Box Tops for Eduation

Alright everyone!  I know you have been collecting them all summer!  Time to clean out that junk drawer and send in your Boxtops for Education!  I too, have been collecting them all summer.  On Friday, the PTA smiler newsletter states that Mrs. Patel's class is in the lead, with Ms. Pace and Ms. Jones right behind.  I'm a bit competitive, and we won last year, so let's see if we can be in the lead next week!  We have some already at school, but if you have been shopping at Harris Teeter, you probably got some extra boxtops at checkout recently!  I got 65!
I just counted mine and put them in my purse to bring to school tomorrow.  I have 229!  How many do you have?

The Nine Hour Rule: Kids and Sleep From the American Heart Association

This came to my inbox from my daughter's school.  I think this is really important!  My fourth grader gets 9-10 hours each night.  She isn't the best sleeper, so we have always given her an early bedtime.  We let her stay up until 8:30 if she is reading, but she just feel asleep on the couch at 7:45.  I think that is typical for a Thursday.  We are all a little extra tired.
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Sleep is like food for the brain. And just like food, sleep gives your child energy. During sleep, their bodies grow and recover from the day’s activities. Sleep is important for everyone—especially kids. It’s not just about feeling grumpy or dozing off in school. Lack of sleep can actually lead to serious health problems.

When kids don’t get enough sleep, they can be moody and perform poorly. They might fall asleep in class and fall behind on their homework. They’ll have less energy for sports and other physical activities. And when they’re tired or low on energy, they’re more likely to choose unhealthy foods or snacks. That means getting the right amount of sleep could actually help your child eat better.

Here are some tips for helping your children get at least nine hours of sleep each night. Help them build a routine—and stick with it. Then, ask them how they feel when they get their rest compared to when they don’t.

Step it Up: To help kids get used to earlier bedtimes and more rest, add 15 minutes of sleep time each night until they’re sleeping at least nine hours.
Wind Down: Stick to quiet, calm activities before bedtime, and your kids will fall asleep much more easily. Avoid TV, computers and telephones during the hour before bed. Don’t leave homework for the last minute. And don’t eat, drink, or exercise within a few hours of bedtime.
Fill In the Naps: If you plan them right, naps can help boost your child’s energy during the day. Naps that are too long or too close to bedtime can interrupt their regular sleep.
Dream Makeover: Make your child’s bedroom the perfect places to relax and sleep. Keep the room cool, quiet and dark. You might even want to install window shades or blackout curtains. Let in bright light in the morning to help them wake up.

It's the book fairiest time of the year!

Hi Readers!
It is Pineville Scholastic book fair time!  It's the best time of the year because Mr. Steve Black comes and talks to all the teachers about the new and wonderful books that Scholastic has to offer, and raffles off prizes too!  I hope you have a chance to stop by in the morning or after school (or maybe at lunch time!) to pick up a new book or two for your reader. 
Speaking of reading...
The kids should be reading at least 30 minutes each night for homework.  I know it isn't something I track, but it really does make a difference.  It is hard to regulate at home.  I have a 4th grader.  This year she asked if she could stay up later, so we made the compromise that she would go to bed at 8:00 as usual, but could read in bed for 30 minutes.  She always yells goodnight to us before she turns off her light, so I figured at 9:20 one night she must have fallen asleep while reading.  NOPE!  She was wide awake and in a literary land somewhere far away!  Maybe that is something that works for you.  Also, they do not have to read an AR book at home.  We talked today about the different types of things they could read.  Magazines, non-fiction, video game guides, newspapers, comic books, and even cookbooks!  As long as they are comfortable, interested, and reading!
As for me, I can't wait for Mr. Steve Black to show up at Pineville tomorrow afternoon.  He always has a book or three or five that will take me to a far away place...

Current Events

Hi everyone!  Please keep your eyes open for interesting (and age appropriate!) current events in our world.  We are looking for 4 types: local (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties), state (anything happening in North Carolina), national (anything happening in the United States), and world (anything happening anywhere!).  We are also going to be starting our social studies unit on maps and globes this week.  If you have any interesting maps to look at, please feel free to send them in.
Thanks!

L*O*N*G days

Are the long days getting to your kids as much as they are getting to me?  I know we will all adjust soon enough, but I am still getting to school around 6:30 and not leaving until 4:30 or so.  By the time I get dinner done, homework checked, and all the other things I need to do completed, I fall into bed fast asleep.  I hope the kids are sleeping as well as I am!
I will have the September newsletter ready to come home on Friday.  But, until then, I have a couple of notes.

• Our lunch is not until 1:10.  The kids are absolutely starving by then.  I have been letting them have a snack around 10:30.  Feel free to send a healthy snack for them.  Please don't send anything messy (an orange to peel) or anything requiring utensils (yogurt-although go-gurt is fine, applesauce, pudding).  Cereal bars, apples, grapes, crackers, and granola bars are all filling and great choices.  Please, no candies and cookies.  I have a few crackers left from some donations, but once those run out I won't have extras for those who don't have a snack.  If you would like to donate, that would be great!
• Regarding homework, I am really looking for them to show me their strategies.  They should know (and have been writing it in their homework notebook) that when solving math word problems they need to highlight (or circle) the key word, underline the question, answer the question in a complete sentence, and show all of their work.  It is crucial for me to see that they are understanding what they are doing.
• THAT BEING SAID...I spent 30 minutes fighting with my very own 4th grade daughter last night over her math homework.  She needed to explain her answers and could tell me what she did but was having trouble writing it down.  I don't ever want homework to become like that at your house.  Fighting and tears (yours or theirs!) is counterproductive and unnecessary.  Please just jot me a note and I will go over it one on one with them.  My own personal experience tells me that children will often times listen to their teacher more than their own parent. 
• Now that I have a lot of my photo forms back, I hope to pack this blog full of photos!  Stay tuned...

Thanks for your constant support and praise.  This year has already started out so well.  What a wonderful class I have.  And, I am not just saying that!

And we're off!

And we're off!  Mr. Doerer always sends us a list of workday meetings and activities during the summer.  When it comes to the first day of school all it says is, "And we're off!"  I like it.
It was SO great to see so many familiar faces today.  I hope everyone is as happy to spend another year with Mrs. Denten as Mrs. Denten is to spend you!


Don't forget to finish up all of your paperwork.  Take the weekend if you need, but make sure I have it back Monday at the latest.  Don't worry, I'll let you know if you forgot something!

If you need me, I am an email away.  Email will probably get the quickest answer from me, but I will return all phone calls as soon as possible.  I do check my email from home a few times a night (unless I am not here) so feel free to email in the evenings too.

I am looking forward to a FANTABULOUS year!  And, we're off....

edmodo.com

Found something new and cool again!  I must have too much time on my hands!  It is called edmodo.com and it is a SAFE social networking site for teachers and students.  It looks like I can put homework/files/pictures and the such on it.  I have signed up- you can look for me and if you feel okay with it, you can sign up too.  I am still trying to figure it out, but I am there!  Looking forward to seeing you there too!

You will need a code~ 00fu0p is our class code.

Book Review~ by: Eli

Bees in my Butt by Rebecca Shelley

Book review by Eli Shenise

 

Bees in my Butt is about a group of smart kids who go to school and pretend they are dumb. One day ninjas take over thier school to try and prove the dumb kids are smart.The ninjas make the smart kids take a test and have water guns to squirt the kids when they do something wrong.The group of smart kids figures out how to deafet the ninjas when they figure out that the ninjas are their moms.The smart kids deafeated the ninjas with homemade squirt guns. One kid has a farting problem/bees in his butt.I liked the book becauae the kid farts and you learn it's okay to be a smart kid. I give this book 5 stars. It is fun to read. 

 

 

Great job Eli!  Sounds like the kind of book that anyone with a great sense of humor would like.  And, anything with ninjas has got to be cool, right?  Thanks for the review, and keep reading!

Never fear, the new schoolyear is near!

The new school year is certainly coming up quick.  I hope everyone got to do everything that they wanted to do this summer!  As for me, it has been a very lazy summer, and I am thankful for that!  I don't usually have time to flop on the couch and watch TV, color in a coloring book, play Angry Birds on the iPad, or go to painting classes.  This is exactly what I did this summer.  I don't think I could do this on a regular basis because I am already craving some sort of schedule, but I won't lie.  It has been nice.

That being said, I have also had a lot of time (including sleepless nights!) to think about 4th grade and I am getting pretty excited for it to begin.  So, I thought we would start with a few book reviews.  I have asked a few rising 4th graders to contribute, but I need more!  If you are out there, and you read a book that you want to share with the world, now is your chance!  Give us the title of the book, the author's name, and a short summary of the book.  But, don't give anything away!  Email your reviews to me at dagny.denten@cms.k12.nc.us and I will get them up on our class blog.

Here is an example of one we all know:

Book Review by Mrs. Denten
Title: Hachiko Waits
Author: Leslea Newman and Machiyo Kodaira
    Hachiko Waits is a fictional story based on true characters and events.  Hachi is a faithful Akita who belongs to Professor Ueno of Japan.  He is a well behaved dog and accompanies the professor to the train station every day and then returns to greet him just before his train arrives at the end of the day.  Hachi, along with the station master and Yasuo has much to teach us about patience, perseverance, loyalty, and love.  The ink and wash illustrations done by Machiyo Kodaira are very detailed and beautiful.  If you love dogs, I think you would really enjoy Hachiko Waits!

Art and the Arts

In elementary school, art was my favorite subject.  Actually, it was always my favorite subject.  But, as you get older and farther along in school, it isn't around as much.  That is so sad.  I miss music too.  I played the violin starting in third grade at my elementary school.  I played all the way through high school.  There is no musical instrument instruction in elementary grades anymore, with the exception of a few hours with a recorder or drum in music class.
My first 4 years with CMS, I was involved in a program called ArtsTeach that was sponsored by the Arts and Science Council.  We got to go to a week-long workshop with yummy boxed lunches and watch people excel at their art: music, book-making, puppets, theater, instruments, storytelling, and even a mime.  Then, as a grade level we got to choose one of the teaching artists to come to our class during the year and incorporate their art into our curriculum.  Sadly, the funding for ArtsTeach came to an end.  But you know what?  I can do some of these things!
I know a little about music.  I am very crafty and can make different types of books and puppets.  I am a fairly decent artist.  And, hopefully, I have a new connection.  I was in touch with a woman from Clayworks in Charlotte.  We are currently playing phone tag, but she made me feel hopeful that we could form a partnership this year.  The kids LOVE working with clay!  I can't wait to make this happen.  If you have any artistic connections, let me know!
I also am going to try to recreate types of art from some of the countries that we "visit" during the Global Children's Challenge, and we will listen to music as well.  Maybe even try the food?  Only time will tell...
And sticking with the global theme, I am thinking a project where we mail things all over the world is in order.  Be thinking about some good global candidates!

School Supplies!

School supplies are my super nerdy addiction.  I love a box of new Crayola crayons like nobody you ever knew!  I was completely giddy that Target had 40 cent composition books in both college ruled (for my high schooler) and wide ruled (for my 4th grader).  AND they were in different colors!  I bought them, even though we aren't even halfway through July, because the stores always seem to run out!  So, I thought I would add the Pineville 4th grade supply list so that you could access it easier, and know what you needed so you could shop the sales.  I will try to keep you updated when I find good prices on things. 

Fourth Grade

backpack (no wheels)

1 pencil pouch (no boxes)

4 glue sticks

1 package of Crayola colored pencils (8-16 count)

1 pocket folder without brads

6 pocket folders with brads

3 packs of #2 pencils (no mechanical pencils or pencil sharpeners)

1 pair of small, good quality scissors

2 packs of loose-leaf notebook paper

2 regular size boxes of tissues

5 black and white marbled composition books (not spiral)

2 bottles of hand sanitizer

2 post-it pads (3x3)

1 box of quart-sized Ziploc freezer bags (optional - gallon size as well)

1 box of disinfecting wipes

1 box of latex-free band aids 

Now, let me add this:

• I use a lot more glue sticks during the year than the normal teacher.  I collect them from the kids and then give them out as needed.  This way they last a lot longer.  That being said, if you could send in a few more glue sticks and maybe not as many yellow pencils, I would be so thrilled!  (I had a very generous parent a few years back bring a ton of yellow pencils and I still have a small stockpile!)
• I have NO problem with a pencil box as long as it is one of the smaller ones that will fit in the desk.  Some teachers really dislike them.  I just like everything to be in a place, so I am not particular.  A big zipper pouch works well too.  
• Colored pencils are great!  However, so are markers and crayons!  I could never pick just one.  If your student can, any are fine.  But if they like all, they may bring all.  A box of 64 crayons might be a bit much...for school anyway.  At home, it is wonderful!
• No, I don't care what type of folders or what colors or designs they are.  
• Maybe just 1 pack of loose leaf paper...I have a lot.  (More glue sticks?)
• 2 boxes of tissues are fine for now, but I might need to beg for more later in the winter!
• B/W marbled composition books are fine, but I just bought 40 cent books that were marbled with pink, green, and yellow.  Cool!  If you want to pay more and get the iCarly or Hello Kitty kind, that is fine with me too.
• Feel free to skip post-it notes, Ms. Londre left a bunch of them!  If you already bought them, no worries!  (Extra glue sticks?)
• I like the gallon Ziploc bags.  Quart is good too. Given a choice, I guess I would prefer the bigger ones. 

Now that we have cleared that up, I do have a few things I would like to add.  I would like to do FROG binders again this year.  In order to do FROG binders, these are the things we will need:

• 2 inch binder (color choice yours) with outside pocket.
• pack of 5 sturdy (possibly plastic?) 3 ring dividers
• spiral notebook with 3 holes
• 3 hole pencil pouch

Start checking those weekly circulars for great deals and if you find something we should know about, leave a comment and I will get the word out!

Class pet, or not class pet...that is the question.

I like pets.  I have two dogs.  As a kid I was SO desperate for a pet that the first two things on my birthday list and Christmas list each year were:
1. Horse
2. Dog
I managed to get horse riding lessons and a...parakeet.  A parakeet?  I definitely did NOT ask for that.  I wanted something fun and furry.  A bird?  Not so much.  Pixie the parakeet lived until my first Thanksgiving home from college.  10 years.  Birds are messy and delicate and not a ton of fun.  Especially when your mom is making you run the Dustbuster under the cage three times a day.
I always assumed I would have a farm when I grew up.  Then, I spent two summers working as a counselor/wrangler at a summer camp.  Horses are a lot of trouble and a lot of work!  My mom always told me, "When you grow up you can have horses, dogs, cows, pigs, and whatever else you want.  You will be old enough to take care of them and clean up after them."  Ugh.  Mom, you were right!  I love my dogs.  But, they shed.  And, well, use the restroom in my backyard.  And they have bedding that adds to my never-ending piles of laundry.  But gosh darn!  I love those guys!
So, the question is...should I get a class pet?  I'm thinking a guinea pig.  They are pretty sturdy and not as fast or as clever as mice or hamsters.  Plus, I love how they squeal when you bring in a bag with veggies for them in the morning.  I had a guinea pig when I taught preschool, but the kids were really rough with him, so I brought him home.  I think the kids would really love the responsibility.  Oooh.  Such a hard decision!  Parents, what do you think?

Shelfari -------------------------->

I discovered Shelfari the other day when reading a friend's blog.  I like to see what my friends are reading, I get some of my best book ideas that way!  So, I thought I would share with you some of my favorites in both children's and adult literature.  Some I have read, some I am currently reading, and some I would like to read.  I have an ever-expanding list of books on my wish-list at Amazon.com.  I also have a list in my purse.  I also have a list next to my bed.  And of course I keep a list at school.  I see the kids come back from the media center or the book fair with books that look interesting.  I try to keep up on children's literature too.  So many books and SO little time! 

Please share!  What are your favorites?  Any genre is good.  I need more for my lists!

Global Children's Challenge

I just got an exciting email congratulating my class for being selected to be part of the Global Children's Challenge this year!

From their website:
The Global Children's Challenge™ engages children at a classroom level to record their activity level, keep healthy and take part in a virtual walk around the world learning about health, nutrition, exercise and the places they visit over the 50 days of the event. The 2011 challenge begins Thursday 15th September and finishes Thursday 3rd November.

The 'virtual' journey around the world has a factual discovery focus, allowing kids to learn about other countries, towns, cities, and the day-to-day lives of similar aged children from different cultures all around the world. As a learning experience, the course locations include information and facts on geography, history, social science, human society, cultural difference, the environment as well as lots of the 'popular culture' that upper primary/elementary students love.

Exciting, right?
The students will each receive a pedometer and we will submit class averages!  My daughter's class did this last year, so I hurried and applied because her teacher said it isn't easy to get in to!

Please check out the GCC website, and even "like" them on Facebook, and get excited like me!  I am not 100% sure of what we are getting into, but we will make it awesome no matter what!

http://www.gccjunior.org/

http://www.facebook.com/GlobalChildrensChallenge?sk=wall#!/GlobalChildrensChallenge?sk=wall

Summer Reading List

 Summer Reading Ideas

Ace the Very Important Pig by Dick King-Smith   
All About Sam by Lois Lowry    
Allie Finkel’s Rules For Girls by Meg Cabot
Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit by Paula Danziger   
Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary      
Boy’s Start the War by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor   
Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors by Jenny Nimmo
Encyclopedia Brown (any title) by Donald Sobol   
Ginger Pye by Eleanor Estes
Hank Zipzer: My Dog’s a Scaredy Cat by Henry Winkler
Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary  
Hey, New Kid by Betsy Duffey   
Homer Price by Robert McCloskey   
Hot and Cold Summer by Johanna Hurwitz   
Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke
In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Betty Bao Lord   
Judy Moody: Around the World in 8 ½ Days by Megan McDonald  
Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff   
Lion to Guard Us by Clyde Robert Bulla    
Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder   
Lost and Found by Andrew Clements
Matilda by Roald Dahl   
Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry   
Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate Di Camillo
Nim’s Island by Wendy Orr  
Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren   
Poppy by Avi  
Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
Room One by Andrew Clements
Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume
Wanted ... Mud Blossom by Betsy Byars   
Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin

* Almost any book by these authors would be appropriate.

Time to go to the library!!!!
  

Fourth Grade Ramblings

School doesn't start for almost 2 months, but here I sit on an extremely lazy Saturday afternoon thinking about the 2011-2012 school year.  My first year in 4th grade.  Well, I guess technically my second time.  But the first time was a long time ago and I was only 9.  My 4th grade teacher was Mr. Blumer, and it wasn't just his first year teaching 4th grade, it was his first year teaching!  I loved 4th grade.  Mr. Blumer was full of first year teaching enthusiasm.  I won't be full of first year teaching enthusiasm, but I will be full of first year of teaching fourth grade enthusiasm!

When Mr. Doerer first told me he was moving me to fourth grade I was not happy.  I have been very happy and content down in room C-5 for the past 5 years.  I know the curriculum, my room was set exactly how I like it, I had a BRAND NEW smartboard, (don't worry, my new classroom has one too!) and I had an awesome third grade team that I could always count on.  But I'll admit, the more time goes on, I am really warming to the idea of fourth grade.  I will have a lot of the same kids in my class.  I already know their strengths and weaknesses so it won't take me 3 months to figure them out.  They already know each other, so they don't have to spend a lot of time trying to make new friends.  That leaves LOTS of time for learning new things and  I will be learning right along with the kids this year.  I will be on the lookout for lots of new ways to keep the kids engaged this year.  Please feel free to introduce me to anything you think I could use in the class!

Looking forward to a great school year!  See you in August!