Conley’s Connection

We are very excited to be going on a field trip to the Cincinnati Zoo.  Remember the trip is this Friday, May 20.  We willl leave the school at 8:30 and arrive back around 5:00.  Please make sure your child wears comfortable shoes (no flip-flops or open toe sandals).  The weather should be really nice in the mid 70's so dress appropriately.  If you have had a background check you may have a small group of children.  If not, you are only allowed to take your own child around the zoo.  You may "hang out" with another group of your choice though.  It should be a lot of fun.  When we went two years ago everyone enjoyed themselves and learned a lot.  Hope to see you on Friday. 

This week should be very exciting for us.  Even though Columbus Day was back in October we are going to further our studies on voyages of Columbus and exploration.  It will also enable us to study the continents, map schools, and voyages. 

The spelling words for the week follow the schwa a rule.  The words will be: alone, ago, again, away, alike, agree, above, awake, idea, comma, camera, attend, amazing, pizza, about, amount, adult, area, asleep, Antartica, noise, broil, finally, notice, morning, Columbus, summary.  Please study as much as possible.  Some of the children are practicing at school but then are forgetting to practice at home. 

The weekly vocabulary will be : vast: (adj) very large in size or amount; oceans: (noun) large bodies of salt water; areas: (noun) regions or secitons of land; voyage: (noun) a long trip by water, over land, or through space; planet: (noun) a huge object that travels around the sun; we will also have exploration, and a couple of other word of day words.  We will have at least more words. 

There is another really neat beneficial site for the kids to practice math.  It is called Math Nook.  It is loaded with a variety of ways to practice any type of math problem.   It can be found at http://www.mathnook.com          Try it out and let me know what you think of it.

Hi there!  It feels good to finally be back almost a whole week now.  Not just for me feeling a bit better so I can be here but for the kids as well.  We are trying to get back into the groove of learning.  After two major vehicle accidents, two major root canals, and strep throat within a short period of time, it is time for me to get on with the rest of the year.  Hopefully, we are done with all of the snow days, too.  I am looking forward to trying some new activities with the kids to enhance their learning.   We have already done several activities they have really enjoyed so far.  I have even tried making the homework a little more enjoyable rather than the regular work.  If any of you have any suggestions on something you would like for me to teach or an activity you think they would all enjoy, I am open for suggestions.  We are now working on more open responses, activities for reading, writing, and math and activities for creative thinking.  

We are reading Nutik, the Wolf Pup this week in reading.  It is a wonderful story about a young boy who takes care of a wolf pup and becomes attached to it.  The kids have loved reading the story.  They can relate to how a person can get attached to a special animal.  

It has turned out to be a great week!  Thank you for being so supportive.  Also, thank you to those who came to enjoy the Valentine party with us.  It is always special to have parents/guardians visit the room.

Well I do have to say it is good to finally be able to come back to work.  I know we are still having snow days in there but I am now well enough to try to make it each day that we are in school.  My body still gets really painful and sore by the end of the day but I can't be any happier with the doctors finally saying I could come back.  I want to say a big huge thank you to Mrs. Mullins.  She was a great fill in for me and she loves the kids just as much as I do.  This week we were trying to start a new story but yet again we have had snow days.  I gave the kids a spelling test on Tuesday since they had had the words for two weeks.  I gave them new words for this next story.  Thank you for all of your support.  Please feel free to contact me with any concerns now that I am back.  I will gladly meet with you or talk with you on the phone.  Again thanks for having such wonderful children.  I was excited to see all of their smiles and warm welcomes when I came back.   It is because of parents like you that the children are this way.  The snow is really pretty when it is coming down but lets hope it doesn't interfere with anymore school days.  

We have had so much fun reading Flat Stanley.  Everyone is busy working hard to create their own Flat Stanley so we can send them off.  There are many of them that will travel to various historical places in the United States and a few that will travel over seas to a few different countries.  I have received addresses from Scotland, England, Poland, Brazil, and a few other countries.  This is very exciting for all of us.  We are excited to learn about some of these various places.  This lesson will help us enhance our letter writing skills, geography, and communication skills.  Look out, here comes Flat Stanley!

We will be doing Flat Stanley this week in class.  We are all very excited and thrilled about doing Flat Stanley.  The book is a chapter book with 5 chapters.  It is about a little boy named Stanley who gets flattened by a bulletin board.  He thinks it is really bad but later begins to realize that it has its advantages.  Stanley finds out he is able to go to many different places just by being placed in an envelope and then sent off.  We are going to make our own Flat Stanleys and mail them to various places.  It should be very exciting.  

This is just a reminder that we will be out for Thanksgiving break Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Everyone please be safe.  When we return we will be working on the book called Flat Stanley.  It should be a lot of fun.

A big thank you goes out to the parents/guardians who helped us with the Fall Festival.  Several parents help set up the booth and then run it. A bigger thank you goes out to you!  Thank you to those who sent in items for the chili supper and help support our wonderful PTC.  It is only with your help that our school can be successful.

Also, thank you to those who helped by sending in items or by attending our Halloween Party.  The kids really enjoyed themselves and was treated to some "gross" foods.  Thank you to Melissa Craig for throwing all of the gross foods together and making sure our party ran smoothly.  I greatly appreciate all of the the help from the parents, grandparents, and guardians.  I am very glad to have such supportive and enthusiastic parents/guardians for the children in my my room.  They are a wonderful, special group of children.  I am looking forward to an even more rewarding and productive remainder of the school year.  

Please don't forget: No School on Tuesday, November 2.  Please get out and vote.  Your vote is important for your voice to be heard.

This coming Saturday, October 23, Eastside will be doing the annual Fall Festival.  It starts at 5:00 and ends at 8:00.  It should be fun and something to enjoy with your family.  We have been working on decorations for the booth, which is pop and popcorn.  Our theme comes from the movie, Monster, Inc.  So far we have made little monsters for the booth and are going to write jokes to go with each one.  Mrs. Craig has been kind enough to come in and help with the making of the monsters.  The joke idea came from her because of the "laughing floor" (?…floor or door) part at the end of the movie.  We are in desperate need of candles/scents for our basket.  So far we only have 2 items.  Your child should have brought home a large brown piece of paper to make a "door" representing him/herself.  We are going to use these in the booth as well.  Thank you to all of you for having such delightful children.  I am enjoying my time and school day with them!

Have a good and safe Fall Break.  Remember to read with your child and spend a few quality moments with them.