Friday, January 29, 2016

News from Camp Buckaroo for January 25th to January 29th


I can't believe that next week we are going to be entering the month of February!  Where is the time going?  The children are growing like crazy as learners and problem-solvers and I'm so proud of each and every one of them.  We welcomed a new student to our class this week and she is already being taken care of by her new friends.  

I will let the captions that the children have dictated to me to speak for our learning and growing this week.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and in the spirit of friendship and giving the children will be making their own Valentines here at school to give to each other.  This saves you some money:) and, quite honestly, the children treasure the ones handmade and written by their peers much more than the ones from the store.  What I am asking the children to do at home is to make a box to hold their Valentines delivered by their friends.  This is a treasured memory for me as I remember my mom and I covering a box with tin foil and cutting out hearts to glue all over it.  Of course, there was glitter involved too:).  The children can bring in their decorated boxes anytime between now and our celebration in February.

Calling all crafty parents!!  I saw some really cute seats made out of milk crates and piece of wood and fabric.  I have the crates and fabric but do I have anyone that would like to take on this project?  I would be eternally grateful.  

Schedule for Next Week:
Monday - Art
Tuesday - Music
Wednesday - Library (remember book-in-a-bag)
Thursday - P.E.  (remember tennis shoes)
Friday - Art
We have a new student!  Two girls are helping her learn about our school.  She says that she likes her new school and she has made new friends.

It is Daily Five and she is sitting and reading on a new camp chair.  She was reading a book about Betsy Ross.  She made clothes for George Washington.

During Daily Five they are doing Read to Someone.  They are trying to learn to read better.  Reading to someone gives you someone to ask for help if you need it.  Reading to someone is good because someone can read that book to you and when you want to read it you can read the whole book.  

They are doing Writer's Workshop and working on a story about Minecraft attacking mixed up animals that came out of a portal.  This is collaborating and thinking flexibly because they don't know what's going to happen after that page.

We are doing a math experiment.  The math experiment was playing basketball with crates and paper balls.  One person was the basketball star and the other person was the reporter.  The reporter had to mark down the shots and the misses with tally marks.  

We have been working on recording results using tally marks and this was a fun way to learn this skill.

When I'm having those days when I just don't feel like I'm effective enough I turn around and the sweetest face is looking up at me and handing me this!  I'm truly blessed!!!!

Friday, January 22, 2016

News from Camp Buckaroo for Jan. 19th-22nd


Hello Families!  I hope that you enjoy learning about our week of fantastic learning this week in spite of the excitement going on right outside of our window!  I am so proud of the children and how they've handled having this potential distraction outside.  It truly is amazing to watch the excavation process though:).  I just want to fill you in on some things coming up that you'll want to know about.

The first is that the second round of conferences is coming up in February.  This conference is optional unless I contact you to schedule one.  If I don't contact you but you have questions or concerns that you want to meet with me about please let me know of one of the following dates and times that work best for you.

            February 11th                                     February 17th
              4:00-4:15                                             4:00-4:15
              4:20-4:35                                             4:20-4:35
              4:40-4:55                                             4:40-4:55
              5:45-6:00                                             5:45-6:00
              6:05-6:20                                             6:05-6:20
              6:25-6:40                                             6:25-6:40

The second important tidbit of information is that the yearbook forms were sent home yesterday.  This will be the only way to order a yearbook for your child.  Please return the completed form to me by the due date if you'd like to purchase one for your child.

Finally, I will be sending book orders out for January this weekend.  I have also sent the book orders for February.  There are a lot of great books in this order and a few that I'm going to purchase for the class:)

Have a great weekend!

Related Arts Schedule:
Monday - P.E.  (remember tennis shoes)
Tuesday - Art
Wednesday - Music
Thursday - Library (please remember book-in-a-bag!!)
Friday - P.E. again  

They have made a cool creation out of pattern blocks.  


She made a queen's chair out of pattern blocks.

We made a garden out of pattern blocks.

He made a flower out of pattern blocks.




She made a bed out of pattern blocks.  We used shapes to make new shapes.  


He made a water fountain out of pattern blocks.  It is supposed to be a circle and then he decided to make it a fountain.  
This is the day that we made Martin Luther King and wrote about his dream.  Martin Luther King married Coretta Scott.  Martin Luther King was shot by James Earl Ray.  He did this because he didn't grow up with enough love in his heart or good character.    

They are researching on the human body.  This is their project for Imagination Station.  They are researching the human body on Pebble Go.  

We learned about tally marks and we used five popsicle sticks to make people to show a way to make them that isn't boring like when you just write them down in pencil.  The blue paper is our homework to learn more about tally marks when you walk around your house.  They look like sticks with faces on them but they are actually tally marks.  Everyone is catching the fifth tally mark:)

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

News from Camp Buckaroo for January 11th to 14th


I hope that all of you enjoyed your long weekend together!  I learned so much at the many different workshops that I attended on Friday.  I was even able to put one in place this morning for our magic /e/ assessment.  Your child will be sharing what he/she chose to do to show what they learned about this amazing letter.  

Below, you will find several pictures that will help to spark great conversation about our learning last week.  No, we did not make breakfast in room 118 last week:).  We did, however, learn a valuable lesson about life.  

Related Arts this week:
Today is P.E.
Wednesday - Art
Thursday - Music
Friday - Library (Please, please help your child to remember to bring their library books AND their book-in-a-bag!

Reminders:
I have decided to hold off sending in the book orders until this Friday.  If you'd still like to order books, please do so by Friday.  









Friday, January 8, 2016

News from the anxious elves of Workshop 118


It has been a whirlwind of excitement ( and learning) at Buckaroo Workshop!  Many of our activities revolved around the Polar Express story since we are watching it tomorrow.  We reread the story several times and then worked on retelling what happened in the story using characters, events and settings.  The children also wrote did a prewriting activity to write letters to Santa.  They were most excited about applying for an elf job in Santa's workshop someday.  I assured them that they wouldn't be hired as children but that Santa may come to them as adults someday and ask to hire them.  This was their chance to brag about themselves:).  You will see a few examples below.  We are finishing up our study of reindeer this week by comparing Santa's special reindeer to the reindeer of the tundra.  

I hope that all of you have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday break! Thank you for sending the best part of yourselves to me each and every day!  They are all incredibly special to me!

Upcoming Events:
Tomorrow the children can wear or bring their PJs to school but, if it's not raining, they will be going outside for recess so plan accordingly.  Your child can also bring a treat (for once, it doesn't necessarily have to be healthy but it does have to be nut free:).

Our holiday party begins at 2:30 and the parents that are helping can come as early as 2:15 to set up.

Related Arts Schedule When We Return:
Monday, January 4th - Library (remember to bring book-in-a-bag and December's reading log with minutes read totaled)
Tuesday - P.E.  (remember tennis shoes)
Wednesday - Art
Thursday - Music
Friday - Library (remember book-in-a-bag)