10/31/13

Math
Study Link 3.10
Looks like a test next Tuesday!!

Language arts
p.117-118 
LANB - Venn Diagrams (2) due Friday
Spelling test Friday
Be on the lookout for some old assignments:
>>Lesson 9 Packet
>>p.113-116
>>p.109+110, 111+112


Social Studies
Ch. 5 Summary due Friday
Are Squirrels Civilized? due Friday

10/31/13 - Halloween History

As I am manning the door for trick or treaters, I decided to do a little Halloween research.  Go to halloweenhistory.org.   Interesting information!  

Thanks to all who participated in the Halloween festivities at school today!  I am blessed to have such nice students and parents!

10/30/13

Math
Study Link 3.9.  It looks like a test coming sometime next week!

Language arts
 p.109+110, 111+112 due tomorrow.
LANB - Venn Diagrams (2) due Friday
Spelling test Friday
Be on the lookout for some old assignments:
>>Lesson 9 Packet
>>p.113-116

Social Studies
Ch. 5 Summary due Friday
Are Squirrels Civilized? due Friday

10/29/13 - Conference Reminders

This week, I'll be sending reminders of conference times again, and for some, another opportunity to sign up if need be.

I have scheduled conference days 11/7, 11/14, 11/21.  But if those don't work out I am certain that we can come up with a time that will work.

10/29/13 - Halloween Festivities Thursday!

It's that time again!  The beginning of the "Eating Season": Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter Holiday of your choice, New Year's, Valentine's Day, and ending with the Holiday of Eggs, Bunnies, and Candy.
 
So Halloween.  Costumes:  Students may bring them, we will "dress up" sometime during the day.  We can't all 400 of us go the restrooms to change, so it may be as early as late morning.  Costumes should appropriate.  Avoid costumes that may destroy the innocence of a 5 year old kindergartner, or that may cause heart palpitations in your grandma!  If you must be "edgy", I suggest waiting until the actual Beggar's Night.

The schedule:  As of now, I am looking at the Parade at 1:00, party until 2:00.  The students will convene in the back blacktop at 1:00 and process from there.  Then we shall return to the room to enjoy calm and peaceful refreshments and Phineas and Ferb.

10/29/13

Math: Study Link 3.7 and 3.8 due tomorrow!

Language arts: Old assignments: Lesson 9 Packet, p.113&114, 115&116

Studies: Ch.5 Summary due Thursday

10/24/13 - Social Studies, Ch. 4 notes

Ch. 4 Notes

Mesopotamia: An area that includes: Zagros Mountains, Zagros foothills, Tigris and Euphrates River, Sumer

Problems in Mesopotamia:

Food shortages

Attacks by people in and out of Mesopotamia

Uncontrolled water supplies

Big Move from the Zagros Foothills to Sumer:

Foothills were nice, so nice that the area became overpopulated and there was not enough area to grow enough crops. So people moved to Sumer.

Sumer:

It was a plain between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.  The major problem there is that it would flood during the rainy season, then be dry the rest of the year. So they needed to find ways to control the water supply.

Sumer’s Water Supply:

They created levees, dams, canals, irrigation, reservoirs.  Because of that, various villages had to work together to make it work, since they were all accessing the same rivers.  This created larger villages, which became what we call “city-states”.

Trouble in Paradise:

Some of the city-states got in to disputes over the water.  Sometimes someone upstream would get greedy and fighting would ensue.   As a result, city-states would build walls and dig moats to help keep attackers away, or at least slow them down!  Farmers would run to the walled cities for protection.

From the Zagros Foothills to the City-States of Sumer:

In short, food shortages caused people to move from the foothills to Sumer, then once there, people had to work together to maintain the irrigation systems, which enable larger communities (city-states) to form.

A “City-State”:

A city that is independent and has its own laws and government.  In Sumer, it was often walled.

Have a good evening,

nb

10/18/13 - Officer Buckle Has Spoken!

For those of you who don't know, the book Officer Buckle and Gloria, won the Caldecott Award in 1996, and in 2007 was named one of the "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children".  Officer Buckle has kindly come to Lemme to give us a few of his famous "Safety Tips".

Safety Tip #237 - Do Not Park or Stop in the Fire/Bus Lanes between the times of 8:15-8:40 and 2:45-3:10.

99% of you are doing this right!   There have been some not so safe driving out there the past few weeks.   The buses have been at times unable to get in to the bus lanes.  Soon we will be enforcing that area during the time listed.  Please think about where, when, and how you will be driving in the lot during those times!

Other drop-off and pick-up possibilities are: Washington Street to the south (that can get busy at those times!), Amhurst to the the east, and Hastings to the north.

Safety Tip #238 - Do Not Leave your vehicle in the fire lane at ANY time!

That is straight from the ICPD.  You can be in your vehicle in a fire lane, but you can't leave it (park it) in a fire lane.  We are allowed to make that exception of NO vehicles in the fire lane during those high traffic times.

Safety Tip #239 - Do Not Stand on a Chair with Wheels!

Thanks to Officer Buckle for his wise words of wisdom!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmViPSWwbPY

10/3/13 - Mr. Rickels' Last Week

Next week is Mr. Rickels' last week of full time teaching.  After that he is off to another 8 weeks of teaching in Australia!  It has been a great few weeks! We will miss him a lot!

I would like you to take a minute with your student and remind them about the Pillars of Character:  Respect, Responsibility, Caring, Fairness, Trustworthiness, and Citizenship. Think about how they might relate to a young teacher with a passion for working with young people, trying to make a mark in the world of education.

Have a great evening,
nb

10/2/13 - Identity of the Philosopher

Millions of people living as foes
Maybe, it's not too late
To learn how to love
And forget how to hate

I did get a couple of guesses.  The philosopher that penned these words:  Ozzy Osbourne!  

If you are familiar with Mr. Osbourne, you might not think that he could be so hopeful.  He is obviously a troubled soul, yet he has hope.  What I get out of this is: YOU NEVER KNOW!

Have a great day,
nb