All Hallow's

Perhaps Morgan Freeman's finest performance.

Take Two

Picture retake day is Monday, November 6th! If your child's first picture was really ugly, or if your child was absent the first time, send them in to school looking really fancy this Monday.

I'm Gonna Kick Tomorrow

It was a full day today, and tomorrow will be another full one. Honestly, it's going to be pretty busy until winter break at least.

It's kind of crazy, but I did the math pretty early on this semester, and I can't believe that if we're going to get everything in, there is very little room to wiggle. It's not a bad thing necessarily, but I am not sure I have ever noticed--in my seventeen years of teaching--just how full the schedule is designed to be.

I'm committed to getting it all finished, but man, even if it all goes according to what I have planned, we still won't be where we really need to be, but I can't imagine anyone being any closer than what we will be doing in 5-1.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns along the way.

Structure for Spontaneity

Okay, everybody! We are in for a busy week.

In Science, we are doing a couple more experiments with the human body operations unit. These have to do with how our eyes connect to our brain, similar to the ruler-catching experiment from last week. We only have two days to do this, though, because on Wednesday, we have to start in with our BizTown unit!

With BizTown, even though the field trip is not until December 8, we have to get started this week. The real lesson plans call for six weeks, which we have whittled down to a month. We have to start early because we lose a few days to Thanksgiving. It's all going to be here before we know it. In fact, the BizTown interviews are set to take place on Thursday, November 8. Don't worry, I plan to have your kids all ready to go by then--which means they and I all have a lot of work to do before then.

In writing this week, we are going to start our historical/research writing unit. We are going to be writing about the Wild West. There are a whole bunch of topics to choose from. I am salivating waiting to get this one started. It ties language arts into one of my favorite things--history.

Speaking of history, we are still plugging our way through the Roanoke: The Lost Colony book by Lee Miller one chapter at a time. We got through 1-4 this past week, and I'm looking forward to getting through 5-8 this week (out of ten). I'm hoping to show the kids that, while something is given a few paragraphs in our Social Studies book (TCI--no idea what it stands for, honestly), that is just the tip of the iceberg to what really happened in history. So far, through the exit slips, it seems that most of them have been listening while I'm reading these chapters.

In grammar, I have been teaching the kids about possessives--singular possessives, plural possessives, and then this week, we are going to be learning about possessive pronouns. While I enjoy this stuff, I get that the kids find it a little bit tedious.

We will have a Spelling test and a States and Capitals quiz this week, by the way.

Oh, and in Math this week, we are starting a new chapter, chapter three, all about decimal operations and percentages. It is my goal to finish this chapter by Thanksgiving. That will leave us four weeks before winter break to complete chapter four.

One last aside, I will not be at school from 2:00-2:35 tomorrow, but I will have plenty for the kids to finish up with whoever is providing my coverage.

Learning To Fly

Michi, Wyatt, Kenzie, Zimmy, Kiarra, and Cole all want to remind everyone that there is still time--we are now at the eleventh hour--to sign up for the Ghosts and Goblins Run for the CCEA. It's okay to be there AND be square! (Like me!)

What a great show the kids put on today and this evening. And the kids also behaved well enough tonight that they got a hexagon (they will know what that means). I thought this show was really cool, definitely in the top five I've seen at the WB during my seventeen-year tour of duty. I will post pictures later, but know that I am proud of all of our kids, and I am also thankful to Mrs. Zimmer who was one of our mom helpers for getting the kids dressed. I also want a little credit for tying a couple of kids' ties from Mrs. Stemnock's class! It's good to feel useful.

Okay, hopefully everyone is ready for a spelling test and a states and capitals quiz tomorrow, plus has their reader's responses and bookmarks ready to turn in.

Everybody have a great Friday! Here's to a great Thursday, over and out!

One Hip Cat

I had to get a picture of Luke today. He was dressed up as Pete the Cat. When I called for him to come over so I could get his picture, he wasn't sure I was talking to him. Of course I was! This made me smile during our S.S.R. time. 

Today we spent some time drawing muscles on our skeletons in ways that would allow them to move. We've talked about this lately in class, as you know, and it was a good way to kill some time while we are still waiting to receive our lenses from Amazon.

By the way, the kids have a Reader's Response due Friday. I may give them a little time to work on it in class tomorrow if they're quiet, what with the program tomorrow night.

Talk soon!

Early Birds and Their Worms

Man, in class today already, we have discussed things like biology and animal life in language arts, the strange world of plural possessive nouns, parasites (this gross word is on our spelling list...), and in math class we talked about ratios and rates. 

Homework for tomorrow is 3x each for spelling, read 20 minutes, and a page for math!

Neurons Were Blasting

Today in Science, we learned all about the brain. Well, it's more like we learned that science still has quite a bit to discover about the brain. Our Mystery Science lesson today led the kids through a really cool program that showed students ways to to show how fast their reflexes are (did they try it on you?), a way to slow their own brains down, and tracking the path that their brains has to take in order to do anything with their senses.

They had to try saying the words, and then the colors of the words instead of reading what it said. That doesn't make much sense (and now my brain feels slowed down), but ask the kids. They tried to do it today. It's not easy!

Homework for tonight was to their spelling definitions, their math, and to read for 20 minutes.

We started our book clubs today! I was happy to see that everyone seemed to like their books. They got together today to plan out their page-reading commitments.

Don't forget that tomorrow is JEANS day! (In other words, an awesome day for teachers...)

Lastly...

...these ladies would like for you to sign up for the Ghosts and Goblins run this Saturday! All moolah goes to the Carmel Clay Education Foundation, which goes toward teacher grants for classroom improvements and programming.

Standing On the Verge of Pandemonium

Hello! I hope you've all had a great weekend, and that your kids are ready to work this week. Here are a few things you will need to know this week at Woodbrook.

• Monday is Pajama Day--yes, the very day after we had our 5-1 Pajama Day. You should have seen my face when they made that announcement on Friday morning.
• Tuesday is Jeans Day. Do kids even have jeans anymore? I know I do!
• Wednesday is Dress as Your Favorite Book Character Day. I need to decide on this one... Atticus Finch? Hermux Tantamoq? Dr. McDonald?
• Thursday is Slippers Day. I don't own slippers. I may have to go with slides.
• Friday is School Spirit Day--dress in Woodbrook's colors, blue and gold.

Also, don't forget that Wednesday night is Mellow Mushroom Night--15% of sales go to Woodbrook PTO when you mention Woodbrook when placing your order.

Lastly (for now), the Woodbrook Fifth Grade Musical is on Thursday night, starting at 7. Don't show up too much before 6:30, because you won't be allowed in! The kids have been working hard on this one--should be a pretty great show.

We have a spelling list and states and capitals again this week--we are almost done with states and capitals, just one more after this one.

We're starting book clubs, wrapping up a chapter for Math, and much more. 

This second quarter really heats up, guys. We have the Book Fair, BizTown, there's usually a trip to the Palladium to go to the Symphony... There's a lot to keep up with, but I will do my best to keep everyone updated here at the Dojo.

Ah, while we're at it, why not another reminder for...

...the Ghosts and Goblins Run! This Saturday--sign up and show up! It's a great time, and it starts off at Carmel High School. Dress up in your sports gear and be ready to run (or walk leisurely).

Boo!

It's not too late to sign up for the Ghosts and Goblins Run next weekend! Dress in your favorite sports gear, as the theme for Woodbrook is Team Woodbrook!

Super Bark

Well, it was a great day! We watched Bolt, had a pajama day, the kids practiced their musical, and it was just a nice chill day.

But Monday, it's back to work! 

The Area 51 Film Festival

Tomorrow is the kids' earned movie day! It felt so good when they capped it off after their day at Camp Jameson last week.

Don't worry--next Monday, we are back to our regularly scheduled workload. Hope everyone has enjoyed this abnormally light week.

It Takes a Felon

FYI: I never explained to you that my report card comments are going to be hand-written, for at least this first quarter. Therefore, when you receive the report cards, you will not see any comments on them. I will send them home with the kids on Friday. If they don't bring them home that day, please ask them why they didn't clean out their mailboxes. And if they bring you an opened envelope, ask them why they opened an envelope that wasn't addressed to them.

I used to try all of those things. That's how I'm so good at it.

Run For Your Life!

Ashley, Sam, and Taiylor want to remind you to sign up for the Ghosts and Goblins Run on October 28! If you've never done this before, it's definitely a cool experience. And if you do, don't forget to dress up as your favorite sports team/mascot/player. Word has it that Mrs. Davis will be dressed up as a referee for Team Woodbrook!

We Hit the Ground Running

Today we had a day full of American mythology, some conclusions were drawn, we did some science about the human muscular/skeletal system (which actually grossed a few people out), and in math we talked ratios this morning.

My math class has a math-box fill-in today, but that's all the homework where I'm coming from.

This should be a pretty light week as far as homework goes!

Everyone have a great evening. 

Couldn't Have Done It

Before the extended weekend ends, I really want to thank Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Alderman, and Mr. Schmid for coming with us on our field trip on Thursday. This was the first year where it was my turn to split my class up among two other classes, and it is because of these fine folks that I was able to do so and not feel like I had to go completely crazy. Still, it was kind of a wake-up call for how controlling I actually am.

If you have pictures from that day, please send them to me. I was able to get a lot of photos throughout the day, but unfortunately I have some gaps in there.

It was an extremely successful day. All of the kids learned how to work as a group, conquered their fears, and we just had a fantastic day outdoors, followed up by repeated games of Silent Ball, capped off by the topping off of our shape bottle, ensuring a movie day this Friday. It's a good time to be a part of Area 51.

Everyone have a great week!

Outside Time Without Extension

Well, I hope everyone has had a good break over the past few days. The best part of having fall break split up the way it is, on a Friday and Monday, is that we get two short weeks in a row.

This week, we are going to have a few days before we have our Unit 2 test for reading. There really isn't a way to study for this one, but the kids will be allowed to use their notes. It's all about the application of those notes and their reading comprehension. This test is going to be on Thursday.

On Friday, 5-1 will have its movie day! The kids have earned it. Yes, they may wear their pajamas and bring in stuffed animals. They talked me into it, because I have never done that before! By the way, this isn't Hidden Figures. This one won't be quite as educational, because they deserve it.

Battling the Epidemic

On Tuesday, I will be sending home a permission slip for your kids to be allowed to watch a movie called Hidden Figures on Tuesday, November 21--the day before Thanksgiving. I have to send home a permission slip because it is rated PG instead of G. Still, I want to show this on the day before Thanksgiving for a few reasons.

The first is that we have studied space and the space program pretty extensively during the first quarter of the school year. This movie is about the women who were swept under the rug during the early days of NASA due to the fact that they were not only African American, but they were (and are) African American women.

I assure you that, while this movie doesn't go beyond the "D-word" or the "H-word", it does go a long way toward showing the inequality shown toward people in the 1960's. What's more is that it really shows that it is not only okay, but awesome for girls and women to be good at Math.

These women proved their place among Hypatia of Alexandria, Mary Cartwright, Grace Hopper, and Madame Marie Curie in the world of female mathematicians. Actually, they proved their place among all mathematicians of both genders. It's a shame they haven't been recognized until now, but thank goodness they now have.

On September 22, NASA opened the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility, named after one of the real-life people in this movie.

We should all be thankful for not only the fact that we live in a world where everyone is important, but where everyone can be recognized for their contributions. And we live in a world where it is no longer uncool to be intelligent and to make use of that intelligence in making the world a better place, or at least a more educated place. It wasn't always that way.

Thank goodness for that.

Dalila

 Happy Birthday to Dalila!

Dalila is one of 5-1's lifeskills students who is with us at the beginning of the day and during silent reading. The best thing about he during silent reading is that her reading isn't quite silent, but the room is punctuated by extremely happy discoveries marked by her laughter and her words. Her favorite book by far is Glamourpuss by Sarah Weeks.

It's hard to believe that Dalila is already a fifth grader. I've been saying hi to her for what only seems like a few years, but now she's in my class.

The only bad part about her birthday is that I didn't get her picture in time for the blog. I was going to take it during the field trip on Thursday, but she ended up not coming to school that day. I will insert her picture as soon as I have it.

Happy Birthday, Dalila! You definitely deserve it!

Blocked At Every Turn

Well, I was looking at the upcoming schedule today (I know, exciting way to spend my fall break!) and I realized that we have Officer DeWald coming to talk to the kids with his yearly visit regarding Halloween safety tips on October 27--they day I had planned the second part of our chapter 2 test (quest) for Math. I'm going to just move it up to October 26, because I don't want to prolong chapter 2 any more than I feel like we already have.

Probably not a huge deal for any of you out there, but I just wanted to let you all know.

Hope everyone's having a great break.

Something In the Way

Well, I will talk about the awesome trip to Camp Jameson before the end of the weekend, but in the meantime, I thought I'd share this with the kids who weren't at school at the end of the day. You know what it means! Next Friday will be a movie day! Good job, guys!

Backwoods Survival

For tomorrow:

• have a completely disposable sack lunch! We're not bringing home any leftovers. 
• I have all of the permission slips! Wooohoooo!
• dress appropriately for the weather!

All You Have To Do Is Win

If there's one word that would best describe today, I would have to say "accomplishment". We were really pretty productive today. The kids are wrapping up their projects for Social Studies involving the explorers, we did some work with conjunctions in writing, and in Math, we reviewed for our quiz tomorrow.

By the way, for Math, I told the kids that all you have to do is win. In other words, I don't care which method you use to solve a problem, just as long as you are able to solve it. I think this alleviated many of them. They do have one piece of homework tonight for Math.

Prepare for Takeoff

Wow! I found a lot of upcoming events between now and Thanksgiving in a tweet from Woodbrook. Here they are in case you've missed them:

• Oct. 12: 1st Quarter End of Grading Period
• Oct. 13-16: Fall Break 
• Oct. 17-20: Bus Driver Appreciation Week
• Oct. 20: Morning With Dad
• Oct. 23-27: Red Ribbon Week
• Oct. 25: Family Food Night (this is at Mellow Mushroom, I believe...)
• Oct. 26: 5th Grade Musical @7pm
• Oct. 27: Scrip Orders Due (no idea what that means)
• Oct. 28: Ghosts and Goblins Run
• Nov. 3: Family Movie Night
• Nov. 10: Veterans' Day Program 4th Grade (this used to be my class...ah, well!)
• Nov. 13-17: Book Fair
• Nov. 21: Fall Classroom Parties

The Need to Breathe

After what happened last week in Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, and Tom Petty dying, it wasn't a great week overall. I'm personally hoping this week is going to be better. Luckily, things look like they should be shaping up, fingers crossed.

First off, I have put down a temporary ordinance in my classroom restricting fidgets. I have long been a champion of fidgets. That said, they have gone from being something that keeps a student's hands busy so that they can focus on learning to being something that distracts kids through clicking, trading, fighting over, and looking at other kids' toys instead of looking at what is being taught. It has gotten to the point of being ridiculous. I think I am going to have to have an OT expert come in and talk to the kids about the proper use of fidgets, because what the kids have been doing is not using them in the proper way by any stretch.

Secondly, there is one thing that I meant to tell you all at Meet the Teacher Night way back in August, and that is never let me be the cause of a knock-down, drag-out fight between you and your children over homework. The other day in Math class (because this is normally where these fights come down), I asked how many students have ever been in an argument with their parents while they are doing their homework, saying, "That's not how Mr. Carter wants us to do it!" All the hands went up.

I tell them time and time again in math class, quoting my dear old Math teacher, Mrs. Hobbs, "There's more than one way to skin a cat." (She grew up during the Depression...I don't even want to know why they were skinning cats.) If your child swears up and down that I told them, for instance, that to multiply two fractions, you have to get the same number on the bottom first (which I would never do), you have my permission to tell them that's fine, and then send them back to ask me about it. I am more than willing to settle the argument for you and save you the headache.

Thirdly, I am still taking any and all parents who want to go to Camp Jameson with us on Thursday! So far, I only have one. It seriously is a fun time, and it gives you an opportunity to watch your child interact with their classmates in problem-solving group tasks. Regardless, your child will need to bring their lunch with them on the trip, and make sure it is completely disposable.

I hope everyone has a great week. 

Twisted Up and Tied

Well, we have come skidding to the end of another week in 5-1. Vocabulary packets were completed, spelling tests were given, and we just got things done today. We had guest-reader Mrs. Bowman come today, so that was a nice cap to our Friday afternoon. 

In Math, we went on Khan Academy and tried to figure some things out. Your kids should all have their Khan Academy usernames and passwords in their Mathcabulary books now, so hopefully we will get that figured out before long.

Have a great weekend!

Icarus & Daedalus

Ahhh... Today was much more orderly than yesterday! Sometimes, chaos reigns. (Or is it "chaos rains"? I can see arguments for either...)

Today, we worked on ratios for math (no homework in math, by the way).

We learned about as we discussed the myths of Pandora's Box, Daedalus and Icarus, and we started to watch the one on Perseus, but I figured the kids would rather go to recess, so it was cut short.

We also learned about the use of commas between adjectives--when to put them and when not to put them. Ask your kids and see if they remember the simple rule for deciding.

We read a blog about energy (well, one that was in our reading books), and then this afternoon the kids continued to work on their research and presentations about their explorers.

It was a very productive day! I hope you all have a great evening.

Bad Moon Rising

Oh, man. What a day.

We started off this morning being skipped over by the office and whoever was in charge of picture day for taking our school pictures, which threw our math class off course, which meant I had several kids sitting in the hallway outside my room while we waited for my class to get back (eventually) so that my homeroom could get to their math classes (hey, a little less than half of math was saved today, at least). We were lined up to go to the computer lab so that I could show them how to get onto Khan Academy to do some exercises online from home, but because of the mess-up, those plans were ruined.

Then, things started going downhill.

But, I have to say that, despite everything, your kids remained upbeat and rolled with the punches throughout the day. I was so grateful for the cooperativeness that almost everyone showed throughout the day. It wasn't an easy one, but that makes it so much easier.

Just as a reminder, the kids have their take-home test due on Friday, as well as a Reader's Response due that same day.

I hope everyone has had a good evening! By the way, as I type these lines, I am looking out the window at a full moon.

Yep, that makes sense!

Alex

Happy Birthday, Alex!

True story: Today, I took the kids out to the bus. That's when I remembered I needed to get his picture for the blog. After he walked off, I told another teacher that it was for the blog because it's his birthday. She said, "I love that kid." That started a gush-fest between the two of us about what a great kid Alex is.

Alex is one of those kids I had last year for Math already, along with some others. I was so happy that I got him in my homeroom this year. Not that he was immature last year, but he has matured so much in the last 52 weeks. He is one of those kids I can always depend on. If I want something done correctly (and who can read my mind and knows the unspoken parts), Alex is my man.

You should watch him work with the Life Skills kids. Seriously, he has the patience, heart, and empathy of a saint. The teachers of those students are always coming to me and asking if I can clone him. The specials teachers would like to clone him as well. Okay, I would like to clone him too.

As I told his mom earlier today, I looked at him yesterday and saw his dad. He is growing up not only in maturity, but physically as well. At the beginning of the year, it was hard for me not to think of Alex as the kid who--in Math, last year--always had his knees up in his shirt and would raise his hand through the neck-hole of it. Now, I look and see a kid who is more than the typical kid. He's grown into something really awesome.

I hope you had a happy birthday, Alex! You absolutely deserve it.

Well-Earned Rest Tonight

Whew, what a day! While we were learning today, we played some Tom Petty a couple times. We did some grammar, some Social Studies history theater, and we just had an all-around good day today. 

Don't forget that the take-home test for Social Studies is due on Friday. Also, the students have a Reader's Response that is due on Friday. 

Alex, your birthday blog post is coming, but it's going to be a late-ish one for me tonight, but I will make sure it gets done before I got to bed. 

Don't forget that tomorrow is picture day too!

Learning To Fly

Man, what a gut punch it was after the news about what happened in Las Vegas last night to get home and find out that Tom Petty died.

I saw him in concert twice. This seems way too early for him to go.

The Name We Give Our Mistakes

I'm not sure what your kids have seen on the news or heard from other people, but this is what Mr. Fred Rogers had to say shortly after 9/11 all those years ago. This was just about a year or so before he passed away.

The Snowball Effect

I need permission slips ASAP if your child hasn't handed it in yet! Don't forget, I need the permission slip, the money, and the waiver. Plus, if you are interested in going with us, please let me know! We can use anyone who wants to go with us. Plus, it's a really fun day that flies right by!

For Social Studies this week, I sent home a take-home test that is not due until Friday. I told the kids to take their book home with them tonight. It's okay if it stays at home, because we will not use it in class this week. This is due when the kids walk in the door on Friday, so it doesn't count as on time if the kids are frantically trying to get it done in the morning. I told them they are going to want to do a little bit each day, to avoid trying to get it all done on Thursday night.

We are focusing on comma usage this week. This isn't the most interesting topic for many kids, but it is a necessary part of life for sure.

More later. Hope everyone has a great Monday. 

Cool Cats

School picture day is this Wednesday, October 4! Make sure to bring your brightest smiles and your perfectly-done hair.

But please, leave your cats at home.