Myoozeeum

Check out this student's writing.  This is a great example of using sounds to write.  Encourage this type of writing in your child's take home writing journal.  We want kids to use what they know to spell words, not depend on an adult to tell them how.  There is a time and place for correct spelling, and it will come.  For now, it excites me to know that students aren't intimidated by writing a new word because they don't know how to spell it.  

Do you know what this word is?

Data - Shapes

We met our class data goal!

Goal

Pre-assessment Data

Post-assessment Data

We are moving on to learning about shapes.  Check out the new goal we created.  I was REALLY impressed with all of the ideas students came up with to meet this goal.  (What is inside the arrow is really their ideas!)  They are really getting the hang of goal setting and are motivated by the data.  

Alzheimer's Fundraiser Celebration

Thank you to everyone who donated to the Keystone Elementary Alzheimer's fundraiser.  We celebrated today with Mrs. Fisher as a purple minion, Mrs. Bridgewater dressed as an old lady, and Nurse Jamie taking a mud bath.  

Creating in the Makerspace/Breakfast Buddies

If you haven't returned your child's form for Breakfast Buddies, please do so ASAP.  We need to know a head count for the muffin order.  If you don't have a form, just email me with info on whether or not someone will be joining your child for breakfast.

Check out the pictures from Friday's adventure in the makerspace.  We checked out most of the tools for making and creating.  Remember to follow #bcmakers if you are a Twitter user for all of the latest and greatest happenings in the makerspace.

PJs on Monday

We met our classroom PBIS goal today!  Students came up with different ideas for a celebration and then we made a tally chart to vote.  PJs won by a landslide.  Feel free to send your child in school appropriate PJs on Monday! :) 

Big Words for Little People

Today, we read the book Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis.  Each student took a word we found in the book and wrote about it in their reader's response journal.  Check out the video it see what those BIG words are.

Beefcake

We got to meet our robot friend Beefcake when we visited makerspace today.  Everyone got a chance to write code for Dash (aka Beefcake) today.  

Scholastic Book Order

A new Scholastic order sheet came home with your child today.  If you use online purchasing, you are able to buy from different grade level and different themed catalogs.  I just sent one for the month.  Scholastic Book orders will be due on Tuesday, September 29^th.  Please see the information below if you are interested in ordering.  Let me know if you have any questions!

***We have a NEW class code. 

Our classroom earns FREE books with every order! 

www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: PDTGR

Breakfast Buddies/Bloomsbury Farm/Unity Point St. Luke's Hosptial

There were a lot of important notes that came home today.  Please be sure to return the Breakfast Buddies note and the St. Luke's Hospital note.  Also, return the Bloomsbury note if you are planning on attending that trip.  

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Breakfast Buddies - Friday, October 2nd - 7:30am - RSVP Required
Bloomsbury Farm - Friday, October 2nd - NO sack lunch needed
Unity Point St. Luke's Hospital Tour - Thursday, October 8th

Memory Walk

Keystone Elementary students raised over $650 for the Alzheimer's Association.  A check was presented prior to the Memory Walk today.  Check out a few pictures from this event below.  

Tuesday - Memory Walk/Out of District

On Tuesday, Keystone Elementary students and staff will participate in the annual Memory Walk with residents from the Keystone Care Center.  Last week, students were bringing in loose change to donate towards Alzheimer's research.  This money will be presented to a designee from the Alzheimer's Association by Keystone Elementary students.  If you are interested in donating, please send money with your child on Tuesday.  Here are some scenes from the walk from years past. 

I will be out of the district on Tuesday learning about designing and writing quality classroom assessments.  Please be sure to include Candi Benesh, Keystone Elementary secretary, on any time sensitive emails.  

Homecoming 2015

The rain might have stopped the parade, but it didn't stop these Bobcats from celebrating homecoming!  We were bummed we didn't get to wave our foam finger around at the parade.  Hopefully everyone can find a good spot for them at home.  Check out these scenes from our day.  

NO PARADE - PEP RALLY at 1:30

Today's Homecoming parade has been cancelled.  The pep rally will begin right around 1:30. 

Thanks you!

No School Monday - Teachers in EdCamp

Reminder:  NO school Monday, September 21st

Teachers will be participating in a BCEdCamp.  This type of professional development allows teachers the opportunity to learn from each other and share what works and what doesn't in their classroom.  This is where we got the idea for the new style of Parent Partnership. Want more info?  Check out this short video for an explanation.

Length Goal Follow-Up - Data Goal

We have finished our formal math topic centered around measurement.  Prior to starting, we set a class goal to have 100% of students to "MEET" the measurement standard of being able to measure with nonstandard units.  I'm happy to report that we are VERY close to making this goal!  We discuss the results of our math assessment today and graphed our growth.  Check out the before and after pictures below.  We also had a great conversation about what to do with the one student who is progressing towards meeting the standard.  Without talking about who, we discussed that it is likely he or she made growth.  I was super impressed when a student said that we need to help that person measure.  That's what we're going for!  They care about each other and ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to understand.  

Our Goal

Pretest Results

Post-test Results

We moved forward by setting a data goal for our class.  When I asked the group about a graph, they didn't have a clue as to what "graph" meant.  After I explained to them we have done a few in our class already this year, it started to soak in.  Check out our new class goal around data.  I will be posting a graph of our class pretest results soon.  I apologize that my phone cut off the goal of "100% of 1U will meet the measurement standard."  

Conversations about the words "more" and "fewer" is a way you can help from home.  This is an important component of this topic.