MrHowd.com

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due Friday. This week’s assignment will be due next Friday.

Reading: Today was library orientation. Students reviewed library procedures and checked out books.

Writing: Our first writing project of the year is a personal narrative, which is a personal memory of the student. We started this project by prewriting a list of topics that each person knows about. We called this list an Authority List. We’ll use this list to select a topic of writing. A personal narrative is due Friday, September 21.  Homework is to think about a writing topic.

Math: We practiced fact fluency and reviewed some 4th grade math skills using. Homework assignments this year in math will be to practice math for 15 minutes using MobyMax or Khan Academy.

Science: We started our first topic about ecosystem restoration.

Social Studies: We started our first topic about who the first people in American were and how they survived using their environment.

Character Strength: This week we are reviewing the #OtherPeopleMatter mindset. This is about five things:

1. Look for the good in others.
2. Know your words and actions affect others.
3. Cheer for the success of others.
4. Support others when they struggle.
5. Give others your attention.

Notes:

• School Supply list
• Chromebook insurance payments are due September 27.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Parents and family members, find out more information about our class here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.
• More class information…
  • About MrHowd.com
  • Class Info
  • Contact Mr. Howd
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Subjects
  • Subscribe to MrHowd.com for daily class email updates
  • Volunteering information, including forms to be filled out if you would like to volunteer in class or chaperone a field trip
  • Sign up for a fall conference

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 6th grade.

Highlights from today:

• Today was Team Day! The students participated in several team-building activities that involved work together to reach a goal. Overall, the class did well and much better than last year!
• We decided on our class agreement:
  • Turn and look at the speaker.
  • Use your time wisely.
  • Follow directions.
  • Talk at the right time.
  • Keep pace with others.
• We reviewed our class behavior policy.
• We finished playing a game called Win as Much as You Can. In this game, when teams agree to work together, everyone wins, but when some teams try to “get ahead” of the others, not only do some teams lose, but the whole class loses out. This game has 10 rounds and it took until the final round before the class started to think about how everyone could win, not just a few. We played again and learned from our mistakes. We learned that we need to put others first rather than try to be first all the time.

Team Day 2018

9 new photos · Album by Christian Howd

Notes:

• School Supply list
• Chromebook insurance payments are due September 27.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Parents and family members, find out more information about our class here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.
• More class information…
  • About MrHowd.com
  • Class Info
  • Contact Mr. Howd
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Subjects
  • Subscribe to MrHowd.com for daily class email updates
  • Volunteering information, including forms to be filled out if you would like to volunteer in class or chaperone a field trip
  • Sign up for a fall conference

Highlights from today:

• We decided on our class mission, which we updated from last year’s mission:
  • “All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 6th grade.”
  • We talked about how our mission gets us ready to earn a million more dollars, because college graduates earn a million more dollars in their life compared to high school graduates.
• We decide on some class goals for the year:
  • We will increase both our reading and math levels at least one full year by the end of the year.
• We selected our class rules:
  • “Follow the High Fives.”
• We played collaborative tic tac toe. Each pair of students made six tic tac toe boards. They earned one point each time someone won a game. After playing, we noticed that only one pair earned all six points. When both students were trying to win the same, some games had no winners. After talking about this, some students realized their team could still get all six points even if they didn’t personally win. We played again and every pair earned all six points! They learned that sometimes individuals have to lose so that the team can win. Not everyone can win their way, their idea, their method, their style. It’s about the team, the team, the team!
• We played People Bingo to learn some interesting facts about each other!
• We passed out social studies books, whiteboards, fridge folders (for our leftovers and papers we want to save for a bit).
• Students received a green or yellow folder to use as their writing portfolio. Homework is to decorate the portfolios with drawings, stickers, photos, or cut-out pictures and to return by Thursday, September 13 to be laminated.
• We played a game called Win as Much as You Can. We are in the process of completing it, but so far, the results aren’t good. This a game were selfishness is penalized and selflessness is rewarded, simlar to collaborative tic tac toe. So far, the class is trying to win for themselves and not thinking of the team. We’ll see what happens tomorrow!

Notes:

• Team Day is Friday, September 7 from 9-10:30 am. The class will be completing team-building activities in student groups. We are still looking for family volunteers. Send in a note or contact me if you can help!
• School Supply list
• Chromebook insurance payments are due September 27.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Parents and family members, find out more information about our class here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.
• More class information…
  • About MrHowd.com
  • Class Info
  • Contact Mr. Howd
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Subjects
  • Subscribe to MrHowd.com for daily class email updates
  • Volunteering information, including forms to be filled out if you would like to volunteer in class or chaperone a field trip
  • Sign up for a fall conference

Highlights from today:

• We checked out our chromebooks. Everyone was responsible and returned their forms!
  • Please have students keep cords and home to charge chromebooks.
  • It is highly recommended that your family purchase chromebook accident insurance. The cost is $25 for the year, or $50 for two or more students. You can pay by cash, check payable to Grand Blanc Schools, or online. Insurance must be purchase by September 27. Here’s more about the insurance program and what it covers. Here’s more information about our student technology program.
• We made a list of supplies the class needs by Friday:
  • Two poly envelopes or similar to store soft cover books and papers. I have them in class for $0.50 each.
  • A folder to use for take-home papers. Any folder will do.
  • A pencil box or bag to store supplies.
  • At least one dry erase marker. I have them for $0.50.
  • A pair of earbuds to use in class, in technology, and in music. I have some for $1.
• We talked about snacks in class. Students are welcome to bring a healthy snack (crackers, granola bars, fruit, veggies). I’ll ask students that bring chips, cookies, candies, and other treats to save them for lunch. Here’s more about our school wellness policy.
• We talked about water bottles. Students are invited to bring a water bottle as long as it fully closes. I’ll ask students not to bring cups, travel mugs, and anything else with an open top to minimize tips and spills.
• Students received new seats and we selected team captains. Teams were assigned jobs and areas of the room to manage. Teammates were assigned team jobs to help out. Here’s more about leadership in our class.
• The class was invited to participate in a new club this year, Book Bowl. Those interested will need to read 10 books in order to learn them and participate in a team quiz tournament in March.
• We started to work on team-building in class with a team challenge involving stacking styrofoams cups into a pyramid using only string and rubberbands, not hands.
• We also watched a video called Crash and Learn. We heard from a ski jumper who found out he had to crash in order to learn new tricks. He told us to not be afraid to crash, but to learn from mistakes.

Notes:

• Team Day is Friday, September 7 from 9-10:30 am. The class will be completing team-building activities in student groups. We are still looking for family volunteers. Send in a note or contact me if you can help!
• School Supply list
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Parents and family members, find out more information about our class here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.
• More class information…
  • About MrHowd.com
  • Class Info
  • Contact Mr. Howd
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Subjects
  • Subscribe to MrHowd.com for daily class email updates
  • Volunteering information, including forms to be filled out if you would like to volunteer in class or chaperone a field trip
  • Sign up for a fall conference

Welcome back to another year! I’m looking forward to working with you and your student to make this a great year!

At the beginning of the year, most parents have questions about curriculum, procedures, policies, and ways to stay informed. Problem solved: check out this website!

Here you can find everything you need to know about the class, including ways to contact me, check grades, find out about procedures, see class photos, and check out student work.

You will also be contacted periodically by an automated phone message system. I’ll use this for class reminders in case you aren’t able to check the class website, or your student’s backpack ate the class notes!

School Supplies

There is a full list of school supplies at MrHowd.com/supplies. Your student will really only need pencils, pens, dry erase markers, and two poly envelopes. I have the markers and envelopes in class for purchase for $0.50 each, or you can get these at any office store.

Who’s in class?

Our class is made up of people with unique talents and experiences. We should have pride in that! So we can be proud and get to know each other, I’m giving students the opportunity to bring in three things that show who they are, to put up on our Friends and Family Pride Board. This board will end up looking like a scrapbook. Students can bring in anything that can be stapled to or hung on a board with pushpins, and that is reasonable in size. Photos, postcards, medals, etc. would be perfect.

Students will also be asked to decorate a writing portfolio with drawings and photos.

So start digging up those photos now!

Team Day

Friday, September 7, from 9-10:30 am, our class will participate in some team-building activities to start the new year. Parents are needed to help run the activities. Instructions will be provided. If you can help, send text or email me. Thanks!

Class activities

Today was filled with get-to-know-you activities and procedures. Here are some highlights:

• We were selected to start the year with reading the school announcements and to lead the Welcome-Back Assembly.
• We played a game to share some news from the summer.
• Students took the Mr. Howd test; many failed! I told students that failure will often result from not preparing, but hard work is usually rewarded!
• We took a tour of our new planners. Parents, look in the planners for two papers to sign. That’s your homework! You can just leave the papers in the planner after they are signed.
• A few parents have a technology authorization form to sign so that we can get our chromebooks tomorrow. Look for that!
• We attended technology and gym.
• We got our lockers and students make locker signs.

Notes:

• Team Day is Friday, September 9 from 10-11:30 am. The class will be completing team-building activities in student groups. Can you help? Instructions will be provided!
• School Supply list
• Students will need a pair of earbuds this year. Something inexpensive will be fine. Earbuds are preferred over large headphones that are hard to store and usually more expensive to replace.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Parents and family members, find out more information about our class here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.
• More class information…
  • About MrHowd.com
  • Class Info
  • Contact Mr. Howd
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Subjects