MrHowd.com

Spelling: We started spelling with the Unit 1 Word Preview. During this activity, students practicing spelling words and focusing on each individual letter. For more information on spelling this year, click here. And here is the Level Four 500 Word spelling list.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 15-17 are available and due Friday.

Reading: None today.

Writing: None today.

Math: We played mathsketball to review some third grade math concepts.

Science: We started a mini-unit this week on forms of energy:

• light
• sound
• electrical
• motion
• heat
• food

To learn these forms of energy, we are having an Energy Fair this Friday, September 12. Students received instructions today in class. Click here for guidelines for the Energy Fair. The big idea is for students to find an object at home that demonstrates a form of energy, and to bring it in to show the class. Students are also asked to design a poster that introduces their exhibit to the class. Click here for complete details. This project is worth 30 points.

Social Studies: None today due to working on our class mission statement. We developed the following as our mission statement:

Every student in Room 130 leaves happy and prepared for fifth grade.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 2
• Red magnets: 1
• STAR Awards: 3

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.

Today, students completed the library skits they planned yesterday. We learned how to keep books safe by not writing in them, throwing them, bending or ripping pages or cover, or stuffing them in desks.

Students also turned in their first homework assignment. Most students had the work completed. I told students that missing work next week would required them to stay in at recess in order to finish the work.

A few students brought in items for our class pride board, and it’s filling up fast. But there is still room, so your student is still welcome to bring in three items for the board if they haven’t already.

We finished the day with Team Day, full of team-building activities. We started with “Sticky Ankles.” The class had to line up shoulder to shoulder, ankles touching. Without separating ankles, students had to moving the line to a marker three feet ahead. It took several tries, but the group listened to each other, worked hard, and solved the problem.

We then broke into groups for four stations:

• Human Knot: students had to untie a tangled knot of arms when they held hands in across a circle, all the while not letting go.
• Helium Hoop: students had to lower a hula hoop, using just one finger, without any group member letting their finger become separated from the hoop.
• All Aboard: students had to pile on a sheet; each successful time the sheet was folded in half until the group had to work creatively to fit and keep everyone on the sheet.
• Tree Knot: students had to until a knot in a rope around a tree by holding onto a rope and not letting go.

Students learned that teamwork involves listening to others, helping others, accepting help, talking to the group, and working on a problem together, not individually.

A special thanks to all the parents who helped manage the stations on Team Day! We couldn’t have done it without you!

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 3

Notes:

• Please complete and return the enclosed forms from your student’s first day folder, if you haven’t already.
• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.

Today, students received their first assignment, cursive pages 12-14. Homework is to finish the pages if not done in class. Students also received information on how to login to SnapGrades, our online gradebook. Check your students shuttle folder (folder for take-home notes) for the SnapGrades information.

Students also made “I’d rather be…” bumper stickers about how they would be rather learning, reading, doing math or completing a science experiment.

After lunch, we voted on our class rules. We listed rules we would like to have, but we noticed that all of the rules seemed to go with the High Fives: respect, responsibility, kindness, honesty and courage. So we voted to have only one class rule: Follow the High Fives. See more about class rules here.

We rounded out the day by playing People Bingo and making skits about how to treat books in the library.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 3

Notes:

• Please complete and return the enclosed forms from your student’s first day folder, if you haven’t already.
• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Team Day is tomorrow, Friday, from 2:00-3:40 pm. Students will be participating in team-building activities.
• Thanks for all the families that attended our Open House! It was nice to meet you!
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.

Today, students received their desks for the first marking period. They also chose team captains and received their first team job.

Students also received some class materials: planners and shuttle folders (for taking notes and homework home).

We had recess training with Ms. Bunny who reminded us of the standard operating procedures of the playground.

Finally, we discussed the issue of class rules. At first, we thought about the possibility of having no rules. A few cheers went up. We figured out that people could do anything with no rules: chew gum, drink pop, sleep, leave, have recess all day, steal. But then we asked ourselves if we should do those things, and the honest answer was no. While some of those things might be fun, they could hurt, harm or distract people, and they definitely wouldn’t be helping us learn and make our brains smarter. The class voted and decided that we should have some kind of rules. We’ll choose our rules tomorrow.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 1
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 3

Notes:

• Look for your student’s first day folder. Please complete and return the enclosed forms from your student’s first day folder, if you haven’t already.
• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Volunteers are needed to help with Team Day, this Friday from 2:00-3:40 pm. Students will be participating in team-building activities. All directions will be provided. Please contact me if you would like to help.
• Open House is Thursday, from 6:30-7:30 pm. Come check out the room!
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.

Welcome to the new year!

Today was full of start up and meet up activities. We had Spanish right away. Then students came back and took the Mr. Howd test. All students failed, but they were rewarded with a piece of candy. I told them that that was the last time they would get rewarded for not studying for a test!

After lunch, students made locker signs, and picked out partners and lockers. We also played a game to get to know our names.

The day ended with an all-school assembly on behavior and procedures.

Notes:

• Look for your student’s first day folder. Please complete and return the enclosed forms.
• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Volunteers are needed to help with Team Day, this Friday from 2:00-3:40 pm. Students will be participating in team-building activities. All directions will be provided. Please contact me if you would like to help.
• Open House is Thursday, from 6:30-7:30 pm. Come check out the room!
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.