Week of December 14: All Grade Levels

It is almost Christmas Break!  Therefore, I would like you to use this week's class as an opportunity to explore the many web-sites and practice the many skills you have learned in the last four months.  Every 15 minutes I will ring a bell and you will need to choose something new to do.  Have fun, and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Vacation!!!!!

Week of December 7th: 1st and 2nd Grade

This week you will have some Christmas fun while practicing your mouse and keyboarding skills.  First go to ABCYa and choose your grade level.  Next, complete the Christmas activities like 'Make a Christmas Tree' and 'Christmas Lights'.  Later, practice your typing skills using your level and stage at Dance Mat Typing.

ABCYa

Dance Mat Typing

Week of December 7th: 3rd and 4th Grade

This week you will complete your interactive adventure with Captain John Smith.  Once completed, please practice your typing skills starting at the level and stage from which you last visited Dance Mat Typing.
John Smith

Dance Mat Typing

Week of December 1: 1st and 2nd Grade

Practice your computer and math skills at LearningPlanet.com and see how well you do playing the skill builder games.  This week we will also practice our typing skills.

LearningPlanet

Week of December 1: 3rd and 4th Grade

This week you will go on an adventure with Captain John Smith.  This journey takes place 400 years ago as the English colonists discover land that is now part of the United States.  Experience the adventures and the interactions they had with the land and Native Americans.  We will also practice our typing skills this week.

John Smith

Week of November 2: 3rd and 4th graders

This week you will practice your typing skills and then explore an amazing math and language arts skill builder site - Arcademic Skill Builder.  Work hard, show respect, and have fun!



 Dance Mat Typing

Arcademic Skill Builders

Week of October 26th: 4th grade

This week we will learn how to search for additional information using Internet based search tools.  To start with, please use Wikipedia on my blog to help you find new facts about the rock cycle or the seasons.  Next, use the Student Friendly Search Engine to find more facts by clicking the link below.  Then, using Word, type the facts that you find on the Word document. As always, if the class performs well with respect, you will receive 10-15 minutes of free time to practice any skill you have learned this year.

Student Friendly Search Engine

Week of October 26th: 3rd grade

This week we will learn how to search for additional information using Internet based search tools.  To start with, please use Wikipedia on my blog to help you find new facts about the water cycle.  Next, use the student friendly search engine link below to find additional facts.  Then, using Word, type the facts that you find on the Word document. As always, if the class performs well with respect, you will receive 10-15 minutes of free time to practice any skill you have learned this year.

Student Friendly Search Engine

Week of October 19th: 3rd and 4th grade

This week 3rd and 4th graders will continue to work on their keyboarding skills as they work toward mastery of home row and surrounding letters. Then, students will click on the Oswego Games link to practice their math and computer use skills.

Dance Mat Typing

Oswego Games

Week of October 5th: 3rd and 4th Grades

This week is Fire Safety Week.  Therefore, in class this week, we will watch a short video on fire safety and paticipate in some interactive opportunities to practice what you have learned regarding fire safety.  When your assignement is completed, you may explore and practice many of the skills we have discused this month.

Fire Safety Interactive Activities

Week of September 28th 4th Graders

This week we will explore the Rock Cycle, The Reasons for the Seasons, and/or Deciduous Trees and Their Leaves in Autumn depending on which class you are in!  To do so, you will first click on the link below to watch a video on one of the above mentioned topics.  After watching the video, you need to follow the directions to find out which link to click on below to explore your topic more.



Rock Cycle Video
Rock Cycle Diagram
The Reasons for the Seasons
Seasons - Interactive
Deciduous Trees and Their Leaves in Autumn

Week of September 28th 1st and 2nd Graders

This week you will have the opportunity to become familiar with the computer's keyboard!  To do so, you will click on the Dance Mat Typing link below.  Your goal this week is to learn where 'home row' is and learn to type the letters with your correct fingers.  Have fun!

Dance Mat Typing

Week of September 14th 3rd & 4th Grade

This week I would like you to explore Google Earth Pro.  Therefore, your assignment is to locate your house and the most exciting places you visisted this summer.  Once you have visited your house and summer destinations, I would like you to create a tour of these places to show your classmates. I will guide you through this lesson, so be prepared to listen to the directions and to show respect to your classmates, teacher, and yourself.

3RD AND 4TH GRADE: WEEK ONE

This week we will design a picture with your first name on it that represents who you are and some of the interests that you have.  We will use the Kid Pix Delux3 program for this assignment.  Have fun!

Earth Day

The third graders worked together to collect as much trash as possible from the Bigfork track. As you can see, this experience was engaging, fun, and helped to promote a lifelong habit of caring for our local environment and the planet we call home. Good job third graders!

SPRING BREAK!!!

Spring Break is April 4 through April 12. I hope everyone has a fun and safe time. I can't wait to see you all refreshed and excited to learn in one week!

SEUSSVILLE UNIVERSITY

Thanks to the college student volunteers at Flathead Valley Community College for an entertaining and enriching experience during their annual Seussville University event. Students participated in several activities that encouraged student creativity, thinking, and imagination.

ENRICHMENT CLUSTERS

It is the time of year again where the students are offered the opportunity to enrich their lives by choosing a theme of interest. Students can choose topics like tap dancing, guitar, gardening and music recording just to name a few. Each cluster is lead by a person who is a professional, a hobbyist and/or a specialist. The elementary students will choose their topic of interest and then attend that enrichment cluster every Friday. Each cluster will have a mixture of grade levels giving the students a chance to interact with other age groups in their school.

SCIENCE FAIR UPDATE!

The third graders did an awesome job with their science fair projects and some of them made it to the county science fair. Although there were times they encountered difficulties, the overall process was rewarding and provided valuable experience for future scientific endeavors. Good job Bryn, Catelynn, Madison, Victoria, Elijah, Jayden, Abigail, Reese, Izy, and Logan. You all should be proud of yourselves.

R.E.D.A UPDATE

The third graders, in their effort to learn about, connect with, and contribute to the community, raised a total of $2,112.15 using R.E.D.A. as our vehicle. On March 13th the Bigfork Food Bank, Bigfork Ambulance, and Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department came to our school and each accepted a check totaling $704.05. You can read all about this story in the Bigfork Eagle Thursday, March 19th addition or click on the link below to access the Eagle’s web page. If you would like to donate personally to the Bigfork Ambulance and/or the Bigfork Volunteer Fire Department, please click on the appropriate link below. To donate to the Bigfork Food Bank please call 406-837-2297.

bigforkeagle.com
bigfrokambulance.org
bigforkfire.com

IDITAROD

A handful of Montanans will race against nearly 80 some other racers striving for the coveted honor of being the 37th Iditarod victor. This race is over 1,100 miles long and tests the vigor of any man or woman. Because of this, we, as a 3rd grade, are following this race closely. Each student will draw one of the Iditarod participants and will follow them throughout the race.

Using the Iditarod as a catalyst, we will explore human character, the ability to overcome obstacles, determination, discipline and dedication. The students will complete a chart, daily, that records each musher’s arrival and departure into and out from a predetermined checkpoint. With this information we will practice averaging, multiplying, dividing, adding and subtracting. As a class we will explore the effects of weather on the racers and look closely at the geographical features that are both similar and different from those found in Northwest Montana.

This activity should be a blast and we hope to culminate this activity by inviting a local musher and dog team to our school. Check out the links below for more information.
Iditarod.com
Explore the Trail

R.E.D.A

The month of February is “I Love to Read Month”

During the week of February 23rd, our class will
Read Electronic Distractions Away.
This means that during this period, (not including the weekend) students will be asked to eliminate all of their electronic devices in their lives
such as T.V., hand-held gaming devices, Play Station, DVD players, and so forth.
Students will be asked to
read, at least, 30 minutes per day avoiding all electronics.

Students will use this opportunity to raise money for an organization(s) that we will choose. Students will have to keep a daily log and request that their parents sign their names verifying that they did not utilize any electronics for that day. Last year’s class raised $900+ dollars for Bigfork Ambulance.
If you have further questions, feel free to call me or post a comment!
837-7412 ext 340

CRT TEST

CRT testing time is here! We have worked hard all year so that the 3rd graders will perform well on this state mandated standardized test. However, preparing to take a big test like this starts at home! The night before the test days, students need to get a good night’s sleep. Your child needs to eat healthy meals, especially a good breakfast. Students need to get outside to exercise and give their brains a break. Watching too much TV and/or playing video games will only slow their cognitive processing for the next day. Be sure to give them positive comments and feedback as they discuss the test with you. Some students may feel a sense of anxiety before they take the test. For most, this is the first time they have taken a major standardized (fill in the bubble) test. Therefore, encourage your child to relax, think positive thoughts and to take care of their minds and bodies!

CRAZY HAIR DAY

Everybody looked CRAZY and had lots of FUN!!

Science Fair!

The Bigfork Science Fair is March 23rd. I have asked the students to partner up with someone and work together to create a science fair project. Each group will come up with a question, hypothesis, materials list, procedure, results and a conclusion in regard to their experiment or investigation.
Some of the preparation will take place in the classroom. However, some assistance may be needed at home with this project. If you want to look into some ideas you can visit ALL SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS. More information will be provided in future weeks. Please feel free to call me with any questions 837-7412 ext 340 or post comments to this blog.