TGI Thursday!! Dec 1st

Whaaaahh!! November is over and I didn't see it going!!

I'm on the classroom computer tonight- wish me luck- I'll try to get this post done ASAP so it won't 'kick me off" like yesterday!! P.S. it tried but I figured it out

This afternoon was like herding cats- I'd get one back to his/her desk and another would pop up from somewhere else- Oh no, wait,-that's 'whack-a-mole'!!
We had our Christmas Card/letter writing day this morning and it seemed to go smoothly- I was especially happy not to have to chase my students away from the coffee (as there was no coffee) as I have had to do in years gone past. Thank-you Mrs. S. good call :)

Homework
We have another night to study the spelling words as the students voted to do the test tomorrow morning instead of this afternoon- study Term 2 List 1
Science - as per last few posts (there will be more science tomorrow so it is a good idea to get caught up)
Reminders
Ski permission and payment due Monday
PJ day tomorrow
Mark your calendars now for our Intermediate Band concert December 16th at 10:45am

FYI
I am on an organizational 'rampage' - CAUTION
today six students were guilty as charged of having desks jam-packed with 'stuff'. Let's just say their personal reading time (and these are students who LOVE their reading time!) was postponed until they had everything where it should be and papers files into binders. It seemed to be a task that was completed relatively quickly and efficiently. Go figure!
Soon we will be filing Term 1 papers in their bins and they will be encouraged to take the completed work home for posterity!!

General Day
Annual Christmas card writing day - thanks to the staff members and students who organized and helped set up, to the post office :) for setting up shop in our foyer and to all the parents who came to support and write and hob nob :)
Students wrote to Santa, Sidney Crosby, our Canadian troops in Kabul, grannies and grandpas, aunties and uncles and relatives from close and far flung places. It was busy but productive.
One observation I made was how many students asked for the correct way to address an envelope because they text and e-mail and use social media- who sends envelopes any more? Some even mixed up where the main and the return addresses went!! I'd never thought about it before. For that reason alone it is worth the time we put into this annual writing bash.

Math
We had a bit of challenge but not-to-much designing flags using the Cartesien plane. It is such a different skill for some who are numerically minded because all of a sudden they have to have good hand-eye coordination- it is challenging for some to simply use a ruler to draw an accurate straight line on the graphing lines! Generally great concentration and those who had no trouble became tutors for those who were having difficulty. It, again, was busy but productive- great job.

(kind-of silent!!) Silent Reading
The students seemed so needy this afternoon; it took a while before they settled. There is always a frenetic energy after lunch that needs to calm before they can focus- it makes me nervous...some of the requests:

• can I go to the bathroom?
• can I have scissors (glue, paper, tape, a sharpie, an eraser, a ruler etc)?
• can I eat my lunch? Do you want what's left of my lunch (thank-you but that would be a "No")
• can I have another spelling list?
• can I use the class computer?
• can I get the lid of my class bin? (It had fallen out the window- don't ask!)
• can I clean my desk? ABSOLUTELY-see above rant!
• can we listen to a song? ("You're too sexy for your shirt"- sorry, absolutely not!) !!!!!! I can just imagine what that would be like- never use the word 'sexy' around pre-adolescents in class.
• can I finish my novel project, science, work on socials?
• when are we doing the spelling test, the book draw, the novel work?
• what are we doing for gym today?
• can I use your keys to go to the computer lab and get my printed copies?
• So-and-so is looking at me funny!!

I was just about to have a brain melt down when finally the familiar hummmm of quiet work started to invade the room and catch on. YES! You have no idea how much I LOVE this time. Remember how you used to take a peek at your sleeping child? That's what this time is like for my brain. At this time in the school day I need a chance to fall in love with my students all over again. Oh look, they are so cute all reading and minding their own business and doing what they were asked to and not asking anyone any questions (especially me!). Thank-you Lord.

Novel time in class- decided to extend the due date for the projects to Monday! That way some can use the weekend if they have to.

Those who have completed novel projects (and there are a handful) worked on note-taking for the socials projects. I have been digging out material for various topics please ask your son or daughter what country or civilization they are researching and ask them if they are finding the materials they need. It is difficult to monitor 26 different projects at once but I tend to circulate and provide ideas and suggestions as well as materials for a few each day and hopefully making the 'rounds' will include everyone eventually.

Phys Ed. Line Basketball- Day # 2
Just played today- seemed to be getting a bit tired and cranky (the students too!) lol
 This kind of free-play allows me to observe where we need to work together as well as target skills for the unit.

Completed the day with a chapter of Word Nerd while the students worked on the projects and notes for socials. Ambrose has just met his Landlord's wayward 25 year old son, Cosmos.
We are at Chapter 9 and the students still seem interested- sometimes read alouds can bomb by chapter 5! I hate when that happens but there are lots of books and stories out there so, life is short and I say, choose another book- change your mind and find one you love. Why not?

clean up and prep for dismissal.
See everyone Friday. Have a warm evening :)
Mrs. J.