Weekly Happenings at GSE: 3.7.11 - 3.12.11

This Week at Garden Springs

March 7 - Monday (Day 5):
3rd MAP Testing Window Begins (3/7-5/25)
2:45-3:45p: Performing Arts Club Rehearsal
3:00p: SBDM
6:30p: PTA

7:30a-4:00p Daily: Book Fair all week

Kindergarten Registration Window #1 (9am-2pm daily, 2/14/11—3/11/11)

March 8 - Tuesday (Day 6):
March 9 - Wednesday (Day 1):
7:30-8:00a: K-Kids

10:00a: Fire Drill

2:45-4:00p: Comic Creators

2:45-4:00p: Governor’s Cup Academic Team Practice

March 10 - Thursday (Day 2):
2:35-3:45p: 4th & 5th Grade Spanish Club

2:45-4:00p: STLP

5:00-7:00p: Book Fair (Extended Hours)

5:30-7:30p: Jump Rope for Heart

March 11 - Friday (Day 3):
2:45-3:45p: Chess Club

End of 3rd Grading Period

First Registration Window Closes

March 12 - SATURDAY 8:00a-1:00p: STEM Fair @ Bryan Station High School

BIG congratulations to GSE’s own Governor’s Cup Academic Team! They earned Runner-Up Feb. 26th at the District Competition!  Future Problem Solving earned 1st place and Quick Recall Team earned Runner-Up.  The team has advanced and will prepare for the Governor’s Cup Regional Competition in 3 weeks. We are going to the REGIONALS!!!! GREAT JOB!!  GO BULLDOGS!

Chorus ANNOUNCEMENTS!

Choral festival practice takes place Mon. and Tues., 7:15-7:40 am.

Ms. Wagoner and eight chorus members are attending the U.K. Honor Chorus Festival on Tues., leaving at 12:30 pm.   Our kids will be part of an elite chorus made up of singers from every elementary school in Fayette Co.   It is quite an honor to be selected!  The concert will be at Singletary Center for the Arts at 7 pm.  Everyone is invited to attend!

Don't forget to turn in Boxtops, Campbell's Label's, and Tyson labels.

Here is the link you need for the Campbell's Label's website http://www.labelsforeducation.com/ .  If you go the top right hand corner and put our schools zip code of 40504 it will bring up all of the Lexington, Ky schools.  Select Garden Springs Elementary (there is also a Garden Springs Day school just so you are aware to look for the right one) and it will let you sign up. 

Here is another link to hook up your Kroger card so that every time you purchase Campbell's label items it will automatically go to our school account. http://www.elabelsforeducation.com/Sites/Campbells_eLabels/Page/HomePage.  You can also still clip and send them in with your student as well.

3.4.11

Guess what?!?  We got our sink fixed today AND, our complex's water fountain got fixed as well!!!  Woooo hoooo!!!!  It's the little things that thrill us here in G-complex!!! 

READING:
we turned in our spelling packets and took our spelling test per usual to our Friday routine.  Then, I read another book aloud as promised and by that time, it was almost time to switch so we played hangman with our spelling words from this week.  Boy, it sure was incredibly hard challenging them because they were most definitely aware of their words which showed me they've been practicing/ studying for sure!
HOMEWORK: none.

other a.m. activities:
We got to watch a movie about nterdependency (how ALL things in nature are related), specifically how bees make a significant impact on the system of our world and nature being in motion.  Then, it was time for recess!!!

PM activities:
since it is so warm, we got to go out and enjoy this BEAUTIFUL day by taking a nice long "walk for exercise".  After which, it was time for book buddies which we always enjoy so much!

Another chance for BIG rain this weekend, so stay dry!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

3.3.11

well, we came in to quite an 

Icky, ICKY

 sight today....

yes, I went there.  We had to look at it all day and suffer through it's nastiness...so to get the full effect of our experience, you MOST definitely NEED a picture, because I do not feel that an explanation could adequately do this absolute FOUL sight justice!  Enjoy, friends :)  tee-hee

yes...out sink has officially bit the dust...ahhh!!!  Quite disgusting, yes, so a maintenance order has been requested and we should have it fixed, but in the meantime, we will most definitely have to make other arrangements for washing our hands while in the classroom and other usages we require from the sink :( 

Herb says, "hand sanitizer is needed, please!"

While we are on that note, we are also ALLLLLL out of hand sanitizer...which is a good thing...meaning, we have used EVERY LAST BIT of what you sent in at the beginning of the year with supplies!  However, we now need it MORE than ever because we have lost our "in- house" way to properly sanitize our hands.  Therefore, as I requested with our needs of markers (which has been filled by Jen and Alonna Potts....BIG THANKS!!!), WHEN and IF you are out and about this week or weekend, and IF you are able to, or are feeling generous, we would be SOOOOO very grateful to you for your purchase/ donation of bottles of hand sanitizer!  Thank you, parents, for being so gracious and amazing about any and everything we do or need.  We are so lucky!

Now, onto our day...

READING:

Here's our silly little "Tabi-Cat"!

we began class by reading the MANY books that students have brought in for me to read aloud.  While I thoroughly enjoy reading aloud and strongly encourage you to bring in books that you love to share with us, I can NO longer read more than ONE a day, for it uses up far too much of our very valuable reading class time to read any more than one.  Keep bringing them in, but please know it could be a while before I get to it if others have done so as well! 
After reading two books, brought in by folks (and we loved them both), I decided that Tabitha should read hers.  Upon beginning it myself, it was clear that it was written by an English author, so being that Tabitha's homeland is England, I had her read the book aloud in her natural dialect to do it the fair justice it deserves...it was sooooo great!  I only caught a portion of the read aloud, but you can get a taste of how it went, she was so cute and we all really, really enjoyed it (I think the students really liked having someone other than me read aloud too).

...our activities in class...

we got into our reading groups and went through our rotation schedule for Thursday.  Since it is Thursday, groups did not do their Literature Circle roles, but did projects/ activities with their group's chapter book, focusing on our skill/ concept of focus for this week (drawing conclusions).  Groups had three different activites to choose from to complete: 1) creating and writing in a diary from the main character's standpoint about his/her views during specific major events in the book; 2) creating character cards illustracting and depicting the character's specific emotions during events of a story based on information read to support it; or 3) pretend you are a new reporter interviewing the main character from your book: write interview questions you'd ask him/her to in-depth into his/her personal accounts of the events of his/her life, AND then answer those questions as if you are the main character, drawing conclusions to infer how he/she must have been feeling.

Groups also had options in word work: 1) play charades with your group using spelling words, 2) play hangman with your group using spelling words, or 3) work on spelling packet and then vocabulary/ grammar sheet coinciding with this week's Treasures story, "Seven Spools of Thread".

Finally, for Independent Practice, students were to complete the brochures they began yesterday that has them responding to reading through writing about "Seven Spools of Thread", and then, moved onto a more challenging story entitled, "The Last Brocade", and complete the coinciding brochure on it. 
HOMEWORK: complete SPELLING PACKET to turn in tomorrow and STUDY words for our test tomorrow as well!

MATH:
we began by working on some "mental division", meaning, division we can do in our minds.  Division that falls into this category is division that we already know, yet don't realize it.  This division we can find by simply working backwards from our basic multiplication facts (Example, since we know 7 x 5 = 35, then we can use that fact to divide mentally.  So, since 7 x 5 = 35, then 35 / 7 = 5, and 35 / 5 = 7).  **(/ means division on the computer!)**
Upon working on two pages of division involving basic multiplication, it was incredibly obvious that our knowledge of our multiplication facts is still very small.  Therefore, I am quite concerned that we are NOT practicing these facts as we should be...which makes me more than nervous about our state testing coming up in only 25 school days. Multiplication is a fundamental skill for so many things in mathematics and it will be incredibly difficult to move on to more challenging concepts that we must take on without knowing these facts.  Therefore, for...
HOMEWORK: students are to complete ALL fact families for 2s and 3s (facts up to 12).  Each set should take one blank white sheet of paper.

PM activities:
since it is such a beautiful day (again...haven't we been lucky?!?) we got to go outside for a nice "walk for exercise" and then came in to finish our group Science ORQs we began last week, but have neglected until today due to other obligations or necessary discussion about respect (see posts from Tues. and Wed.).
HOMEWORK: none!  BUT...maybe you could visit a few websites I've posted before about rocks?!?

I hope your Thursday evening finds you well and wonderful and remember, TOMMORROW IS FRIDAY!!!  YAY!!!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

3.2.11

Hello all and Happy half of the week!!!

Reading:
we continued working in our groups and on our skill of focus which is drawing conclusions. 
HOMEWORK: read next chapter of book and complete role sheet

Math:
WE BEGAN DIVISION today!!!  Ask your student about our activities!
HOMEWORK: 90-second timed multiplication quiz

PM activities:
after our Wellness Walk, we had to have yet another talk about respect (unfortunately) and disrespectful behavior. 

Sorry so short, but I must get to Academic Team practice since we have REGIONALS on the brain!!!  Have a GREAT rest of your evening!!
No matter what, I LOVE YOU ALL tremendously!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas

3.1.11

SPRING is on its way with the arrival of this month!  YAY!

Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits...and HAPPY MARCH, Everyone!!! 

I cannot believe this month is here already! 

On a different and much more intense note, we only have 27 school days left until CATS testing...ahhhh!!!  We have soooo much more content and ground to cover before then so I need you here, "on it", and ready to learn every single day!!! 

See?!? 
 CUTE owl stickers from my "Cutie Cam"!

First of all, our day started out a bit exciting...three...yes, THREE different people came in with owl themed gifts/ knicknacks for me!  Am I lucky and spoiled girl, or what?!?  A student from A-complex brought me a BEAUTIFUL "dangly" owl necklace, Cameron brought me oh-so-very-fabulous owl stickers, and Maddy cut out some owl pics from a magazine and brought them in to me!  Thanks, guys...you certainly spoil me!  THEN, Eva had quite the Spelling came she created last night...it was AWESOME and we had sooooo much fun with it this morning!  She's a little trickster too...she made a game for me to reach in a pull out an evelope that contained 1" squares of mixed up letters that unscrambled to form one of her spelling words, but in the bag (in which I was instructed to NOT look), she had put some "scary" items...rubber snakes and scorpions...ahhhh!!!!



She's QUITE the little "trickster"!!  SO FUN!

READING:

I made a bit of an announcement today:

I know that students are gone on Mondays to QUEST.  I am so happy they are able to do that and wish they could go as much as possible, but I also need them to be SURE to come and check in with me about anything they may have missed and pick up any assignments.  These students just happen to have "QUEST" on the exact days that I pass out our Spelling packets for the week so I announced today that they need to come on Monday mornings BEFORE Quest to come and pick up their packets to avoid any confusion and to be responsible and accountable for their own work.  There was quite the miscommunication last night and I definitely feel that that could have been avoided.  We have been in these reading classes for a couple of weeks now and they should be familiar with the routine that NEW packets are passed out on Mondays.  We have been labeling them and sending them with students from A-complex who are not in QUEST, but still things haven't been working out to the level of expectations and that is too much to put on those students who do not have QUEST.  Therefore, with this NEW policy, each student who goes to QUEST can be certain that they have their assignments directly from ME, while we are practice personal responsibility and accountability.  Let it also be known that EVERY MONDAY, it will be assigned to do a "Spelling tic-tac-toe" activity or any other activities of your choice from your activity bank we're building. 

NOW, onto our day in class...!

We discussed our concept/ skill of focus this week: drawing conclusions and began reading our story, "Seven Spools of Thread", drawing conclusions and finding details in the text that can support our claims or show what led us to draw these conclusions.  Students who missed yesterday due to QUEST, were really wanting to do the iPod activity that others completed yesterday so they worked on that, G-Complex students from groups A & B played our "Hidden Hints" mystery inferencing game, while the remaining students practiced the skill of drawing conclusions by again pretending to be the main character of their group's chapter book and writing diary entries from their standpoint, discussing their feelings and thoughts on the events of the book.  It was great practice with drawing conclusions as to how the character felt during the time of specific events in their books.

HOMEWORK: I passed out a NEW sheet to add to our SPELLING ACTIVITY IDEA BANKS.  It has vocabulary activities on one side and spelling activities on the other...9 to choose from on each side so 18 in all.  Students are to pick ONE activity from the side of their choice to complete for homework tonight.  Students who missed class yesterday due to QUEST and did not pick up homework must ALSO complete ONE "Spelling Tic-Tac-Toe" activity AS WELL. 

Secondly, read the NEXT chapter in your group's reading book.

MATH:

A bit disappointing in here as well.  It is MARCH and we are STILL struggling with ORQs...even with me coaching and guiding us through every step...and then, upon conferencing and helping the student, it is obvious that it is a lack of effort NOT understanding, which is beyond frustrating and terrifying being that testing is a mere 27 school days away.   

We completed our ORQs from yesterday..and people who finished to expectations got to play a "spin-n-multiply" game with a partner. 

HOMEWORK: please, please, PLEASE practice ALL multiplication facts!  We are beginning division tomorrow which is a nearly impossible feat without our multiplication facts memorized.

PM activities:



some people can be wonderful influences on your life
who's your role model?

after an incredibly disappointing report from Ms. Long in Art during specials time, direspect towards adults and peers, unwillingness to follow directions in the lunchroom, and beyond excessive talking... we had a writing assignment about what it means to be a good role model and how we can reflect on things within ourselves and our actions and use that knowledge towards driving us to be our best selves.  We now have a new policy about talking and strikes.  After each first warning, a student who is talking when they are not supposed to be MUST use a nickel (that was originally designated for pencils) to pay a fine.  Also, at the end of the week, it will cost one dime per strike on the strike chart.  Much like money from a parking ticket or traffic violation, this money will go towards supplies and/ or things needed for the bettering of our classroom environment. I EXPECT GREAT THINGS FROM YOU, MY STUDENTS. 

the KEY to success is constant self-reflection
Mistakes only happen once, anything after that is a choice.

Have a terrific Tuesday night and take some time to reflect on who is a great role model to you and why they are that wonderful influence on you and your life.  Think about some of those qualities you aspire to adapt in your own personal nature to be your best self.  No matter what, I love you all dearly and wholeheartedly...which is why I want to see us being the best that we can be!  I know you are people that younger students not only admire, but look up to! And you are people that I admire - each in a different way.  I love you greatly!

xoxo,

Mrs. Thomas

Here is one of my all-time MOST FAVORITE quotes that I feel reeeeaaally applies to our afternoon discussion today and something of which I hope we can take in as our personal motto...

"Life has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get - only with what you are expecting to give - which is everything."

MARKY MARK MARK MARKERS!!!!

ATTENTION:

WE NEED MARKERS!!! 

If you are out and about this week and happen to feel generous, we could REALLY use some markers for our classroom supplies.  Our supply is a really meager and sad situation...we're really struggling here!

We do NOT need dry erase, but actually need plain Crayola markers for coloring AND we also need Sharpie brand permanent markers!!!  We use markers daily and since it is March, our supply has dwindled down (naturally...it HAS been over 100+ days of usage thus far!) to mismatched caps and dried out selections  Sharpies are also used daily for several things...we LOVE them! 

 

  

So... like I said, if you are out and are able to purchase some markers (Crayola, Rose-Art, Cra-Z-Art, and/ or Sharpie brand), we'd be most grateful for your generosity!  You might even receive a GREAT big handmade sign/ card (colored with our new markers, of course) to express our huge gratitude!

THANK YOU!!!

My recent happenings with Bob - (according to Alonna)...



Here's me (Alonna)
I'm a special guest blogger about my time with Bob



I took Bob home today, but we did not go straight home, we stayed after school and went to Eco club. We made plastic and he said it was fun!  After Eco club, we went to get allergy shots and he was crying a lot! Then, we went home and went to my friend's house and played school.  Bob is very good at reading, math, and writing. Then, we went back home and did homework. We ate dinner at "Big Boy". Then, we we went to bed. He slept in my american girl doll house. The next day, we woke up at 6:45, went to school, and then my mom came and picked me up and we went to "Logan's Roadhouse" and came home and did chores. After that, we went outside to ride scooters with my friend and then went back inside to do homework and then went to bed. The next day, we woke up at 9:45, got up and had cereal, and then after that, went outside and to my friend's house.  Guess what?!? She told me that her dad said that we were going ice skating!!! Bob and I were sooooo excited! At 12:30, we went ice-skating and he learned how to ice-skate very fast... BUT, he was still falling when he tried to do a circle. After we went ice-skating, we went to my friend Ashlie's house to watch, "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2"... it was a great movie and Bob liked it too! After we watched the movie, we went outside and made a clubhouse. Bob liked it because it was a lot like what he's used to...ya know, in a tree with a nest and all!  Then, we went back inside and ate pizza for dinner. Bob tried to eat all leftover pizza, but my dog got it first...tough luck ol' Bobby! Then, we went to bed and when we woke up, our time together was over.  We had a great time and Bob had a GREAT time!

See ya!

Alonna