Happy Holidays

December 23, 2014

Happy Holidays!

I want to wish all the families in our two homerooms, 301 and 303,  Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!  These past few months have been such a delight working with such a wonderful group of students this year, that I would be remiss if I didn't send out a post wishing you all the best.

 As you know, time certainly flies,   especially in the classroom!  We have been very busy keeping with the spirit of the season, preparing "Boxes of Hope".  It is a project I do every year because it encourages thoughtfulness, creativity, and a lot of writing :)  It starts with a reading of a story called, "Hattie's Birthday Box".  It is a historical fiction piece set in the 1900s.  In the story, Spencer McClintock and his sister Hattie recall events that happened a long time ago.  The narrator's great, great grandfather, Spencer, gave his sister Hattie, a wooden box for a gift.  We find out at the end of the story, that the box was actually empty.  This empty box ended up being the best gift Hattie ever received for several reasons that are talked about in the story.  Every year, this story prompts great discussion, leading students to talk about how gifts that are from the heart are very special indeed!  The students are then motivated to write and create their own special "Box of Hope" for their secret classroom buddy.

It is my hope that students realize the good that they can do for someone else can be as simple as writing a letter of encouragement to them, or a story, or reminding each other of the positive, special qualities we each have that make our lives enjoyable, and our classroom a place to delight in and learn from everyday.

 The smiles I see everyday from your children are so motivating and rewarding for me.  It lets me know that an environment that is engaging, where our students come to school eager to see friends and learn, has been created.

Thank you for your support in this endeavor.

Best Wishes for the New Year!

 May 2015 bring abundant happiness :)

A week of memories! Nature's Classroom Visit

Nature's Classroom Photos

     What a great few days we have had at Nature's Classroom, and a time that I hope the students will always remember with fond memories.  This week means a lot to me as a teacher because it is a week where the opportunities to grow a bit stronger in independence, and responsibility are all over the place! They have shown maturity being away from home for a few days and have had to be responsible for so many things, and I am certainly proud of them and proud to be their teacher.
   I hope you enjoy the pictures and videos I have taken from our trip.  I will be printing them out for our class scrapbook project, and also setting up an additional folder on Google Drive so that students and other teachers and chaperones, can download their own pictures to the folder and we can all share :)
     I would also like to thank Liana Moore and Jim Curley who came with us to Nature's Classroom.  It was wonderful having them, and they helped us immensely.  It takes a lot of selflessness to come out to the woods for a few days and dedicate so much of their time to the students.

Reading in the Wild

Week 3 Photos :)

     The weather has cooled off a bit this week and it feels like the beginning of Fall is upon us.   The classroom is bustling with energy and the students have been settling in nicely to expectations at Miscoe Hill.  I have been pleased with what I see so far in our students and their determination to do their best and acquire the skills that will help them succeed.  The students were excited to participate in our bimonthly "auction" which rewards students for positive behavior in the classroom.   

      In the Language Arts classroom we have been continuing our study of different skills and topics in our Interactive Language Arts Notebook.  Have a look at your child's notebook to see what they have been learning!  This week's focus was on the rules of using commas, using interesting word choices in writing, and we have continued lesson one in vocabulary on our word roots.  We have also continued reading RJ Palaccio's book, Wonder, which has opened up class discussions about the plot events in the book, and its main character's difficult situation of having been born with deformities.  

      As discussed at Open House, my goal this year is to help your child develop a love of reading.  Research shows that in order to do this, sustained time needs to be given to them to foster this love. Please ensure that your child has a book to read at home and at school.  

      I love the research and writing of Donalyn Miller who has written, The Book Whisperer, and Reading in the Wild.  I am currently mulling over and reading, Reading in the Wild now, so I have included an excerpt below for you.  I believe it contains wonderful ideas parents can use to help their child become wild about reading.  Enjoy!

     Have a wonderful weekend!  :)

                               Heather

Eight Ways for Parents and Teachers to Foster Wild & Lifelong Reading Habits
by Donalyn Miller
1. Model daily reading habits. As literacy expert Stephen Krashen reminds us, “Children read more when they see other people reading.” Talk with children about what you are reading and why you find reading personally interesting and meaningful.
2. Set aside time for daily reading. If we value reading, we must make time for it. Children who read at least 20 minutes a day score in the top range on reading tests and express more motivation and interest in reading. Even short blocks of time every day are better than bursts of reading on a occasional basis.
3. Carry a book with you everywhere. When packing for trips or running errands, throw books and magazines into the suitcase or back seat. Carrying something to read helps ward off “reading emergencies”—those times when you are stuck waiting without anything to do. The number one way adult readers rack up reading time is stealing short reading breaks in between other obligations. Carrying a book with you shows children how to steal this reading time.
4. Provide a wide variety of reading material. Fiction and nonfiction, print and online magazines, graphic novels and comics—children need access to lots of texts that match their interests and reading ability. You never know what book or topic might engage a child with reading.
5. Read aloud with children. Sharing books with children—even teenagers—reinforces that reading is important and something you find personally rewarding. Through reading aloud, you send pleasure messages about reading and can share books with children that they might not be able to read on their own. With older children, reading together can provide a launching point for discussions and help you connect on a regular basis. Burdened with homework and after school activities, many teens stop reading for pleasure. Reading together can keep them invested.
6. Visit the library often. Beyond free access to thousands of books, libraries offer qualified librarians and staff who can help match reading material to your child’s interest and locate online and print resources to support children’s needs. Most libraries host reading events and programs like summer reading clubs, too.
7. Celebrate all reading. Children read more when they are given choices in what they read. When reading for pleasure, children should control their own book selection with your personal limits on content and topics the only restrictions. Do not push children to read harder books, abandon picture books and comics, or limit their choices by reading levels when selecting pleasure reading books at the library or bookstore.
8. Limit screen time. The more time children spend using electronic devices and watching television, the less they read. While children need digital literacy skills, reading websites and surfing online don’t provide the same vocabulary development or reading stamina that reading books and magazines do. If children read e-books on electronic devices, shut off Internet access and limit other features during daily reading time.

Jumping Right In....

Jumping Right in.......

     Week 2 found our students jumping in to a lot of routines and procedures for our school year.  In English Language Arts we have established our homework routine.  Every night a reading skill will go home to be practiced.  We have taken a slow and easy approach on other pieces of homework so far, and all work is completed in school at this point.  Occasionally, your student will need to "catch up" on any work that was not completed in school (usually because of band lessons) or just because they need to get used to managing their time during class.  Here is a very quick run-down on the happenings in 303.  Yes, we are jumping right in!

     Vocabulary:  We have started our first lesson in Vocabulary, called "Flower Power".  It focuses on the Latin roots, flor, dendr, foli and foil, and the many words that stem from those roots. 

     Grammar:  We have studied and worked with Capitalization and have taken notes about the six rules of capitalization.

     Literature:  We have started to look into "Story Vocabulary"  (Plot, Setting, Protagonist, Antagonist, Complications).  We discussed these terms in relation to a well known story, "Little Red Riding Hood"and took notes in our journals.

    I'm enjoying getting to know your children.  Thank you for your support at home.  Please use email to communicate with me.

Click on the "week 2" for a  visual peek of our week :)  Week 2

Miscoe Welcomes Fifth Graders 2014-2015

     Welcome to a new school year, and welcome to Miscoe Hill School!  I am very excited to be back and ready for another year of learning.  As with the beginning of all new things, the first few weeks of school might seem a little overwhelming.... a new school building, new friends, new teachers, but be patient!  Soon all this newness will subside, and you will feel more comfortable.
     Today, the students did a wonderful job getting to know the school and our schedule.  Here is a copy of the schedule for you to discuss with them tonight.  We went over the schedule in class today, and we attached a copy to our agendas so we understand the routines and flow of our school day.  If your student needs an Elective change, or have not been signed up for Band and would like to be, please let me know and I will give them the proper form to do so.  Please note that our Electives change mid-year, so if they are not signed up for an elective yet, they will most likely have that elective later in the school year.

Schedule 2014-2015

     Our homework this week will consist of getting a book to read for class.  Each day, we have sustained reading time, where students are able to read a book of their choice.  This time is extremely important for your child to develop the love of learning.  As a reading teacher, it is my belief that the love of reading is nurtured and developed by more and more reading.   By giving the students time to read, and time to dive into and discover a range of different genres and books, students can develop this love.  When choosing a book for your child to read, choose one that they are interested in, and one that is not too difficult for them to read; something comfortable.  Your child should not feel that the book is a struggle to read, or that this reading time is torture!  It is my hope that this reading time embedded into our schedule becomes a treasured, enjoyable time.

     A lot of materials have come in today, thank you so much!  Donations can be made throughout the year, so if you wanted to wait on donating that works too ;)  I appreciate items like tissues, Clorox wipes, sticky notes, etc.  they really help us a lot in the classroom to be clean and organized.

     Picture day forms will go home tomorrow for Mrs. Langdon's homeroom.  Mr. Guillen has sent out his for his homeroom.  Our scheduled time for pictures is next Thursday 9/4/14.  The form can be passed in to school on that day.

     Next Thursday, September 4th, is also our Open House.   I look forward to seeing all of you at the Open House.  Fifth Grade is scheduled for 6-6:40.

     It has been a pleasure meeting and working today with my homeroom class of students who are so positive and who want to be successful in fifth grade.  I will be meeting Mr. Guillen's homeroom students tomorrow :)

  Today was just the start of something wonderful.  If you have any questions or concerns, please use my email to let me know, hlangdon@mursd.org.