Happy first day of Advent everyone! Thanks to all of you for sending in the costumes for the play. As you know we have been very busy practicing for it. I think you will enjoy it very   much.

A reminder that there will be a Religion and Social Studies test coming soon. Also remember that you can now place your own Scholastic book order by following the link here on the blog. You will need the code that appears here as well. Every time you place an order it allows us to get free books for our classroom. You can even purchase ebooks through the estoria program.

If you follow the blog by email subscription(see right side margin) you will be notified when I make changes or update the blog.

Please check out the Science and Art pages to see pictures of our recent learning activities and plain old fun!

Happy fall to everyone! I hope you have all had time to enjoy the beautiful fall colors as I have. Who would have thought a few months back that a drought would bring us such vibrant colors. I certainly did not. I was afraid the leaves would all change and drop quickly. Thankfully God had other plans and we are enjoying a very bright fall.

A reminder to all that October book reports are due on November 1. The reports are very simple this month. The students were told to choose a book at their reading level and they are to fill out a pumpkin that asks them to briefly summarize the book. Then they are to color the pumpkin.

I require a monthly book report. Students choose a "Just Right" book from our classroom library, school library, or their own personal library. The children were taught how to choose a "just right" book at the beginning of the year. They know to turn to any page in the chosen book and begin to read. If they encounter 0-2 words they don't know then the book is too easy for them, 5 or more then the book is too hard, and 3-4 it is "Just Right!" This is known as the Goldilocks way of choosing a "just right" book!

Please be sure to check the subject pages of this blog to see what we've been up to in class. I try to have pictures along with a brief description of what we are learning. I am also trying to set up the Arrow Parent ordering from Scholastic so that you can order directly from their website. You can then use your credit card instead of having to write out a check. Every dollar you spend allows me to order free books for our classroom. The order form will continue to go home with the kids as usual. You may also continue ordering the way you have always done it if you prefer. Either way is a WIN for our classroom!

January-March 2012

    Happy Lent to all of you! It seems funny to wish someone that, but really who wouldn't be happy about another chance to become closer to our Lord. This is a wonderful opportunity to spend more time talking with our best friend and listening to what He wants to tell us. For myself I'm trying to take more time to just be quiet this Lent. The verse "Be still and know that I am God", keeps reverberating in my mind these days.
     I know I have been very lacks in keeping current with this site. My apologies to you. My life has been extremely busy these past few months and I just haven't had the energy to deal with this site as well. Thank you to all who have kept my family in your prayers. I know it is your good thoughts, wishes, and prayers that have helped my family and I get through this last month of mourning our beloved Mother.
    A current run down of what we have been busy doing can be found on the subject pages. We had a blast during Catholic Schools Week. I think my favorite day was the day we played A Minute to Win It. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time! I was sorry to miss Grandparents' Day, but I heard wonderful things about that day.

Merry Christmas to all!

Snowglobes

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Elves galore!

 Our darling little elves!

A very merry and blessed Christmas to everyone. I'm sorry I haven't written anything for awhile, but I'm sure you know how busy life is at this time of year. I have some pictures to share. The kids wrote a couple of paragraphs about what they thought an elf's life would be like and if they could have any job working for Santa what would it be and why. They then created an elf and glued their paragraphs to the elf.


Be sure to stop in upstairs to see all the great Christmas art work we've been working on when you come to the program Thursday night. The kids would love to show off their creations to you.

Garrett with his elf in progress.

Bye Bye October!

Robert LaSalle Park

WOW! What a wonderful October this has been. I certainly have enjoyed the fall colors and warmer than usual weather. My husband and I took a jaunt to Door County a few weeks back and found a beautiful park just north of Algoma off of county road  U. It's called Robert LaSalle Park. I highly reccomend it to you. There is an upper and lower section to the park. The lower section is right on Lake Michigan with picnic tables and a play area for the kids. After lunch we continued north through Sturgeon Bay to Jacksonport for a fish boil dinner. If you have never taken your family to Door County nor eaten a fish boil I urge you to do it next summer/fall. After all this is part of the history of Wisconsin. I am always amazed and saddend when my students tell me they have never seen, let alone stood on the shores of Lake Michigan.  I have included a few pictures here to tempt you....

Door County fish boil

Lower Robert LaSalle Park

Be sure to check out the subject pages to see pictures from our various October projects. I look forward to seeing you all for conferences in a couple of weeks. Happy Halloween and a blessed All Saints Day(Nov. 1) and All Souls Day(Nov. 2) to you!

Welcome October!

Happy first day of October! Today is the Feast day of St. Theresa, the Little Flower of Jesus. Tuesday, the fourth, is the Feast of St. Francis.

We  received letters from our pen pals in Evening Shade, Arkansas, this week. The children have written back to them and they have exchanged pictures as well.

It's a girl!!!!! Our monarch butterfly came out of its chryssalis last week. Apparently if you look at the bottom of the wings there are 2 white spots that appear if the butterfly is a boy. Our butterfly had no spots in that area so it is a girl. In this picture the butterfly is held by Janelle. The butterfly was only 5 minutes old when this pic was taken.


Please check out the Art page to see some of our fall masterpieces! There are pictures from our prayer service as well on the Religion page.

Week of Sept. 18

Wow! We are about to begin our 3rd week of school! Time does fly when you're having fun.

Our class has new pen pals! We emailed them for the first time this past week. We exchanged pictures and noticed that they look somewhat like us! We could find physical similarities between our class and theirs.  They are a class of 14- 4th graders from Evening Shade, Arkansas. The city is located in the north central part of the state. It is nestled in  the Ozarks. It is a rural community of 450 people. Ms Wolfe will be pairing the students up this weekend and we will begin writing letters(the old-fashioned way) to each other soon. Ms. Wolfe and I also have plans to allow the children to Skype once in awhile. How cool will it be to actually give them a tour of our classroom and school!!!!

I hope your children have been enjoying their time in our classroom as I have. As always don't hesitate to stop in our room to check things out, just make sure to check into the office first please. Also please visit the other pages on the blog to see if there has been any new additions.