much we appreciate her efforts.

Social Studies: Our 2 week Market Day was a huge success.  We began by earning money in our companies.  They produced snakes and donuts.  The students then purchased resources from the store and bought and sold their own product through a mini-economic simulation.  The students learned the standards expected while participating in a hands on performance task.  The final leg of this assignment is to complete an informational paper on what they learned about economics via this activity.  Thank you Mrs. Zath, Mrs.  Minor and Mrs. Hamel for helping out with this event.  The activity will be assessed via a performance rubric that closely relates to the Cobb County Standards.  I will send these grades home.

Science will begin on Friday.  The unit of study will be soil.  We will observe many types of soil and how plants go in each one of them.  We will explore a soil website and even publish poetry about soil.  This will be a quick unit and will be tested before the winter holiday.

Math: I have really been pushing the students in math.  Each night they have had a review sheet of previously learned skills.  While in class. we have done many lessons and activities on multiplication facts.  We are still having fact buddies with our fifth graders.  I am very pleased with this program.  If your child has not master the multiplication facts at 95% or better please work with them at home.  There is a computer site on the Garrison Mill Weblinks that the students can practice their facts.  I will also be sending home practice sheets for those who need a little push to get there.

Language Arts: Grammar skills are focusing on pronouns, possessive nouns and singular and plural forms of a word.  Multiple meaning are also a focus.  Our writing skills are "informational writing".   The students are currently writing a paper about Market Day that will be scored for conventions.  I am sending home results of the new STAR testing.  This test is more of a screening and is used for a baseline level for your child's reading level.  It is not an exact test that can be used for assessment.  IOWA test scores were sent home, if you have any questions please feel free to ask me.  Overall, the students are functioning very well.  We finished our novel study of Danny Champion of The World and have started The Twits which is also a Roald Dahl book. We started Literature circles.  This is where groups are assigned novels to read.  Each student is given a job.  They then come together and discuss the book.  It is a step toward Independence and increased comprehension.  Guided reading groups are still being conducted.  My goal is to have guided reading groups 3 times a week.  This is where 3 different groups read an information text on the same subject but at different reading levels.   I have noticed a huge jump in the student's ability to read informational text.

Spelling: Spelling is going well.  We will begin Unit 14 this week.  I love seeing what spelling choice the students pick on Wednesday nights.  They have such good comments on the variety of activities.

High Touch High Tech came last week and did an in house field trip on heat and energy.  These programs are so beneficial and are really a hands on way of learning.  The kids were introduced to solar beads.  These are beads that change color when they are in the sunlight or exposed to heat.  If you can find them it would make a good holiday gift as the students were crazy about them.

Grandparent's Luncheon:  Our time is Wednesday 11/19.  Lunch is 12:30 but grandparents and friends are welcome to come at 12:15 to hear our poetry readings.  There will also be a silent auction to benefit The Cancer Society and GM's Relay For Life Team.  The dessert I have donated is a "Turtle Cheesecake". The auction is in the media center. Feel free to bid on this yummy cheesecake.  Pictures are also available that day in the media center.

Target Day Change: This week Target will be on Thursday rather than Wednesday due to Grandparents Luncheon.

BOOK FAIR THIS WEEK:

Monday 7:30-4:00

Tuesday 7:30-6:00

Wednesday 7:30-4:00

Thursday 7:30-4:00

Friday 7:30-3:00

I hope everyone has a great week and a wonderful week off.  I am thankful for so many things in my life and I am sure you are too.  Have a nice week off.  My door is always open.   If you have questions, please ask.

  November begins and we are all busy as usual.  The students were busy practicing for their musical performance that will be this Thursday at 7:00 and a PTA meeting right before at 6:30.  I hope we can all come to support the students.

November calendar is attached (Thank you Nadine for doing this for our class)

Download MOORENOVEMBER.rtf

There are MANY dates to be aware of:

Please make sure you return your Grandparents and Friends luncheon reservation is turned in.  No money is required but the cafeteria needs to know how many people to plan for.  We will have a short poerty reading in our classroom prior to going to lunch at 12:30.  Have the guests come to room 409 at 12:15.

We have finished our read aloud of Danny Champion of the World and will begin a short book entitled The Twits also by Rohl Dahl.

Social Studies we are still studying economics.  There is so much real life application around us.  We will have a "Market Day Sale" this Friday.  The actual Market Day will be on 11/14 from 1:00-2:00.  Mrs. Hamel and Mrs. Minor have volunteered to help let me know if a couple of other people would like to jump in.  It is a great activity.

Math- We are beginning Chapter 7 on Multiplication. We will move quickly through these chapters as they are very short and redundant.

Guided Reading- We are reading informational texts this 9 weeks and will continue with our small groups.  We will also start literature circles this week.

I am having the children take a STAR reading assessment on Thursday.  If their AR level has changed, I will send home in Thursday folders. 

Spelling is unit 12- grades are great and I am seeing carryover from test to written assignments.

Welcome to Will, our new student.  He is a welcome addition to our classroom.  He seemed one of the guys by the end of the day.

Thank you to all who contributed to our Fall Center Time.

Mrs Zath for the pumpkin

Mrs. Hoarell for the pumpkin

Mrs. Minor and Mrs. Wood for the cupcakes

Mrs. Hamel for all the center supplies and treats

Mrs. Owen for the treats

I appreciate all you do for me which in turn makes your child's classroom better.  I thank you all.

Have a great week.