Polar Express Day

Another free greeting card by Smilebox

What fun day we had today and the kids were awesome and so creative. You can see this by all the fun trains that were made.
My reading kids had fun with the book and writing poetry while drinking their hot chocolate. They wrote bio-poems through the eyes of hot chocolate. Pretty funny. :)
Reminder: Tomorrow I am not here so please again talk to your child about expectations. Thank you.
They know that if I get a negative report on any one of them, that they will not get their free money to start out the New Year. They will start at $0.
Also, tomorrow is game day so please send a simple board game with your child if that works for you.
Thank you for all your support and help thus far this year. You are wonderful and I so enjoy each and everyone of your children.
Have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the holidays making memories with family and friends.

Busy Busy Day

You may have noticed that planners weren't signed by me and that is because we were shopping and spending our money up until 3:10. I won't be paying them for planners or blog questions for the next 2 days as we spent all our money and turned whatever we had left into the bank. Remember that after the break we start over with new money. It will be a fresh start for everyone.
Tomorrow is Polar Express Day so bring in your supplies. Also, it would be a good idea tonight to talk about a plan for their train so that tomorrow when we start they have an idea. This will take place in the afternoon. Remember to wear pajamas, bring blankets, slippers, and your favorite hot chocolate mug if you choose. My reading kids will be doing activities with the book in the morning.
Today, we got to have hot chocolate with our buddies and spend time together visiting and reading. We so love spending time with our buddies.
In Math, we are almost done with our Geometry unit. We have symmetry, area, perimeter, and volume left.
Just a reminder that I will be gone on Thursday. I know it is the last day before break and the students will be excited, but please talk to them about expectations. Thank you.
Have a great night.

What an Awesome Christmas Program!

Congratulations to all the kiddos in the program today! What a fantastic job they all did and I think it definitely put all of us in the holiday spirit. A big thank you to Mr. Goodhart for all his hard work. Ask your child what they favorite song in the program was and write it in the planner for free money.
I want to apologize for the short blog last night and no question on it. As I was preparing Christmas dinner last night for the family gathering we had, I realized about 10 min. before they were to arrive that I forgot to blog earlier in the day. So needless to say it was a quick one.
Tomorrow is another busy day. We are going to get together with our buddies for hot chocolate and reading. Then at the end of the day, we are going to buy small stocking stuffers with our fake money. Any left over money will be donated back to the bank as we will start over with $300 in January as we begin our new, fresh start.
Wednesday is Polar Express Day. Remember pj's, stuffed animals, and your favorite hot chocolate mug along with all your train supplies.
Thursday is game day from 12:50-1:50. Students are to bring board games or card games to play. No electronic games.
This is part of our celebration and earning 50 compliment points.
Tomorrow in morning meeting, we are going to talk about creating memories. Talk with your child about their favorite holiday memory for them to share for free money.
Just a quick FYI- I will not be here on Thursday, December 22nd so students will have a sub. I know it is a crazy time of year to be gone, but my husband and I are flying out to AZ to spend Christmas with my 88 & 89 year old, active, healthy parents. What a blessing to still have them so healthy at that age. We are going on Thurs. instead of Fri. because the flight was much much cheaper to fly Thurs.
I hope you enjoy the pics of the concert. I couldn't get any real close ones.
Have a terrific night.

Busy Week Ahead

Hope you are having a great weekend. Just a few quick notes about the upcoming week.
Tomorrow is our Christmas Program. You are going to love it. The kids have worked so hard and sound so good. I can't wait to see them all dressed up in their Christmas clothes.
Tuesday will be our buy in day to spend their extra money.
Wednesday is Polar Express Day. I hope you are finding your supplies for the trains. Also, everyone can wear pajamas and bring in their favorite hot chocolate mug.
Thursday afternoon is celebration. We have earned our next 25 points and we are going to have board games in the afternoon so please send some fun board games with your child.
As you can see, it is going to be busy. I am looking forward to seeing all of you tomorrow.
Have a great night.

Shopped Til We Dropped

Yes, today was our Santa's Workshop day. First, we helped our buddy class shop. Then we got to shop. After that, we went and helped them wrap all their presents. After lunch, we got to wrap our own. Lots of cool stuff coming home for family members. These students literally could be Santa's little elves as they all were so on task helping their buddies and one another get everything all wrapped up. You have to LOVE some of the shapes of those packages they had to wrap.
Polar Express sheets came home today. It lists the supplies needed for sure and then anything extra they want to add to their trains and the background is totally up to them. Tomorrow will be the last day to buy in and also the last day for the assignment coupons. Hopefully everyone will make it.
Next Tuesday, we are having a small Christmas buy-in for students to purchase items I buy with their fake money. All the money will be spent or turned into the bank as after the holidays we start over with new money for the new year.
Tomorrow is our States & capitals test. I sure hope they are ready.
As part of our Midwest study we learned about some pretty cool places. If your child can tell you about 2 of them, write down midwest for free money.
Need Library books tomorrow.
Have a Terrific Thursday.

Band/Orchestra Concert

Great job to all the 5th/6th Band & Orchestra kids here at Bitterroot. They did a great job today. It is amazing how far they have all come since the beginning of the year.
Today in Math we started Elapsed Time. This is one of those concepts that either kids "grasp" right away or it is a "struggle". The more practice they have not only in school, but at home will make them successful. Please practice a couple examples with your child tonight and write time in the planner. Example: Movie starts at 6:20--Ends at 8:47-how much time has elapsed?
Also, we continued with geometry. If they can tell you or draw what a diameter & radius are on a circle, write circle in the planner.
Reminder: Tomorrow is our shopping day for Santa's Workshop if your child chooses to. Everything is $1.00.
Also, tomorrow is HE/PE.
We will be talking about Polar Express trains tomorrow and what supplies are needed. The supplies sheet will come home tomorrow.
Remember states & capitals test is on Friday.
We had our test on skin today. Most did quite well. Their papers came home today. It was off of stuff we discussed, read about, or watched on short video clips. Definitely shows who has been paying attention in class.
Have a great night.

Happy Tuesday!!

I am going to make this short as I am off to wrap presents for our Angel Tree recipients. I just love doing this knowing how we are helping make people's Christmas brighter. Once again it is a big Thank you to all of you and your children for participating in those $1.00 buy-in days.
Today, we learned more about the layers of our skin and their jobs. We also learned about calluses and wrinkled skin. If your child can tell you about it, write wrinkled in the planner.
Also, in Math we learned what prime and composite numbers are. Again if they can tell you, write numbers in the planner.
Tonight is MacKenzie River Pizza night and if you go, write pizza in the planner for free money. It is also family fitness night so if you attend that, write fitness in the planner.
Have a great night as I am off to wrap -wrap-wrap.

Student Council Representatives Have Been Elected

Today, we got to hear some great persuasive speeches from our 11 candidates running for Student Council. The votes were quite close, but the following students have been elected. They are Megan, Aiden, Ilyssa, and our alternate is Lainey. Congratulations to all 4 of you. I know you will do a great job of representing our class. Thank you to all 11 who tried out. It took lots of courage to get up in front of the class and give your speeches.
2 digit x 2 digit multiplication in math is needing some practice so please have your child do 2-3 problems nightly and check them for them and give any help or feedback as needed. We started time today and hopefully we all have time to the minute so we can start elapsed time. We are also doing quick Geometry lessons each day to get the skills and vocabulary going.
In Science, we finished our "skin" book today and introduced the 3 layers of skin. If your child can tell you one of them, write skin in the planner. Also, if they can tell you whose speech they liked the most, write Student Council for more money.
In Social Studies, we finished our Midwest tour and so our test will be on Friday for the states and capitals. I know they will do great. Remember they need to have location too.
In my reading, we are going to try and finish our books by the holiday break. I know 2 groups will for sure this week and then next week, we are going to do some non-fiction with them.
Remember Monday, December 19th is the Music Program at 9:30 and again at 1:00.
Polar Express Day is on Wednesday, December 21st. I will be sending home a sheet with the items that will be needed for the polar express trains by Friday. Students have until Friday to buy-in. We have all, but 2 that have bought in so ask your child if they have or not.
Thank you to Grayson and his mom for sharing the ferrets on Friday. They sure have a lot of characteristics in common with otters.













Have a great night.

Thank You, Mrs. Salazar

Today, we had a great bullying lesson from Mrs. Salazar where she used the Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie. The students watched and discussed the many different situations in the movie where bullying was happening.
Speaking of Rudolph, some of us finished our stories and they are awesome and look great hanging in the hallway. They will be up when you come to the Christmas Program on the 19th so you can take a peek.
Also, the car inventions turned out great too. Henry Ford would be impressed.
Reminder that Monday is when our Student Council speeches are due. Students will be giving their speeches and then we will vote for our 3 reps.
MIDWEST STATES & CAPITALS TEST WILL BE ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16TH!!
Melissa is our new student of the week. We loved hearing all about you and the pictures were great-ummm maybe except for the wig one. No just kidding-I think this turned out to be our favorite once we figured out it was you and not a doll.
Have a great weekend everyone and Good Luck to our Montana football teams. GO CATS!!!! Go Griz!

Student Council

Students who are interested in being a Student Council Representative for our class are to have their speeches ready by Monday.
We have quite a few interested students so they are going to really have to make a good, strong persuasive speech as to why they are the best person for this role. What a great way to show leadership skills. They know they need to be here on Fridays for the 8:00 meetings and then help Mr. Senitte, our school, and our classroom throughout the year.
Tomorrow, we will be finishing up our Ruldolph stories. Thank you so much for helping edit them. Weren't they great?!!!
Tonight's social studies homework is that of inventing a car. We talked about Detroit, the motor city, and Henry Ford. They are to design their new car on the paper that was given them and color them. They will be graded on neatness, reality, & creativity. Can't wait to see the fun stripes & flames coming out of them!!!
In science, we have now moved from talking about bones & muscles to the skin. Ask your child which 2 places of the body have the toughest skin and how many pounds of skin cells we lose our entire life and write skin in the planner.
We have a few students who had some issues in PE today. They were not using good sportsmanship at all according to Ms. Buss. Please talk to your child tonight about this matter and if they were one of them that were part of the problem, write PE in the planner. I am thinking and I think you would agree that if they can't use good character at all times here in school and at home that they don't deserve to be part of our Polar Express Day on December 21st. They all know that just because the activity is going to happen doesn't necessarily mean they participate. It is a fun day that comes with the privilege if they earn it. Don't you agree??
Thank you to Nathaniel's Grandpa for spending the morning with us. I think he really enjoyed himself and he got to see how much these kids are doing and learning. He is a former teacher and principal so how fun for him to relive his days of the past.
Have a great night.

Rudolph-What Happened to Your Nose? Take 2

There are some pretty creative Rudolph stories out there. I read them and they shared with a partner today. Positive criticism and feedback were given so now they are going home again tonight to make them even better if need be. Also, parents parents will you please read them and help them correct any spelling, capitalization, grammar, and punctuation errors so that they will be ready for them to rewrite the final copy tomorrow? Thank you ahead of time!! This will earn some free money. I appreciate you.
Today, we did a human body scavenger hunt with both classes. Lots of cool facts were found. If your child can tell you the 4 types of blood and how much your brain weighs, write scavenger hunt in the planner.
In Math, we practiced our 2 digit x 2 digit and learned about coordinate grids and plotting ordered pairs.
Tomorrow we will have a little quiz over many of our skills that we have continued to practice here at school.
Santa's workshop forms went home today if you are interested in your child purchasing. We will shop next week on the 15th is our scheduled day.
Remember that Monday, December 19th is the program with 2 performances. You need only come to one either at 9:30 or 1:00. Make sure you ask your child if they have a solo or a speaking part and at which performance they are doing it at.
Mid-terms went home today. Please take a look at them and write mid-term in the planner if you saw them.
We started our Midwest tour today. Keep practicing those states and capitals.
My reading kids are getting so good at figurative language and finding it in book clubs. Ask them to tell you what personification, idiom, and simile are.
Tomorrow is HE/PE.
Have a great night.

Rudolph-What Happened to Your Nose?

Tonights nightly writing should be full of creativity, fun, and laughter. We are re-writing our own versions of how Rudolph got his new nose color. Students were given a colored pom-pom today along with my shared example of Rudolph, the Blue-Nosed Reindeer. With the creativity of this group, I know we will have some awesome stories.
In Science, we finished up our test over bone & muscle tissue and found out some new facts in the book I read to them. If they can tell you where chromosomes are found and what mitosis is, write body in the planner.
Today in Math, we introduced 2 digit x 2 digit multiplication. There was a look of confusion on some, but we will keep practicing it. They had a 4 digit x 1 digit for homework. We are also cruising through Geometry. Today we learned the 3 kinds of triangles. If they can tell you all 3 and the characteristics of all 3, write triangle in the planner.
In Social Studies, they studied the Midwest states and capitals with a partner. We are starting the tour of this section tomorrow.
Tickets: Today, I started taking tickets again for behaviors and then charging them at the end of the day. I think this will lead to less interruptions. Unfortunately, I am having to take more tickets lately. I know students are getting excited for the holidays, but we still have lots of learning to do. It saddens me sometimes that we spend so much time on character building in morning meetings and then some students continue to make poor choices by being disrespectful to me, themselves, and others. Please take some time tonight to have a heart to heart talk about what my expectations are along with yours for them here at school. We have lots of fun things coming up this month and months to come and I make the final decisions on who gets to participate and who doesn't. If you talk to your child about this tonight-thank you and please write "respect" in the planner for more money.
Sometimes I think the fun things we talk about are things they think they are entitled to. For example, I want to build edible cells with them, but not sure everyone is ready for it. They have to prove it to me. Don't get me wrong, for the most part we are moving along and doing very well, but I want the class to get to the point that it could run smoothly no matter who is present in here.
Have a great night and stay warm.

Guest Speaker

Today, we were surprised by Officer Hunt, Gabe's Mom who is in the Navy came and talked to us today about how they have a "no tolerance" policy in the military when it comes to the use of drugs. She not only spoke on that, but also told us about her job. She is not away in active duty anymore because she realizes the importance of being with her children and that they come first. So now her job is Yoeman which means she is here in Billings and she does lots of paperwork in her office. She had lots of good information so if your child can tell you 2 things she talked about, write Office Hunt in your planner.
As you can see from this mornings previous post, I got the otter project Smilebox on. Don't they look cool. As I told you in yesterday's post that their grades will be in their mid-terms which come home on Wed.
Student Council: It is time for us to start thinking about student council room reps. We are going to be electing 3 people to be our classroom representatives. Students who are interested need to remember that they need to be responsible for attending at least 3 meetings, take good notes, and report back to our class on the day of the meeting they attended. Meetings are at 8:00 on Friday mornings. I will also be requiring those interested to give a speech in which they will persuade their classmates as to why they are the best candidate for the job and why they should be elected. We will be doing the giving speech and voting process on Monday, December 12th.
Math homework tonight. Yes, there are 2 assignments because we didn't get as much class time due to our great guest speaker.
Thank you and have a great night.

Otter Projects

Personalize a photo slideshow

Mid-terms Go Home on Wednesday

I hope you each had a great weekend. First of all, great job to all the kids for their awesome otter presentations. They received grades for their creativity and the knowledge they shared about their project. I used the requirements sheet as my guide while grading these. They will not get a sheet with their grade on them, but they will be posted on their mid-terms that go home on Wednesday. I promise I will get a Smilebox presentation put together tomorrow hopefully with each of their projects on. I was going to put it together this weekend, but I forgot my connector cord at school. Oh well, something to look forward to tomorrow.
This week will be a busy week continuing on our cell, muscle, and bones unit in Science and our Midwest tour in Social Studies.
We will be starting our graphing unit in Math along with continuing with multiplication & geometry.
See the calendar on the side for some upcoming events to mark on your calendar.
Tomorrow students will have a double Christmas Program practice. Mr. Goodheart is doing an awesome job and you are going to thoroughly enjoy the program. If your child can tell you the name of a song they are singing, write Christmas in the planner for free money.
Have a great night.

Wow! These Kids and Their Projects Are Awesome!!

We started sharing our otter projects today and I am so impressed. They not only look fabulous, but what the kids learned, know, and shared about otters and their ecosystem is so exciting for me as their teacher. I am very proud of each of them. We will finish sharing tomorrow and then I will put together a smilebox with all their pictures together over the weekend for you to see these wonderful projects.
Another compliment to this great bunch of kids. Mrs. Ransome had to sub for me this morning until 9:00 as I had a meeting and she said how amazing they were. Way to go Team Hankins. Then again later this morning, we received another wonderful compliment from a guest student teacher that Mr. Hartman sent up to observe our book clubs. She was so amazed at how my reading kids were sharing & discussing their books during book club and how on task they were doing their rotations. Great job kids.
Tomorrow is Library so get those books back.
Have a great night.