* This week we are working on Sitton Spelling Units 11 & 12. Don't forget to work on your 3 Tic-Tac-Toe activities (Due next Tuesday, Dec. 16th)- but you can also get extra practice by visiting the spelling link on the right! Complete two activities from either Unit 11 or 12 (or one from each) and either print your results or have your parents write a note that you completed them and you will earn 1 stick!
* We have learned about the first successful English colony at Jamestown. Visit this awesome Jamestown website for an interactive decision-making adventure. If you had been John Rolfe or John Smith how would you have run the settlement? When you're done, print your results (don't forget to read about what you've learned) and bring it in to earn 2 sticks!
(Expired) Extra stick opportunities
Holiday Happenings
We're counting down to the Winter Holidays! Only 7 more days to go - and they are jam packed! Please read up on the following announcements:
1. A big thanks to Mrs. Nardulli for our wonderful lesson on artist Georgia O'Keefe and composer Aaron Copeland today! The kids really enjoyed it!
2. Mrs. Charrette visited us today and did an activity on avoiding distractions and remaining focused. So hard to do this time of year, but a still a skill that we must teach our children. They don't always have the strategies for remaining "tuned in" to the task at hand - but it's something that can be practiced at home!
3. Our holiday party is Thursday, Dec. 18th from 1:00-2:00 in the classroom. All are welcome! Thank you to those who have responded to our room moms' calls for donations of food/drinks/and supplies. We will need plenty of snacks for the hungry guests, and volunteers are always appreciated to run games and activities. This year we will be playing BINGO, decorating a cookie, and singing carols in our own classroom version of "Don't forget the lyrics!" We sent home a note today about our book exchange which will take the place of a gift exchange. Books should be new or close to it, and do not need to exceed $5. Please send them in wrapped and ready to swap.
4. How is your child's AR goal coming? Next Friday, December 19th is the last day to take a test, earn points, and ensure that their comprehension rate is above 85%. We will celebrate with all those who meet these goals in January with a luncheon in the classroom. (more details to follow)
5. Our class won the Art behavior award! Next Thursday students may wear their pajamas to school to celebrate with Ms. Dunaway.
6. Ford Elementary believes in the DREAM BIG concept!!! Ford Elementary School is supporting the South Cobb Marching Band by allowing students to wear silly slippers on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 for a $1.00 donation. All donations will be given to the South Cobb Marching Band to help fund 95 students plus support staff on their trip to Washington D.C. as they represent the state of Georgia for the 56th Inaugural Parade.(Students should bring proper shoes if it is a music or PE specials day...)Show our Ford Spirit!!!
7. High Touch/High Tech is coming! Our in-school field trip is next Wednesday. Thank you to everyone for returning their permission slips and $. We have 100% participation! Learning about and building simple machines should be both interactive and fun!
Check out the new Art & Music Blogs!
OUr wonderful specialists now have a homepage to keep you updated on these terrific enrichment programs at Ford. Please take a moment to check them out!
Art Blog
Music Blog
What Are We Studying?
Reading - Tall tales, fables, folktales
Writing - Response to literature, summarizing
Math - Extending multiplication/division, geometry & angles
English - Pronouns, Spelling Units 11 & 12
Social Studies - Spanish, English, French exploration
Science - forces and motion, simple machines
Class Update 12/3
Hope you all had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving break! I know we did!! Now we're back in the swing of things and counting down to the end of the 9 weeks. Here's just some of the things we've been up to in Room 309:
* Before the break our class made holiday cards for the Georgia soldiers stationed in Iraq that won't be able to come home for Christmas. We sent them in the radio station B98.5 as part of their "Ho,Ho,Hope" campaign. We actually had names of soldiers to address the cards to, so hopefully the personal touch coming from Ford Elementary will put some smiles on faces all the way around the world!
* The Boosterthon Fun Run was a great success! Thank you all for your support and in getting your pledges in by the December 2nd deadline. If you have any outstanding or late pledges, please send them in as soon as you get them. We can continue to accept donations for our fabulous Science lab - which will be opening in January! Way to go Ford families - your kids will directly benefit from all the money raised. Mrs. Fritts and Mrs. Waddell made good on BOTH of their bets with the kids if they met their goal of $50 per lap by wearing the SEC team colors of the teams they despise. (see pictures at right)
* We will be meeting with our fabulous room moms very soon to plan our class holiday party, which is going to be held at 1 pm on Thursday, December 18th. If you would like to assist in any way with a game or craft, please let Mrs. Waddell or Mrs. Kastensmidt know. Since we did not collect "class funds" this year, we will be asking everyone to bring in a dish, dessert, or paper product. Stay tuned for further news, and feel free to join us that afternoon for the festivities!
