Monthly Archives: November 2008

Welcome Back Bear Class….Welcome Back!

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Wow! The time sure has flown! It seems like only yesterday that we were all together feasting on that yummy Thanksgiving food, dressed as Pilgrims and Indians, and now BOOM! we are back at school in a brand new month and the promise of SNOW is in the air!  What more could a teacher need?  🙂 Speaking of Thanksgiving…thank you for all that each one of you did to help make our annual meal together a treat!  We could not provide all of the exciting educational experiences we do without the help of our wonderful parents!  Kiss Your Brains!

I am sure you all know that our own RQ 4th graders won their division of the first annual Turkey Bowl against Verner. Verner’s 5th grade won their division, so it was an even split. It was a chilly night and I enjoyed seeing many of you there cheering on our young rockets! I did get a little teary eyed as I sat there realizing how much all of us will be together over the next ten years or so, cheering on these same boys and girls as they go on to do other great and wonderful things! We have a super school and a terrific community!

As we return to school, we will jump right into the study of Traditions around the World. We will be learning about many countries, traditions and cultures. If your family has a special tradition, we’d love to hear about it! Let me know if you’d like to share with us!  We always welcome parents as teachers in our class. Some highlights of this month will be:

Polar Express Day, making gingerbread houses, school-wide sing along, making ornaments and gifts, class party day with Stuff the Santa!, Santa for a Day and so much more!  We can’t wait to get started!

Speaking of Santa for a Day, your instructions will be coming home on Monday and I have also included a link on the blog (on the right hand side) called “Santa For A Day” you can check it out early if you want to get a sneak peak!

Happy Monday everyone! It’s good to be back!

Thought for the week: “Friendship has no color.”

Alicia

 

Turkeys, Pilgrims and Indians, too!

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Where did November go?  Did I miss something?  Normally we get to do Thanksgiving for a whole month and when it is over, we are ready to send the Pilgrims back to the Mayflower! This year, I feel like we’ve just begun! Today, by the way, is our 70th day of school. Zero the Hero is planning the 100th day celebration I am sure!

If you have not sent the $8.00 for the cost of the turkey (for all of first grade at the feast) then please do so as soon as possible. I will get the money to her via Andrew’s Bear Binder. Make checks payable to Kristy Fairburn. She has graciously offered to get the turkey for us. Smooch!

We are on Unit 3 in Reading Street. We are discussing growth and changes. We are having a lot of fun with the vocabulary in this unit. Ask your child about the meaning of words “teeter” and “shuffle”.

Math finds us in geometry! Can you believe it?  We are learning about plane shapes and solid shapes. They are really catching on! Don’t be surprised to hear words like “rectangular prism” and “sphere” when you are discussing math with your child. (I don’t think I learned some of this stuff until Jr. High!

Thanks again for all of the yummy, smell-goody, beautiful, thoughtful, spectacular gifts and wishes you sent for my Big-O B-Day last week!  I did feel so loved! 🙂 A special thanks to the room mommies who treated us to a B-day cookie! Yummmmm! I appreciate all that you do! Every day in every way!

Still counting you among all of my many blessings-

Alicia

Lots to do this week!

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This week will be another busy one in The Bear Class! Here’s a quick run-down of the events:

Monday– Butch Fuller’s Creek Indian Camp at Rock Quarry. Please remember to send the $5.50 to cover this cost. If you are not sure if you’ve paid or not send a note and I’ll let you know.

Tuesday– No school! Veteran’s Day and my b-day!  🙂 Thank you for all of the lovely b-day “happies” your sweet children have brought in! I feel so special (and not-so-old)! They think I am 27 and who am I to shatter their dreams?!

Wednesday– Book Fair 10-10:30. Feel free to shop with your child if you’d like. If you cannot come shop that is fine!  All book fair money should be in an envelope labeled  “Book Fair/your child’s name”. This keeps me from sending book fair money to the cafeteria! 

That’s a lot for the first part of the week!  We will be having our feast on Thursday, November 20th from 12:15-1:15. You will be contacted by a room parent regarding the items that we need sent in for our portion of the feast. We will be so cute all dressed in our Pilgrim and Native American gear!

Don’t forget that we are out of school the whole week of Thanksgiving!  Now that’s something to be thankful for!

If your child is has a change in how they are going home in the afternoons, please put the note in the CLEAR pocket of the Bear Binder (please do not hand it to them to give to me). That way, I’ll see it…..otherwise, I have to send them home the regular way.

As always……do you have lunch money?

Thought for the week- “It’s a funny thing about life. If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” Somerset Maugham

Happy Monday!

Open Enrollement for Mystery Readers!

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We have Mystery Readers scheduled through the end of the semester. (Thanks Mrs. Fairburn!) Several of you have expressed interest in having a turn being the Mystery Reader!

We are now having open enrollment for MR’s! Each Friday @ 12:15!  You can BYObook or I will have one or two for you. All you have to do is show up in room #221 and read to the munchkins. 🙂 Easy, easy mac and cheesy! The dates are as follows: (The time is always 12:15).

January 19, 16, 23 (our 100th day), and 30th

February 6, 13, 20, 27

March 6, 13, 20, 27

April 3, 10, 17, 24

May 1, 8

Send an email to my school account: ajenne@tusc.k12.al.us and let me know what date you’d like. I’ll put you in the book.

Happy Scheduling! Alicia

 

 

I’d like to buy a vowel…..

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Spelling tests. Many are coming home today. This week’s test (shock) along with a few from earlier in the month. Thank you for being patient. I normally am not this late with returning things, so again I apologize.

Yesterday a test came home with “dropped grade” on it. As stated, that test will not be recorded.  (I usually drop 1 or 2 grades).

To clear up any confusion about test grades…..some tests have more lenient grading because they were given before the time that I counted off for capitals in the wrong place. Some tests are graded more strictly because these were taken after the time that I began counting off half for improper capital letters.

From this day forward (just so we are clear) I will take off half-credit for improper capital letters. We are working on this at school all the time so the munchkins know about capital letters and their use. Practice handwriting at home. I will send home some practice spelling papers so they can get the hang of it.

On a happy note….there will be NO SPELLING test next week! We are “on a break” from the reading series for 1 week for catch up so we will not have spelling. Enjoy the vacation…….and practice handwriting!

Alicia (feeling a bit like Vanna White today)

 

Raise your hand and say, “Here”!

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OK parents! I have subscribed you (or your friends & family) if you asked me to do so. I am not sure yet how to check to see if you are subscribed if you did it from home and then asked me to check. Sorry I am a blog-newbie and am still learning. So, your first assignment is to post a comment to this post so I can see who is getting the blog. Clearly, if you are not getting the blog you will not know to post. However, I can determine who is missing by process of elimination. 🙂  Send in a comment (put your child’s name in the post so I can match folks up) and let me know who is enrolled. I will then worry about those who are absent and tardy.

Alicia (who just might have a new obsession…………..) Speaking of – you can unsubscribe yourself this all becomes too much to “Bear”. It won’t hurt my feelings (and I won’t know who is unsubscribed) but you should be forewarned that you won’t know all the good stuff that we are doing in The Bear Class if you leave. So there.

Secrets & Surprises….. do you know the difference?

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This week Ms. Dancer (RQ’s former assistant principal) and Ms. Johnson (RQ’s guidance counselor) have been presenting the Child-Safe program. This program is sponsored by CAPS (Child Abuse Prevention Services) and is taught to all first graders in the city system. In the program the children learned how to say “NO!” if they feel uncomfortable in any situation. They learned the difference in a secret and a surprise. A secret is something that you never tell, and if you do, people might get mad (like telling about a secret game). A surprise is something that you keep private for a little while….and when you tell people about the surprise, they will be happy (like a birthday present!).

Materials have been coming home each day after the lessons. Feel free to review these with your child. They even have a catchy little song. “My body belongs to me… My body belongs to me… I can say NO! My body belongs to me… ” (it will stick in your head if you hear it enough). Each child received a certificate after completing the program.

In totally unrelated news……a complimentary issue of the Tuscaloosa News is coming home today. I would save it for your child’s scrapbook. It is not a secret or a surprise that changes are coming………..

Happy Wednesday! Alicia

The Bear Class Voted…….

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Today we spent the morning with our Scholastic News and other printed material about McCain and Obama. We read about each in detail. After lunch, the polls opened in The Bear Class. Each child had to stand in a long long line. They had to have their ID ready (we used our nametags). They had to check in and the voter-volunteer (me) could not find their names on the list! I misprounounced everyone’s name. I lost my place on the list…. (you get the picture) HA! Each name was highlighted and each student was handed a “real” ballot. They went to the voting booth. As each child came out they placed their ballot into the secure ballot box (our DIBELS box) and they got a red/white/blue sticker.  After the polls closed (when we returned from recess) we tallied the votes. (I felt a bit like Jeff Probst from Survivor…..you  know the guy…the one who says…”The tribe has spoken!” and then snuffs out your flame……) But I digress.

Don’t you want to know the winner? The votes were: McCain 13/Obama 2. The Bear Class declared a winner! (As far as they were concerned the election was O.V.E.R.) They do not understand why other people still have to vote! I reminded them that only grown-ups get to vote “for real”….but I must have done a pretty good job of recreating the whole thing because they were pumped! I mean, we piccked a President today people! Pretty powerful stuff for 6-7 year olds!

Happy Voting! Tomorrow your munchkin will wake up demanding to know who the real winner is……..many grand discussions will ensue…….bring it…..I am ready……..

Lovin’ what I do. Alicia (who is thinking that today is one of those days. One of those days where I think with a smile……they pay me to do this!)

One less…..

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Our perfect ratio of 8 boys and 8 girls is no more!  Our friend Christian Hill moved to a new school today. Although we are happy that she and her parents have a lovely new apartment, we are sad to see her go!  Our loss is University Place Elementary School’s gain. Good luck Christian!