More Than ABC is a informative, fun, creative blog dedicated to share what is going in in our classroom. Using technology, creativity, and quality materials keeps us busy! If your in my class or just a visitor, I'm glad you stopped in!
Students have started working on the ST math program, short for Spatial Temporal Math. It is a computer program (with our penguin JiJi) geared to helping students problem solve and understand math concepts without just getting the answer, but helping them understand why! The program, style, and even JiJi are all research based to help kids learn math.
We'll be using the net books in our classroom twice per week to work through the different lessons in the program. Each student may work at their own pace, and can move as quickly as they can answer the questions correctly.
Students struggling receive multiple reteaching opportunities to help them master a concept.
The MIND institute has a great video about the program here! If you want to try one of the activities with Jiji, click here!
We will be sending information home with students about using ST math at home. If you have access to the Internet and a computer at home, you can watch your child work on ST math!
Students, please remember to make safe decisions when you go to other websites online.
About a month into school I like to do a homework check-up to see how our plan is progressing.
Homework is a way for students to have extra practice outside of class time to work on the skill we have focused on during the day. This is a time for students to explore the work on their own.
I do expect that parents are and active part of the homework process. Parents can coach, guide, teach, and help students WITHOUT just giving them the answers.
Tips:
Check your child's planner for what homework has been assigned.
Create a time and space that is consistent to complete homework.
Follow a routine to ensure your child completes the homework and ensures you as a parent have a few minutes to look over their work.
If homework is taking upwards of 30 minutes for 1 assignment please contact the teacher.
I do keep track of students with completed and uncompleted homework assignments. Students may miss recess, alternative activities, or be required to take the homework home a second time if it is not turned in, completed and on time.
Students, please remember to make safe decisions when you go to other websites online.
Students will have a snack time each day if they want to bring their own healthy snack. The snack must meet a few criteria in order to be allowed during snack time. Any snacks not fitting these criteria will need to be saved for lunch or after school.
Healthy food.
Quick to eat. Time consuming foods to peel, mix, etc. should be saved for later.
No mess. In carpeted classrooms we cannot have spills!
For tips about how to encourage healthy eating habits check here!
Keep it special 1 on 1 time. Spend time with your child individually as a special part of the day.
Family book. Read a book together as a family and enjoy the exciting plot and adventure that many children's books have to offer.
Location. Reading is much more enjoyable when you are comfortable. Find cozy places to encourage your child to read.
Praise. Reading can be tough work. Giving your child verbal praise for their accomplishments.
Rewards. Our goal is to have reading be a reward in itself. To help kids get there, library summer reading programs, lunch with the teacher, or rewards set up at home can help guide the way.
Tracking progress. Keep a list of books read, hours read, minutes read, or something to help chart the progress your child is making. Get those sticker charts ready!
Ownership. Owning a book can be a meaningful connection to the characters, plot, and information in a book. Inexpensive ideas include thrift stores, garage sales, Paperback Swap, used book stores, or trading books with friends.
Writing postcards is a great way to practice some letter writing skills without too much effort.
To write a post card, kids need a few sentences and an address. Even with so much technology knowing how to write an address doesn't look like it will be going away anytime soon.
Can make your own postcard and decorate it yourself! (Check postage guidelines for sizes)
I'm taking a Creativity class this summer and we're doing some art projects. These are 2 of my postcards.
(Gasp! Students who have seen me try to draw should be amazed that I'm making just a little bit of progress, it might look like something next year instead of scribbles!!!)
When is the last time you made butter? We're making butter today at school. Families have generously donated heavy whipping cream and we've saved, washed, and recycled baby food jars to use for our project.
Each Student Will Use: 1 Baby Food Jar with TIGHT fitting lid 2-3 oz. of whipping cream lots of arm muscles
The butter will go through 3 distinct stages in the process:
Liquid Whipping Cream - this will slosh around in the jar when we shake it
Whipped Cream - The jar will be filled with a foamy, fluffy cream
Separated Butter and Butter cream - The butter molecules will join together and will separate from the liquid
We'll be enjoying our fresh butter with cornbread today, but could enjoy it with homemade biscuits or any other delicious treat!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites which are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
The paired selection is a very rhythmic poem selection!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites which are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
You can now have posts come right to your inbox as an email.
On the right sidebar find the "receive email updates" box.
Enter your email of choice.
A feedburner (the program that turns the post into an email for you) box comes up.
Type in the text.
Another Feedburner message will appear asking you to check and verify from your email inbox.
In the email, click the link to confirm you would like updates when a new post is on the blog.
You'll now get an email if new content is posted on the blog!
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Feeling adventurous? Don't know what a reader is? Click Subscribe in a Reader on the right sidebar, pick your provider of choice, and explore.
Google Reader is a HUGE time saver and helps me follow a variety of websites without having to check all the time if there is new content on a site I follow.
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s.
Read Across America Day is March 2nd! We’ll be reading a few Dr. Seuss books, but check your bookshelves, and read a book by the good doctor tonight to celebrate a great American author and illustrator.
Parents or voracious readers….check out from the public library Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel, a biography about Dr. Seuss. It was a fascinating read about this influential author!
Our school will be doing a Literacy Night themed around Dr. Seuss on March 16th. More information will be coming home soon.
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube.
We're reading a selection from Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. If your child has not read this whole story I would encourage you to check it out! It is a great family read!
More information about the book, movie, and others who enjoyed the book are here!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
Some say it is a lost art....but in the 4th grade it is still a necessity!
Want a peculiar family activity?
Have a handwriting challenge.
See who makes the neatest letters, who holds their pencil correctly,
who knows how to make all the cursive letters....
On the state tests, and daily assignments handwriting is what communicates ideas clearly. It doesn't have to be perfect script, but we need to be able to read it.
Handwriting practice...
It might not be the most exciting activity, but it could be interesting!
Our reading text this week includes an apple tree as a key component to the story. Here is some extra information about apples and the many different varieties. Check out the grocery store next time you to to see how many you can find!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
I have some paper copies that are still "like" this game if you would like to play the paper version at home. Send a note in your planner, email, or call me!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. .
As silly as some of these songs are, it is amazing how well (once learned) they can stick!
The title : Nations of the World is not to be misconstrued as listing ALL the nations, or the most current. The song was released in 1993, and since many political country changes have occured!
Beware, you are about to be frustrated (kids and adults alike) at not being able to read, talk, or sing fast enough.
United States, Canada,
Mexico, Panama,
Haiti, Jamaica, Peru;
Republic Dominican,
Cuba, Carribean,
Greenland, El Salvador too.
Puerto Rico, Columbia,
Venezuela,
Honduras, Guyana, and still;
Guatemala, Bolivia,
then Argentina,
and Ecuador, Chile, Brazil.
Costa Rica, Belize,
Nicaragua, Bermuda,
Bahamas, Tobago, San Juan;
Paraguay, Uruguay,
Suriname, and
French Guiana, Barbados, and Guam.
Norway, and Sweden,
and Iceland, and Finland,
and Germany now one piece;
Switzerland, Austria,
Czechoslovakia,
Italy, Turkey, and Greece.
Poland, Romania,
Scotland, Albania,
Ireland, Russia, Oman;
Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia,
Hungary,
Cyprus, Iraq, and Iran.
There's Syria, Lebanon,
Israel, Jordan,
both Yemens, Kuwait, and Bahrain,
the Netherlands, Luxembourg,
Belgium, and Portugal,
France, England, Denmark, and Spain.
India, Pakistan,
Burma, Afghanistan,
Thailand, Nepal, and Bhutan;
Kampuchea, Malaysia,
then Bangladesh, Asia,
and China, Korea, Japan.
Mongolia, Laos,
and Tibet, Indonesia,
the Philippine Islands, Taiwan;
Sri Lanka, New Guinea,
Sumatra, New Zealand,
then Borneo, and Vietnam.
Tunisia, Morocco,
Uganda, Angola,
Zimbabwe, Djibouti, Botswana;
Mozambique, Zambia,
Swaziland, Gambia,
Guinea, Algeria, Ghana.
Burundi, Lesotho,
and Malawi, Togo,
The Spanish Sahara is gone;
Niger, Nigeria,
Chad, and Liberia,
Egypt, Benin, and Gabon.
Tanzania, Somalia,
Kenya, and Mali,
Sierra Leone, and Algier;
Dahomey, Namibia,
Senegal, Libya,
Cameroon, Congo, Zaire.
Ethiopia, Guinea_
Bissau, Madagascar,
Rwanda, Mahore[?], and Cayman;
Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi,
Qatar, Yugoslavia,
Crete, Mauritania,
then Transylvania,
Monaco, Liechtenstein,
Malta, and Palestine,
Fiji, Australia, Sudan!
Curious about the flags?
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
In a continued effort to keep bordom at bay and keep learning happening, can you learn all 50 state capitals? I bet you can? Sing along!
WAKKO'S AMERICA (Episode 21)
Music traditional (Turkey in the Straw). Lyrics by Randy Rogel.
Wakko:
Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Indianapolis, Indiana
And Columbus is the capital of Ohio
There's Montgomery, Alabama, south of Helena, Montana
Then there's Denver, Colorado, under Boise, Idaho.
Texas has Austin, then we go north
To Massachusetts' Boston, and Albany, New York
Tallahassee, Florida, and Washington, D.C.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Nashville, Tennessee.
Elvis used to hang out there a lot, ya know.
Trenton's in New Jersey, north of Jefferson, Missouri
You've got Richmond in Virginia; South Dakota has Pierre
Harrisburg's in Pennsylvania and Augusta's up in Maine
And here is Providence, Rhode Island, next to Dover, Delaware.
Concord, New Hampshire, just a quick jaunt
To Montpelier, which is up in Vermont
Hartford's in Connecticut, so pretty in the fall
And Kansas has Topeka; Minnesota has St Paul.
Juneau's in Alaska and there's Lincoln in Nebraska
And it's Raleigh out in North Carolina and then
There's Madison, Wisconsin, and Olympia in Washington
Phoenix, Arizona, and Lansing, Michigan.
Here's Honolulu; Hawaii's a joy
Jackson, Mississippi, and Springfield, Illinois
South Carolina with Columbia down the way
And Annapolis in Maryland on Chesapeake Bay.
They have wonderful clam chowder.
Cheyenne is in Wyomin' and perhaps you make your home in
Salt Lake City out in Utah, where the Buffalo roam
Atlanta's down in Georgia, and there's Bismarck, North Dakota
And you can live in Frankfort in your old Kentucky home.
Salem in Oregon; from there we join
Little Rock in Arkansas; Iowa's got Des Moines
Sacramento, California; Oklahoma and its city
Charleston, West Virginia, and Nevada, Carson City.
That's all the capitals there are!
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
This video lists all 50 US states in alphabetical order. Need something to get stuck in your head? Here it is!
Alabama (AL)
Alaska (AK)
Arizona (AZ)
Arkansas (AR)
California (CA)
Colorado (CO)
Connecticut (CT)
Delaware (DE)
Florida (FL)
Georgia (GA)
Hawaii (HI)
Idaho (ID)
Illinois (IL)
Indiana (IN)
Iowa (IA)
Kansas (KS)
Kentucky (KY)
Louisiana (LA)
Maine (ME)
Maryland (MD)
Massachusetts (MA)
Michigan (MI)
Minnesota (MN)
Mississippi (MS)
Missouri (MO)
Montana (MT)
Nebraska (NE)
Nevada (NV)
New Hampshire (NH)
New Jersey (NJ)
New Mexico (NM)
New York (NY)
North Carolina (NC)
North Dakota (ND)
Ohio (OH)
Oklahoma (OK)
Oregon (OR)
Pennsylvania (PA)
Rhode Island (RI)
South Carolina (SC)
South Dakota (SD)
Tennessee (TN)
Texas (TX)
Utah (UT)
Vermont (VT)
Virginia (VA)
Washington (WA)
West Virginia (WV)
Wisconsin (WI)
Wyoming (WY)
Posts on More Than the ABC’s may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of More Than the ABC’s. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.
