from Connor and Nick

This week we have been studying the colonies.  We named all 13 colonies. George III taxed the colonies.  We looked at several different taxes, like a tax on glass, sugar, tea, and stamps.  We played a marble game.  We made stamps with potatoes.  We decorated cookies.

Ari's mom came in today and told us about Hanukkah.

In Music, we are playing our ukulele and recorders, but we had our last individual class.

In Art, we made snow globes.

In Computers, we are learning about colonial jobs and working with gaggle to share what we have learned.

In Math, we played math games.  We worked on addition and multiplication.

Have a nice break, from the whole entire class.

Today by Misha and others

Today we did recorders. I had fun. We also looked at what was the same and different with Werowocomoco and Jamestown. In Werowocomoco, they had a chief named Powhatan.  Werowocomoco was the main home of Powhatan in 1607. Powhatan's land surrounded Jamestown.  In Werowocomoco, they ate squash, corn, beans, and meat.  In Werowocomoco, under the age of twelve, in the summer, people wore nothing.  In Werowocomoco, some dancers had rattles filled with seeds.   Werowocomoco and Jamestown both made their houses out of straw, mud, and wood.  In Werowocomoco they would use animal skins in the winter.  In Werowocomoco the Indians used bow and arrows, which were amazingly accurate.  Jamestown was a colony started in 1607 by English.  It was named after King James I.   In Jamestown, they used guns and swords.  In Jamestown, men wore puffy pants and their shirts had high collars and puffy sleeves.  They also wore hats sort of like the guy from Pirates of the Caribbean.  In Jamestown, they ate mostly meat and food that the Indians gave them.  In Jamestown, they were looking for gold, but could not find any.  In Jamestown, they had a governor appointed by the King or the London Company.

Upcoming Events for December:

Poetry Day - Friday, December 2
Book Fair - Monday through Friday, December 5-9
Musical Performance at the Book Fair - Monday, December 5 at 2:30
Field Trip to "Nutcracker" - Friday, December 9
Hollins Carnival - Monday, December 12
Book Project Due - Tuesday, December 13
Field Trip to "Christmas Cookie"  Roanoke Children's Theater - Thursday, December 15

My Day by Lucas

In math, we made a cube and a pyramid and solved addition problems.  We had fruit break.  We listened to people talk about their book projects.  In art, we covered our art journal.  We looked for poems for Poetry Day on Friday.  Now, we are going to Spanish.

Remember next week we have our book fair.

Tomorrow, we have Thanksgiving Luncheon at Hollins University. Please come join us and bring an entree for 10-12 hungry people. The Art Show starts at 11:00. Students are dismissed from Hollins at 12:00.

There is no school on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th.

Sharp Top by Misha

We went to Sharp Top summit. I was fifth to reach the summit. While we were at the top, we played a lot of fun games and ate our lunch. My favorite thing to do at the summit is to climb on rocks.

Dixie Caverns by Cassie

Dixie Caverns had a few bats (dwarf brown bats) and beautiful rock formations. There was even a wishing stone. We saw the Salem fault line along the ceiling. There were some rocks that looked like Indians or a wedding party. My favorite part was to see the fairy kingdom and the wedding party. In the fairy kingdom you could still see the witch's hand and you could see the reflection of the fairy kingdom in the water upside down.

On Friday, November 18th, the Telescopic Detectives are going to Peaks of Otter for a day-long hike. Please make sure your child has comfortable shoes, water, and a disposable lunch. It looks like it will be a chilly, but sunny day. Please encourage your child to wear layers. Both of our classes filled their jellybead jars and we are very excited that we get to go on this trip. Emilie, one of the middle school teachers, will be joining us.

On Monday, November 21st, we are going to Dixie Caverns in the morning. It is important that your child arrive on time on both Friday and Monday.

On Wednesday, November 23rd, we have Thanksgiving Luncheon at Hollins University. Please come join us and bring an entree for 10-12 hungry people. The Art Show starts at 11:00. Students are dismissed from Hollins at 12:00.

There is no school on Thursday, November 24th and Friday, November 25th.

Today by Ben

Today we had math, fruit break, and recess. In math we started working on migration of whales. We made origami whales and read about them. I wrote about what Werowocomoco and Jamestown were like in 1611. In Art we are working on our Thanksgiving Luncheon projects. We are going to Spanish now.

This week Asia the dog visited us. Scott, Nick, Ben, and I got to walk her. We were trying to run with her, but Scott and Nick let go and went rolling down the hill. Twice. We got back inside. We went to specials. It was a lot of fun. I sure hope she can come back soon.

This week

Today in class we wrote about why we would not want Asia to come back and why we would want Asia to come back. I want Asia to come back. I think that that Asia was a good dog and a good friend! We worked on parts of the body in Spanish. In Music, we practiced our singing for Roanoke United Home. In Drama, we continue to work on the plays we wrote. In Computers, we got our gaggle accounts. In Art, we are working on our project for Arts Festival.

Singing at Roanoke United Methodist Home

Today by Sarah

We are responsible for Bake Sale this Wednesday, October 26th.


Later, that day we will perform at Friendship Manor.


First, we did our binders.  Then we went to math.  We practiced our play at Fruit Break.  We had buddies with Ruth Ann.  We played with our buddies.  I did mostly puzzles with my buddies.  We had recess and lunch.  We worked on spelling.  We are making a hopscotch spelling game.  Now, we are cleaning up and going to buddies with Beth.

Please help our spellers! Where could they find all these words used?

• declaration
• transient
• despot
• abolish
• usurpation
• invariably
• annihilation
• barbarous
• desolation
• abdicate

Our Day by Sarah

Today we had math. We had Fruit Break. Sarah, Daisy, Grace, Cassie, and I practiced our play during Fruit Break, in front of the little kids. We worked on spelling tests, read, and some of us wrote. We had recess and lunch. In Art, we found leaves outside and shredded crayons for our Thanksgiving project. We wrote about Fall Festival. Now we are going to Spanish.

Fall Festival Photos

Here are the Fall Festival photos.

Hopscotch Math

The students in Kim's math class are starting Hopscotch Math, an exciting and new unit. Hopscotch Math is an Interact curriculum. Your child will have a Student Learning Log which they can use as a study guide and which I recommend they keep for future years. It can be used to help review the math skills that he or she has learned.

Hopscotch Math will help reinforce multiplication and division facts. It will also prepare for future math skills such as finding factors, common multiples, and common denominators.

Over the next weeks, encourage your child to tell you what all of us have been studying in class and maybe even play the games with them.

Remember tomorrow we leave for our Fall Festival trip to Douthat State Park. All medicine and vitamins need to be given to the teacher with instructions. Please make sure your child is on time and has lots of rain gear (which we can hope stay in their bags). Rain or shine we will have a nice time.

Last Friday's Time with our Buddies

Fall Festival Reminders

Our Fall Festival trip is fast approaching. The children are excited and we are finalizing our plans.

Please remember to pack your child’s lunch and fruit break snack for Tuesday in the daypack.

Do not put clothes in the daypack as it will be used for hikes and other activities. Pack all clothes separately.

It is helpful if children assist with packing so they know where things are located and what they have.

One of the programs the Ranger has planned for us is a creek walk. Please send boots or waders with your child. It is essential for the children to have several pairs of shoes. Any child without a change of shoes or boots will not be allowed to wade in the water. Extra socks are very important. Hiking in wet shoes and socks can be extremely uncomfortable.

Please be sure to pack a warm hat, gloves, and coat. The mornings can be very chilly.

Electronic equipment and toys not allowed. Children may bring a ball, cards, and a book.

Gum is not allowed.

Your child should not bring any food other than Tuesday’s lunch and snack.

Thank you for helping us make this an enjoyable experience for everyone.

Betsy and Kim

Please remember this week's homework is due on Monday, October 10th (not Tuesday).  We had music.  We talked about treble clef and did this thing where Kim gives us a paper and we need to write the note that was on the paper.  She times us.  We had lunch and buddies with Ruth Ann.  We made fall leaves.  In class we worked on spelling games, a Virginia scavenger hunt, reading, and journaling.

Tulie's Blintz Recipe

Gluten-Free Blintz Recipe

Preheat a pan or skillet over medium/medium-low heat. Grease the pan with butter or olive oil. Before you begin to cook, mix the following:

1 tablespoon of cream cheese

2 tablespoons of vanilla yogurt.

Set aside. This will be your filling.

Whisk together the following ingredients:

¼ cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free pancake mix

¼ cup of milk

1 egg

1 tsp olive oil

Pour the batter into the hot pan. Cook for about 2 minutes or until the bubbles in the center begin to pop. Flip the blintz over and cook for an additional 30-60 seconds. Remove from pan.

Place the cooked blintz on a large plate and top with a thin layer the prepared filling. Roll it up. Top with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and enjoy!   

Auditions at Community High School for Arts and Academics

Call for Actors and Singers (age 9 and up)

Auditions Saturday, October 8, 2011 from 10am to 1pm

Bring one Song

Folk Opera: Miss Lucy

A Story about Roanoke & Lucy Addison

A Production by Community High School and Friends

(November 17, 18, and 19, 2011)

Community High School for Arts and Academics

302 Campbell Street

in the new June M. McBroom Theatre

soloists and chorus parts available

For more information please contact les@communityhigh.net.

Fall into the Arts Series

Just a little information about the next performance in our Fall into the Arts series.

The Hudson Trio
October 26th at 7:30
Talmadge Hall, Hollins University

Talk back (question and awnser period) after the show but no reception this time.
Free babysitting for 6:30-9:30 for Community School families.
The musicians have offfered to do a masters class the following morning free of charge for our students and any other local students who might be interested.

Field Trip to Camp Roanoke

Here are pictures of our wonderful trip to Camp Roanoke. We divided into two groups so please remember to check out Betsy's blog as well - http://www.betzbuzz.blogspot.com/.

Virginia History

Today we finished our letters to County Chambers of Commerce throughout the state. We hope to get travel brochures and information soon. We did Virginia puzzles and a scavenger hunt. How many questions can you answer?

• Virginia's motto is "Thus always to _________."
• What is Virginia's state beverage?
• When did Virginia gain statehood?
• Who are the 8 Virginia born presidents?

We also reviewed state borders with a card game called Borderline.

Here is a slideshow of our visitor from St. Francis Service Dogs. She was cute, very sweet, and playful.

We read and had lunch with our buddies in Ruth Ann's class.

Upcoming Events

September 24  Fired Up for a CURE!

Location: Roanoke Civic Center Parking Lot at corner of Williamson Road & Orange Avenue off of I-581.

Activities:

·        9:00am – 5K / 10K Race

·        10:30am – 2:00pm – Exhibits & Kids Activities

·        12:00pm – 3:00pm – FREE Ice Skating

·        Child Safety Seat Checks!

·        FREE Food!

·        FREE Kids Activities!

·        FREE Health Screenings!

·        Zumba presented by Golds Gym - Electric Road

·        Come see the Fire Safety House and the Chesapeake “Pink” Firetruck

Don’t think Cancer!

Think CAN SURvive!

September 27th Field Trip to Camp Roanoke and the first book project is due

September 28th Upper Elementary Picture Day

September 30th Poetry Day

Math Games

During math, we play games to help build our skills.  Below is a list of games and a description from the students in my math class.

• Plus-Minus-Stay - This is fun.  It will be a homework game to play with our family.  You add and subtract.  You also can use strategy to help you win.
• Zigity - It is a Cranium card game.  This game has adding to a given sum.  Other skills include problem solving and strategy.
• Logic Links - You solve patterns using clues.  You use dots to help create the described pattern.
• Noodlers - You put sticks on a card to divide the designs.  It is great for spatial relations.  (See if your kids remember what the term, spatial relations, means.)
• Addition War - It is a card game.  It is an adding game where the higher sum lets you take someone else's cards.  It builds addition speed.  It can also be done as Multiplication War.
• Number Ninja - It is a game where you solve word problems.  It is really fun. There is a golden dragon and a lot of traps.  Another player gives you questions and you move when you get them right.  Some of the questions were telling time, addition, and subtraction.  They are all word problems.
• Q-bitz - You try to match the pattern on a card with special cubes.  It is like trying to make a puzzle with dice.  It is really hard.  It works on spatial relations.

Today we learned 3 different letters of the alphabet. It was fun. We also learned about optical illusions.  It was fun.  We also wrote a poem about me in the looking glass right now and wrote in our journals using a picture from a magazine to help us come with a story idea.  Now, we have music.

by Misha

Holly time is when Holly reads a book to us .

Then we went cooking with Betsy's class and Tulie we made a yummy recipe called blintzes!


By Daisy

Gatherings Tonight

Please remember Upper Elementary Gatherings is tonight. I will be in my room on the second floor of the big house from 6:55-7:25. Our informational session begins at 7:30.

Buddies with Beth

Photos of Playground Skits

Math Measurement Photos

Class Name

We worked on class name skits today. We also have math, art, music, computers, and buddies with Ruth Ann. Can you guess our class name?

Your first clue is...

Itched Eve Test.

In class today we did lots of things like find our poems for Poetry Day, make a talent chain, read to Kim, talk about our class name skit, and write in our journals. We had lots of fun.

by Daisy

Kim's Math Workshop

I am very excited about math. We are beginning the year with Mathematical Thinking and Math with Meaning. The Mathematical Thinking unit will help your child get used to solving problems that take considerable time, thought, and discussion. While solving these problems, your child will be using materials like pattern blocks, cubes, and calculators, and will be writing, drawing, and talking about how to do the problems. Emphasis during this unit will be on thinking hard and reasoning carefully to solve mathematical problems.

During this unit your child will explore even and odd numbers, create symmetrical designs, look for number patterns, and combine and compare different amounts of money or handfuls of objects. This class will also collect and organize data about themselves as a group.

While our class is working on this unit and throughout the year, you can help in several ways:
- Your child will have assignments to work on at home. Sometimes he or she will involve your participation.
- Often children will work out number problems by using real objects. So, when they are working at home, it would help them to have a large collection of objects for counting, such as beans, buttons, or pennies.
- In class, students will be making a set of Addition Cards. The goal is for each child to develop effective strategies for combining numbers. Sometimes for homework, children will choose a few combinations that they are working on and think about strategies for combining number. (For example, What's 6 + 7? Well, I know 6 + 6 is 12, and 6 + 7 is one more than that, so it's 13.) We begin with the more simple problems so students master these strategies and are able to use them with more and more difficult work.

Math with Meaning is based on math strategies used in Singapore's Primary Math Curriculum. These strategies were developed by the Curriculum Planning and Development Institute of Singapore. Again we begin with more simple problems to help students master the topics.

The strengths of Singapore's Primary Mathematics Curriculum are:
- The curriculum is highly coherent; it spirals and is taught in a logical step-by-step manner that builds on students' prior knowledge and skills.
- Fewer topics are taught in greater depth. The goals are conceptualization and mastery.
- The curriculum emphasizes conceptualization before procedures (algorithms) through the concrete-pictorial-abstract sequence of instruction.
- It teaches computation methods that facilitate mental math.
- The curriculum uses metacognition to encourage students to use alternative methods for solving problems and to develop logical thinking.

The above text was adapted from Investigations in Number, Data, and Space by Susan Jo Russell and Karen Economopoulos and Math with Meaning: Resource Book by Staff Development for Educators.

We had science for the first time with Betsy today. We looked at optical illusions and how one picture could be two different things. We also rolled up paper and looked through peoples' hands and heads. Outside Sarah, Tallulah, and I all played vacation and we got on the plane to Puerto Rico. In Social Studies we drew pictures of ourselves while looking in the mirror. Later, some of us read to Kim. We also wrote down some "a" words.

by Daisy

September 9, 2011


Dear Parents,

It has been a great first week. Upper Elementary is full of wonderful students and I am excited about the year ahead. My blog address has changed and it is not correct on the website. My blog is http://uekimsclass.blogspot.com/. Please look at my blog and Betsy's (http://www.betzbuzz.blogspot.com/ ) regularly.

During the summer my family and I started volunteering with St. Francis Service Dogs. This organization raises and trains service dogs for children and adults with disabilities. My family has housed and cared for two different puppies. We will have Asia, a 3 month old puppy, staying with us the week of September 19th. I would like to bring the puppy to school. All dogs with St. Francis are crate-trained. Asia would spend time in her crate during class, but students could help with walking her. I will not bring the puppy if there are any students in Upper Elementary with allergies or fears. Please email me by September 18th, if you have concerns about Asia's visit.

On a different note, my classroom has window air conditioning units, which makes it difficult to make the whole room a comfortable temperature. Please encourage your child to wear layers and bring an old sweatshirt that they could leave outside my room. It is a wonderful room and your children are making it their own. Please come up and look at the room and the “Great Mathematicians” bulletin board that my math class made, whenever you are on campus.

Thank you all very much,

Kim

At the beginning of the day we played outside. We had math. In math, we learned how to play different math games and had an assessment. We went outside for fruit break. We had Hollytime. Holly reads to us. In Drama, we played "Kitty in the Corner" and all kinds of different games. We also had recess and lunch. We went to Computers and learned about 10 things we need to learn how to do for Computers. We went to Spanish. We reviewed our colors in Spanish. Then we read and talked about things we like.

First Day of Kim's Math

We made a bulletin board. It is red with mirrors on it in different shapes. There were famous mathematicians, shapes that were measured and the same size, math facts, and math words.

by Misha

Betsy's Blog

If your child is in Betsy's math class, please remember to check out her blog. She also takes wonderful pictures of the kids. Our classes spend a lot of time together so please remember to check her blog. http://www.betzbuzz.blogspot.com/

First, we did the class question. Then we went to math. We had fruit break and we actually got to go outside. We had class. We played a name game and the nonsense game. We went to music. In music, we worked on steady beats. We played on instruments while we listened to "The William Tell Overture." We played outside for recess. We had lunch with Ruth Ann. We made people. We made our own shirt and then cut out pants in any color we would like. That was fun. Next, we have art and we will be working on our journals.

by Sarah P.

Our First Day according to Benjamin

We got our homework.  We met with Betsy's class and played games, including hula hoop challenge.  There are pictures of this.  We had Spanish (my favorite thing in the world, aside from ice hockey) and Art. 

SPECIAL NOTE:  Please remember the Wiley Concert this Thursday!

Summer Letter

I hope you had a wonderful summer and are ready to come back to school.  When the bell rings the first day of school we will meet in our classroom and begin getting to know one another. 

Betsy and I have had a lot of fun talking about the school year and the activities we want to do. 

Our schoolwide theme is Through the Looking Glass. 

We have many ideas for this year, but please remember to bring in your own ideas of what the theme means. 

You will need to bring in your own three-ring binder (at least 1 ½ inches).  Please feel free to decorate it.  This will be your homework notebook for the year.  You do not need to add anything to the inside.  Please remember your notebook and homework for the first day of school.  Your first homework assignment is to describe a favorite.  It could be a favorite first day, a favorite meal, a favorite vacation, or another favorite.  Please make sure to write about how you felt and use details to describe this favorite.

I am very excited about the new school year and am looking forward to seeing you Thursday, September 1^st from 6-7pm for our Open House and Family Picnic.  Remember our classroom is now on the second floor of the big house across from the Drama room.

Homework Supply List (all these supplies are for your house) §  Loose leaf paper §  Pencils §  Pencil sharpener §  Ruler §  Gluestick §  White glue §  Clear tape §  Markers §  Colored pencils §  Scissors §  Stapler §  Construction paper

Betsy’s Class   §  Connor Austin §  Henry Baldwin §  Ari Cogen §  Sierra Colbert §  Tallulah Costa §  Noah Gettings §  Deven Holt §  Ny’chelle Lawrence §  Nathan Long §  Grace Montgomery §  Josiah Nucamendi §  Braden Prokopchak §  Collin Rice

Kim’s Class §  Lucas Benton §  Cassie Brogan §  Sarah Epstein §  Connor Fuhrman §  Scott Honeycutt §  Daisy Montgomery §  Lorraine Nida §  Sarah Pressley §  Nicholas Sebolt §  Benjamin Skelton §  Ethan Warner §  Misha Wiley