Bring Electronics Tomorrow!

For the very last time...hello!

This will be the last blog post. Did I really just say that? This year just can't be over, we still have so much more to learn. I will say, this group learned a TON this year.

Report cards go home tomorrow at our noon dismissal. You will find a copy of one of my favorite poems in the envelope. I wrote it as the comment, but also added a copy for you to frame for your child.  A teacher once gave it to me, and I have loved it ever since. Of course it is about BELIEVING. I will always be a phone call, email, or text away. I would LOVE to meet your child for lunch or come to a sporting event to catch up through the years. Please feel free to keep me in your child's lives.

We will NOT be going on the bike ride tomorrow. There is an 80% chance for more rain tomorrow. I didn't tell my kiddos that they could bring their electronics tomorrow, but I encourage them to do so. We will have some time to just enjoy one another in a relaxed environment.

Today, we skyped with Mrs. Umemoto in Texas. It was great to see her and get to say goodbye to her. It was also fun to hear about how her little baby is growing quickly inside her tummy. It was a great computer visit!

Happy Summer Birthday to Alexis. She brought some yummy brownie treats! Yesterday, we had super yummy treats from Elijah and Alyssa. Happy future birthdays to all our summer birthdays!

Evan won the last Purple Hand Cookie today. His peers voted for him due to his sharing of playground balls when he would see a child in need. Great kindness Evan!!! Alyssa and Daniel were once again nominated as well.

Collin and Chloe shared a special fun treat with us this morning. They brought in their little pet guinea pigs. It sure was fun to meet Chubbs, Snoopey, and ???? Ask your child the name of the third one. :0) Thanks for bringing those in!

Lastly, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for sharing your most special treasure with me. I have so enjoyed all year with this group. I am so happy to be leaving on a good note at Bitterroot. I will miss seeing them in the hall next year. Thank you also for all of your support. I feel very blessed to know such wonderful, caring families. Please know that I am always here if you need any advise, help, or just want to brag on your kiddo. I will miss every single one of you, especially your kids!

Enjoy your summer! Read, read, read, and travel!

Love,
Ms. Erickson

P.S.-BELIEVE!!!!

Supplies Go Home Tomorrow!

Hello there. Let it rain, let it rain, let it stop on Friday!!!!

We will know more tomorrow, but plan on bikes coming to school on Friday. Even if we can't go to the park to play, we may still be able to journey down the bike path. I did not heard from any parents as to needing bike "stuff" so I am assuming that all is good for all students. Those that do not bring a bike, will stay back at school in an alternate placement.

Tomorrow, we will clean out our desks. Heavy backpacks are to be expected so a ride home might be nice. Please plan ahead. All stuff needs to go home tomorrow. Planners or backpacks do NOT need to come to school on Friday. All they will have is their final report card to carry home on Friday.

We will donate items for next year's students tomorrow as well. Please make your final decision on what can and can't be donated. Thanks again for paying it forward!

Ask your child about the Hoot movie. Did they like the book or the movie better? Why? If they have a 4th grade discussion with you, please write either BOOK or MOVIE in the planner as to what they say for a ticket tomorrow.

Have a wonderful night!

2 and a half more days!

This free photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Hello there. We had a great day!

MT History and Hoot were the top priority. We are learning how the railroad shaped MT Indian reservations, changed their lives just as the horse did, and how it brought more and more non-Indian people into MT. This was needed in order to finally become a state. Kids are creating murals about what they hear me read about this time era. They are looking great! I once again reminded kids to make sure that they SAVE this MT History notebook as it will come in handy again in Jr. High and High School. Find it the last day, and put it away in a special place for them. :0)

Hoot is tomorrow afternoon. We WILL finish up the book tomorrow morning.

Our money system has come to an end. We turned in all but the $80 needed to buy concession snacks for the last two movies. No more money will be given out. I will give out tickets for our daily drawing instead. Ask your child how their sundae was at our final buy in party. If they can tell you, write SUNDAE in the planner for one ticket tomorrow.

The awards assembly was a great success. Congratulations to all that took an award home today. Above, you will find a quick slideshow showcasing them. Great job to everyone.

Report cards go home on Friday. Friday is also a half day. Please pick up kiddos promptly at noon.

Staff vs. Character Kids Wiffle ball was a blast! The kids whooped us, but it was a great game. So much fun for those playing and watching. Great to just have fun with one another!

Have a wonderful, wonderful evening!!!!

It's the Last Week!

Picture slideshow customized with Smilebox

Hello there. I hope this post finds you nice and relaxed from a weekend full of graduation parties, BBQs, camping trips, and remembering those that fought for the life we have today. What an amazing country we live in!

This is the last week of school. There are many events going on, along with wrapping up all our academics. Kids will be dismissed on Friday at noon. I can't believe the year is already over!

The awards assembly will be this Tuesday at 9 am. BUG and Terrific kids awards will be given out. The Bobcat award will also be given out. I have texted you if your child is receiving an award(s) from me. Please feel free to come cheer them on!

Each year, I ask parents and students to have a discussion at home about school supplies. We have a community school supply area in our classroom that allows kids that need something to borrow it. This is a HIGHLY used area, probably by your child at one or more times throughout the year. I ask that you discuss and decide if you would be willing to donate your end of the year school supplies to this area for next year's students. If you have your child save their supplies for the following year, that is great. But, if they end up lost or in the trash and you always purchase new ones in the fall, please consider allowing your child to donate them to me. We are always in need of calculators, glue sticks, pencils, markers, colored pencils, rulers, pretty much anything. Please make your decision by Wednesday night. We will be emptying our desks and art tubs on Thursday morning. Thank you for considering to PAY IT FORWARD! It really does make a difference in the classroom when kids don't have the needed supplies to do their work. Thanks.

This Tuesday, we will have our end of the year Sundae party. Kids may use their fake money to buy into this fun event. They will start by buying a bowl and spoon along with one scoop of ice cream. They may then add toppings of their choice for an additional cost. Yummy!

This Wednesday, the kids will be watching HOOT with Mrs. Anderson in the library. They may buy concessions with their fake money. They may NOT bring drinks or snacks from home.

This Thursday, the kids will be watching the movie Miracle in the classroom. Love, love, love this movie as it just wraps up the BELIEVE theme I have tried to install all year long with the kids. Again, snacks may be purchased with fake money.

A Happy Summer Birthday to Austin! Thanks for the delicious dirt cake treats. They even had a yummy worm in them. Elijah, Alyssa, and Alexis will celebrate theirs this week. Happy Birthday to all!

Above, you will see the slideshow from the ranch field trip. We learned a ton! It was fun to see all of our hard work in MT History and Riding Freedom book come to life. If you watch it with your child write RANCH in the planner for $20 on Tuesday.

Wiffle Ball has been great fun! Minus a few issues, the class has done an excellent job showing great sportsmanship and character. All week I have been watching the entire class closely to see who demonstrated it on a consistent basis all week long. Two students were on the fence cheering on both sides of the game and even then teachers that were pitching. They were sincere in their efforts, and they never sat down in my sight. They were very, very involved with the game. They also threw the ball to other teammates rather than making the play themselves. They rotated to new positions like asked instead of playing the same position over and over again. They tried their best, and they encouraged everyone else too as well. They just overall did a great job on the field. So, Alexis and Evan will go up against the staff on Tuesday in the Staff vs. Character Kids Final Game. It will be at 1:00 if you want to come watch. We play on the actual fields behind the school. The alternate will be Olivia in case Evan or Alexis is absent. Great job kids!

I will blog up to Thursday. The blog will never be erased by me, so hopefully even ten years from now kids can go back to it like a yearbook. :0)

Have a wonderful rest of your Memorial Weekend, and we shall see you on Tuesday morning!

GREAT FIELD TRIP!

What a super fun day! Perfect weather, and a perfect field trip. I will post pictures tomorrow. The branding this year was so different then last year. We had many concerned 4th graders about it it was hurting them. Yes, it hurts, but it is temporary. We did not have this reaction last year, so it was interesting to see. It might have been because the calves were sooooo tiny and cute. We usually brand when they are older. The calves also bellow to their moms when it is happening and kids think that resembles pain. It is really only fear. I told them it was the exact same thing that happened with you when they had to get their kindergarten shots and you cried for them. :0) As soon as they saw the calves released and they were perfectly ok, the kids felt better. The baby lambs were the most fun to watch with the kids. They got to run around with them. :0) Evan got to collect the chicken eggs and feed the chicken some feed and some yummy watermelon!!!! They love watermelon. Alexis had a great time on her ride upon BlueDuck the horse. :0) And lunch was DELICIOUS!!!! A HUGE thank you to Indian Education For All for funding this trip and the last one to Pompeys. They donated over $500 to do these. Wow!!! These are some super special kiddos!!!

We have one more field trip this year. We will bike to Hawthorne Park on the last day of school. Please make sure your child has a working bike and helmet. IF they do, please write BIKE READY in the planner. If they don't, please text, email, or call me with needs and I will see what I can come up with. I need prior notice though. Thanks. Students don't have to buy into this one, but if they are not being trustworthy we certainly can't take them on a bike trip. I need to know that I can count on them to listen, and to follow directions along with use common future fifth grade sense. I will let you know if your child will have an alternate placement. I sure don't want to leave anyone behind on the last day! BELIEVE, BELIEVE, BELIEVE!

Tomorrow is the 50 states and capital's test. We did a final review today in class and some are bringing home the rest for homework. Please refrain from helping them. They should use a map and focus on the ones they don't know so they can pass tomorrow's test. It will be one of the final grades in SS for the 4th grade.

I think that about sums it up. Wiffle ball tomorrow, so shoes are a must. Thanks so much!

Field Trip Tomorrow.

Hi there.

We did MT History galore today!!! We are now experts on branding, farming, and ranching. Just in time for our field trip tomorrow. If your child is going, they need to wear closed toe shoes that are comfortable for walking and that can get dirty. A hat, sunscreen, and water bottle are also recommended. Electronics for the bus are a GREAT idea as it will be close to an hour ride on the bus. Mrs. Hankin's and I will have our cell phones, but there is not always the best connection on parts of the ranch. Lunch will be served to all kids tomorrow. They will get a hot dog, watermelon, chips, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie. If that doesn't strike their fancy, then they will need to pack an alternative lunch. :0)

We had a little incident while playing wiffle ball today. 5 kids decided it would be a good idea to throw rocks at a hornet's nest instead of doing what they should have been doing. Three of the kids took ownership and accountability for their actions. Two did not. Seeing how we will be around animals that may spook tomorrow, I HAVE to be able to trust kids out there. If I can't trust them to do the right thing when I am busy on a wiffle ball field, then I am concerned that they can do the right thing on a big wide open ranch where many things could happen if they decide to deviate from common sense or directions given to them. I do trust that the three that spoke up to the class and apologized were sincere, and that they learned their lesson. I appreciate their character in this matter.

Well, that about sums it up. Have a wonderful evening.

P.S. The bus leaves right at 8:35 tomorrow morning. :0)

Hoot, Hoot!

Hi there.

Field trip is Thursday (in two days) for sure! Rain or shine, we will go.

Tomorrow afternoon, the kids will watch the movie Hoot in the library. This book was read aloud to them and fits perfectly with our animal unit and our save the environment studies. Kids will be offered concession snacks to buy with their fake money. They may NOT bring their own. I still have kids that have NOT bought into the movie. They will stay back with me and do an alternate assignment related to the topic. Is this your child??? Ask them. Write YES or NO in the planner as to if your child has bought in and will be joining us in the movie.

Grades are becoming final throughout the week. If you would like to view them earlier than the report card, please see online version. Note that I am not completely done with them, and won't be until next Monday. There are still grades to be added.

Report cards will be handed out as the kids leave school next Friday (last day), which is a half day. I am not allowed to give them out early. If you are going to be gone, you will need to pick them up int he office after the last day of school from Mrs. Zimmerman. I would call first, as she may not have regular school hours on those days.

The Subway extra bonus buy in has been changed to pizza at school due to time limits. The kids agreed that pizza, pop, and a DQ treat is a better option. Therefore, we will NOT be leaving campus. If your child is included in this special reward, they brought home a permission slip yesterday and bought in for $2000. They had to have at least $3000 to even be considered! Way to go!!!!

Next Friday, is our bike field trip to Hawthorne Park. Please make sure their bikes and helmets are in working order by then. Students that had extra bikes stood up in class the other day so if your child doesn't have a bike or a working bike, they know who to meet up with. It is THEIR responsibility. If they do not have a bike that day, they will be sent to an alternate placement for the day. Call me if you have questions please.

Have a wonderful evening.

Field Trip Moved to Thursday!

Hi there. Just a few things to report today.

1. Wiffle ball is a riot! Love watching these kids have fun. They are showing some great sportsmanship out on the field. It was a little windy this afternoon, which makes wiffle ball all sorts of fun as you can imagine! :0) Bring shoes tomorrow for more fun!

2. The Grewell Ranch has been moved from tomorrow to THIS THURSDAY! If your child has not bought in or does not have my permission to attend, they will receive a note on Wednesday for you to sign. I am hoping everyone gets to go!

3. Tonight's homework is to play outside and to scrub their wiffle ball number off their hand as much as possible tonight.

That about sums it up. Have a great night!

Wiffle Ball All Week!

Hi there. There is a reason I always said I would blog on Sundays...I always forget on Saturdays. :0) Sorry about that.

Due to all the rain out here on the ranch, (which I wouldn't dream of complaining about), the field trip will most likely be postponed. We will talk with the bus people and see what day works for them. It will just be too muddy to be in the corrals and fields. And...you can't brand wet calves, and that is one of the best parts of the field trip. We will let you know what we find out on Monday.

Friday, we started our metric olympics. The kids did the pool noodle javalin throw and the team basketball shoot. Ask your child about each event. Which one did they like best? If they can tell you about them and how they did, write the word OLYMPIC in the planner for $20. We will finish those up this week.

We are done with spelling. The grades online, are their final ones in this area.

MT History is coming along. The good news is, we will FINALLY become a state this week. It only took us all year. :0) We discussed two weeks ago how the gold rushes of MT effected the Euro-Americans. This past week, we took a look at how the same events effected the American Indians. This is the time period that reservations began. This week we will take a look at the three major peace treaties and how the American Indians were forced to assimilate to Euro-American ways and cultures. We will look at these issues from both perspectives and I am hoping to skype in an expert!

In math we will do a final review of all of 4th grade skills. A few more grades will be added for the final report card.

The final all 50 states and capitals test will be this Friday. We will practice some in class, but at home review is also essential. This will be the kids final grade in SS, along with their work in their MT History journal.

I will begin filming this week to create the video for my MT History class this summer with the other 4th grade teachers. I want to share with them some perspectives from a 4th grader's point of view. What they liked? What they remember learning? How it changed them? What a fun experience this has been.

Lastly, I want to thank all of you that took the time to write me an end of the year letter. It wasn't about the money for me. It was about solid feedback and reflection for next year. Your comments were so genuine, and I am actually pretty proud of the job I did this year. You all made me feel appreciated and I loved that I taught all of your kids beyond the classroom and into their futures and homes. Thank you!

Hoot is scheduled for this Wednesday with the librarian. Those that were able to buy in will get to enjoy the show with her. We will finish the book this week before then. What a great book about kids making a difference in the world and helping to save an endangered species. It is hard and scary to stand up to bully adults, but this movie shows that it is possible if they just BELIEVE! :0)

In science, we will wrap up our animal studies by taking a more in depth look into some of the animals that we saw at the zoo and heard about in our Lead 21 studies.

Please note that there has been a time change in the awards assembly off to the right. Mr. English backed it up to ensure we have time for all awards to be given out. If your child is being honored by me, I will notify you with a text before then.

We start the annual character wiffle ball tournament at Bitterroot on Monday. Please make sure kids bring or wear tennis shoes all week. I will be watching all week for 2 kids that display the best character on and off the field. Sunscreen and hats are also needed all week.

Well, that about covers it.

Metric Olympics Tomorrow!

Personalize your own picture slideshow

Hi there. Field day was a hit. Ask your child what their favorite event was. If they can tell you, write FIELD DAY in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

Tomorrow we will be joining Mrs. Hankin's class for metric olympics. We are in need of some objects. If you have a pool noodle or a carpenter tape measure and feel ok letting us borrow it, could you please send it in with your kiddo tomorrow. I will pay $100 for each object. Please wear sunscreen and closed shoes again tomorrow. If it rains, we will delay it.

Tomorrow is the LAST day to do parent letters to Ms. Erickson for kids to earn the $500 reward. Please let me know how your child has changed due to being in my class. What did you like? Like changed? Whatever. :0) Thanks for these.

It is official. I am moving to Arrowhead Elementary School. I will still teach 4th grade, and Mrs. Hankins and I are already planning joint field trips. :0) I am excited to start a new adventure, however I am already missing everyone here and I haven't even left yet. It is a double edge sword.

Enjoy the Pompey's Pillar Smilebox. What a fun trip!

Well, that about covers it.

Have a great, great night!

Fun, fun day!

What a perfect day with perfect weather! Pompey's Pillar was a blast. The kids were sooooo well behaved. We received compliments again from the Pillar staff and bus driver. You have no idea how that makes me feel! Well done 4th grade.

There are a ton of pictures to post. I will create the smilebox and post it tomorrow. BUT...ask your child how many steps there were up to the top of the pillar. Write their answer in the planner for a $20 bonus tomorrow. Also, ask your child to show you at least three signs used by American Indians. If they can, write SIGN in the planner for another $20. AND....ask your child why dogs go around sniffing other dog's behinds all the time. This is a question I never knew the answer to and always wondered. Have the kids retell the story of the coyotes and find out. If they can tell you, write the word DOG in the planner for yet another $20.

Tomorrow is field day. Please make sure kiddos have tennis shoes, sunscreen, hats, and colored shirts (no white) on. We are in the afternoon so it will be toasty enough to get a sunburn. Water bottles help too. Please label them so they won't get lost.

That about covers it. Have a wonderful night!

Field Trip Tomorrow

Hello there.

Great day today. Kids were great for Mrs. Gleason.

The movie was superb. It was awesome to see the kids all tuck their arms in their shirts after the show and see what it was like for Bethany to only have one arm. They weren't making fun, but rather having genuine empathy for her. That is what character is all about. Ask your child what strategies Bethany used to still reach her goal of becoming a professional surfer. If they can tell you, write SOUL SURFER in the planner for $20.

Tomorrow is Pompey's Pillar Trip. We leave right away and will be back by 2:15. It is supposed to be in the 70s tomorrow. I advised kids to wear long pants due to ticks but it is up to them. Shorts are fine. Tennis shoes, water bottle, hat, and sunscreen are a must though. Please apply sunscreen at home. Electronics may be brought on the bus. It is about a 30 minute bus ride out there. Don't forget those sack lunches please. We will NOT have a cooler.

A HUGE thank you to Austin for reminding me to put the summer birthday's off to the side. I will do that right now.

Have a wonderful night!

Happy Birthday Natalie!

Photo slideshow created with Smilebox

Happy Birthday Natalie! Our classroom was about a million degrees today. Natalie's mom walked in with refreshing Italian Ice Sodas. What a TREAT! And, they were super, super yummy! A HUGE thank you for bringing them in. Yay!

Last week, I assigned the summer birthday students with a day to bring in treats if they want to. I have posted it off to the right as well. It is totally optional.

Tomorrow is Soul Surfer movie day!!!! We will start it after lunch. I will be gone in the morning, but back in time to watch the movie too! Please feel free to continue to bring in concession stand snacks. We still have two movies after this one. :0)

Homework tonight is to play outside for 30 minutes. :0)

Wednesday is our Pompey trip. Tomorrow, I will send home a slip with those that do NOT have my permission to go with us. There have been quite a few kiddos that have decided that the year has ended already and that they can just guess their way through the work that goes along with the field trips. We all need to finish up strong. We have a lot of important learning left to do. They know who they possibly are. I have talked to them about proving that they are future fifth graders.

Mrs. Buss is looking for some parent volunteers to work some stations at her morning primary field day. She is fine for ours in the afternoon, but if you could help man a station in the morning that would sure be awesome. Please call the office and ask for her or email her at bussa@billingsschools.org if you can help out. Thanks!

Above is the slideshow from our talent show, minus one. We have to redo Alexis's. What a group of talented kids!

My reading class had a taste of what Charlotte's life is like in reading class today. Ask them what is up with the picture above. If they can tell you, write FREEDOM in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

I think that about covers it.

Happy Mother's Day!

Free photo slideshow customized with Smilebox

Well, as you can see above, the baby eggs arrived just in time for Mother's Day. This is always one of my favorite days. It is sooooo fun to watch the kids in a different role...the one of their mom or dad! The kids were so careful and sweet. We did have some "Humpty Dumpty" moments that needed some bandaid medical attention, but overall this group of moms and dads did a GREAT job! Ask your child how their baby egg faired throughout the day. If they can tell you, write the word EGG in the planner for $20. 

I sure hope that you have a wonderful Mother's Day tomorrow! The kids really enjoyed creating your gifts. They wrote their letters after they were a mom or dad for the day. They had such empathy for all of you. Many realized how expensive kids were, why you have insurance on them, and how much you have to give up to be a parent. Constant, constant care!!!!! Especially, when Ms. Erickson is just waiting for you to walk away from your desk without your child so she can kidnap it! "But, I was only gone for one second," they would say! Yep! That is all it takes. Being a parent is tough! I sure hope they all say thank you more often now. :0) 

Last week, we had a little incident in our classroom. As you know, kids were required to do some homework to get into Hawaii Day. Two students decided to pull a fast one on Ms. Erickson. They turned in their work, but it was not done. I am so disappointed that they did not come tell me that they should not participate when they knew that it was required. Since it was too late to take away Hawaii day (because they already did it) I brought it to CC Meeting. I asked the class to put themselves in my shoes. What would they do if they were the teacher? As you can see in the above picture, they came up with some pretty solid consequences. Before we voted as a class, I asked if the two guilty parties wanted to stand up and take accountability for their actions. They did not. So, we voted. The class decided that these kids should have to become an island for the rest of the year (Sit outside a class group of desks) and lose all their money. Alyssa made the connection that sitting off by themselves as an island is like being Hawaii (cuz Hawaii is an island). I then asked them if they would have picked a less harsh consequence if they kids would have stood up and been accountable. They said they would have voted for just a $500 fine or loss of movie. This was a tough lesson. At the end of the day, I asked once again if the kids wanted to stand up and say something in their defense. They declined again. Therefore, all their money was taken and on Monday they will be islands. I was proud of the class for working through this process and realizing once again that choices have consequences. It is tough to be a teacher at times. This is one of those times. However, it is important for kids to know that trustworthiness is so important in life. 

Tuesday afternoon is our first movie day. We will watch Soul Surfer. We have cracker jacks, fruit snacks, fun snacks, and four different types of soda in the concession stand right now. Please feel free to add to our selections. Kids will be able to buy one drink and one snack for each show. Thank you to all those that have donated! 

Friday night was the PTA movie night. If your child attended, please write the name of the movie in the  planner so they may collect their $300 reward. 

I still have some kiddos that have not bought into some of our end of the year events. Is your child one of them? If they are in need of some cash, you could help them out. Just write me an end of the year letter letting me know your thoughts on how it went. I LOVE this feedback! I really do listen, reflect, and put into action your suggestions. I also love hearing all that your kiddos learned. I especially love to hear that they didn't just learn academics, but also character! That is my goal each year! Did I achieve it for your kiddo? Feel free to email me your letter at ericksont@billingsschools.org or just send it in with your kiddo. Thank you!!!! 

Wednesday is our Pompey's Pillar field trip. Please remember those sack lunches. 

Thursday is field day. Sunscreen, a hat, and tennis shoes are a must for this day. There is usually a water relay, so we ask that girls avoid wearing a white t-shirt. Please make sure if your child is wearing shorts to school that they are longer than their fingertips when hands are down by their sides. Tank tops need to be at least two fingers wide. Thanks. 

I will be gone on Tuesday morning. Beau has his end of the year play in his 1st grade class. I will be back after lunch. Katherine's mom is our sub. Yay!!!!!

Lastly, I wanted to be the first to let you know that I have put in for a transfer next year. Bitterroot has been my home for ten years now. The drive is starting to wear on me and my kids. So, I have asked to move to a west end school. I do not know yet if it has been granted, but there is a chance and I wanted you to know. I will miss Bitterroot horribly. I love the families here, and the staff is like a second family to me. It was a hard decision, but as we all know, our kids come first. As they are getting older, they are doing more things outside of school and time is a huge factor when you have a long commute. I know some of you wanted me to be your other children's teacher, but you will LOVE any teacher here at Bitterroot! I hope your kids never forget to come find me and say hello in the future. I love to be in their lives forever! 

Well, have a wonderful weekend! 

Egg Babies Tomorrow!

Hi there. Sorry this is so late. Better late than never I guess.

Kids need to bring in their egg beds tomorrow. Remember, no bigger than a checkbook box. They become parents tomorrow!!!!

Some kids are lacking in money. Here are some ways to earn some cash.

1. You can write me an end of the year letter. I have talked about this on previous blogs. I do this every year. It helps me to adjust things for the following year. Please include how my class/teaching style has helped your child outside the school walls. What did you like? Like changed? Just a quick letter to let me know your thoughts on how the school year went. Thanks to those that have already done this. Students earn a $500 reward for this one. You can email it, mail it, or send it in.

2. Bring in snacks for the concession stand for our movies. We already have cracker jacks and fruit snacks. Bring anything that you would find in a concession stand. Kids will be able to buy things with their fake money for the 3 movies in class over the next few weeks. $50 reward.

I will post the talent show videos this weekend. All the kids did GREAT! So brave, and so talented!

Have a great night!

Don't Forget Your Dollar Tomorrow!!!!

Customize your own slideshow design

Hi there. Here is the slideshow from yesterday's Hawaii Day. Kids had to choose activities from their book tours. I listed how much those activities cost kids. They were not allowed to go over their $400 budget. Fun times had by all! 

Tomorrow is the talent show. I can't wait to see what Olivia, McKenzy, Kenzi, Alexis, and Collin have in store for us. We will do this around 9:30 after PE. 

Tomorrow we also go on our secret field trip. Please make sure kids come with $1.00 in their pockets. We will leave around 12:40. Collin, I still need your permission slip please. :0)

Library books tomorrow. 

We spent quite a bit of time today working on our 50 states and capitals. The test will be before the end of the year. I will let you know at least a week in advance. Playing the blog games or what is the capital of _____ in the car will help, help, help. 

MT History is coming right along. Ask your child what 3-7-77 represents. This can still be found on MT State Trooper uniforms. If they can tell you write the word PLUMMER in the planner for $20 tomorrow. 

Our off campus evacuation drill went very well, after we had a little talk about taking it serious. Kids need to understand that their eyes and ears need to be on the teacher at all times during a drill. They can't be running, talking, or laughing. After we talked and issued some money fines, the class did awesome! 

A HUGE thank you to all that voted YES for kids. We are sooooooo excited for our new technology! Today, we read our novel with our laptops on our laps. I wanted kids to get a taste of what was coming for them next year. They will be so technology ready by the time they get into the workforce!!!! Finally, we will catch up with the rest of the world. :0) 

Have a wonderful evening! 

Hawaii Day was a Success!

Hi there. Well, Hawaii day was soooooo much fun! I will make the slideshow tonight and post it tomorrow. Ask your child if they enjoyed it. They said that they all did. If they can tell you their favorite part, write it down in the planner for $20. We had to cut some of the relay races short due to the hot pavement. Surfing was a little tough. :0( They all did a great job and participated in all fun events!

Please remind kiddos to put on deodorant and sunscreen daily now that it is hot. We are outside a lot on these days. Also, remember that shorts need to be arm length according to school dress code and tank tops need to be at least 2 finger tips wide. They may be layered.

Tomorrow, we will be walking to our off site evacuation site as a practice drill. The entire school is doing this at 1:00. Please call Mr. English with questions on this. Remember, it is just a practice drill.

Well, that is about it. PE and walking shoes are a must tomorrow. Have a great night!

PS-Homework is to take a shower and get all the grass of of them. :0)

Thanks!

Hawaii Day Tomorrow!

Make your own free slideshow design

Well, as you can see above we had a fantabulous time at the zoo. Jeff did a wonderful job bringing every single thing we have learned in science and reading class lately to life. It was amazing. I have made the slideshow interactive for you and your child. Have them sit with you as you watch it and answer the questions I ask. If you do, write ZOO in the planner for $50 tomorrow. I will say that the kids were amazingly well behaved. We got compliments from both Jeff and the bus driver. That is awesome. On a side note, please make sure that kids wear sunscreen, weather appropriate clothing, and a hat to our future field trips. There was some whining going on from some kids that did not do these things. It is a natural consequence if kids are uncomfortable when they could have prevented it. All in all though, we had a GREAT time. I HIGHLY recommend your family going out again this summer. Your kids will be experts on the animals. Plus, you have to take them back soon to see those baby otters when their mom brings them out in a couple of weeks. I can't wait! Make sure you stop in and say hi to Jeff as well. 

Tomorrow is Hawaii day. Your child may choose to dress the part. Those that do, will earn $100. Please wear sunscreen and a hat. Kids also should bring a beach towel to sit on outside. We will be outside for at least an hour. Those that did not have their Hawaii folders completely done and done correctly will not be able to participate tomorrow. They will not get their $200 refunded either. They knew this when they left last Thursday. Choices...consequences. They are DUE tomorrow for a grade. 

Mr. English has put out a challenge. It is national bike or walk to school week. Kids will be asked daily, starting tomorrow, if they walked or biked to school. Those that say yes at least two time will be allowed to put their name in a drawing for some fun prizes on Friday. Beautiful day for a walk or ride. :0)

Well, have a great night. Homework tonight is to play outside for at least a half hour. Enjoy! 

Busy, Busy, Busy Upcoming Week!

Well hello there. I don't know about Billings, but Silesia is getting some rain this morning! Don't you just love the sound of rain?

Yesterday was the last day to send in those mail-in ballots and guarantee delivery. If you have not mailed your's in, there is still time. You just need to take it down to the courthouse. If your's is in and accounted for, write VOTE in the planner for $100. If you wrote this last time I asked, write it again and earn more! :0)

A MEGA permission slip came home last Thursday with your child. This sheet has all the events we will be doing to close up the 4th grade academic year. Please take the time to read each event and mark your permission choice, sign the back, and return on Monday for $100. Kids need to bring back the entire sheet. I have copy and pasted all the details written on their for you off to the side under the tab labeled up-coming events.

We head to the zoo on Monday. Please remember those sack lunches. I have four people that ordered one. We will have them here and ready. We will NOT be bringing a cooler. Lunches will stay in their backpacks. Students may bring electronics for the bus ride if they want. They are THEIR responsibility however. While at the zoo, all electronics must be off and in the backpack. Kids need to wear sunscreen and dress for warm weather. It is supposed to be a beautiful day! Please do NOT send cameras on any field trip. I will post some pictures on the blog.

Speaking of pictures and blogging. I noticed the other day that you can turn my blog into a book. I am going to try it this year. I think it would be the coolest yearbook one could get. I am not sure if you can order them??? Can someone advise me on this?? Do you see a tab or link for this? I know that the videos won't be on there obviously, but the pictures will. Pretty cool!

Tuesday is Hawaii Day. Kids may dress the part. Those that do, will earn a $100. We will spend the afternoon outside having some Hawaii Fun. In SS, we went on a four day tour of the islands. Your child should have brought home their folder for homework. They were given a list of fun things they could do on each island. They had to select three on each island. At the end they had to make sure that their trip was within budget. Each student was budgeted $400. This was a great real world lesson. Many figured out that while on vacation, they can't always do EVERYTHING they want to do. So, they have to learn to prioritize and make hard decisions. Now, at home, they have to create illustrations of themselves doing the events they picked. This is their ticket into Hawaii Day on Tuesday. If it is not done, with 4th grade effort, then they will have to sit this one out. They also had a $200 buy in. Almost all of them have already paid that. It will be a day of great fun! Aloha!!!

Thursday is our talent show. We have a handful of kids ready to go. The deadline for sign-up was last Thursday. Those that are in, practice, practice, practice. Remember, you need to bring your own music or tell me where to find it online.

Thursday is also our "secret" field trip. We need to go off campus for a special something for a special someone. We will go in the afternoon after lunch. We will only be gone for about an hour and a half or so. Kids need to bring $1.00 on that day. They may NOT bring more than that. Thanks for trusting us on this one. :0)

Friday, is baby egg day! Your child will become a parent to a hard boiled egg for the day. Congratulations, you are grandparents. AHHHHHH!!!!!! :0) I do this every year around this time in honor of Mother's and Father's Day. Kids get a real dose of just how much responsibility there is in caring for an egg. They have to take it everywhere they go for the entire day. One student already commented that he was upset because now he couldn't play hard at recess. I said...um...ya. I told him, that I am sure his mom and dad had to give up some fun things they wanted to do because of him...like sleep! :0) Kids may bring a small crib to keep their egg in on their desk while they are working. It may not be bigger than a checkbook box. Again, I had a child ask if they could take the bed outside. I replied with, do you think your parents pushed your crib outside every time they went out there??? Nope! Too funny. At the end of the day, I have them write a letter to you expressing their thoughts and feelings. They are always rewarding to read!

Besides all that, we will continue on with our normal academics. We will be zooming through MT History. Where did the time go??? I would like MT to at least become a state before we leave the 4th grade. :0) We sure have had fun building the interactive notebooks this year though. I love that they all still know so much. I will be presenting this way of teaching to many other 4th grade teachers this summer. Many of your kiddos will be featured in the video I show them displaying our journey. I am so proud of this!

Lastly, I want to give a gentle reminder to a few students: Ethan, Collin, Alexis, and McKenzy. These students still need to bring back their picture packets or money to purchase them. Please do that on Monday. Reminder notes from LifeTouch came home with your child on Thursday.  Thanks.

Amazing Kids! Amazing Concert!

Hi! The concert was sooooooo awesome. Many teachers have come to us and said that it was the best concert yet! A HUGE thank you to Mr. Goodheart for all that he did. Well done E4! If you missed it, you can catch the recorded version by clicking on the link off to the right.

Midterms came home today. If your child has a low grade, it might be due to missing work. I attached the missing work sheet to the midterm if that applies to your child. Please write the word MIDTERM in the planner for $50 tomorrow if you see them tonight. They are yours to keep.

That about says it all. Have a wonderful night!

Concert Tomorrow: 1:30 in the Gym

Hi. What a crazy weather day. Snow one minute, sunshine the next. Gotta love that Montana weather.

Tomorrow is the recorder concert. I have put the link to watch it live from home or office or wherever you might be with internet access. All you have to do is click on the link that says Recorder Concert Live and it will go right to my ustream channel. If you don't see anything, it may be too early. The concert begins at 1:30. If you can't do the live version, you can always watch it later in the same place as I will record it. Just go off to the right and select the one that says Recorder Concert Live 2013. I hope all of you can join us in the gym, but if not here is an alternative. :0)

Students that dress the part tomorrow (Sunday Best) will earn $100. That means hair brushed and clean, nice clothes on. I need to be able to tell they made an effort to look better than their normal dress. I know Mr. Goodheart will appreciate it. :0)

This morning I shared a hidden talent that I discovered of my son a few days ago. He is an amazing little drummer by ear!  I asked if your child has a hidden talent. We will showcase those talents in our classroom talent show next Thursday. They need to sign up by this Thursday. They can do any school appropriate talent. This is completely optional.

The trip to the Grewell Ranch will be on Tuesday, May 21st. We will be gone all day. We will serve a hotdog branding lunch with lots of fixings! If your child doesn't like hotdogs then they will need to pack a lunch. Students will need to have permission and buy in for $500. Most already have. :0)

I soooooo enjoyed reading and sharing your parent homework this morning in reading class. Thanks so much for doing that. What a fun way to connect to their new novel. We read Ch. 1 today. Charlotte won the horse race against all the boys. Yay girls!!! Her horse is not sick however, and somebody is getting adopted soon. They had a great time predicting whom it would be. Read 180 and Learning Center kiddos are also reading this book as it is a lot of the Ranch field trip. Awesome!

We wrapped up our Hands On Equations in math. We ended on a 9th grade level and the kids wanted more. They were rockin it. We were balancing equations with legal moves and taking out values of zero. Say what??? Yep. They were super advanced. Ask them about it and if they enjoyed being challenged. If they share with you, write EQUATIONS in the planner for $20.

Well, that about sums up our day. Have a great night!

Field Trip Moved To Next Monday!

Hi there. It was a busy day today in E4.

First and very importantly, a HUGE thank you to Mrs. Gleason for organizing the amazingly fun STEM science night last Friday. The kids had GREAT things to say about it today in CC Meeting! Thanks for all that you did. I know that you put in a TON of time!

Secondly, and almost equally important, we changed the field trip to Zoo Montana from tomorrow to next Monday. The weather is not supposed to be very outdoor friendly tomorrow, and our good friend Jeff the Zoo Guy had an important meeting come up that would have stole him away from us for part of the day. He is soooooo awesome at making all that we do come to life so we agreed to switch to a better day for all. So, we will hop on the bus next Monday instead. A new field trip slip went home today. If your child was not able to attend due to the lack of your or my permission, then I did NOT send home a new slip. We will be in school tomorrow for a regular day. Please still pack your child's lunch tomorrow, as our cafeteria did not plan on us eating in there when ordering food for the week. Those that ordered a lunch, they will have food for you! Thanks!

We have some movies coming up in class for many different reasons. Would you be willing to send in a snack that we could use to allow kids to buy like a movie theater concession stand? Candy bars, pop (cans only), chips, popcorn, fruit snacks or roll ups, juice boxes/bags, homemade treats, store bought cookies (no cupcakes please), or whatever kids like these days??? If you do, I will pay your child $50. This is always a fun way for them to spend their hard earned cash. I wish I could do it for them, but we have depleated our 4th grade funds for field trips and busses. Thanks for you help. We will not need them until at least next week. Send them in anytime. :0)

We finished our Owls in the Family book today. The kids came up with quite the list of facts about the Great Horned Owl. They will get to see one and dissect an owl pellet on our zoo field trip. Awesome! Tonight's homework is to pick a character from the story and to write them a letter. Their letter needs to have correct punctuation, capitalization, and show evidence from the story. I gave them ideas in class today. They also must use a heading, greeting, body paragraph(s), a closing, and a signature. They HAVE to have at least 5 topics from the story. They are NOT to tell the character what they learned, but rather interact with the character in a conversation as if they character would write them back. There is no size limit. It just needs to fit the above criteria.

We took our 50 states and capitals PREtest today. We will grade it tomorrow. This allows kids to bring it home and study the ones that they have forgotten. They will have all the right answers when they leave. I suggest that they make flashcards for the states and capitals that they struggle on, and I also suggest that they play the state location games off to the right. If you have a US puzzle at home that would be a good idea too. I know the dollar store has them for a buck. Might be worth it. Our test will be in a couple of weeks. I will announce the actual date when it comes closer. Ask your child how this went for them. If they share, write MAP in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

Kids in my spelling class took test 7 today. They are coming home with their corrected tests to study tonight.

Thank you to those that have written your end of the year letter! I love the feedback. Please send them in at any time.

Lastly, if your child is in my reading class, then YOU have homework tonight! Yes, YOU!!! :0) We started a new novel today in reading class. It is called Riding Freedom. The main character is Charlotte. Today, the kids learned about what she was like as a baby up thru the age of 2. They have a slip for you to fill out. The directions are on the sheet. This will be worth a grade, and kids need to be able to share their connections tomorrow in class. This helps us compare and contrast with stories. Thanks for your willingness to share.

Well, that about says it all. Have a super night. It is going to be cold tomorrow, so please remind your responsible child to dress for the weather. :0) Thanks.

Happy Birthday Cameron!

Customize your own free photo slideshow

Hi there. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend, and enjoying the finally spring weather! I heard a rumor that snow is not out of our sight quite yet, and that there is a possibility of it on Tuesday. I hope not. That is our zoo field trip day.

This Wednesday is our recorder concert. Mr. Goodheart has done such a great job preparing these kiddos for this. If you are unable to attend watch for online LIVE link information coming home on Monday. The link will be off to the right under Ms. Erickson's Favorite Websites. The concert is at 1:30 in the gym. Come early for a great seat! It will last about 20-30 minutes. Ask your child what their favorite song is that they will be playing for you. If they tell you, write it in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

Friday was STEM science night. I heard it was fun, fun, fun! I was sorry that I was unable to make it after all. If your child attended with an adult please write STEM in the planner for their $300 reward.

Don't forget that I am offering the $500 reward for the end of the year letter to me. This letter should tell me what worked for you and your child, what didn't work, how your child changed while in my class, the amount of communication with you, and things you have noticed that have applied at home as well as school. I love this feedback, and it helps me become a better teacher for the following year. Just send it in with your kiddo or mail it to Bitterroot. I would love these anytime before the end of the year. Thanks in advance!

Sebastian was our star of the week last week. He was the last one. He shared so many fun pictures of him and his family growing up. Such a cute little baby! He also shared some of his skateboarding skills, which were really amazing. What a talented kiddo. The video is in the smilebox above.

Next week is a short week. There is no school on Friday due to the district music festival. Monday thru Thursday though will be packed with everyday learning. We will start our new and last novel in reading to prepare us for the Grewell Ranch field trip. We will also hit MT History hard again. We will see how Montana started to become an organized and legal state when the gold rush settled in. Then, the farmers and ranchers come next. Busy, busy!

Lastly, it was time for our monthly Purple Hand Cookie Nominations and awards. There were some good ones this time. Natalie and Alyssa were nominated by Kenzi for coming over to her when they noticed that she was sitting along the wall alone at recess. It made her feel wonderful to be noticed and seeked out. Awesome girls! Daniel was nominated by Olivia for inviting her to play a really fun game with him at recess. Well done Daniel! Chloe was nominated by Alexis. Alexis did not have a white board marker and needed one. Chloe happened to notice this and realized that she had extras that she wouldn't need before the year ended. So, she gave one to Alexis without even being asked. What a kind heart you have Chloe. Lastly, Austin was nominated by Alyssa for showing a huge change in his attitude lately. He has been working hard to let things go and be more positive. Many other students also had nice things to say about all the changes they have seen in Austin this month. Austin took home the cookie, and it was well deserved! Way to go buddy!

Well, have a wonderful Sunday.

Have You Mailed In Your Vote?

Hi there. What a beautiful day!

I was out this morning watching my little Emma's music concert, so the kids had a sub. She was sooooooooo impressed with the amount of respect shown to her, for me, and for each other. I mean she was really impressed. That warmed my teaching heart. Love that they love to make themselves proud!

A special thank you has to be given to Miss. Olivia. She ran our morning meeting (and even took away a letter for the class talking. Yay!!! A miniature Ms. Erickson!). She also gave the spelling test. The sub she did a great job and she will be a great future teacher if she ever decides too. Thank you so much Olivia! I am proud of you. I am also proud of the class for respecting her.

We finished up our worm unit today. We only have a few questions left to answer. If you or your child has time to google them I would be willing to give a $100 reward for the answers. Here are the questions we still have left:

1. Why do they call worms worms?
2. Do worms have a brain?
3. Do worms have a special communication system they use to talk with each other?
4. Why do they have segments?
5. What does the inside of a worm look like (If you want to open one up and pin it down so we can all look at it that would be awesome, but I just can't be the one to do it!!!) I will double the money on this one!

If we can't find the answers we will ask Jeff when we go to the zoo next Tuesday.

Don't forget that the recorder concert is next Wednesday at 1:30 in the gym. I will also be recording it and streaming it live from my ustream channel. I will send info home on how to do that next week. I know that sometimes it is impossible to get off work. At least this way, you could tune in from work and watch the concert from your office. :0) They sure have worked hard, and I know that they always love looking out and seeing family supporting them.

As the year comes to a close next month, I always ask for feedback from parents. I love to hear what your kiddo learned, what you liked, what you think was not as effective, how well I communicated with you throughout the year, and changes you noticed at home within your child while they were in my class. If you could write me a letter before the year ends letting me know these things I would so appreciate it. I read them and reflect on them before the next year starts. Because this is so important to me, if you write me a letter sharing your thoughts and reflections, your child will earn $500. That is a whole field trip! You can just send them with your child or mail them to the school at 1801 Bench Blvd, 59105. Thanks in advance!

Lastly, the ballots are out. Have you voted yet? If you have mailed in your ballot for the school levy, please write I VOTED in the planner for $100.

Have a wonderful night!

Rodeo Up!

Hello there. What a great comeback today was. Busy and back in action! I just love the 4th grade, and daily I remind myself how very lucky I am to be blessed with a job that I enjoy. Kids are great, great, great!

Today is the bike rodeo. It is spring time, and that means bike riding! Hopefully, your child was able to come on over, get some bike exercise, and get their bike tuned up if needed. This is perfect timing as we will need to be all tuned up and ready to go for our last day bike ride to the park.  I am sorry that I didn't get the word out a little better on this one. I was out when all the explaining went home. Those that did attend may earn $300 tomorrow however. We love when you guys participate in our school/home connections. Just write RODEO in the planner and I will pay them tomorrow. Please remind kiddos to always wear those helmets.

I allowed kiddos to buy into three more upcoming events today: Pompey's Pillar Field Trip $500, Grewell Ranch Field Trip $500, and Hawaii Fun Day $200. Many were able to buy in no problem. Save, save, save. Permission slips will come home in May.

Homework tonight is to study for spelling tests, read, and finish up those ecosystem adaptation packets for my reading class. Now that our reports are done, I will be giving regular nightly homework again. Yay!!!

In science today, we talked about Great Horned Owls. Ask your kiddo if they can tell you three really cool facts that they learned today regarding these awesome creatures! If they can write HOOT in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

Have a great night!

Back to Ms. Erickson Tomorrow!

Hello there. It was sooooo great to come to school today for the worm farm presentation. I sure have missed the kiddos! It was also fun for the class to be able to meet Beau. He wanted to go outside and play with them for recess but there just wasn't time. Next time. :0)

The presentation was very interesting. Who knew there was so many facts about worms? Like....what is a worm farmer actually called???? It stems from the word that means the study of worms. Say what??? Ask your child or google it, and write the name of it in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

Mr. Pertuit said the kids were just great! I am very proud of them. I did hear that they were so into their ecology reports that they forgot to do their spelling test and DOL today. Too funny! That is great that they were working that hard. No worries, there is always tomorrow. So....test tomorrow!

Well, that about says it all for today. More tomorrow when I know more. Have a great night!

Happy Earth Day!

Hi there. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! The Grewell ranch is LOVING this!

I spoke with Mr. Pertuit on Friday. He said the kids were GREAT and that they all were well behaved. I knew they could do it! Way to make yourselves proud kiddos! Now, let's keep it up. Mr. Pertuit will be there for the next two days as well.

Above you will see my little sister, Kristy, and I up in Red Lodge at her favorite spot. I sure do miss her a lot. Please keep us in your prayers tomorrow if you think about it. It will be a happy yet hard day for my family. She was and always will be my best friend. I will spend the day doing something that she loves. There is a reason that she was born on Earth Day. She LOVED saving the environment. So, as I am walking around tomorrow I will be collecting trash in her honor. I asked that the kiddos do the same as their homework tomorrow night. Take a look at your neighborhood, yard, kids bedroom, baseball field and see if there are things that can be thrown away, or better yet, recycled. She will be smiling down on us all if we do! Thanks!!!!

Kids will finish their ecosystem reports tomorrow. They have done a great job thus far. I am so proud to report that almost every single student scored a 100% on their states and capital's test. WOWZERS!!! We will have a test on all 50 before the end of the year. We will do a lot of reviewing at school, but the games on the blog would be a great way to study at home.

On Tuesday, the worm lady will be at Bitterroot. I can't wait to see all that she does, says, and brings. How cool is that!

I will not blog again until Tuesday night. Enjoy your next few days! Thanks for all that you do!

Thank You Mother Nature!

Hi there!!!

First and foremost tonight's homework! ALL student MUST play outside! :0) Finally, the cold has come and gone and we can play, play, play outside. So, out they go. That is their only homework besides to study for the spelling and states and capital's test for tomorrow. We reviewed both in class today.

The ecosystem dioramas were super neat! It was fun to have the kids compare theirs to a different ecosystem of a friend. There was a TON of 4th grade effort shown. I am proud to display them in the hallway. We will rap up the reports early next week.

I am out tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday. Mr. Pertuit will be here. There will be a blog post on Sunday. I told kiddos to be the best THEM while I am gone, and to make THEMSELVES proud. I know they will be great!

Have a wonderful night, weekend, and next few days.

Dioramas Due Tomorrow!

Hi there.

Wednesday was a great day. I am impressed how well the class has been keeping their letters as a class. We have yet to have to run any laps. Good thing too, as one minute our field is dry and the next is snowy and wet. Loving this weather though as a rancher. Man, we need all of this moisture and more.

Today we had a guest speaker in class. Julie was from NorthWest Energy. She came in and talked to the class about being careful around electricity found in power lines, lightning, and outlets in our homes. Kids also learned that when their family is going to do a project that requires them to dig they should dial a specific number to have someone come out and mark lines BEFORE digging. Ask your child what that number is. If they can share that with you, write it in the planner for $20. They also learned how to escape a car that has a power line down on it or around it. Have them show you this (like get up and show you show you). If they do, write the verb that they are doing when getting out of the car in the planner for another $20.

Due to the guest speaker, we only had time to take our spelling test. Therefore, there are no words to study tonight. We will take test 3, grade it tomorrow, and send it home tomorrow for study. Test 3 will be taken on Friday.

Dioramas are due tomorrow for my reading class. Please have kids bring them in, and they may bring them right down instead of taking them out to morning walk. We will enjoy looking at them and comparing our ecosystems with other group's ecosystem tomorrow. Our projects in class are coming right along. Hoping to finish those up in the next few days. When finished, they will be on display in the hallway.

I think that about does it. Have a great night!

Ecosystem CrAzY!!!!

Hello there.

Thanks for the speedy return of the permission slips to the zoo. Those that still need to, please do so as soon as you can. They are due no later than Friday.

As you can see our worm farm is still looking pretty active. I snapped a few shots this morning when I first came in. I meant to show the class these when we were doing science but I forgot. Please share them with them now. See how the worm is curled up in a spiral. Ask your child how this is possible for a worm to do. If they can tell you write the word invertebrate in the planner for $20. You can also see the other worm making a burrow (tunnel). Super, super cool. The kids have enjoyed just hanging out observing the farm each day.

As you can also see we were busy, busy, busy in reading class today. The ecosystem reports have begun. Today, we did our paper towel food chain. Kids had to start with a top predator and make their way down the chain to the producer. We also began to post our Wordles of our consumers, producers, and non-living objects. What is a wordle? Ask your kiddo!!! Tomorrow we will continue on with our predator/prey mystery doors and animal/plant adaptation wheels. They are starting to come together. Hopefully they will be done by Friday! Remember, those dioramas are due on Thursday. Some kids shared today that they have yet to start. This part is worth 25 of the 100 points. If they don't have one on Thursday they will be down to a C already. Yikes! Please encourage them to get going.

Full Credit Diorama Reminders:
*living plants AND animals (labeled)
*non-living objects
*Ecosystem name
*Student name
*Size of a shoebox at least
*Evident and obvious 4th grade effort

At the end of the day, we did a fun interdependence lab with Cheetos. I used them to demonstrate how a bee or butterfly helps a flower using pollination. Ask your child to share how this was done and what it means. If they can tell you, write the word Cheetos in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

We took our first Sitton Spelling test today. EVERYBODY passed!!!! I had a ton of hundreds. I think now they know that it is not as hard as they thought. They came home with Lesson 2 to study tonight.

States and Capitals test is this Friday.

Just a reminder that I will be gone this Friday for MT. History. I will also be gone on Monday and Tuesday of the next week. Monday is my little sister's birthday. She passed away almost two years ago and she was my best friend. It is just a day that I like to take and go up in the mountains to spend time with her. Her ashes were spread in Red Lodge. It is usually a rough day for me, and it is best that I am not at school that day. Tuesday, I have my little Beau's music program and then I am taking him to lunch for a little prince date with mom. We will be coming to school after lunch though to hear the worm lady's presentation and for the kids to meet Beau. I always talk about them, but they have yet to meet him. :0) Mr. Pertuit will be their sub all three days. He was their sub for PE/HE when Mrs. Buss had her baby. They love him, and they will for sure not miss me one bit with him in the house! Yay! I will blog on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday just like normal.

Mr. English mentioned a bike rodeo here at Bitterroot on April 24th today on Tuesday News Day. I am guessing there will be more information being sent home. I will let you know when I know! I am sure it will be a lot of fun! He even mentioned giving away a couple of bikes. Wowzers! More information to come.

Don't forget to mark those calendars for our STEM Science night here at Bitterroot on April 26th. There will be many fun stations for your kiddos to go through and participate in all sorts of science labs. I can't wait to do this!!!! Many of the kids in here are helping out at a station as well. If that is your kiddo, you have already received a permission slip from Mrs. Gleason earlier this week.

Well, that about covers it. Have a wonderful night!

Did You See the Grade Report???

Hi there. It seems we have a local celebrity in our class. Miss. Olivia was in the Billings Gazette. She was spotted having a great time at Chicks In Science this weekend. Awesome fun times!!!!

Today was a busy day. We started out with PE/Health. Kids are learning about illegal drugs there. This should be a review for these kiddos as we hit that pretty hard way back in Red Ribbon Week.

In CC, we continued on with our Owl story. However, we got so into watching a text to text connection (movie) that we didn't quite get to read today's chapter. I blame the boys. They wanted to watch, watch, watch. Well....ok....so did I. LOVE the movie Sandlot. It was a great connection of how kids come up with solutions to their problems. We will find out how Billy and Bruce solve their owl problem tomorrow.

In Language Arts, we spent the entire 90 minutes on the computers. Kids found their food chain pictures, captured them, and slid them into a word document. They did awesome!!!! What great listeners I had this morning. We then moved onto making 5 wordles, capturing them, and sliding them into the same word document. Then we emailed them all to Ms. Erickson and printed them out on the color printer! Now, we have them ready for tomorrow's fun. Let the posters begin!

We took our first spelling test today. Kids have their corrected one with them to study tonight. Please spend some time with kiddos on this one. It is very different then they are used to, so they will be nervous. Really help them understand when to use which homophone by having discussions about which word to use. Today had its, it's, their, there, they're, and which. They will take test one for a grade, and test 2 for a study guide for tomorrow night.

We took some time to study our states and capitals of the Western states. The test will be on Friday. It will be the same format as always.

Permission slips came home today for the zoo field trip. If I marked that your child does not have my permission to attend then they will NOT be going. Their behavior choices need to change. Hopefully they may join us on the next one. If I marked this, you have heard from me in the past and/or had comments on the report card pertaining to behavior issues. Choices....consequences. If I didn't mark it, then they have my permission to go and I am soooooo proud of their 4th grade choices in class! Please return slips as soon as tomorrow, or as late as Friday. There is no real money cost for this trip.

We ended the day by finishing up our Winnie Finn, Worm Farmer story. Did she win the blue ribbon at the fair? Ask your kiddo and have them retell you the story. If they can, write FINN in the planner for $20 tomorrow.

I did send home grade reports last Friday with the kiddos. I wanted them to see their grades thus far. There are no missing assignments at this time!!!! Yay!!! If you did not see it, please ask them for it. If you did see it, please write GRADE in the planner for another $20 tomorrow.

Thanks so much! Have a wonderful night.

Six More Weeks of Learning Fun!

Hi there. Happy Sunday! It feels weird to be typing this on a Sunday, as we haven't had Monday school in awhile. :0) Full week this week however! Well, at least for the kids. I will be gone on Friday for MT History class. Pretty excited about that!

Testing is DONE! We got all makeups done as well. Everyone is accounted for, and I could not be more proud! We finished off with our language tests on Friday. The scores were out of this world! It really is a reflection on how much the kiddos have learned in one year, and in turn that is a reflection upon me. I honestly do put in a lot of work and planning into your child's education and it looks as if it payed off. Of course it also takes YOU! Your support, encouragement, and discipline at home plays a HUGE factor at school. I appreciate all that you do. Looks like we can all pat ourselves on the back and say JOB WELL DONE! Ask your child how they did on their language test. They needed a 6 point growth and to top out at 207 to be on level and ready for the 5th grade. Again, I am soooooo proud of every single one of my students!

Now that testing is behind us, we can do a little more hands on and different types of learning. We will stop using the regular spelling book and go into a program called Sitton Spelling. This program is designed for kids to spell and use every day words. It takes a bank of frequently used words and puts them into short passages. Many of these words are homophones and contractions. Students need to determine which form of a word to use depending on the context around it. They also need to know when to use a capital and a lower case letter depending on if the word is in the beginning of the sentence, middle, or end. I give the students the passage and it has blanks in it. I then read it aloud to them filling in the blanks as I go. Students need to be able to fill in the words, spell them correctly, and determine capitalization rules quickly. These words are all every day words, and should be known by a 4th grader by now. Many have been our spelling words in previous lessons. Each passage will have words that repeat over and over again. On Monday, I will give the first test. We will then grade it (going over it in HUGE detail) and have it to take home and study. On Tuesday, I will give the same test for a grade. Students that miss one or two words will earn an A. Three to four wrong gets a B. Five wrong will earn a C. More than five wrong and the student will not have passed the test. It is VERY important that they study the words every other night. They only get one chance to pass, and their grade earned is the grade earned. Again, these words are every day words, and should not need a lot of time to study. I have put the words for the first two units off to the right in case kids forget their paper at school. They won't have the context, but they can at least study the words. This is ONLY for my spelling class.

Hopefully my reading class started their ecosystem diorama project at home this weekend. I showed them mine at school the other day, and have posted a picture of it above. Mine was the desert ecosystem. We talked about my expectations. In order to earn full credit, kids need to include: living and nonliving things, producers and consumers (plants and animals), and label their ecosystem and living things. Their name also needs to be written clearly on the box somewhere. Students need to refrain from making things up, and stick to their text and ecosystem report worksheet. I met with each group and we went over each and every part of this sheet together. Students were told to bring home their book and their worksheet to use this weekend. They also HAVE to bring their sheets and books back tomorrow. Dioramas are due on Thursday. They must be at least the size of a shoebox. When I shared mine, I showed them that they can use anything and everything they have at home ALREADY. My supplies came for printed pictures off the internet, clay models, dirt and bushes from my backyard, and hand drawn objects on construction paper. Please don't feel like you have to buy anything for this project. They are ecosystems...that means the outdoor nature! Creativity goes a long way! If your child started or even finished their diorama, please write DIORAMA in the planner for $20 tomorrow. This is MY reading class only.

We started our Owls In the Family book in CC Meeting last week. It is FUNNY already. The class is really enjoying it. We have some fun activities planned to go with it here at school and at the zoo with Jeff on the 30th. Speaking of the 30th...we have good news on that! We are able to pay for the bus and the entrance fee for all kids. Yay!!! So, there will be no charge for the kiddos for this one. Our Pompey trip and the one to our ranch have been paid for by Indian Education for All. That is the organization that MT History was funded by and that Mrs. Hankins and I have been working with all year. They ROCK!!!! So, no charge for you there either! Wowzers!!!!! A HUGE thank you to them for that! All kids will need for all field trips is a sack lunch, $500 buy in, and permission from BOTH you and I. Remember, even if kids can buy in...I may not allow them to attend due to effort issues or classroom behavior choices. I will contact you well in advance if this is your child. Ask your child if they think that they deserve to go on zoo trip coming up. Have they been making positive choices and doing their best on every single assignment. Many, many, many of them can honestly say yes. Some however, need to pull it together. Spring has sprung and some think that school is out. Not quite yet!!!!

Well, that about sums it up. Other than above, it will be business as usual. I leave you with this question to ask your child, What would I find inside a worm's gizzard that helps it to grind up its food? Write the answer in the planner for $20 tomorrow. Have a super night!!!!

Happy Birthday Ethan!

Well, it was another great day in E4 land. Actually, it was a cartwheel down the hall day!!!!! I told kids that I have NEVER seen NWEA scores like the ones they did today!!! I am afraid the testing police are going to come arrest me and blame me for giving them the answers! They were THAT good. The expected growth for a 4th grader in math is 8 points. I had 15 students gain over 10, and 12 of those over 15!!!! Can you say.....OMG!!!! Ask your child what they scored today and what they started out with! These kids learned a TON this year in math! To be on level and ready for the 5th grade, students needed to be at least at a 211. Ask your child where they ended up. Next years teachers will use that data to determine how to help your child in the best possible way next year! I could not be MORE proud then I am right now! ONE PROUD TEACHER!!!! If your child is able to share with you about their scores, write the word PROUD in the planner for $100 tomorrow!

A big happy birthday to Ethan today! He brought some super yummy treats! He wanted everyone to get one, but unfortunately some kiddos again showed less than 4th grade choices so some went without. They sure were yummy though!!!!! Thanks Ethan!

We had a fun time with our 2nd grade buddies today. We wrote Cinquain poems about gummy worms. This was great practice for the 4th graders to learn how to write a Cinquian poem. They will be writing one about their real worms soon.

Well, I think that about does it. Thanks for all you do!!!!

Rocked the Reading Test!!

Hi there. Well, our first day of our very last 4th grade Standardized testing is done. Kids took their reading tests today. This morning I gave them their score from when they took this test at the beginning of the 4th grade. We set two goals.

1. To be on grade level and ready for the 5th grade students should score at least a 207 on this test.
2. To show adequate growth, students should gain at least 6 points to their beginning score no matter what level they are starting on.

NWEA/MAP tests are on each students individual level. As they take it on the computer, it challenges them at their level based on if they get a previous question correct or incorrect. The majority of students in this class are on grade level. Some are below, so hopefully they will make more growth then the 6 required. We want them to get back up to grade level. So for example, if a student is starting out with a score of 187 (below level) we would want them to gain the 20 points needed to bring them back to the 207 (on grade level) rather than just the six. On the other hand, some students are above grade level (like 7th or 8th grade level). It will be VERY difficult for them to grow the 6 needed points because they are sooooooo high already. The questions become VERY difficult on their level. Many times these kiddos only gain one or two points, and sometimes none. Hopefully, they don't go backwards. The bottom line however, is that they are doing great no matter what they score. They are still above grade level. SOOOOOOOO, ask your child what their starting score was today (post it note) and what they scored on the test. If they did their BEST, then they passed the test regardless of what the numbers say! :0) Remember, this is just a test. It does NOT define your child. They should and you should be proud that they honestly did their very best!

Spring pictures arrived today. Lifetouch trusts you to view your child's picture and decide if you want to purchase them. The price list is inside. You may buy the entire packet or just pieces. Whatever you DO NOT buy, needs to come back to school. Please do this by next Friday. Thanks.

A couple of dates for your calendars at home and/or at work:

April 23rd-Worm Lady Presentation
April 30-Field Trip to the Zoo
May1-4th Grade Recorder Concert
May 15-Field Trip to Pompey's Pillar
May 31-Last Day of School, Noon Dismissal, and 4th Grade Bike Trip to the Park

(Watch for more details to come)

I noticed that many of you didn't read the blog yesterday (no code word), so I have added the mill levy information from Dr. Bouck again. If you already read it, please feel free to read it again or skip it. If you have or are reading it now, please write LEVY in the planner for $50 tomorrow. Mail in ballots will be coming in a couple of weeks. Please Vote.

Elementary Technology Levy Fact Sheet:

Every Elementary and Middle School Classroom will have:
*A teacher desktop or laptop
*Wireless Internet Access
*Interactive Projector and/or Whiteboard
*Document Camera

Every Elementary Grade Level in Every Building will have:
*Mobile Learning Devices for Students
*Printer/Scanner
*Assessment Tools
*Classroom Response Systems (Clickers)

Bitterroot will receive $26,324.91 annually forever. The levy is permanent.

How much will the tech levy cost taxpayers?

$100,000 home: $0.84 a month/$10.08 a year
$200,000 home: $1.68 a month/$20.16 a year.

How much will the General Fund Levy (Used to Hire New Teachers) cost taxpayers?

$100,000 home: $0.71 a month/$8.55 a year

$200,000 home: $1.43 a month/$17.10 a year. 

Well, that about sums it up. Have a wonderful night!