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May 2008

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May 20, 2008

Hi Parents, Students and Guests!

                   Cheerleader_2Cheerleader_3   

   Well, we made it. This has been a fantastic year and I am proud of the hard work and effort the kids have put into their learning. It has been a pleasure being a part of your family this year! Have a safe, happy and relaxing summer.

Report cards will be mailed to your home after the week of May 26 if you provided me with stamps. If not, you may pick up your child's report card in the school office after June 2. Please come back and visit me during Sneak-A -Peek on Thursday, August 7. You can write to me this summer at my home    Email_star  e-mail address: barknatyou@comcast.net.

With love,

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

    Sunset_beach_line

         

May 08, 2008

The Week At A Glance

Hi Parents, Students, and Guests!

            Bouquet_iloveyoumom

I found some great websites for your kids that accompany our recent topics of study. These sites are fun and informative and chase away the " I have nothing to do" blues.

Computer_reading

Word Games

Great sites for Westward Expansion of the 1800sThe War of 1812

The Star Spangled Banner

Games and Info about Lewis and Clark

                                  Cool_links_line

Please remember that Field Day is next Friday, May 16. Dress your child appropriately. Please allow him/her to wear our class t-shirt on that day. We are still in need of some parents to donate some refreshing drinks and snacks. Please contact me if you are willing and able to do this for us.

Other Dates to Remember:Calendar_with_red_number_circled

May 20 Tuesday: Yearbook Signing Party

May 20 Tuesday: Class end of the Year Ice Cream Party

May 22 All personal materials and items home

May 23 Last Day of school and reporting period.

UNITS FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 12, 2008

Math- Multiplication and Geometry  IMI Test May 15. Study Guide to come home on Friday, May 9

Social Studies- Westward Expansion  No unit test planned

Science- Weather and the Oceans  Study guide home May 12. Test May 19

English- The Parts of Speech

Health- Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco Use   no unit test planned

Spelling- Week 35 The Final Week!

tea   boss   chase   bank   parka   dock   jungle   ranch   umbrella   cartoon   beef   zero   alarm   kangaroo   towel   pajamas   interest   thick   pretty   chance   sight   train   drive   break   fresh   lead   vacation   journey   enjoyment   relaxation

Please look for my end of the year survey to come home in next week's Thursday folder. I appreciate the few minutes you will take to fill it out. Thanks.

Have a wonderful week. Remember, YOUR child is MY child. Happy Mother's Day!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

       Pacman_line_2

       

April 30, 2008

The Week at a Glance

Mouse_on_wheel   Hi Parents, Students, and Guests!

  Whoopee! Testing is over! The kids did a great job, doing their best and really trying their hardest. I will let you know when test scores are back. Thanks again to all the parents who sent in snacks, gum and mints for the testing.

Countingfingers As we look ahead, it's so very hard to believe that we have only three and a half weeks of school left.The saying " time flies when you're having fun" must be true. It seems like only yesterday that I was shaking hands at sneak-a-peek. The year has truly flown by. That being said, we will begin to wrap up our studies, but not too quickly. My plans call for our kids to be busy up to the very end.The study guide for the New Government Unit in Social Studies has already come home. That test will be next Tuesday, May 6th. We have already begun discussing the Westward Movement of the 1800s and will shortly discuss the War of 1812 and the Star Spangled Banner. The Science unit study guide for Patterns on Earth and in Space (a.k.a  Weather and the Oceans) will come home later this week. That test will be on May 19th.

Volleyball_sports May 16th is the date set for our annual Field Day. We will celebrate field day in the morning and have a work catch-up/ game day in the classroom in the afternoon. If you would like to volunteer for field day, please contact Mr. Evans or Mrs. Stafford in the P.E. department. Our class could also use a cool snack to help us recover from our physical endeavors. If you would like to donate enough for the class, please contact me.

Footprints

  The students of Big Shanty Intermediate will hold a "mock" Relay for Life event on our school track on Friday, May 2. THANK you to all of the parents who have sent in a dollar towards our school "population" goal of $800.00.

Units For the Weeks of April 30 and May 5, 2008

Math- Multiplying Larger numbers and decimals using the distributive method

Science- The Ocean and Weather

Social Studies- The Westward Movement, War of 1812

English- Applying the Parts of Speech

Health- Drug, Alcohol and Tobacco addiction and prevention

Spelling- Week of May 5, 2008 Unit 34

super   ruler   easy   bacon   music   student   beaver   basic   native   duties   major   label    eager   patient    nature   humor   anyone   science    women   rule    afraid   produce    son   broken   pull   meant   purchase    translate   experience   accomplishment

Have a wonderful week. Remember, YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

           Flashing_dots

April 16, 2008

The Week At A Glance

Hi Parents, Students, and Guests!Snapdog_2

I hope that everyone has had a restful and fun spring break! We are back at school and racing forward towards the CRCT which will begin next Wednesday, April 23. The testing schedule will be as follows: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, April 23, 24, and 25 from 8:15-11:00. Monday and Tuesday, April 28 and 29 from 8:15-11:00. The kids are READY and I know they will do a FANTASTIC job!

Here are a few things that you, the parents, can do to assure testing sucess 

                                          Eye_2

Lightbulb During testing week, please make sure you child gets enough rest. Please put them to bed one half our earlier on evenings before testing. The kids will have no homework during testing evenings.

Lightbulb_2 A hot, nutritious, low sugar, high protein breakfast insures a good start to a testing day. Please make sure they eat before coming to school.

Lightbulb_3 Be at school on time. No student will be admitted to class once testing has begun. Students will be allowed to make up massed tests on the make-up days that follow testing.

Lightbulb_4 Avoid conflicts and fights before school. Kids who come to school in a good frame of mind do better!

Our room mom will be contacting you to supply healthy and yummy snacks for us during testing. If you can support our efforts by also sending in a large package of bubble gum or peppermints to be used during testing I'd really appreciate it!

Results will be back when they are back. If they are back before the end of school, I will contact you. If not, look for them in the end of the year report cards or the first of school in the Fall.

UNITS of STUDY during the testing weeks April 21 and 28, 2008

Math- Accelerated Math practice and individualization of skill content

Social Studies- The New Government Begins    A study Guide for Unit 6 will come home Friday, April 25

Science- The Oceans, Weather 

English, Spelling, Vocabulary- No work until after testing is over

Reading- Literacy Centers based on Social Studies and Science content

Have a wonderful week! Please contact me with any questions you may have about our testing.

YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

           Dogsleeping

March 25, 2008

The Week At A Glance

Hi Parents, Students, and Guests!

                     Animated_flowerpot_1

    We are well into the LAST grading period! Where has the time gone? As we come up on Spring Break the week of April 7-11, we are looking ahead to our CRCT testing. Testing will take place April 23-30. We will do a good bit of reviewing concepts and practicing test taking and techniques before the test.  DOn;t forget that your child can also "practice" online at the OAS website. This site utilizes older test questions so that your child can get a good idea of format and wording of the test!

Please do not schedule any doctor or dentist appointments or vacation plans for this time! Testing will be from 8:00-11:00 daily. I KNOW our kids are going to do a BANG UP job on the test!

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL......

Dancing_question_mark

What are the parts of speech and how can you tell the difference?

How does increasing your vocabulary make you a better reader and writer?

Why do we need to write legibly?

What are the steps used to locate a point using ordered pairs?         

How would you use different strategies to solve word problems?

What steps do you take in multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals?

How does water move through a cycle?

How do humans effect weather and climate?

What does the Bill of Rights provide for us?                      

What are the purposes of each of the three branches of government?

                Bonebar_2

UNITS FOR THE WEEK OF March 31-April 4, 2008

Math- Adding, Subtracting Multiplying,and Dividing with decimals. Coordinates on a grid. The distributive property of multiplication

Social Studies- The Amendments to the Constitution

English- Parts of speech

Science- Weather: The Ocean and the Water Cycle

Vocabulary: Wordly Wise 3000 Unit 8

Spelling Unit 33

tiger   meters   fever   solar    pirate    legal    female    soda    pupil    pilot    polar    future    beauty    cedar    silence    focus    stone    wife    we'll    hit    island    opposite    sense    million    born    cattle  precipitation    condensation    evaporation    water cycle

Have a wonderful week! Remember, YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

              Dog_up_and_down

                         Bonebar 

   

March 13, 2008

The Week at a Glance

Hi Parents, Students and Guests!

   Walking_lephrechaun

The report cards are coming! The report cards are coming! Report cards will be in your child's Thursday Folder on March 20. Please review the report with your child, sign the enclosed signature card and return the card and the envelope in your child's Thursday folder Friday, March 21. Remember, grades are EARNED not GIVEN!

The students are finishing up their cereal box Revolutionary War biographies. They will be due to me on Monday, March 17th ( St. Patrick's day.) I can't wait for you to see the WONDERFUL jobs they have done with this project!

                                   Color_diamond_bar

UNITS FOR THE WEEK OF MARCH 17, 2008

Math- We will begin our fourth IMI unit. We will also be reviewing our math concepts of the year in preparation for the CRCT which we will take in April after Spring break.

Social Studies- The New Nation Constitution and Government of the new country.

Science- Weather

English- adverbs

Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Unit 7

Spelling List #31 Two Syllable Words with Consonants

basket   rabbit   silver   ladder   master   batter   hidden   picnic   public   copper   puppet   ugly   problem   sudden   temper   wallet   period   rich   corner   blood   team   they   garden   note   amount   led    Blarney Stone   leprechaun   St. Patrick   Ireland

Have a WONDERFUL weekend! Remember, YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

   Bunny_on_books

March 05, 2008

The Week at a Glance

Hi Parents, Students and Guests!

             Bowing_lephrechaun

    Our research projects are coming along great! The kids are enjoying their time on the laptop computers doing research on their Revolutionary War figure. We will continue to research and put together this porject into next week. Our big Revolutionary War test will be on Tuesday, March 11. Please contiue to use the two study guides to prepare for the test.

                             Leprechaun_dancing

   We will have a work make-up day on Wednesday, March 12. The students will have all day to get all of their graded assignments completed before the last day of the grading period on March 14. All the kids who have completed their work may bring their PJs and a board gamne to share. we're going to be productive and have a good time too!

  Here are some websites to explore for the month of March. The kids have been enjoying working with brainteasers and other mind building games in our enrichment centers and during day all year long. Why not check out the following sites for something cool to do? I have also put some cool websites below about the Constitution, our next big unit of study in Social Studies. Have fun exploring these sites and e-mail me when you have played the games. Tell me what you think! Surprises for those of you I hear from.

Movingarrow Thinking Game Fun Sites

Class Brain Good Gaming!

Brain Bashers

Braingle More mind bending games!

Quotefalls Try some on your own

Daily Sudoku Puzzles

Movingarrow_2 Constitution Fun Sites

Bill of Rights Concentration Game

Constitution Word Scramble

Ben's Guide to the Constitution

Interesting Facts About the Constitution

Units of Study  Week of March 10, 2008

Math- Decimal  Post test Fractions and Decimals Friday, March 14

Social Studies- Biography of Revolutionary War Person continues

Science- Weather

English- Adverbs

Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Unit 7

Spelling- Suffixes list #30

careless   cheerful   payment   sadness   priceless  awful   hopeless agreement   grateful    happiness   useless   illness    endless   wonderful   colorful   movement   material   thousand   guess   isn't   sign   forward   ride   because   huge    region   decimal   fraction   equivalent   reduce

Have a wonderful week. Remember, YOUR child is MY child.

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

            Kiss_me_irish_pin_rotate

February 29, 2008

The Week At A Glance

Hi Parents, Students and Guests!

         Anichick

  Thank you for all of the wonderful flowers, cards, notecards, gift baskets and gift cards you sent to me during the Teacher Appreciation Week! I am truly blessed to be working with such wonderful cildren and their parents. I just want you to know that I appreciate you as well. I am glad to be an honorary member of your family!

  Typingcomputer We will begin our research biography project on the Revolutionary War this coming week in class. Your child will create a cereal box biography of a Revolutionary War figure using the criteria and evalutions I have given them. We will do computer, encyclopedia and trade book research, art, writing and reference skills. Look for the projects to come home in a few weeks.

                                                   

  Movingexclamationpt Report card time is rapidly approaching. We will have a work catch up day on Wednesday, March 12 to allow for all the students to receive the very best grades they can achieve this period. Please continue to monitor your child's planner each evening as well as the newsletter on Thursday so you will be kept up-to-date on your child's completed and incomplete assignments.

    The spring carnival is coming up soon. Look for Mrs. Wogon to send or call you with information as to the contents of our carnival basket. We will also be asking you to donate bake goods and beverages.

Next Tuesday, March 4 is an Early Release Day. All students will be dismissed at 12:15 PM. Please amke appropriate arrangements for your child.

UNITS OF STUDY WEEK OF MARCH 3

Math- Decimals

Social Studies- Revolutionary War Biographies Research

Science- Weather

English- Adverbs

Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Vocabulary Unit 6

Spelling: Unit 27 Homophones

herd   heard   plane   plain   cent   sent  scent   piece   peace   pair   pare   break   brake   waist   waste   because   their   they're   there   friend   language   striaght   measure   republic   constitution   ambassador   delegate

Have a wonderful week. Remember, YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

     Coolcat

February 20, 2008

The Week At A Glance

Hi Parents, Students and Guests!

                  Dog_on_skateboard

    We are coming into the last week of February. Can you believe it? The kids are working hard- we're studying the Revolutionary War, adding and subtracting fractions in math and  learning about weather in science. Fun, fun, fun! Please send in your empty cereal box if you have not already done so. These will be used for a research project/ biography on a Revolutionary War figure.

    Many of the students are writing with teeny tiny pencil stubs. Please refresh your child's school supplies. We could use crayons, note book paper and more candy for the candy jar as well!

                                           Dancing_pencil

UNITS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 25, 2008

Math- Adding and Subtracting Fractions

Social Studies- The Revolutionary War

Science- Weather

Vocabulary- Wordly Wise 3000 Unit 6

English- Adverbs

Spelling for the Week of February 25, 2008

mice   leave    deer   teeth   shelves   geese   children   women   calves   knives   sheep   wives   wolves   oxen   spacecraft   moose    record   forest   necessary   copy    especially   he's   flat   south   unit   direction   barometer  hygrometer   humidity   thermometer

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK! YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

                  Catrunninganm

February 13, 2008

The Week at a Glance

Hi Parents, Students and Guests!

             Be_my_valentine

     We are preparing for our shortened week next week by working very hard this week! Our trip this past Monday to the Cobb County Youth Museum was a tremendous success. We relived the Boston Massacre, the Mohawk Indians (Sons of Liberty) dumping tea into Boston Harbor, the battles of the Revolutionary War and the birth of the Nation in Independence Hall with the development of our Nation's Constitution. The kids had a wonderful time and seemed to enjoy their roles very much. Thanks to Mrs. Pandya who accompanied us. She said she learned alot too!

   Please send an empty breakfast cereal box to school for a Social Studies research project we will be involved in during the next few weeks. We will do this project entirely at school!

    Our fire safety unit with the Cobb County Fire Department has concluded. Fireman Brian said that our class had more 100% on the final test than any class he has ever had. Way to go kids!

                          Clapping_hands

UNITS FOR THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 17-21

Math- Adding and Subtracting mixed numbers/decimals with regrouping

Social Studies- The Revolutionary War

                 Firing_cannon

Science- Weather

English- Adjectives

Vocabulary- Unit 5 Wordly Wise 3000

Spelling for the week of February 17- none.... shortened school week

Have a wonderful week! YOUR child is MY child!

Mindee Hill, M.Ed.

           Bird_bowing