Hello there. I hope your long weekend was full of great memories! I spent part of mine in Bozeman with my amazing friend, Rusty. You all met Rusty during open house. He is so inspirational and motivating! I enjoyed my time with him very much!
The pictures above show the kids last week working on two different projects. One was a very fun way of learning how to solve algebra problems, called Hands On Equations. I was trained in Florida when I taught there. We will do another lesson this week, and then when we go to the written ones in the book, the kids will see just how easy solving for an unknown really is!
The other picture deals with some first grades. With Red Ribbon Week coming up, each student made a small book to share with a 1st grader. We will get together with that class this week and read the books to them. They are a very basic way of telling little kids to just say no!
Of course we had to have some fun treats to go along with book making. So, what better treat than marshmallows. Now...why would I pick marshmallows????? Ask your child. If they can tell you that is was because at the NILE we learned that the gelatin that holds the marshmallows together comes from the hooves of cows then write HOOF in the planner for $20 on Monday. Gross...but oh so yummy!!!
Red Ribbon Week is upon us. My class will be heavily involved with all sorts of activities revolving around this concept. I know I shared a little about this when polling you about the field trip to the Yellowstone Detention Center. I did find out, later, that they are no longer doing school tours. Drats! But, we have a ton of other great activities planned all week long. Each day will have a school wide spirit day as well. Students that participate are showing that they are uniting as one to say NO to illegal drugs now and forever. They will also earn $20 for showing their school spirit daily.
Here is this week's agenda:
Monday-Sock it to Drugs Day! Kids wear crazy socks to school. They need to be shown all day long, so roll up those pants! In class, we will talk about the story behind Red Ribbon Week and the man that died for this cause: DEA Agent Enrique "Kiki" Camarena.
Tuesday-Don't let Drugs Tie You Up Day! Kids wear some kind of necktie to school. In class (9:30 am), we will be visiting with a DEA agent of our own. Agent Dunlap will talk to kids about the character needed to stay off drugs, what consequences come with drug choices, and his own job experience with drugs. Agent Dunlap has been in my class for 4 years now. He is amazing and his talk on how character TODAY matters in the future is so, so powerful!
Wednesday-Drugs Stink, Wear Pink Day! Kids wear as much pink as possible to school. Please avoid hair color or wigs. The room usually looks like a big blob of Pepto Bismal on this day! LOVE it! In class (9:00 am), MCC (Montana Conservation Corps) will be coming to do some raps and skits about alternatives to drug choices. This group is AMAZING. My good friend, Tauzha, is the head of this organization in Billings (Yep...the same girl that walked across Spain!). They do a great job with kids, and they are always fun to hang out with.
Thursday-No Drugs, No Alcohol, No Sweat Day! Kids wear their sweats and sweatshirts to school today. In class (9:30 am), kids from Senior High (Go Broncs!) will be coming to share their personal stories (grade appropriate) and do a skit on peer pressure. I have had this group in my classroom for 3 years now. They really bring it home. They talk about how they remember sitting in the same chair as these kids, and a year later starting the road of drugs and alcohol. They always say that they wished that their teachers would have told them like we do today. They also show kids that even if poor choices are made, it is never too late to turn it around and get back on the right path. One of my favorite messages here is the trust issue. They share how hard it is to gain back parent's trust after making these kinds of choices, and that their disappointment is the worse punishment for doing drugs. Amazing!
Friday-Team Up Against Drugs day! Kids wear their favorite team's attire. You know I will be sporting that Griz gear! And maybe a touch of Sr. High Broncs as well! :0) In class (10:45 am)-we will focus on the issue of family and friends. Negative paths with drugs don't just effect the person doing them. They effect many, many people: siblings, parents, outside family, grandparents, teachers, friends, and so many more. I have a copy of the Little House On the Prairie TV series. One of the episodes is about Albert getting hooked on drugs due to peer pressure when moving to a big city. Albert gets hooked on a drug called Morphine. The family has to move back to their hometown to help Albert get out of a negative environment. Come to find out, Albert continues the habit by stealing from the town doctor. Once discovered, Pa has to do some tough love and go through the withdrawl symptoms with his son. In the end, Pa and Albert talk about how the trust is broken and will take time to heal. The episode is not rated, but the series is rated G. However, I would like to obtain your permission before your child views it. I will send home permission slips in the Tuesday folder this week. It is soooooo powerful! We will watch part one on Friday, and part 2 on Monday (1:30 pm). It is about an hour for each part. Popcorn and Red Ribbon Punch will be offered as concessions (buy with fake money). If you would like to donate pre-popped popcorn or bottles (with lids!) of Hawaiian punch that would be amazing! Feel free to send or drop them off anytime before Friday! Thank you!!!!
Please, please feel free to join in on any activity you would like to. I take this matter very seriously, and I still have kids coming back to tell me how they remembered all that I did to prepare them. They share that it was easy to just say NO when the time came, and the time DID come. Every activity is age appropriate. They are not designed to scare children, but rather to educate them. Knowledge is power. If we think that 4th graders are too young, then we are fooling ourselves. This is the age that many kids start sneaking behaviors. All research points to ages 10 and 11 as the target age to educate. It doesn't just happen in big cities or in certain areas of cities. It is everywhere, and it is our job to make sure kids have the tools in their toolbelts to JUST SAY NO!
Even though all of this will be going on, we will still do all of our regular academics as well.
Math-algebra.
Lead 21-sequencing, summarizing, antonyms, questioning, making connections, and inferencing.
Language-Types of Sentences and Plural noun mastery.
Spelling-oo sounds.
SS-Montana History!!!!!
Science-Weather and temperature
Homework this week will be spelling assignments. Student will NOT have time to work on them in class, so they WILL have them each night. M-Thurs.
If your child received a letter last week for a morning class to work on some math skills, please note that it starts THIS Monday. Kids need to arrive by 7:20 a.m. sharp. Please see your note for which days this happens.
BELIEVE fundraisers are due this TUESDAY. Please send those back in and have all money collected and attached. Also, please make sure their name and my name is on the outside envelope. Thanks for all you do!!!
Conference slips came home last Tuesday. You were to pick a time that worked for you. I received them back from: Riley, Nolan, Liam, Taylor, Taryn, Caden, McLean, Amanda, Coewyn, Nicolas, Chase, Max, Jennifer, Casasha, Trevor, and Spencer. If you don't see your child's name, they did not turn it in. They are due tomorrow. Staff meets tomorrow after school to schedule them all. If we don't have a request form, we just fill you in at the end. Please return slip tomorrow. Thanks.
Don't forget that this coming Friday is our Arrowhead Halloween Family Fun Night. It is going to be spooktacular!!!! Those that agreed to donate cupcakes, please bring those in on Friday or to the event that evening before 6. I am not a big costume fan for myself, but even I will be dressed up and roaming the halls. :0)
Ty...we hope you are having an amazing time in NY and New Hampshire!!! Haylee...we missed you and can't wait to see you!!!
Have an amazing weekend!
Ms. Erickson
