Update for Field Trip

Dear Families,

We're all set and excited for our  field trip tomorrow! All the permission slips are in, yay!

One adjustment. we will not go swimming before leaving after all. The drive is 1 hour and 48 minutes, so we should leave by 8:40 to get there by 10:30 for our program. So, if looks like we will gather for attendance and load the bus!

Chaperones include  Molly, Dina, Carola, Jill,  Andrew H. plus Heidi

Make sure the kids:

• bring a lunch and water bottle
• dress for the weather (High of 39, possible snow in the am)
• bring a bag or back pack for lunch and outerwear/

Another thing I forgot to mention in my last note is that we will be going to Project Lead The Way (PLTW) at the end of the day every day until Winter break. We will dismiss from PTLW, room 109, so we will go all packed up.

Field Trip this Friday!!

Dear Families,

I'm excited for the big trip on Friday to the Wolf Lake Hatchery to pick up our salon eggs!  We sent the permission slips home last Friday. (Margaret watched each one go into its backpack, wink, wink). We  have a majority of the permission slips in.  Second chance permission slips were passed out today to the 8 that are still out. Here's the agenda for Friday:

8:30 Swimming

9:15 Load the bus, snack served on the bus

10:30-12:00  Tour of the hatchery

12:00- Lunch, tour museum and show pond

1:30 load bus

3:00 arrive at AAO

Children should BRING A LUNCH. They should be dressed comfortably for the weather. The children can bring a "purged" backpack to keep their lunch, extra clothing and a book or notebook in.

We have some individual packets of cheeze crackers for the bus ride. I would love it if someone could send in some juice boxes. I have one "G" rated movie for the bus ride. We need one more.

Confirmed chaperones so far are Lynn, Dina, Carola. Heidi will be with us. There's room for one or two more. If you are interested let me know!

Multicultural festival is coming up. Today we voted to study "People of the Great Lakes"! It's a rich topic and I am sure everyone will be able to find a topic of interest. We're already talking about making the entrance to our room the St. Lawrence Seaway and making Niagara Falls with the Welland Canal going by it. I am reading "Death and Life of the Great Lakes," by Dan Egan right now, and the first chapter has a great outline of the history of human interaction with this magnificent resource. In addition, through SEMIS place-based education coalition I have met an incredible historian who has researched and studied the true histories of the early people who lived around the Great Lakes before the Europeans arrived. There's also a lot to consider about, not just the past, but the future. You'll be hearing more as we get into it.

I'm working on report cards. Expect them to come home next Tuesday.

Bette

Bette Diem, Teacher

Notes from Bette

Dear Families,

We survived Halloween . Thanks to all of the parents who sent in treats and came in to help with the parade and festivities.

I so enjoy I-Search presentations! We've had students share what they've learned and show their expertise about a wide array of topics, from the periodic table to the human body to Halloween and Football, just to name a few. The presentations are well done and the kids are proud to share their work. Thanks so much for helping.

As I mentioned on Curriculum Night the I-Searches are about process and love of learning. I've had some questions about due dates. I see the "due dates" as training wheels, just to help the kids learn how to have a target date. When they are older they may have consequences for their grade, etc. Through I-Searches, they will have learned how to handle it without pressure.

Reggie has done some literature lessons with the kids on Tall Tales and writing Circle Stories. In math we are continuing with addition and subtraction with 3rd grade and factors and multiples with fourth grade. The kids are making acrostics with the math terms "Sum" and "Factors," to help them retain the meaning. These are terms I have noticed that they learn in the moment, but cannot define later on, so we are trying to get the meaning to stick by creating acrostics with them. Today we are constructing line graphs with our Halloween Candy data.

Speaking of Reggie, next week is his last week with us. He has a job teaching in Wayne-Westland already. Next Friday we will have a farewell party with him.

Here are some upcoming events:

Remember, next Tuesday- No School for Election Day.

Next Wednesday, Nov. 7 we have a UMS field trip to Hill auditorium to see Jake Shimabukuro, an amazing virtuoso ukulele player. I have 3 tickets for chaperones. Here's a link to his website.  http://jakeshimabukuro.com/

Permission slips are coming home today.

I am really excited to announce that I have arranged a field trip to take the class with me to pick up the salmon eggs this year! We will be traveling by charter bus to Wolf Lake Hatchery in Matatawan on Friday, November 16. We will still swim, then we will board the bus. We will tour the hatchery and visitor's center. More details upcoming. Here's a link to the visitor's center. https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79236_80247_80504_82189---,00.html

Don't forget the time change this weekend.