Movie & Milkshake Monday

I’m so proud of this class!  Thank you for having good behavior, and for supporting our school through the Boxtops and Papa Johns fundraisers!

We emptied our marble jar for the second time this schoolyear. 

We voted on a movie to watch (Monsters Inc)

In addition, we’ve already earned the next Boxtop reward

level: milkshakes! 

We ALSO were the top fundraising class for the most recent Papa John's Night.  
So we got a pizza party!

Travel Log

Almost all the envelopes are addressed, stamped, and ready for the post office to deliver!

Here are a few photos from Friday when we were filling out the travel logs and making a cover for our scrapbooks.

attaching our photo to the log

writing out the return address

almost ready

the beginning of our scrapbooks

We're ready to receive postcards!

Check out these terrific covers.

Amazing artwork of our state and world.

Want more information about our travel log project?  Check out this post:

http://missliefer.blogspot.com/2014/01/travel-log.html

Poetry Contest

SWIC is having a poetry contest!

Rules: ​
*You may submit ONE poem.
*Give your poem a title.-
*Don't put your name on the poem.
*​Be sure to staple the entry form to poem
(get this from Miss Liefer)

Due Date Feb. 28

Poetry Corner

In reading we are studying poetry. We are identifying elements of poetry such as rhyme, rhythm, and meter. Here's some of us reading The Moon's The North Wind's Cookie by Vachel Lindsay

 Here's some of us reading Perhaps You'd Like to Buy a Flower by Emily Dickinson

At the end of the day we have poetry sharing. Here are a few videos from the poetry corner for you to watch!
 

Travel Log

We are starting a fun new project for second semester!  
It will help us learn about many different places.  

Today we filled out the initial letter.  (They are all stacked up on our table in the classroom ready to go!)

Tonight all you need to do is write the name and address of ONE person you know living out of our area (examples: Chicago, St. Louis, California, Florida, and so on).
*You may want to give the person the "heads up" to look for a letter in their mailbox sometime soon, so they don't discard it as junk mail.* 

Write the address neatly on an envelope and please use the school's address as the return address.... 
Gardner Elementary
1 Ed Gardner Place
Waterloo, IL  62298

(Note - afterschool today I found out that Mrs. Ivers offered that we could use the school envelopes that already have stamps if you need/want to use them.)

As soon as your child has their envelope addressed, I will mail it off! :) 

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask! 

Social Studies

Look at what one of our students found recently!

It's rare to find a spearhead like this one. Thanks for sharing!

Dressing up for a pioneer lunch.

Valentine's Day

We will have a small class party to celebrate friendships on February 14.

This year Valentine's day is a half day of school.

(We have 24 students in class)  

If you would like to send cards or candy or snacks to share with everybody  that would be  great but not  required .   

Each student may bring in a drink for the party for themselves. 

We will be making bags for valentines in class (so you do not need to make a “mailbox”)  

Remember if you choose to send valentines, the rule for sending valentines is you must send EVERYONE in the class a valentine.  (Today a class list is going home so you can get started.)

(This rule is to stop the students from selectively sending people valentines.  We do not want any hurt feelings!)

Scholastic Book Orders!

Today the book orders for January are in the take-home folder.

If you would like to order any books, please either…

1.     Fill out the form, write your child’s name on it, and send a check for the correct total amount (checks payable to Scholastic)

or 

2.     Register at  www.scholastic.com/bookclubs

ENTER the Class Activation Code: GR4YY       

Then choose books, and submit

All catalog orders are due by Friday Jan. 31.  Thank you for your cooperation with this.  

Happy reading!       

Martin Luther King Jr.

Who was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.?
* He was born on Jan 15, 1929
* His birth name was Michael Luther King Jr.
* He was a civil rights leader.
* He published six books
* He wrote sermons and lectures.
* He was the first African American to become TIME Magazine's Man of the Year
* In 1964 Dr. King became the youngest person at the time to win the Nobel Peace Prize
* The holiday named after him falls on the third Monday in January.


Check out this excellent National Geographic Kids video.
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/kids/history-kids/mlk-day-vin-kids/

Test your knowledge of some famous African Americans who have contributed to the history and culture of the United States.  Read the description on the door and flip the paper up to reveal the answer.  You'll know several fun facts to share during February (Black History Month)

Student Council January Report

here are our class representatives telling the latest news...

News and Notes

Welcome back!

I hope you enjoyed the extra-long break thanks to the Polar Vortex!

We started 3rd quarter when we returned Friday, Jan 10.
So, we will attend PE on MWF and Music on Tues/Thurs.

This week....

We will study elements of poetry, begin reading biographies, learn about French explorers, practice rounding and big multiplication, and continue writing our adventure fiction.

Also...

Wednesday is the Papa John's Fundraiser

Thursday is the Student Council Meeting 

Friday Report Cards go home.

#oneword

One word can change everything. 

January is the time to write New Years Resolutions.  

On Friday, we reviewed the two RBI (Rally for Bulldog Improvement) goals we wrote back in October.  

Then Miss Liefer showed each student an update of his/her second quarter grades. 

Next we picked ONE WORD....Peace, compassion, calm, healthy, love, joy, faith, hope, responsibility, respect, stronger, cooperate, kindness, persevere, simplify, etc. 

Now we have an updated "Twitter" wall to show our word for 2014!

This word can powerfully focus your goals for the year and motivate your actions. 

What is your one word? 

Miss Liefer got the idea for this from the Today Show January 1:  
http://www.today.com/id/49063771/ns/today-today_video/#53957503

Penguins on Parade

On our first day back at school, we made penguins to hang in the hallway above our lockers.
These aren't just your ordinary penguins.
These penguins have some personality!

A few random photos and thoughts...

I hope you all are enjoying the extended break!
Four snow days in a row!  I'm staying indoors where it is roasty toasty warm!

This morning I was cleaning my computer files and found a few pictures to share...

girls vs boys in Multiplication Wrestling

The girls calculating their answer

The boys busy calculating their answer

Humm... who is going to have the higher product?

Science Class

Experimenting with mirrors

Got Cabin Fever?  Board?  Looking for something to do?
Miss Liefer posted some suggestions here:
http://missliefer.blogspot.com/2013/12/lazy-days-of-break.html