Exploration and Technology

Today we performed a homemade play in social studies to begin our Explorer's Unit.
The kids had an absolute blast. We had to perform it two times so everyone had a role. I am looking forward to the rest of the unit as we discuss the explorers. Thanks to our wonderful guest teacher for helping me, Ms. Steele.

On a side note, I would like to announce a celebration today. Out of the 28 students in the class, the 22 that have been tested, almost everyone has improved at least 2 reading levels, and some even up to 5 reading levels. THAT IS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

So, what does your child's "letter level" mean exactly?

N-P      3rd grade 

Q-S      4th grade

T-V      5th grade

(we would like all of our 5th graders to be reading at a V at least by the end of the year, or close to)

                       W-Z     6th, 7th and 8th grades. 

I will be continuing with assessments until the end of next week. Congratulations to everyone! There is still a lot of time left until I test again in May. Keep up the GREAT work everyone! Don't forget to READ READ READ READ READ and log!! It totally pays off!! 

If you did not turn in your class selection sheet, please make sure that you bring them on Monday. 

Have an excellent weekend! I am super proud of everyone! Stay safe, stay clean, and stay healthy :)

(Who is watching the Puppy Bowl on Sunday? I know I sure am....)

Go PACKERS!

-Ms. Davidson 

Survival of the fittest

Oh what a joyous feeling it is to be back!! I woke up this morning so excited to be reunited with the kiddos, and happy that I didn't feel as awful as I had the previous day.

When the kids came in, I stood by the door and held a Lysol container full of wipes out for the kids to take. They looked at me funny because I was wearing a surgical mask, but they looked at what was in my hand, and then the kids didn't even have to ask what it was for. They all came in, greeted me, grabbed a Lysol wipe and cleaned down everything at their desk and chairs. Some kids even went further than that and cleaned the counter tops (thank you to those students!)

Then once they came in after Encore, everyone was trying to fill me in on the last two days which apparently had many ups and downs, and they ensured me that they did everything they could to be good leaders. There is nothing in the world that makes a teacher more pleased then knowing that even when he/she is gone, the kids have their best interests at heart. 

We were so excited to be reunited that we wasted the first 20 minutes on just goofing around and giggling. It got to be so bad I had to turn out the lights and make them rest.

That took another 5 minutes. And I couldn't keep the grin off my face the entire time.

Then we all finally got to work, and had a fabulous day.


Thank you so much for being such wonderful and understanding families, I know it hasn't always been easy. I can't believe the year is half over and I only have a few months left with them!

MAPS

FINALLY!

The students have all finished their MAP tests with me today. It was incredibly frustrating, we had more problems happen in the last two days with it than I have had the 4 times I've proctored it. However, almost everyone has finished (aside from those who were absent today).

I am confident that they did well. :)

Que Magnifique!

What a crazy and fun filled day we had!

To start our morning, most of the class went to La Petite, a french bakery across from West Town Mall. It was so amazing watching the kids take part in a cultural experience in the community! They were all so polite and friendly, as well as very patient. I am very proud of all the kiddos for representing themselves and KMS in public.

They definitely put on quite the show. They had to order all of the food in French (that's to Monsuier Voss' excellent teaching, he had a dialogue cheat sheet for the kids to use, as well as myself!!!). I was very impressed by how much they have learned in such a short amount of time. With the help from Nick T., Jose, Lian, Savian, Mrs. Shaw and Hansen, Ms. Davidson was able to order some delicious treats. Thank you to everyone for the assistance!

Also, it was a pleasure seeing many of you at the cafe! How wonderful it was for you to join the class!!

Here is a great video of them performing a poem at the end of the experience to express their "Merci"

The poem is entitled 

O Soliel

O Soleil, O Soleil

Montre-toi!

De Toute ta Lumiere

illumine-moi

Pour qu'a mon tour je puisse

Rayonner autour de moi. 

Oh  Sun, Oh Sun

Rise up

With all of your light

Illuminate me

so that in turn I may

Shine out all around me

On Demand!

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

Tomorrow I will be starting the Fountas and Pinelle mid year reading testing. This is the form of assessment we use to help base your child's reading abilities and their "reading level." The goal for 5th grade is to be at a level U by the end of the school year. Hopefully, with all the reading they do in class and at home, the students should have moved up a letter or two by now, depending on where they started at the beginning of the year. This means that we will be having a guest teacher the next two afternoons. The kids know her- she's awesome.

They will be with me for writing both days, however.
Tomorrow, we will be doing an opinion on demand. The kids are already pretty frustrated with me because they just had to write their informative post on demand, (45 minutes of non stop writing) on Friday. The way our writing curriculum works is that we are assessing writing with a post test and a pre test. This is the "pre test" for opinion writing, and we wont be taking the "post test" until after we finish our argumentative essays in March-ish.

What that means is, the kids will be spending the writing period tomorrow writing about an issue and taking a stance on that issue. They are welcome to bring in any information that will help them prove their point.

Some ideas that I expressed today were:
1. Should we have longer school days?
2. Should we have a year long school year or keep summers off?
3. Should we drink chocolate milk at school? Eat pizza?
4. Should we have more recess
4. Should teacher's assign homework?

Students should be able to :

• write an intro
• state your opinion or claim
• give reason and evidence
• organize your writing
• acknowledge counterclaims
• use transition words
• write a conclusion 

On another note, our very own, Hansen, will be competing in the District Spelling Bee tomorrow night at the PAC! We are so excited for him to represent our school and our class! Good luck Hansen! We will be cheering for you!!