My time at Blue Star as a Student Teacher is now over. I had a blast getting to know the students of Blue Star. Each student, parent and teacher truly made my experience a great success. I will always remember my fun times and everything I learned here at this school. Thank-you to everyone who helped create a welcoming and fun atmosphere for me to do my student teaching!
I will be back in the building to substitute for teachers.
I will also be back for Track and Field Day as well as the class field trip!
See you all very soon. I hope you will keep in touch!
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
National Turn Off the TV Week!!!!
“Television… Is an anti-experience and an anti-knowledge machine because it separates individuals from themselves and from the environment and makes them believe they are living while they are only observing passively what other people decide to make them see.” –Dr. Silvana Montanaro, MD, Psychiartist
“The primary danger of the television screen lies not so much in the behavior it produces as the behavior it prevents… Turning on the television set can turn off the process that transforms children into adults.” – Urie Bronfenbrenner, Professor at Cornell University
Facts about TV:
• Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 38.5
• Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
• Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
• Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500
• Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
Ideas of things to do:
1. Play a game
2. Read a book, magazine or newspaper silently or aloud
3. Put a puzzle together
4. Visit the library.
5. Go to a park
6. Go on a walk or run
7. Paint a picture
8. Attend a high school sporting event
9. Go to a play
10. Plant a flower
11. Cook a meal with your parent
12. Go bird watching
13. Have a picnic
14. Play with your pet
15. Take a nature walk
16. Write a letter to someone
17. Call a relative in another state or city
18. Learn some new riddles or jokes.
19. Bake a cake or cookies
20. Go fishing
“The primary danger of the television screen lies not so much in the behavior it produces as the behavior it prevents… Turning on the television set can turn off the process that transforms children into adults.” – Urie Bronfenbrenner, Professor at Cornell University
Facts about TV:
• Number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children: 38.5
• Number of minutes per week that the average child watches television: 1,680
• Hours per year the average American youth spends in school: 900 hours
• Hours per year the average American youth watches television: 1500
• Percentage of Americans that regularly watch television while eating dinner: 66
Ideas of things to do:
1. Play a game
2. Read a book, magazine or newspaper silently or aloud
3. Put a puzzle together
4. Visit the library.
5. Go to a park
6. Go on a walk or run
7. Paint a picture
8. Attend a high school sporting event
9. Go to a play
10. Plant a flower
11. Cook a meal with your parent
12. Go bird watching
13. Have a picnic
14. Play with your pet
15. Take a nature walk
16. Write a letter to someone
17. Call a relative in another state or city
18. Learn some new riddles or jokes.
19. Bake a cake or cookies
20. Go fishing
Miss Iehl is challenging ALL of you to take part in National Turn off the TV Week!!!
Record what you did instead of watching TV for each day of the week.
Ask your parent sign each day you “turned off the TV”.
At the end of the week I will check for those of you who successfully “turned off the TV”!!!
Record what you did instead of watching TV for each day of the week.
Ask your parent sign each day you “turned off the TV”.
At the end of the week I will check for those of you who successfully “turned off the TV”!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Spring Break To do list!
You should have found a "to do" list stapled in your child's homework journal.
To Do:
*Finish Historical Fiction book. There is no need to work on the project, there will be class time after break to get started.
*Finish Literature Circle book.
*The first Monday we return section 4 job is due.
*The Wednesday we return section 5 (the last section) job is due.
*Have fun and play outside!!
I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable spring break!
To Do:
*Finish Historical Fiction book. There is no need to work on the project, there will be class time after break to get started.
*Finish Literature Circle book.
*The first Monday we return section 4 job is due.
*The Wednesday we return section 5 (the last section) job is due.
*Have fun and play outside!!
I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable spring break!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Homework 3/24 to 3/28
Reading:
** Literature Circles- read section 3 and make sure you do the correct job!
** You should have Chapters 1-4 read. 14b was due on Thursday.
** Keep reading your historical fiction and start working on your monthly book project!
Science:
** Finishing up with simple machines.
** Do REVIEW SHEET Due: Monday
** Test is on Tuesday
** Building compound machine (with at least two simple machines) in class
- Guidelines for this project are in the science journal.
-Work on written report and plan oral report.
Writing:
** Work on poems.
** Poetry Portfolio due April 23rd.
- Project must include 4 poems and 4 rough drafts and 4 justifications.
Any questions please contact me at anytime!
** Literature Circles- read section 3 and make sure you do the correct job!
** You should have Chapters 1-4 read. 14b was due on Thursday.
** Keep reading your historical fiction and start working on your monthly book project!
Science:
** Finishing up with simple machines.
** Do REVIEW SHEET Due: Monday
** Test is on Tuesday
** Building compound machine (with at least two simple machines) in class
- Guidelines for this project are in the science journal.
-Work on written report and plan oral report.
Writing:
** Work on poems.
** Poetry Portfolio due April 23rd.
- Project must include 4 poems and 4 rough drafts and 4 justifications.
Any questions please contact me at anytime!
Friday, March 14, 2008
Biography Wax Museum
Blue Star Fifth Graders all read a biography. As a follow-up project they created a biography portfolio of the person they selected. Students wrote obituaries, birth announcements, comic strips, speeches, and more for their projects. To end our Biography unit the students memorized a speech and put together a costume for their person.
Each class held a Wax Museum/Biography Brunch. The students invited their parents to come and "push their buttons" while they learned facts about many famous people. Students represented a wide range of people, from Harriett Tubman to Peyton Manning.
Below are pictures of the students during the Wax Museum.
Each class held a Wax Museum/Biography Brunch. The students invited their parents to come and "push their buttons" while they learned facts about many famous people. Students represented a wide range of people, from Harriett Tubman to Peyton Manning.
Below are pictures of the students during the Wax Museum.
Above: Mr. Buursma's Class
Below: Mrs. Newhouse's Class
Above is Jake Kessler and a crowd. Family, friends, and other students attended the Wax Museum.
Spring is in the air!!
The birds are singing and so am I! I can't wait for spring- March 20th!!
I hope you found the 5th grade newsletter in your child's Friday folder, but if not below are some updates!
Reading: We have started our new literature circles and the first discussion day will be Wednesday day the 19th! Our goal for these literature circles is to have effective discussions of the reading.
Science: Continuing work with Lego's to learn about simple machines. Try identifying simple machines in your everyday life with your child!
Social Studies: The geography unit is wrapping up with a test on Wednesday the 19th. Please help your child study using the review sheet they received on Thursday of this week!
On March 28th Aleca Stewart's father and his co-workers from Siemens will present a science lesson to our fifth graders. Make sure to ask your students what they learned!
We have a local celebrity in our classroom!!! Anna Schaub was featured in the Allegan County News as a part of an article about our Biography Brunches! If you would like a copy of this article/picture come to our classroom- we have TONS of copies!
A BIG thank-you to all the parents for their flexibility and cooperation with our new spring conferences. I think all of the students learned a lot about themselves and technology as they produced their student-led conference. Also, thank-you for your feedback. Your opinions and impressions are an important part of our improvement for the future! If you have an questions that were not answered at conferences please e-mail or call anytime!
Spring break is fast approaching (starting Friday, April 4th!). We have A LOT to do before then, so help your child stay organized and motivated as the weather gets nice and homework takes a back burner to trampolines and basketball!
Thank-you for all of your support- Blue Star has WONDERFUL parents!!
I hope you found the 5th grade newsletter in your child's Friday folder, but if not below are some updates!
Reading: We have started our new literature circles and the first discussion day will be Wednesday day the 19th! Our goal for these literature circles is to have effective discussions of the reading.
Science: Continuing work with Lego's to learn about simple machines. Try identifying simple machines in your everyday life with your child!
Social Studies: The geography unit is wrapping up with a test on Wednesday the 19th. Please help your child study using the review sheet they received on Thursday of this week!
On March 28th Aleca Stewart's father and his co-workers from Siemens will present a science lesson to our fifth graders. Make sure to ask your students what they learned!
We have a local celebrity in our classroom!!! Anna Schaub was featured in the Allegan County News as a part of an article about our Biography Brunches! If you would like a copy of this article/picture come to our classroom- we have TONS of copies!
A BIG thank-you to all the parents for their flexibility and cooperation with our new spring conferences. I think all of the students learned a lot about themselves and technology as they produced their student-led conference. Also, thank-you for your feedback. Your opinions and impressions are an important part of our improvement for the future! If you have an questions that were not answered at conferences please e-mail or call anytime!
Spring break is fast approaching (starting Friday, April 4th!). We have A LOT to do before then, so help your child stay organized and motivated as the weather gets nice and homework takes a back burner to trampolines and basketball!
Thank-you for all of your support- Blue Star has WONDERFUL parents!!
Friday, March 7, 2008
March!!!
March is finally here and hopefully spring is just around the corner!
Exciting things are happening in 5th grade at Blue Star, as usual!
We are beginning our new literature circles. Students choose their books on Wednesday and we will begin reading and preparing for our discussion Wednesdays next week.
We will also begin our next reading unit next week. As a class we will be reading Guests.
In social studies students are working on a group presentation of a region of the United States. Each group has 4 to 6 states in which they will put together a 5 to 10 minute presentation on the various human and physical characteristics of their place. These presentations will be at the end of next week.
I will soon be finishing my time in Social Studies and move into science and math before I am finished student teaching a Blue Star.
I was wonderful to meet all of the parents at conferences. I hope you enjoyed your student lead conference and gained some insight as to how your student views their progress.
As always, if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me or Mrs. Newhouse!
Exciting things are happening in 5th grade at Blue Star, as usual!
We are beginning our new literature circles. Students choose their books on Wednesday and we will begin reading and preparing for our discussion Wednesdays next week.
We will also begin our next reading unit next week. As a class we will be reading Guests.
In social studies students are working on a group presentation of a region of the United States. Each group has 4 to 6 states in which they will put together a 5 to 10 minute presentation on the various human and physical characteristics of their place. These presentations will be at the end of next week.
I will soon be finishing my time in Social Studies and move into science and math before I am finished student teaching a Blue Star.
I was wonderful to meet all of the parents at conferences. I hope you enjoyed your student lead conference and gained some insight as to how your student views their progress.
As always, if you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me or Mrs. Newhouse!
Monday, February 18, 2008
Mid Winter
I hope all the Blue Star Families are surviving this NEVER ENDING winter weather!! Spring will be very much welcomed in my household!
Some updates about 5th grade at Blue Star:
*Biography Brunch is FAST approaching. Your student will need an inexpensive costume and to prepare a short, memorized speech for the Wax Museum.
*Biography projects are drawing to a close. The final copy of all 3 project choices are due THIS FRIDAY, FEB. 22, 2008. The final copies need to be neat, free of errors and in a folder or some sort of "packaging".
*Literature circles are also drawing to a close. This coming week we will be working on board games in class. Each group will create a board game for their book. We will take some time one afternoon to play all of our board games once they are finished!
*In social studies we are continuing our work with geography of North America. Your student took a quiz on Thrusday and those are graded and will be coming home soon.
Please contact me with any questions about the projects happening in class currently.
Some updates about 5th grade at Blue Star:
*Biography Brunch is FAST approaching. Your student will need an inexpensive costume and to prepare a short, memorized speech for the Wax Museum.
*Biography projects are drawing to a close. The final copy of all 3 project choices are due THIS FRIDAY, FEB. 22, 2008. The final copies need to be neat, free of errors and in a folder or some sort of "packaging".
*Literature circles are also drawing to a close. This coming week we will be working on board games in class. Each group will create a board game for their book. We will take some time one afternoon to play all of our board games once they are finished!
*In social studies we are continuing our work with geography of North America. Your student took a quiz on Thrusday and those are graded and will be coming home soon.
Please contact me with any questions about the projects happening in class currently.
Monday, January 21, 2008
This week a few very exciting things are happening in 5th at Blue Star!!
*Literature circles will begin this week.
Each student was placed in a reading group and given the choice of a few books. Each day students will decide how many pages to read and will complete an assigned job. During reading time the groups will meet an discuss their reading from the previous day.
*Newspaper Story continues.
In class we are reading a newspaper novel. Each week I get 30 newspapers with the newest chapter of the book! The Kalamazoo Gazette has graciously given us these newspapers free of charge! After literature circles students will read the chapter for the given week and complete an activity sheet. This will be a week long task due each Monday. Students will need to be responsible for completing and keeping track of the activity sheet until Monday.
*Biography Project.
We are currently work on a time line. This is a joint project with tech. Students have written the time line and will now create a computer generated time line.
*New Biography Project.
Keep an eye out for a new project coming home sometime this week or next week!
Miss Iehl will begin teaching a geography unit in Social Studies at the end of this week!
Friday, January 11, 2008
First Week Finished!
What a wonderful first week at Blue Star!!! I think I have mastered all the students names and now just working on the teachers' and staffs' names!
In the Classroom Update:
This week, I began reading aloud a Biography of Anne Frank. The students are practicing the questioning reading strategy by recording questions that come to mind while they listen to the book.
We worked on there/their/they're in word study. (You should have seen a take home task!!!)
I also introduced the next trait we will be working on in writing, sentence fluency. In the coming weeks students will be writing much more and focusing on sentence fluency!
Writing Opportunity:
I am entering some of my writing in the Kalamazoo Gazette Literary Awards.
The deadline for all entries is February 8,2008 at 5pm.
The entry forms and more information will be in the classroom for all intrested students.
The awards are 50 dollar gift card to the participating book stores and the runners up get $25!
I will have the guidelines and entry forms in the classroom up until the deadline for those who are interested.
Poems are the only category for 10 years olds and younger.
Short stories and memoirs (non-fiction/personal accounts) are for 11 year olds and older.
** I encourage all students to participate in the contest. I will be avaliable to help students improve and revise their writing up until the deadline.
www.kalamazoogazette.com/litawards
*Above is the website for more information about the contest and the registration form.
Stay tuned for more updates!
In the Classroom Update:
This week, I began reading aloud a Biography of Anne Frank. The students are practicing the questioning reading strategy by recording questions that come to mind while they listen to the book.
We worked on there/their/they're in word study. (You should have seen a take home task!!!)
I also introduced the next trait we will be working on in writing, sentence fluency. In the coming weeks students will be writing much more and focusing on sentence fluency!
Writing Opportunity:
I am entering some of my writing in the Kalamazoo Gazette Literary Awards.
The deadline for all entries is February 8,2008 at 5pm.
The entry forms and more information will be in the classroom for all intrested students.
The awards are 50 dollar gift card to the participating book stores and the runners up get $25!
I will have the guidelines and entry forms in the classroom up until the deadline for those who are interested.
Poems are the only category for 10 years olds and younger.
Short stories and memoirs (non-fiction/personal accounts) are for 11 year olds and older.
** I encourage all students to participate in the contest. I will be avaliable to help students improve and revise their writing up until the deadline.
www.kalamazoogazette.com/litawards
*Above is the website for more information about the contest and the registration form.
Stay tuned for more updates!
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