Sadowski update 12/8/14... Test date change

Due to the fact that many students are leaving on vacation early next week, I have moved the test back to Tuesday, December 16th.

   For those students who are going to be gone all week next week, they may take the test on Friday.

  They received their review sheets today. If they read this over every day between now and the test they should do just fine.

On Wednesday, December 17th all 5th grade students will have their final test over their 4 month long Forces and Motion Unit. 

I will be sending home a review sheet at the beginning of next week with EVERYTHING that they will need to know and to study to do well on this test. The district is now requiring 90% of our students to achieve an 80% or better on these tests, so we WILL be doing quite a bit of review over the next week and a half to get them ready for this test.

   Students that do not achieve 80 % will need to come in at recesses for review lessons with me on the areas that they scored poorly in, and then will need to retake the test.  And based on what I see in class daily, NO ONE should be clueless as to what we've been studying as we've gone over these concepts daily and weekly!

If you have any questions while helping your child review and prep for this test, don't hesitate to call or email me.

Orange books will also be handed in and graded before Christmas break. I will be checking them at the beginning of next week to ensure that pages that are supposed to be completed are. If the are not, I'll send you an email letting you know that they should be bringing their books home and what lessons that they will need to finish. 

  I can’t believe I forgot to send home the spelling list for the kids week!  I’ll be sure to include next weeks at the bottom of this email.

Some upcoming events in the next couple of weeks.

Next week December 11^th, is the store shopping for gifts. This is a store they set up for the kids to come down and shop for gifts for other members of their family.

Our time slot is 1:45 – 2:00. This is NOT  required! I’ve already asked for ski trip money this month and I know this stuff adds up quick.

Next, on Tuesday, December 16^th we’ll be walking to Generous Hands to pack backpacks and to design Christmas bags and cards for donations. We’ll plan on leaving after recess and will return before the busses roll. If this sounds like fun to you , you are more than welcome to join us!  Make sure you have your student watch the weather and dress appropriately. It could be 50 degrees or snowing again by then so who knows!

Christmas party is still on the 18^th.  You can bring or donate any treat or drink that you would like to. We’re still working on the activities.

I talked to a few of you at conferences regarding your frustration with the new Eureka Math.  As of right now, there is a tentative date set for a Math night for parents at the PAC (performing arts Center) for January 22^nd. Times and details are still being worked out….but it will feature different stations with each grade level showing and teaching some of the skills and concepts your child is learning that are so foreign to the way that we learned.  If you have multiple children at Sunset you should be able to visit each grade level station.   I’ll let you now more when I know more.

Spelling list for this week is as follows:

Prerecorded

Reappear

Postscript

Cooperate

Prehistoric

Posttest

Coauthors

Recharge

Precaution

Postwar

Rejoin

Coexist

Prefix

Coworker

Reform

Prepaid

Refresh

Postdate

Reenter

reclaim

Sadowski update 11/24

Tomorrow the kids have a math test over the review sheet they brought home this weekend. 

They also have a social studies quiz over their Africa unit  tomorrow, and on Wednesday their Northeast region test.

I've given all the kids a heads up that I WOULD be emailing this information home to you tonight and that their red and blue folders should probably come home for studying. 

Spelling this week is a review week...... Due to the shortened week, I'll randomly pick 10 words to quiz them on Wednesday morning.  Words are as follows:

armor

stern

linen

morsel

relate

relative

ample

vigor

worse

aircraft

welfare

burglar

modern

penalty

reside

resident

peril

prison

scarlet

Have a great rest of your week and a super Thanksgiving!

Sadowski update 11/19/14

I hope this email finds you well and not cursing at the snow and unseasonably cold temperatures!  It could be worse! A  friend of mine in New York state  has over 50 inches of snow to deal with and shovel!

Couple things.... Conferences for those who have not had conferences yet have been shifted to next Tuesday. If for some reason Tuesday next week doesn't work, let me know, and we can work out a different date and time. 
  Girls on the run....   We have space for 60 girls for GOTR and currently have only 7 signed up!  If your young lady would be interested in this, please let me know asap.  I know this time of year every penny is either going to bills or presents for the Holiday season so let me know if you would like to be considered for a scholarship.

Christmas.... 5th grade generally does their holiday party together in the cafeteria. We divide up into crafty stations for the afternoon with one of the stations being an eating holiday treats station.  Any treat you would like to donate or bring would be welcome. Just like the Halloween party, you only would have to bring enough for a class worth, not every 5th grader.
We typically have our holiday party on Thursday rather than Friday. Friday we reserve for wrapping up our units, tests and cleaning up our rooms and lockers.   The last few years we haven't done a gift exchange.... we've collected socks for generous hands... we've given to toys for tots...In other words we've given to others rather than to receive ourselves. I'm not sure what we're doing this year as an entire 5th grade but I will let you know as soon as I talk to Lynne and Chris.

In science right now we are working with and talking about the 6 simple machines.
Wheel and axle
pulley
wedge
inclined plane (ramp)
screw
lever
Today for instance we talked about what kinds of simple machines are on or in a vehicle. For example pulley's move the serpentine belt that runs the alternator. Windshield wipers are examples of wedges on the end of levers.  Ask them how many examples they can name the next time they're in a car with you.

Spell list for this week is as follows:
inform
ornament
disappear
pioneer
important
warmth
serious
forever
reward
appear
perform
force
peer
weary
pier
fortune
career
pierce
formal
enormous

Thanks so much!

11/11/14

PTA and Student Council are doing a Hat Day on Friday for the Hall family. Your kids will have letters in their mailboxes and these will go home today.
PTA Meeting is Wednesday at 6pm in the library

Picture Retake is THIS Thursday make sure that the children bring back their old picture package

Popcorn Day is Friday.

Thanks!

Sadowski update 11/10

Tomorrow is Veterans day.  All Sunset 5th graders will be traveling to the memorial park to the east of Family Fare to observe the memorial. Please Please please have kid dress for the weather as starting tonight it will start to get cold and snowy (Gah!)  Gloves/mittens and hats will be a must.

  Also... I had a student remind me of a really cool gift idea for that hard to please child 
On the World Wildlife Federation website you can choose one of dozens of endangered stuffed animals to "adopt" for $25.00.  The $25.00 will get you the animal, some information cards about that species, as well as an adoption certificate for that species.  All money paid will go to the preservation, protection and rebuilding of that endangered species.
The link is:
http://gifts.worldwildlife.org/gift-center/Default.aspx?sc=AWY1200WCGA4&gclid=CMms3JL68MECFU-CMgod7VgABA

Click on adoptions in the upper right corner to learn more.



Round one of conferences are done... and many parents expressed their frustration with the new math.. specifically when it came to helping out their student.

So!  I'm resending the link that I sent out in September.  The link will take you to a Youtube video which will help you by using your child's homework identify and find HOW each lesson was taught and what they are supposed to work on at home.  This youtube link then takes you to another site called "Learnzillion" which provides videos to repeat instruction that students may not have understood in class. It will also finally give you parents a much needed resource so that you can understand they methods that they are being taught.

I had to watch the video a few times to get the hang of it... but I found it most beneficial to have the video playing on my phone so I could pause at certain points to navigate my computer screen based on the homework assignment the kids were given last week. (I had some extras).

Give this link a shot.... it will be confusing in the beginning.... but I think if you play around with it a bit, it will be a huge help!

web link below that can help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT_uMvtIYhQ

Also... please remember our classroom blog.... mrssadowski.blogspot.com   I post all emails I send to this site so if you forget one, or need some dates but you already deleted an email I sent, you can go here and scroll down as far back as you need to.

Spelling list for this week is as follows:
repair
aware
carpet
pardon
guard
remark
scarce
declare
argue
department
vary
prepare
flair
article
farther
regard
area
harvest
despair
flare

Sadowski Update 10/29/14

First!  I can see the kids' mailboxes from here and judging by how many of them forgot their mail I thought I'd email you with a Halloween update.
Parade tomorrow starts at 2:15.  No rain, we march around the bus ramp.
Rain... we march around the inside halls.

Teachers theme tomorrow is "The 80's".  Please feel free to join us in this.... I know I still have a stone washed denim jacket that is just screaming to be worn tomorrow!

Kids party will immediately follow in the cafeteria.  Any food or drinks you are donating will be set up in the cafeteria during recess.  The auction will begin as the kids are eating their goodies. Any parents available to pour drinks and spread out food are appreciated!

Second... conference slips... I still have a chunk not back yet.  If you've emailed me we're good! If not, please get those slips back as soon as possible.  Students are allowed and encouraged to sit in on their conferences this year.  There isn't anything that I will say to you that I haven't already told them anyway so they are more than welcome. If however you want a conference without them that is just fine too.

3rd....Spell test is tomorrow since we don't have school on Friday. Which reminds me that I didn't even  email the list home this week.

Spell List for this week:

citizen
profession
governor
companion
solution
mention
common
senator
mission
section
million
oven
differ
bother
mayor
copper
dozen
motor
onion


Thanks!

Ok2say

Dear Sunset Parents,
On September 2, 2014, Michigan launched OK2SAY, a new program that enables students (and others) to confidentially report potential harm or criminal activities involving students, schools, or school employees.  OK2SAY’s focus is on early intervention and prevention, acting as an early warning system to thwart school tragedies before they occur.  Students (and others) can submit tips 24/7 by telephone, text, email, mobile app, and via a web-based form on the OK2SAY website at www.mi.gov/ok2say. 
Tips can be filed on a wide range of issues, including: planned school attacks, weapons at school, assault, bullying/cyberbullying, threats, gang activity, and more.  Upon receipt of a tip, specially trained OK2SAY operators will address the immediate need and, as necessary, forward the information to the appropriate responding agency or organization.  Most tips are expected to go to schools and local law enforcement agencies, but in some instances, tips may go to local Community Mental Health agencies and/or the Michigan Department of Human Services. 
 If you have questions about the OK2SAY program, please contact the OK2SAY Program Director, Sue Sanford, at (517) 335-0855.
Thank you!

OK2SAY Program 
Michigan Department of Attorney General

Call: 8-555-OK2SAY (855-565-2729)
Text: 652729 (OK2SAY)
Email: OK2SAY@mi.gov
www.mi.gov/ok2say

---

10/23/14 Red Ribbon Week next week!

The following is an email just received from our school counselor regarding "Red Ribbon Week"
Activities include dress up days.

Monday - Wear Red hearts, bulldog or sunset lake clothing.... the idea is to love your self enough not to do drugs
Tuesday - "Follow your dreams and don't do drugs" -  Pajama day

Wednesday - "Stomp out Drugs" - Mismatched shoe day

Thursday - "Hats off to being drug free" - Hat day

Friday - NO school ... records day

Email:
I am attaching the dress up days beginning Monday, Oct. 27^th for Red Ribbon Week.  All teachers will receive a colored copy of the dress up days to hang in your classroom.  Please start making these announcements as early as this afternoon to give notice to the students of what is to come next week!  I will also be sending a note home to communicate the week’s excitement with parents.

Pat thought that the original plan of 9:05 for the first assembly would be too soon…so we are going to move the start time
to 9:10-10:00 for 3^rd-5^th grade and 10:10-11:00 for BK-2^nd grade.
At the end of the assembly, please expect to receive some hand outs.  First of all, the magician will be handing out order forms that need to be returned by the next day.  This is how he can offer his services free to us!  However, ordering is not required.

Please remember that the magician will be passing out order forms for students to purchase a magic wand or magic book if they would like to.  Each item is only $5 and he will need the students to return the order form the very next day with $.

On your way out, you will be handed Red Ribbon pencils to hand out to every student in your classroom.  This will help promote the excitement of the week and also give them an extra pencil…I’m sure that is always a plus.  (Thanks Pat!)

The special teachers have graciously helped out with activities in their rooms this year, so I did not think it was necessary to ask the classroom teacher to do any extra red ribbon activity in your classroom except for help promote the dress up days and the excitement for the contest..
Beth Foster had some of her classes make beautiful posters that will be put up in the hallway starting today at 5^th grade recess!
Angi is working on a red ribbon theme activity for a PE class!
Patty Heintzelman is teaching the 4^th/5^th grade classes a Red Ribbon song with instruments!

Thanks for all that the specials teachers are doing to help support Red Ribbon Week !

Yes, the contest…there will be a drawing on Thursday PM and the top three classrooms that are drawn (based on daily participation in dress up days) will be given a small prize to every student in the class.

Sadowski update 10/22/14

Halloween!

Our 5th grade Halloween party will immediately follow the parade on October 30th ( Remember the 31st is records day)
   All 5th graders will be assembling in the cafeteria for a treat and drink buffet.  Parents can bring anything that you would like to (drink or food) and are NOT required to bring enough for all 3 classes. We find that enough people bring a classroom set of something for the kids to have a lot to choose from.  For example if one parent brings in a bag of chips, another will bring in 25 brownies, another 25 cookies etc.  And 2 liters are easy if you just want to bring juice or a drink. Whatever you would like to donate is fine.

While the kids are munching we will have a ticket auction and they can bid on and win any of the items that we'll have available for them.  We'll explain the bidding process to them, but many of them have already seen storage wars or other type auction shows and are pretty familiar with how this goes.

The Midwest region test is ALSO on this same day during switch in their social studies class.
There will be a blank map and a "key" with all the state names .. you can actually go online and google "blank midwestern states map" and print out some nice practice sheets for your student to practice.
If all states are spelled (there is a key!) correctly and labeled correctly they will earn a 3.0.  If however they are able to list as many capitol and major cities (these must be spelled correct too) for those same states they can earn a 4.0 WITH an extra credit point that can be applied to any other upcoming states test that they might not do so well on.

And FINALLY.... next week is Red Ribbon week. On Monday all students will have an anti bullying assembly in which a magician will perform working anti bullying into his work.

Wednesday the 29th, all students will travel the the PAC to catch a 10:25 musical preview of the middle school play.  We should return at about 11:10.  Buell's class will be traveling to the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts and then to the Kalamazoo Valley Museum that day due to the fact that her room will be torn apart as the district installs new document cameras etc in her room. So there will be no "switch" that day.  As Mrs. Vandermei and I find out when our installation day is going to be, we will also schedule the same field trip for our students. I'll try to give you at least a 2 week heads up in case anyone would like to chaperone this trip.

Conference forms will come home tomorrow..... The return date says Friday but I've been switching some people around last minute so as long as I have it by Tuesday of next week, that is fine.

That's it! Thanks so much!

spelling list 10/20

Spelling list for this week is as follows:

humble
angel
council
pupil
final
normal
angle
syllable
festival
panel
evil
rural
fossil
scramble
marvel
loyal
general
parcel
civil
counsel

10/1 Upcoming events

Upcoming events and other information.....
Wednesday, October 15th we will have our annual square dance in the cafeteria.  Usually Mrs. Heintzleman sends out invites asking of parents would like to come and dance with their child or if they would just like to come and watch. (It's a hoot!)  Kids (and parents) are welcome to dress up in western garb for the dance.

Thursday October 16th we will be going to the OEC in the afternoon.  We decided to do the OEC trip in the afternoon only this year due to the large size of the group.  Lunch will be eaten earlier that day and we will depart around 12:30 and return before the busses roll.  Please watch the weather.  Unless it is pouring, we'll be going.

  This also means that if your child is allergic to bees, wasps etc, I will need to have their epi pen with me for them just in case.  I pick up all meds from the office before we leave. We had quite an issue with bees last year during our fall visit... but it was also almost 80 degrees so I'm sure that played a major roll in their activity. Hopefully by going later this year the temp will be down and the bees less active!

Halloween this year will be celebrated on Thursday the 30th as we have records day on the 31st.  This is also the day that they kids will have their big Midwest Region Test in Social Studies.  They should already have, or should be getting these maps to study soon.

Social Studies students will also be starting a research project on Native Americans this month.  Mrs. Buell will assign a tribe/cultural group to each student and they will be spending time in class and in flex lessons with Mrs. Negri learning how to do research and how to use and cite primary and secondary sources.  Their final paper will be turned in for a writing grade as well as a social studies grade.  More info on that should be coming to you shortly.

 A.R... I'm still looking at better options for this.... but for now I'm only going to insist that they meet their 100% goal on October 30th.  Whether or not they hit 25%, 50% or 75% isn't too much of an issue with me.. but those benchmarks are a good measure of how close they are getting to their final goal. For instance by now they should have at least half of their points. Considering that we've read 5 books in class together  (all A.R.) and that most of their goals are set between 12 and 15 points, this is more than an achievable goal.

I also encourage kids to read non A.R.  books.  They can fill out a sheet in the back of my room for either fiction or non fiction and upon reviewing the sheet I will take the amount of points I think the book is worth off of their goal.  There are just so many book that are fantastic but that are not on A.R.

That's all for now!
Have a great night!

Sadowski update 9/29

Happy Monday!

   Tomorrow is the day we go to the book fair as a class.  If the kids forget their money they can bring it on Thursday and shop in the morning.

Tomorrow is also the day that best selling author "Jonathan Rand" (Author of both Michigan and American Chiller books) is coming to visit us at 10:00 a.m.  (So exciting!)  As a result switch for math /social studies/ and science will only be a 1/2 hour rather than the usual 50 minutes.

Spell pages for this week are pages 32 - 34 and page 35 ( top part only.)  Page 32 was assigned today and worked on the first part of this morning.

Spelling list for this week is as follows:
1. launch
2. shawl
3. false
4. author
5. install
6. loss
7. broad
8. audience
9. drawing
10. caution
11. lawyer
12. recall
13. astronaut
14. office
15. scald
16. automobile
17. drawn
18. broth
19. awful
20. flaw

Sadowski classroom update 9/22 spell list!

Coming home some time this week are the field trip permission slips that you filled out in the beginning of the year. I've copied them and am sending the original back to you.  Keep this somewhere where you can locate it before trips so that you can remember whether or not you're packing your student  a lunch or whether they are getting one from school.  I'll let the lunch room know the same based on the information that i have.

Spelling page 26 was assigned in class today and students had approx. 15 minutes to work on it. Those not done will need to finish this up tonight.

Math homework for tonight is one sheet that was passed out at the end of the day after I received it.
Spelling list for this week is as follows:
1. humid
2. remove
3. prove
4. costume
5. rescue
6. unit
7. annual
8. suit
9. include
10. continue
11. future
12. beauty
13. movies
14. value
15. humor
16. museum
17. avenue
18. produce
19. amuse
20. youth

Sadowski science update 9/22

Hello parents!  

   I'm SO excited to tell you how much ALL your hard work with your kiddos has paid off!!!! 
I returned the science test covering terms from sets 1 - 5 today.... EVERYBODY PASSED! 
Not only did everyone pass... but they did so with flying colors!  34 students got 100% and a 4.0!
39 other students received a from a 2.8 (B- ) to a 3.5 (A-)  That means 87% of our students did fantastic!!!! Woohoo!!  Way to go parents!

      All tests were returned today... I handed them their tests personally and we went over them in class so they SHOULD bring them home tonight.  If however they happen to be "forgotten" I'd be happy to email their score to you.

    As always... in science ANY student who scores low on a test or on any assignment that we do that is graded, may retake the test or redo that assignment.  I reminded the kids of this today. Retake tests are always on Wednesday....but the kids MUST come to me to make arrangements to redo their test or assignment. I won't chase them down. Learning the material is important to me.. and tests can be retaken as many times as it takes for them to verify that they know the information.

    Term card sets 1 - 8 were due last Friday.  I have a few that didn't finish... and those few will be staying in for recess until they are done. If your kiddo is one that isn't done yet, I'll let you know via email either today or tomorrow morning.

     The first science warmup sheets are also coming home today.  Some were fantastic!  Some were  a hot mess! So that you can understand what all my little marks are, here are my warmup requirements:

1. All questions that are written on the board must be copied down as written..

2. All words that are written on the board must be spelled correct.

3. Papers must be as neat as possible. If I have to contact the CIA to decode your student's writing, they will be rewriting their papers again.  Some of the most common errors are words that are not separated by any spaces at all, as well as "a's" "g's and "b's" that are not closed and all look like each other.

4.  The beginning of all questions and answers must be started with a capital letter and all sentences should end in some sort of punctuation. These are things they definitely should have in place by now!

   Warmup sheets overall will be graded on content. One point for writing down the question correctly and 1 point for answering the question correctly.  All questions are gone over in class and answers are always written on the board and left up until the next class comes in so that there is plenty of time for them both to be copied.  And as I am REALLY trying to get them to pay attention to detail, all words that I write on the board must  be spelled correctly! I will take a point off for words that are misspelled. One here and there isn't an issue... but a page full of them is. And again.... these can be rewritten correctly for more credit.

The next science term card test over sets 1 - 8 will be in two weeks! That will give everyone (including me!) a much needed break.

That's all I have for now.  Congratulate yourselves and your kids on all their hard work! 
Mrs. Sadowski

Sadowski science update 9/15

Congratulations Sunset Parents!  

98% of Sunset 5th graders scored a 3.0 -4.0 on their first term card test!   Way to make them study!!!  Tests should come home tomorrow. 

Term card sets 1 - 8 are due THIS FRIDAY September 19th.  There will be a test this same day on sets 1 - 5.

Today was the LAST day we worked on term cards in class.  Sets 6, 7, and 8 and all to be done this week as homework if they didn't get them done today.  Again, parents are welcome to help....  just please make sure they're putting the correct term on the back of their cards.  I had  few students not follow directions and they cut out the definitions and pasted them on whatever term happened to be nearby! 

    Regular science curriculum starts tomorrow.  Orange science books will be passed out either tomorrow or Wednesday depending on how far we get.  I'll be sure to email you on nights that they may need to take these orange student journals home to complete, but for the most part they will stay here in their green science folders.

Thanks so much for all your hard work and support!!

Homework update 9/11

Kids have quite a load of homework tonight so I thought I'd give you the list in case any of them say "I don't have any homework tonight".
First... They have a math worksheet.   I have been noticing a LOT of comments on facebook about the difficulty of the new math program. Know that this isn't just something that Sunset chose... this was something that was purchased for the entire district and most other surrounding districts bought it also as it is aligned with the new "common core".  It IS completely different from the way we were taught and a letter and help is on the way... for now I have attached a web link below that can help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT_uMvtIYhQ

Second... We have a spelling test tomorrow. I gave them all of their books to bring home tonight with instructions to study this list on page 14. I will also attach the list below this section in case for whatever reason they forgot and put their books back in their desks rather than their backpacks.
I know we said at the beginning of the year parent meeting that the spelling books would be done at home as homework... but I'm a bit concerned with the math being every night... and reading every night.... and with science and social studies occasionally on other nights that your kids are going to be up way past bedtime just trying to get all their homework done. SO!  We're going to start our spelling pages each morning in the 10 minutes before we go to our first special (all of our specials are first thing in the morning) and whatever isn't done during that time by your student will THEN need to be homework. Only three pages of each new section have to be done each week.... extra pages done will earn a ticket for each extra page. (some sections have more extras than others)  All spelling books will need to be turned in Friday so I can check them and get them back to the kids by Monday.
Third - The quiz over the science term cards set 1 and 2 is tomorrow.  About half of my class has already taken the quiz orally and 1/2 already have sets 1 - 5 done!  Sets 1 - 5 are due tomorrow as well.
Fourth - Reading.  Reading is important... but I'm putting it at the bottom of the list as its the item that doesn't absolutely have to be done tonight if you don't get to it.  I'm just trying to be realistic!

Spelling list is as follows:
1. eighty
2. claim
3. needle
4. beneath
5. foggy
6. gasoline
7. eighty
8. freight
9. complete
10. scary
11. neighbor
12. daily
13. screen
14. police
15. explain
16. feature
17. straight
18. memory
19. contain
20. populate

Sadowski science update 9/8/14

   By now your kiddos have had science 4 times.Our primary focus for the first few weeks is going to be "Science Term Cards"

   Because of the district push of reading and math in the early grades, not a whole lot is done with science. It's not the lower elementary teacher's fault... there are just only so many hours in a day. So! In order to get them ready for middle school next year, I need to get them caught up "science wise" on things they should have been learning over time.  One of the areas that they are most lacking in is their "science speak" or in their ability to use, discuss and understand science words.  This is important for a number of reasons but the primary one being that if they don't know what common science words mean, they're going to be lost when it comes to taking a test filled with terminology.

   For instance... Back in 2004 when we as teachers were last allowed to see and read the meap test, one of the questions was:

    "In a temperate ecosystem, how does an over population of carnivores affect the herbivores and producers?"

   Any child who didn't understand "temperate", "ecosystem", "population", "carnivores", "herbivores" or "producers" was losing their minds trying to answer this question.

(And yes.... we too thought this question was a little over the top and complained to the state department of education... which of course is why we are no longer allowed to look at or see the test questions anymore... you can't argue with what you don't see!")

   So now we do science term cards.  There are 8 sets of term cards or 114 different words.  We start with set #1.  We basically cut and paste onto index cards. The Term goes on the front of the card and the matching definition goes on the back.  And since memorizing a bunch of cards isn't fun AT ALL we play games to learn them.  Around the world. Swat Terminology, Memory etc. We played our first game today and one kid already earned a pizza lunch with friends. (Ask your student for the specifics.... they'll explain the incentives.)

  This Friday sets 1 - 5 are DUE when they walk into my room in the morning. They'll have a quiz they'll be taking over set 1 and 2... and I"ll check out their card sets while they take the quiz. If the cards aren't done I'll just keep them in for recess to help them finish.

   We've already worked on these cards in class two days and will be working on them again tomorrow..  They also have the option of taking sets home and putting them together there to get them done faster. The fastest way I've found to do it is to stick a term on each card face first... then go back and match up the definitions. I can usually crank out a set in about 10 minutes.

Kids are welcome to borrow glue sticks, scissors and cards to help them complete these card sets. I have lots of extras available.

   Please feel free to ask questions about the cards, their creation and ways to practice at home. .  Any kid in my class who has an older sibling that has made these before and who still has their complete set (They were told to keep them until the end of 8th grade) can use the previously made set... they don't have to make another!

Sadowski update 9/3/14

Howdy!

The first two days of school have been fantastic! Thanks so much for raising your kiddos right!  They're all very sweet and have great manners!

Box tops!
   Have box tops?  Or soup labels?  please please send those in!  Each on is worth 10 cents!  Last year our class collected over $2,200 in box tops!  (multiply that out.. that is a LOT of box tops!) Tops are collected every Friday. No need to trim perfectly.. just send them in as is.  These make a HUGE difference in what we are able to buy supply wise for our kiddos!


Coke tops?
Do you or your family drink coke products?  If your answer is yes I NEED OUR BOX CODES AND TOP CODES!  Send in your tops and codes to me so that I can earn free gift cards to buy books for our classroom.

    Each time we bank 1,400 points we can get a $20.00 gift card to Barnes and noble.  Last year we  had over $80.00 in books purchased for our room using just caps and box codes! If you don't redeem codes yourself, please send those in! (Powerade also has codes.. send in those caps too please!)

I have 4 series of books in my classroom that students MUST have parent permission to read. These books are the Divergent series, The Hunger Games series, The Maze Runner Series, and the Twilight Series. These are technically middle school level books that know many kids have read already... but due to the mature and sometimes violent content I have to either an email, a note, or a message written in their schedule books before I will allow students to check these books out.

Finally.... I'd like your opinion on accelerated reader and our current reading program. (Reading for points)  I was pretty heartbroken this year at the number of students who were pretty blatant at how much they DON'T like to read.. and I'm worried that we're getting a little too obsessed with points and not enough in teaching children to actually like what they are reading.  Mrs Buell has decided to do something slightly different this year.... and it sounds awesome. But before considering it, I would like your opinion on the reading program as it stands now before I make a decision. These are after all your kids and it doesn't make any sense to me to make a decision regarding their reading education without your input!
   Let me know what you think! If you love it as it is, let me know. If you think a change is in order, let me know.
That's all for now! More updates to follow.