The Great Poetry Race

We kicked off the Great Poetry Race in our classroom yesterday! I am so very excited about this idea I found online.

Students will be given a new poem weekly. The mission of this race is to increase our fluency and familiarize students with poetry...the beauty of the entire thing is it is in COMPETITION form...HEALTHY competition that is! Students read, read, read, the poem to as many people as they can throughout the week, getting each person to sign {and comment if they'd like} after they have listened to the poem, students then return the signed sheet{s} on Friday. The student with the most LISTENERS will receive a proper prize!!!!

Happy Racing....

Mrs. Ille :)

And We're FUNDED.....

Woot! Woot!

The grant I wrote on Donor's Choose dot org was funded over the weekend by US Cellular!!! Thank you very much to them!!!!! My students will be getting to use a flip video camera for giving book reviews and recommendations!!!!!!! I am so excited that it was fully funded...can't wait to get this sweet piece of technology into our classroom!!!!

Last year Sonic funded two ipods through Donor's Choose dot org and my students have really enjoyed listening to "Little House on the Prairie"....comes in especially handy when a student is absent and misses some crucial reading time!!!

Mrs. Ille :)

2nd 9 Weeks...

The beginning of the second nine weeks brings about some pretty fun stuff! It is always my favorite 9 weeks of the school year...partly because I love this time of year, but mainly because we are settled into our routines and I know my kiddos!

Some things to watch for this 9 weeks:

* Division with remainders

*Writing instruction gets more in depth

*Weekly reading sheet sent home on Mondays...due on Fridays

*Little House on the Prairie Unit starts tomorrow

*Holiday fun, fun, fun

Mrs. Ille

Changes...

Today marked our 8th week of school...wowza!!! I cannot believe how fast the time is flying by. There are some changes to our daily/weekly routine.

Spelling will now be assigned first thing in the morning, but it will be a work on it throughout the day or at home assignment. The first class period of the day will be devoted to Language Arts!!!!

On Mondays, students will receive a short reading passage with a few skills questions. These passages are to be completed at home with the help of a parent. They are due on Friday. 10 points will be deducted for late work.

Hope this information is helpful :)

Mrs. Ille

Please Vote For Me~~~~

Please go to www.limeadesforlearning.com and click "pick a project" then search by keyword "flip" My project has been showing up on the 8th or 9th page. Mrs. I. I have written a grant for a flip video camera from donorschoose.org SONIC does a one month promotion donating 100,000's dollars to school teachers' projects....but it takes lots of votes to get it done!!!! Last year I had TWO projects funded through the limeades for learning program....PLEASE VOTE EVERYDAY from now until the 3oth...possibly the 7th!

Thanks,

Mrs. Ille

Happy Labor Day

I cannot believe we are wrapping up our third week already! We have definitely "earned" our three day weekend!

Here are the concepts we reviewed and/or learned this week:

• telling time on an analog clock
• subtracting across zeroes
• making change
• counting change back
• comparing and ordering number from greatest to least and least to greatest
• problem/solution during reading
• making inferences while reading
• how to use a glossary

Whew! That is quite a list for four days!!!! Please ask your child to show you his or her "mad skills" at one or more of the above things. :)

Our fundraiser is still going on...we will be wrapping it up Tuesday, September 7th. All forms and money will need to be turned in on or before the 7th. Thanks again for all the hard work you are putting in on this...the extra class funds really do help!

Please be practicing multiplication facts at home. We will be doing division very soon and having our basic multiplication facts mastered will make learning this new concept so much easier.

Please check, sign, and return Thursday folders...lots of kiddos received "Sweet Success" cards today!!!!

Thanks for all you do!

Mrs. Ille

Fundraiser Kickoff

Parents:

Our one and only fundraiser for the school year has begun!!! We are super pumped after going to the kickoff assembly and hearing about all the great items for sale and the cool prizes we can win!

Sales start today, August 19th and forms need to be returned to the school by September 7th. The monies raised by our class will stay in OUR class account. I use this money to purchase treats, rewards, materials for students to use to make parent gifts, and all the little extras. IF you would rather make a monetary donation to our class account than fundraise you certainly may.

Students have been asked NOT to go door-to-door unless they are with a parent. First and foremost I want your child to be safe!

Thanks for all you do!

Mrs. Ille :)

Practice With Purpose

"Practice With Purpose" is exactly what I want my students doing ALL year long! The book was written by Debbie Diller, and I am so excited to start implementing many of her ideas, techniques, and practices into my classroom!

The Countdown Is On

First day of inservice and meetings down...open house tonight at 6! Looking forward to meeting my new group of kiddos and putting names to faces:)

Important Schedule Change:

4th grade will start school at 8:10 this year and dismiss at 3:10.

One more day of meetings, a day off, and then STUDENTS!!!!

Yay!

Mrs. Ille

Gearing Up 4 A New Year!!!

Meet the teacher night August 9, 2010

First day of class Thursday, August 12, 2010

6:00-7:30

4th Graders in Mrs. Ille's Class will need the following supplies:

1 Clorox Wipes Container

1 box of colored pencils (12 count)

1 box of Crayola crayons (24 count)

1 set of dry erase markers (4 count)

8 folders with pockets & prongs

1 big bottle of liquid glue

2 large glue sticks

1 box Crayola markers

4 packages paper (100 sheets) wide ruled

1 box #2 pencils (24 count)

2 red or purple pens

1 plastic ruler

1 school box

1 pair of scissors (sharp)

2 large boxes kleenex

1 set watercolors

Mrs. Ille's Class Wish List

If you have on hand, or if you would like to purchase any of the following items our class would much appreciate your donation.

Ziploc baggies in quart and gallon sizes

Expo markers in any color

Small bags of popcorn

Bagged Candy

See you very soon!!!!

Mrs. Ille :)