A BIG THANK YOU to all of the students who "yahoo yodeled" for our listening center! With your help, and the help of a VERY generous uncle, we will soon be the proud owners of a brand new listening center!!!!
I was so inspired, I've already proposed our next project: a document camera. This is a VERY cool tool that we got to use for a day in our classroom when we studied maps (in particular, the compass rose). This, when combined with a projector, shows, in color, a worksheet, a book, an object--anything you put under it, it shows big and in color. It was so much fun! We read together a book that normally, would have been too small to read aloud in a group. We put worksheets into page protectors and, using dry erase markers, it became an interactive lesson (and saved us 23 copies per page!). Any small objects, such as figures for Social Studies, leaves or magnets for science, can be shown using this projector so that everyone can see! Imagine seeing magnetism in action...the push and pull of two poles of a magnet, demonstrated by teachers and students, before trying it on your own!
It's an awesome tool that I hope we'll be able to fund. The Yahoo yodels run through November 8, so I think it would be neat to try for it! Thanks to those parents at home who are able to record yodels, receiving codes to donate to our projects! We will continue to record in class as well. Here's hoping to have our next two projects funded soon! ;)
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Help Us "Stamp Out" our Letter Unit!
Heading, Greeting, Body, Closing, Signature....
Have you heard your child singing this? We are studying how to write friendly letters, including all their five parts! However, we need your help! Part of our study of friendly letters include sending letters in the mail to sports team, to request a donation for our Friday prizes! If you could send in a book of "Forever Stamps" (available from the post office or grocery store), we'd be most grateful! We have already drafted our letter, and are ready to write our first letters to send out!
Have you heard your child singing this? We are studying how to write friendly letters, including all their five parts! However, we need your help! Part of our study of friendly letters include sending letters in the mail to sports team, to request a donation for our Friday prizes! If you could send in a book of "Forever Stamps" (available from the post office or grocery store), we'd be most grateful! We have already drafted our letter, and are ready to write our first letters to send out!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Special Thanks
Special thanks go out to 9 of our students who have volunteered (and parents have given permission) to do a "Yahoo Yodel," and in doing so, have raised $90 for our classroom listening center. Way to go! We hope to record more next week. If you'd like to help, it's very easy! Record a short yodel, upload it to yodelstudio.yahoo.com, and you'll receive a code. Using the link from our blog page, you can go straight to the project page for our listening center. If everything continues to go well, we might have it funded by the end of next week! Awesome job, everyone! :)
Thursday, October 22, 2009
AR STARS!
We are proud of our students who are doing so well with AR! Recently, 5 of our students were honored because they received 15 points by the end of the first nine weeks: Taylor, J.T., Kassandra, Alexis, and Abby. Way to go! The next goal to meet is 30 points by the end of the 2nd 9 weeks (in December). Good luck! ;)
Our current top 10 list:
Taylor (42 points)
Kassandra (29.8)
J.T. (26.7)
Abby (24.2)
Alex (19.1)
Alexis (18.9)
Katya (14.6)
Ian (9.5)
Trey (9.2)
Hunter (7.3)
Our current top 10 list:
Taylor (42 points)
Kassandra (29.8)
J.T. (26.7)
Abby (24.2)
Alex (19.1)
Alexis (18.9)
Katya (14.6)
Ian (9.5)
Trey (9.2)
Hunter (7.3)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Thanks for Yodeling!
A special thanks to Alexis, who created a yodel and contributed $10 to our project of a classroom listening center! Way to go! :)
Contributions of Ancient China and Egypt
Our class is really excited about our new project! Information went home on Monday in your child's folder. Please contact me for any questions or concerns.
Students need to only choose one project from the list, not one from each culture. A few suggested projects were on the sheet, but please feel free to let your child go "wild" with ideas! Some parents have asked if technology can be incorporated with the project. We have created both Photo Stories (a free download from Microsoft) and Voice Threads in class. Your child can also use that as a project idea.
I am going to change the due date of our project to November 5th, since that is Grandparent's Day, and I'm sure our visitors would like to see their grandchild presenting a project they worked so hard on! They can also share in our "feast" we will have on that same day. More information on what your child can bring in that day will be coming home soon.
Students need to only choose one project from the list, not one from each culture. A few suggested projects were on the sheet, but please feel free to let your child go "wild" with ideas! Some parents have asked if technology can be incorporated with the project. We have created both Photo Stories (a free download from Microsoft) and Voice Threads in class. Your child can also use that as a project idea.
I am going to change the due date of our project to November 5th, since that is Grandparent's Day, and I'm sure our visitors would like to see their grandchild presenting a project they worked so hard on! They can also share in our "feast" we will have on that same day. More information on what your child can bring in that day will be coming home soon.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Yahoo! Sample Yodel from Jack
Just to show how easy it is to do, we recorded my son, Jack, doing a Yahoo yodel (he wanted to "lip sync") with the digital camera. Then, we saved it on the computer, went to the yodelstudio.yahoo.com site, uploaded it (we had to enter in some information--I used the school telephone number, 540-872-3931, instead of our own), and he received a confirmation number. We then went to donorschoose.org (there's a link), searched under "youel" and found our two projects. We typed in $10 for the donation (instead of $25), clicked check out, and entered in our code. It was as easy as that! It took more time to convince him to do it, then to actually do it! :) All in all, the uploading was the longest part. Please consider doing this and getting your friends to do this! It's a great way for our classroom to receive these resources, and it costs nothing to do it!
THAT Is Worth Yodeling About!
Yahooooooo!
Yahoo! is inviting all teachers, family and friends tp share your creative singing voices by recording and uploading your own "Yahoo! Yodel."
In return for submitting your own Yodel, Yahoo! will immediately provide you with a $10 DonorsChoose.org electronic Giving Card to help fund our classroom project!
It's very easy! We will be doing one in class on Monday to earn $10 towards our two projects currently on Donors Choose (digital cameras, listening center). If possible, it would be fabulous if you could also do one at home, earning another $10 towards our class projects! Please tell friends, family, and neighbors to also participate!
If you have a web cam, you record yourself doing the Yahoo! Yodel (or another type of yodel---I will let you see ours below), upload it to the yahoo link below, and they will give you a number for your electronic card through your email. Click on the link here on our blog, and it will take you right to our giving page for Donors Choose!
If you do not have a web cam, they will also accept uploads from other media, such as video cameras, or the video feature on your digital camera!
So please help out our class by yodeling! The project expires on 11/8/09!
"Yahooooo! Youel's Yodelers for Donors Choose! Please help us out today!"
yodelstudio.yahoo.com
Yahoo! is inviting all teachers, family and friends tp share your creative singing voices by recording and uploading your own "Yahoo! Yodel."
In return for submitting your own Yodel, Yahoo! will immediately provide you with a $10 DonorsChoose.org electronic Giving Card to help fund our classroom project!
It's very easy! We will be doing one in class on Monday to earn $10 towards our two projects currently on Donors Choose (digital cameras, listening center). If possible, it would be fabulous if you could also do one at home, earning another $10 towards our class projects! Please tell friends, family, and neighbors to also participate!
If you have a web cam, you record yourself doing the Yahoo! Yodel (or another type of yodel---I will let you see ours below), upload it to the yahoo link below, and they will give you a number for your electronic card through your email. Click on the link here on our blog, and it will take you right to our giving page for Donors Choose!
If you do not have a web cam, they will also accept uploads from other media, such as video cameras, or the video feature on your digital camera!
So please help out our class by yodeling! The project expires on 11/8/09!
"Yahooooo! Youel's Yodelers for Donors Choose! Please help us out today!"
yodelstudio.yahoo.com
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Fall Party
Our Fall Party will be on Friday, October 30th from 2:15 - 3:00. We will be participating in activities that are fall-related, and enjoying some special snacks! I will be sending home a sign-up sheet soon in your child's homework folder. I am asking that the girls send in food and the boys send in goodies that are fall-related (enough for 22 students). More details to come!
Contributions to the Classroom
"Donors Choose" and "Digital Wish" are two sites that teachers can access to request funding for classroom projects that involve technology. While Jouett does have some amazing equipment to use to help enhance your child's learning experience, often it is one item that is shared by all the teachers. In an attempt to help our school, and our classroom, receive funding for more of these great items, I have registered at these two sites to request funding.
Donors Choose is offering a challenge: "We Teach. Those who don't, GIVE." Please check out the link below with our class request. Please share it with others. If enough people donate by October 31st, it will unlock $100,000 in additional funding for projects!
If you know of anyone, a person or a business, that is looking for a great cause to donate to (that is also tax-deductable!), please share the link below! Right now, we've had two donors, which is great, but does not fully fund our project. Donations can be as low as $1 and as high as needed.
Thank you so much for spreading the word! :)
Click! Picture This!
Digital Wish
Donors Choose is offering a challenge: "We Teach. Those who don't, GIVE." Please check out the link below with our class request. Please share it with others. If enough people donate by October 31st, it will unlock $100,000 in additional funding for projects!
If you know of anyone, a person or a business, that is looking for a great cause to donate to (that is also tax-deductable!), please share the link below! Right now, we've had two donors, which is great, but does not fully fund our project. Donations can be as low as $1 and as high as needed.
Thank you so much for spreading the word! :)
Click! Picture This!
Digital Wish
Parent Conferences
Parent Conference forms went home in your child's folder on Wednesday this past week. Please return promptly so we can schedule a conference on either Tuesday, October 20th or Wednesday, October 21st. If neither of these days work for you, please let me know a convenient day and time.
Phone conferences are also an option if you cannot make it in during the times listed. Please add your time, day, and phone number where you will be available at that time at the bottom of your form, indicating that you would prefer a phone conference. :)
Phone conferences are also an option if you cannot make it in during the times listed. Please add your time, day, and phone number where you will be available at that time at the bottom of your form, indicating that you would prefer a phone conference. :)
Read Aloud Week, October 18 - 25
Thanks to those parents who are able to come in and read aloud during "Read Aloud to a Child" week, October 18-25. I will be getting back to you soon with a schedule of your time. Please bring in a book of your choice to read to students. I can also provide books to read aloud as well.
In addition to "Read Aloud Week," CBS 6 in Richmond is also sponsoring a contest.
Students will be drawing pictures of the books that they listened to during the week. Then, we will be sending forms home for parents to complete, which will be sent with the picture to CBS TV. Then, watch Richmond CBS 6 station to see if the picture is chosen for sharing during the news program. Students whose pictures are chosen will win a special coupon!
In addition to "Read Aloud Week," CBS 6 in Richmond is also sponsoring a contest.
Students will be drawing pictures of the books that they listened to during the week. Then, we will be sending forms home for parents to complete, which will be sent with the picture to CBS TV. Then, watch Richmond CBS 6 station to see if the picture is chosen for sharing during the news program. Students whose pictures are chosen will win a special coupon!
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Homework and Announcements for the week of October 5-9
Announcements:
*We are continuing our Geography unit in Social Studies this week, emphasizing map skills and parts of a map, such as the legend, symbols, title, and the compass rose (north, south, east, west). Part of your child's homework this week will be to create a map of his/her bedroom. This will be in the Homework folder on Monday! We will also have a quiz on this unit on Friday, so please be helping your child look over the study guide each night!
*Please be sure you are checking your child's reading log each week. Several have been turned in with no parent signature at the bottom. Also, we are missing some reading logs, so please be sure it is in your child's folder on either Friday or Monday!
*Photo Stories and links to the Voice Threads are being published either on the website, blog, or class wiki. There will be a note on our homepage of the website where they will be located so you can view your child's hard work!
Homework for the Week:
*Reading Log (10 minutes each night)
*Map Project
*Geography Study Guide
Resource Schedule For the Week:
Monday: P.E.
Tuesday: Library
Wednesday: P.E.
Thursday: Art
Friday: P.E.
*next Monday will be our extended resource, so students will have both Music and P.E.
*We are continuing our Geography unit in Social Studies this week, emphasizing map skills and parts of a map, such as the legend, symbols, title, and the compass rose (north, south, east, west). Part of your child's homework this week will be to create a map of his/her bedroom. This will be in the Homework folder on Monday! We will also have a quiz on this unit on Friday, so please be helping your child look over the study guide each night!
*Please be sure you are checking your child's reading log each week. Several have been turned in with no parent signature at the bottom. Also, we are missing some reading logs, so please be sure it is in your child's folder on either Friday or Monday!
*Photo Stories and links to the Voice Threads are being published either on the website, blog, or class wiki. There will be a note on our homepage of the website where they will be located so you can view your child's hard work!
Homework for the Week:
*Reading Log (10 minutes each night)
*Map Project
*Geography Study Guide
Resource Schedule For the Week:
Monday: P.E.
Tuesday: Library
Wednesday: P.E.
Thursday: Art
Friday: P.E.
*next Monday will be our extended resource, so students will have both Music and P.E.
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