Schedule of EVENTS....7 more days!

Monday  4th - Publish party (snacks provided by Mrs. Griffin)...Kids shared what they were most proud of in their writing on the Promethean board and we looked back in their WRITING portfolios at their first published piece and talked about how much we have grown as a writer.

Tuesday 5th - Interviews at the ALTA school for job opening

Thursday 7th - ALL volunteers luncheon at the Alta School Library at 11:20...invites to come home tonight. Thanks for all you do for us and especially my classroom. I have had a wonderful crew this year and I appreciate your time and dedication to our learning...and of course your little one!!!

ALSO on Thursday * Upcoming Kindergartners are coming in for the afternoon for a VISIT day....at 1:30 - 2:30

Friday 8th - Clean out cubbies...LOST and FOUND...classroom...END of the year "Camp themed" party at Heather Dolman's  house. Lunch will be provided for your child. Volunteer meeting today in my classroom to assign jobs. I will send out notices later.

MOnday 11th - All school field trip to Heise Hot Springs. Please bring $5.00 for entrance fee into 2 pools...and 3 slides. Make sure your child has on sunscreen and brings a swimsuit and a towel. Let me know if you want to come.

Tuesday 12th - Field day and graduation
The following is a schedule of how the day will look (probably)

8:30 - Field day begins all around the school (feel free to stick around and watch)

10: 30 - Water break and REST/SNACKS

10:45 - ANNUAL kickball game begins on field (Teachers versus 6th graders) Please come and watch/observe and you might even get recruited)

11:15 - game ends (High fives) - Wash for lunch

11:20 - LUNCH outside (feel free to sign up and come be with your child)

12:20 - Time for last minute things in classrooms (clean ups...ceremonies...etc)

1:30 - End of the year ceremonies outside and graduation begins

2:30 - Dismissal

Tuesday night update...not as late as last week!

So we started the ABC dance grant with pARTners...the kids had so much fun. 

Kids kept telling me "Mrs. Griffin...this is really fun." 

Whityn (my little guy), Devon and Carson enjoy a game of  CANDYland during center time.

Gideon helps Whityn over to the firepit. 

Mommy love.

Friendship.

Is this close enough?

CHeese.

A good ole snuggle.

I got something in my teeth....click.

LOVE> (sorry to blur this one)

My babes!

This week...

This week your child may of told you that we began "MYSTERY BAG" sharing...

This is how it works - 

1. Bring in any item that begins with any vowel in a canvas/dark colored bag.

2. Have your child write 3 clues about the item.

3. We will be sharing all week. Your child can bring sharing everyday if they wish. This is just a fun review for vowels...and good speaking and listening practice.

More dinosaur FUN during reading and math workshops...and of course CENTER time. 

Wednesday - Mrs. Griffin is 20 weeks...half way there!!!

Thursday, May 31st is our SLIDE a THON from 5-7 pm at the school. Please see the EVITE. I hope you can make it.

ABC dance practice everyday this week. 

Friday, June 1st is our ABC dance performance at 2:00 PM.

June 6th? or June 8th? End of the year classroom party...here is what I am thinking!!!

Camping Party: Set up several tents as play stations outside the classroom, prepare nature crafts, play horseshoes and animal charades. Borrow a dad to GRILL out for kids and parents, s’mores (made with marshmallow spread)...

OR

Go Hawaiian Party: Play the limbo, hand out leis (or make your own as a classroom project,) create ‘Island’ snacks like pineapple skewers and coconut treats, and dig for beach finds in a sandbox-filled with shells and also a good grill out opportunity...

OR 

keep it simple...classroom fun...dance...play...centers...and make homemade icecream with Crista...(we are doing that regardless...but just putting it out there)

June 11th - Field trip to Heise Hot Springs..more info. to come later.

June 12 - Field day...kickball game against BIG room....and graduation activities. 

Only 10 more days....

DELAYED...behind...and busy!

Sorry for the delayed blog! Apparently things picked up around here. I enjoyed seeing all the moms and friends at Mother's day. It was a huge success! We had tea...muffins...and enjoyed a wonderful movie that we made. Thanks for coming!

We have been busy wrapping things up lately. We worked hard last week on comparing and contrasting this week we started something EXCITING! Students  began on Monday with a huge egg...what kind of egg? A dinosaur egg!
Students have been busy inferring what was in the egg...then given clues and then inferred again. Students have been using their schema to think about what they already know about dinosaurs. We are adding each day what we learn during read aloud or during independent reading time. Students created a VENN diagram of carnivores...herbivores...and BOTH. Today and tomorrow students will work on a  dinosaur dig (digging for just the right amount of baby dinosaurs and bones to complete a math craft).

Other things we are working on in reading:
Snap words: What, Are
Letters: Letter review...concentrating on vowels!

Using our Reading strategies to attack hard words.

Building our stamina during Independent reading time.

Learning how to pick out a JUST right book on our level!!!!

Math:
1. I spy with 2-D and 3-D shapes
2. Reviewing temperature
3. Coin exchange with Pennies...Nickels and Dimes!
4. Comparison number stories
5. Class collections
6. Number stories book


Writing:
We have been working on our last personal narrative. Students worked really hard last week brainstorming where stories happen...on the playground...in school...on playdates...trips..etc. THen we brainstormed 3 possible stories...and then picked the best one to STTTTTRRREETTTCHCHHHHH out to make into a book.

Monday students began working on their stories. They got right to work. Today and tomorrow we will continue to write independently and confer as needed.

Students will be revising and publishing next week. We hope to squeeze out one last writer's celebration. Stay tuned.

For the past two weeks students have been using their computer time to take the MAP test. It is one way we measure our student's growth at the Alta school. Today we finished the last 2 test for reading and math. I am very proud of your child for trying their hardest.

Tomorrow students will be taking the DIBELS test with Mrs. O' Brian...

Other things to put on the calendar:
May 25th 1-2:30 student begin the ABC dance with PARTNERS.


May 28th - Memorial day


JUNE 1st is the PERFORMANCE at 2:00 in the Alta gym. Please mark your calendar. I hope you can make it. 


May 28th - Interviews for my long term sub position


May 31st - PTO slide a thon at the Alta school 5-7...see EVITE sent out earlier in the week from PTO.


June 7th - VOLUNTEER luncheon (stay tuned for more information...but mark your calendar for 11:30


June 8th - Homemade ice cream with Crista outside


June 11th - ALL School field trip to Heise Hot springs or Pierre's playhouse...to be announced soon.


June 12th - Field day in the AM (parents invited) LUNCH with ROSE...(parents invited) and annual kickball game TEACHERS vs. 6th graders and graduation...

Missoula Children's theatre WEEK!!!

Greetings from the ALTA school. We are going to have an exciting and busy week filled with auditions, workshops, and rehearsals. To top it all off we are headed out on a Field trip Friday to the Driggs High school. We will depart at 8:30 and rehearse all morning and then have lunch. Please bring a sack lunch for your child on FRIDAY!!!
After lunch Kindergarten, first and second will be on the town in Driggs. WE haven't decided what we are going to do yet while the BIGGER kids rehearse. We are considering the gymnastics building, park, ice-cream visit, and maybe just an adventure. I will let you know by Wednesday if you would like to join us. It would be great to have some parents with us.

BIG announcement: pARTners ABC dance is cancelled for next week. Our studio dancer from the Center for the ARTS is backed up with Colter Elementary's performance so we RE-scheduled for the week of the 28th of May. Please mark your calendars for a performance on June 1st at 2:00 in the gym at the Alta school. Thanks.


Since pARTners is cancelled...I was thinking of a Mother's day celebration on Friday the 11th at 1:45. We would love to have you here for Muffins and Tea. Let me know if you can make it. If not feel free to send dad, grandma, a neighbor...or a friend. We have a little surprise for you!!!

Our schedule is all over the place this week. We will be REVIEWING in READING from here on out. Students will be given the END of the YEAR test in a one on one setting with either Anjie Beard or I. Students will also be taking a READING AND MATH TEST CALLED MAP on the computer next week.

During Writer's workshop we will working hard on our LETTER writing unit.

Math we will have somewhat a normal schedule:
Number Grid
Adding and subtracting a number grid
Coin exchange
Penny and Nickel practice
Solid shape museum
Temperature

THiS weEk!!!!

EARTH day clean up!

Filling the bag....Spring clean up around school!

Gideon brings dried hollyhocks to the dumpster.

ANd then everyone else does too!

My EArth day promise: Turn off the lights.

Young Author's night: Congrats Kindergarten!

Look at all these authors of great books!

Look at that CROWD!

This week in reading:
Letter /Uu/
We are working on summarizing a story by pointing out the main idea and also being able to share details from the story. Students will practice this skill independently this week on their own graphic organizers.
This is our final week in Unit 4 and next week we begin Unit 5!
Lots and Lots and Lots of review!

We will be visiting the WILSON farm tomorrow at 10 - 11:30 before lunch. Have your child wear their mud boots and jeans if you want. Feel free to join us there or come on over and ride the bus!

NEXT WEEK is the Missoula Children's play...Little Mermaid.
This is a WEEK long event with a Saturday performance at the Driggs High school. Time to be announced later in the week.

Math skills this week include:
More measurement
tally marks
Addition
Coins

During Science this week we are working on cleaning up our schoolyard and cleaning out the garden. The kids have made an EARTH day promise. They will be coming home on Wednesday. Work with your child on their promise.

April 16th - 20th

Happy Monday to everyone!

I have someone new to introduce to you!

Meet Swinger (named by class of 2012)

AS you may of heard, Virgil retired in February. He has been busy for 7 years traveling to Kindergartners and first grader's houses. Sooooooo, Mrs. Griffin went looking for a new monkey and while in Las Vegas, NV at the rainforest cafe this one came swinging onto her table! Swinger will be making HOME visits beginning next year. 

This week in Kindergarten:
We will be reading Max takes the train and talking about story sequence. Kindergartners will be practicing using graphic organizers this week. You will see T charts, prediction papers, sequencing charts,  Venn diagrams, and other organizers so that they better understand the text.
Our letter of the week is X however we will go back and review J and W.
Snap words include: yellow blue green and have
We will be reading and writing poetry as well!  Check out our SPRING poems in the hallway.

WRiting this week is lots and lots and lots of preparing and reading our YOUNG AUTHOR's story because THURSDAY is the big day. Thursday night at 7pm is our ANNUAL Young Author's celebration night. This year you will receive an invitation about our STORIES ALIVE WAX MUSEUM. It is a formal affair. I look forward to see you all there. Please let me know right away if your child won't be there.

Math this week includes:
Measurement by our foot
Measurement by the REAL foot
Playing addition top it with DICE
Counting by 5's and graphing sums
Tally Marks and Equivalent names for numbers
Teaching coin exchange (pennies and nickels)

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW:
1. Thursday is Young Author's night.
2. Friday April 19th Kindergarten registration paperwork is DUE.
3. Kindergarten pre-screening is April 24th
4. WHITE t-shirts are due by FRIDAY.
5. April 30th - May 4th is Missoula children's theatre
6. May 7th - 11th is our ABC dance preparation...with a performance at 2:00 that Friday!!!! Mark your calendars please.
7. June 7th is our VOLUNTEER appreciation luncheon at the Alta school.

post Spring Break...9 weeks left!

Bear Mountain hike in Sedona with Mrs. Stitt

I love cactus!

WE clean up pretty nice!

Yea...for a date!

And yea for shorts and ice cream!

We had an adventurous...fun...exciting...camping...and some glitz-filled spring break! I hope you had fun too. Judging by the stories that were shared in morning meeting and the journal entries during writing time...it sure sounds like all the kids had a blast!

It's good to be back. I can't believe we have 9 weeks left. I have my work cut out for me. We have 3 short units in math to breeze through...2 writing units and 2 reading units...

Some things to know:
NO more volunteers are needed. I will be calling on a few on an as NEEDED basis...but it is this time of year when I like to start weaning the K's from all the support and start them on the INDEPENDENCE TRACK. Please understand that I appreciate all of your help. I will be having a VOLUNTEER luncheon in May. More details to come!

NEW kindergartners for the 2012-13 year SCREENING is coming up on April 24th. If you have one coming in...please stop by and get your packet. It is due by the 19th. Please call and schedule an appointment for the 24th. If you know any new K's coming in...help by spreading the word. Thanks!

I will be taking a leave of absence next year until January. I will not be here at all until after the Christmas break.

Young Author's night is coming up April 19th at 7:00pm. We have an exciting evening planned for you all this year. :)

NO school on April 20th (TEACHER in-service day)

April 30th - May 4th is Missoula Children's theatre

Reading this week consists of:

Graphic organizers and Summarizing

Letters of the week: Ee, Jj, and Ww

Snap words include: go, from, down, help and away

We will be practicing our DAily 5...book shopping for new books for our book boxes...honing our word attack skills and practicing reading EXCELLENT.

WRiting this week and next week will consists of poetry in honor of April. Be sure to check out of SPRING poetry coming this week and will be featured in our hallway. 

Math:

1. Order of daily events

2. More patterns (workbook time)

3. Attribute review and GUESS my number games

4. Count with calculators (review)

5. Measurement with children's feet

ALL KIDS need their WHITE t-shirts this week!!! Please have them no later than FRIDAY because Ms. Farrier will want to start planning her VISUAL piece to our ABC dance in May. *More information on this later too!