Friday, October 5, 2012

Dancing Classrooms

We have been participating in the Dancing Classrooms program for the past few weeks.  We have learned several dances so far, like the Polka, the Tango, and the Foxtrot.    At the beginning, many of you were very uncertain about how you felt about the idea of dancing with your classmates.  I think you all have done very well so far and I am proud of all you have accomplished.  But I'm curious  about if you feel differently.

Leave me a comment telling me how you feel about it now!

What Happened Today? October 5th

On October 5, 1902, Ray Kroc was born. He is most famous for buying a restaurant from the McDonalds brothers and turned into the popular fast food restaurant we know today. He also started the Ronald McDonald House, which allows families of sick or injured children to live there if they must travel out of town to see special doctors.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

What Happened Today? October 4th

Today's event happened 85 years ago.

On October 4, 1927, construction begins in South Dakota for the Mount Rushmore monument. This carving on the side of a mountain features the faces of four Presidents: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.  The monument was finally completed in 1939.

Mount Rushmore is another place in America that I would love to see in person one day.



Wednesday, October 3, 2012

What Happened Today? October 3rd

Today's event happened 149 years ago.


On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday each November to be known as Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving Day is one of America’s most celebrated holidays.



How does your family celebrate Thanksgiving?

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

What Happened Today? October 2nd

Today's event happened 62 years ago.

On October 2, 1950, the first Peanuts comic strip was published. Peanuts was the most popular comic strip of all time, running in newspapers in 75 countries and translated into 21 different languages. Peanuts featured characters such as Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, and Peppermint Patty.

One of my favorite things to do as a child was read the paper with my dad so I could see what the Peanuts comic would say each day.  I also enjoyed watching some of the TV cartoon specials during holidays such as Christmas and Halloween.  My favorite Peanuts characters were Woodstock (Snoopy's bird friend) and Schroeder (who played the piano).

Monday, October 1, 2012

What Happened Today? October 1st

Today's event happened 122 years ago.


On October 1, 1890, Congress created Yosemite National Park. Yosemite is home to the world’s largest trees, called Giant Sequoias. These trees can grow to be 160-300 feet tall and 20-26 feet around. These trees can live for a very long time. The oldest sequoia based on ring count was over 3500 years old.


I have never been farther west than the Mississippi River, but being able to visit this park would be on my "bucket list" of things to do.  I can't imagine what a tree this tall would look like in real life!

Have you ever been to Yosemite?

Friday, September 28, 2012

What Happened Today? September 28th

Today's event happened 84 years ago.

On September 28, 1928, Sir Alexander Fleming invented the medicine known as penicillin. His discovery was made by accident when some of his experiments in his lab were covered in a fungus and other experiments were not. Penicillin is used to treat many illnesses, such as ear infections.

It's interesting to note that while penicillin is a very popular medicine prescribed by doctors, it is also a medicine that millions of people happen to be allergic to!  They must take a different type of medicine instead.

Do you know someone who is allergic to penicillin?

Thursday, September 27, 2012

What Happened Today? September 27th

Today's event happened 75 years ago.


On September 27, 1937, the Bali Tiger was officially declared extinct. Bali is a small island in the Pacific Ocean that makes up the country of Indonesia, and was the only place in the world that this type of tiger ever lived. The Bali Tiger was the smallest of all types of tigers and occasionally had spots in addition to its stripes. The last Bali Tiger was a female, who was shot and killed by a hunter.

There are many animals that have been declared extinct. Other than a type of dinosaur, can you name another animal that is exinct?  Leave me your answer in the comments section.

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

What Happened Today? September 26th

Today's event happened 192 years ago.

On September 26, 1820, American explorer Daniel Boone died. He grew up near the Yadkin River in Davie County, NC, and the town of Boone, NC was named in his honor. Daniel Boone is remembered as an explorer of areas west of the Appalachian Mountains, one of the first explorers to do so.

Have you ever been to the town of Boone? Several of our teachers at school went to college at Appalachian State University located in Boone.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

What Happened Today? September 25th

Today's event happened 31 years ago.


On September 25, 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor is sworn in as the first female Supreme Court Justice in United States history. She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, and served this position until she retired in 2005.


During the first week of school, we had another post about a Supreme Court Judge. Can you remember the two reasons why someone would no longer be a judge?  Write your answer in the comments section!

Monday, September 24, 2012

What Happened Today? September 24th

Today's event happened 132 years ago.


On September 24, 1880, Sarah Knauss was born. Sarah is known as “America’s Oldest Person”. When she died in 1999, she was 119 years and 97 days old. No one else in American History has lived this long!

Imagine all the things this woman saw in her life.  When she was born, there were very few people who had electricity. Telephones weren't really in use yet, having just been invented four years before. Airplanes weren't invented yet. Cars weren't invented yet. By the time she died, we've had people walking on the moon, using computers, and sending email.  She lived through 22 Presidents!  What a life she must have had!

Would you want to live to be 119 years old?

I've always said I wouldn't mind living to be a really old lady, even 100 years old, as long as I could be healthy!

Friday, September 21, 2012

What Happened Today? September 21st

Today's event happened 232 years ago.

On September 21, 1780, Benedict Arnold, an American-born General met with an officer of the British Army during the American Revolution. Arnold told the British soldier he would help the British win a battle, if England would give him a lot of money and a high position in the British Army.  Benedict Arnold’s plan was discovered and he was declared a traitor.


Thursday, September 20, 2012

What Happened Today? September 20th

Today's event happened 39 years ago


On September 20, 1973, the top women’s tennis player Billie Jean King defeated the top men’s tennis player, Bobby Riggs. Riggs, who was 55 years old at the time, said that men were better athletes than women, and despite his age, he could win against any woman. Billie Jean King won the match, which was watched by over 30,000 people in the stadium, and over 50 million watched on TV. Billie Jean King became known as the “mother” of modern sports and her win was a boost for women’s rights.


I guess this is a good example of why you should never say you are better than someone else. You just never know what someone else is capable of doing!

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

What Happened Today? September 19th

Today's event happened 131 years ago.


On September 19, 1881, President James Garfield died from injuries caused by an assassination attempt. He was shot in the back at the train station while on his way to a vacation. Many doctors attempted to save his life, but he died two months later. Garfield was our nation’s 20th President and had the shortest time in office, only 200 days.

Including President Garfield, there have been 4 Presidents who were assassinated.

Can you guess who the other three are?

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Parent Letter for September 18th

September 18, 2012


Dear Parents,

We are off to a great start in 5th grade. I am enjoying teaching your child. Here are some things we are learning about so far. In Math, we studied Volume for the first weeks and now we are working on place value of whole numbers and decimals. In Science we are studying genetics, inherited traits, and learned behaviors. Soon we will start ecosystems. In Reading, we are studying the book Hatchet. Ask your child to tell you about what has happened to Brian so far. In Social Studies we have been discussing Native Americans and Explorers.

Some important information you need to know:

1. Thanks to those who have paid already for our field trips. There is still plenty of time, as our first trip isn’t until December.

2. We are still in need of 2-Liter bottles!! Please send these in if you have any. Rinse with water, and leave the labels and lids on them.

3. South Fork is collecting Box Tops for Education and Campbell Soup Labels. Send these in as well.
4. Do you have a Parent Assist password? Parent Assist is a program the school district has created that gives you access to your child’s grades. Go to www.wsfcs.k12.nc.us From the main page, on the left hand side, you will see Parent Assist. Click there for the log-in screen. To get your user name, you must come by South Fork and see the ladies in the office. Parent Assist can be used with students as young as 3rd grade and all the way to the high school level.

5. Have you visited my webpage? Go to the school system's website. From the top left, choose South Fork school. From the South Fork page, choose faculty webpages and then select my name. You can also visit our class blog. My blog will have posts about things we are doing in school as well as fun facts about “Today in History” and cloud pictures. I will post parent letters here as well.
6. I am sending home a Scholastic book order form for September. If you choose, there is now an online parent purchase option. See the attached letter for more information on that and for our class code. There is a special bonus if you order online---a free book pick! Online orders as well as orders sent to school earn us rewards I can use to get new books for the classroom. If you choose to order and pay me, send cash or check made to SCHOLASTIC by Friday, September 28th.
7. Have you asked your child about our Dancing Classroom??

8.  Next week we are having Curriculum Night.  K-2 is Monday at 6:30pm, grades 3-5 are Thursday at 6:30pm. Make plans now to attend our event on Thursday night to hear all about what we will be doing in 5th grade.
Thanks to all of you for making this the best Back-To-School I’ve had in my 10 years of teaching!
I appreciate your support!

What Happened Today? September 18th

Today's event happened 219 years ago.


On September 18, 1793 President George Washington laid the cornerstone to the United States Capitol Building. A cornerstone is the first stone placed above the ground on any building.  It took over 100 years to completely finish building the Capitol. Today it has 540 rooms and sits on 4 acres of land….that’s the size of 4 football fields!


Have you ever been to Washington, DC, our nation's capital? I've been once, in the spring of 1996, when I was a junior in high school. It was our big field trip that year. While that was 16 years ago, I still can remember the pride I felt when I saw the home that almost every President has lived in. Believe it or not, George Washington, our first President, never lived at the White House.

Would you like to visit the White House one day? Going in person might be a hard thing to do right now, but if you click HERE, you can take a virtual tour!

Monday, September 17, 2012

What Happened Today? September 17th

Today's event happened 225 years ago and was a major day for our country!


On September 17, 1787, the US Constitution was signed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Constitution contains all the laws for our country and the way our government should operate. Famous signers of the Constitution were our first President, George Washington, and inventor Benjamin Franklin, who was the oldest signer at age 81.


It's hard to believe that men who lived over 200 years ago wrote out laws that are still followed to this day.  The Constitution has had 27 Amendments (or changes) over the years. The first 10 Amendments are also known as the "Bill of Rights", which includes our freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms (which means to own or carry weapons), the right to a trial by a jury, and other freedoms.  Some other Amendments gave African-Americans and all women the right to vote.

We will be studying more about this in our Social Studies government unit this quarter!

Friday, September 14, 2012

What Happened Today? September 14th

Today's event happened 198 years ago.


On September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key wrote a poem that would later become our National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner”. The British soldiers took one of Key's friends prisoner during the War of 1812. While Key was on the British ship trying to rescue his friend, the British began attacking America at Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland. Key and his friend were unable to leave the ship and had to watch their country being attacked. At daybreak, Key was so happy to see the American Flag was still flying, he wrote down his thoughts: “And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.”


Another really cool event happened today, 66 years ago!  My dad was born!
Happy Birthday Daddy!
This picture is a few years old because Quinn is only one year old here,
but it is one of my favorite pictures of my Daddy!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

What Happened Today? September 13th

Today's event happened 96 years ago.

On September 13, 1916, children’s book author Roald Dahl was born. He wrote books such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach. He did most of his writing while living on his family farm. He would write every day for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. In between, he would take care of the farm animals. He was also a fighter pilot for the British Royal Air Force during World War II.


Have you ever read any books by this author?  I really enjoy Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the BFG.  Next time you are in the library, check out a book by Roald Dahl.  If you've read one of his books, tell me which one you read and what you thought of it.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

What Happened Today? September 12th

Today's event happened 72 years ago.


On September 12, 1940, prehistoric paintings were found in a cave in France. Four teenagers followed their dog into a cave and discovered drawings and engravings of animals on the walls of the cave. The drawings were estimated to be between 15,000 – 17,000 years old.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

What Happened Today? September 11th

Today's event happened 11 years ago.


On September 11, 2001, the United States was attacked by terrorists. Four planes were hijacked and were crashed into the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and a field in Pennsylvania. When the “Twin Towers” collapsed, over 3000 people were killed, including 343 firefighters. 


I was in college when this happened. I remember I was getting ready for my class, which started at 9:30. I was eating breakfast and watching the Today Show, when the news anchors got word that a plane had hit one of the towers. At the time, everyone thought it was an accident, a mistake. I remember that the news show moved to an outside camera and as we watched on live TV, another plane flew right into the other tower. It was a very scary time for our country to watch these events happen, but it is something our country should always remember.

Monday, September 10, 2012

What Happened Today? September 10th

Today's event happened 52 years ago.


On September 10, 1960, Abebe Bikila a runner from the country of Ethiopia won a Gold Medal in the Summer Olympics in the Marathon event. Ethiopia is a country on the continent of Africa. Because he was added to the team at the last minute, Abebe Bikila did not have a pair of running shoes that fit properly. He ran the Marathon, a 26-mile race, BAREFOOT, but won the race anyway!


Can you imagine running that far without shoes? I watched part of the Men's Marathon on the Olympics back in the summer. Those guys were well trained and had all had very nice running shoes. How amazing that this man was able to run this type of race, with the best in the world, without shoes!

Friday, September 7, 2012

What Happened Today? September 7th

Today's event happened 199 years ago.


On September 7, 1813, the United States government begins using the nickname “Uncle Sam”. A man from New York named Sam Wilson packed beef that was sent to US Soldiers. He stamped the packages with the letters U S for United States. The soldiers began referring to the meat as “Uncle Sam’s”. Uncle Sam is usually seen with a white beard and wearing a top hat and striped clothing.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

What Happened Today? September 6th

Today's event happened 490 years ago!


On September 6, 1522, the first successful sailing expedition around the world was completed. Ferdinand Magellan started this trip in 1519 with 5 ships and 270 men. He was the first explorer to see the Pacific Ocean. Even though Magellan was killed in a tribal battle, his surviving crew of only 1 ship and 22 men finished the trip.

I've been to the Atlantic Ocean many times, but I've never seen the Pacific Ocean in person.  Have you seen the Pacific Ocean?

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

What Happened Today? September 5th

Today's event happened 238 years ago.

On September 5, 1774, the first session of the Continental Congress was held. The Continental Congress was a group of 56 representatives from all the 13 colonies (except Georgia) and they met to discuss pulling away from British rule.  This was one of the first major events leading to the American Revolution.

We will be learning more about this in Social Studies this year as we study the United States Government and the American Revolution.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

What Happened Today? September 4th

Today's event happened 14 years ago.


On September 4, 1998, two students at Stanford University created the “GOOGLE” search engine.  A search engine is a tool on the Internet that helps you find information on almost any topic you can think of. Google is used by millions of people everyday.

 Do you use Google?  I do!


Friday, August 31, 2012

What Happened Today? August 31st

Today's event happened 126 years ago.


On August 31, 1886, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Charleston, SC. The earthquake was felt as far as Boston and Chicago and over 100 people were killed. This was the largest recorded earthquake in the history of the southeastern United States.


Do you remember the earthquake we felt in Winston-Salem just before school started last year?

Thursday, August 30, 2012

What Happened Today? August 30th

Today's event happened 45 years ago.

On August 30, 1967, Thurgood Marshall became the first African-American confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice. A judge on the Supreme Court is appointed by the President and remains a judge until they retire or die. Thurgood Marshall was on the Supreme Court for 24 years and then retired for health reasons.

Posts on Mrs. Staton's SuperStars may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of Mrs. Staton's SuperStars. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

What Happened Today? August 29th

Today's event happened 7 years ago.


On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana as a Category 4 storm. Hurricane Katrina was the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States, killing 1300 people and causing $150 billion in damages.

Click here to see satellite images of the storm and pictures of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Posts on Mrs. Staton's SuperStars may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of Mrs. Staton's SuperStars. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

What Happened Today? August 28th

Today's event happened 49 years ago.


On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his famous “I Have A Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. One of the famous quotes from his speech is this—“ I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”


What do you think Dr. King meant by that statement? 

Monday, August 27, 2012

What Happened Today? August 27th

I am going to post an interesting event that happened in history for every day we are in school. I hope we can also add this to our morning announcements each day as well.  If possible, I will also include a link for more information or a picture.  Enjoy!

Today's event happened 129 years ago.

On August 27, 1883, in the island country of Indonesia, a volcano named Krakatau (pronounced like "crack-a-toe") erupted. Its explosion was heard 3,000 miles away and 36,000 people died. Indonesia has over 130 volcanoes, the most of any country in the world.  This volcano has erupted as recently as 2011.

Click here to see images of what this volcano looks like as it erupts.

Posts on Mrs. Staton's SuperStars may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of Mrs. Staton's SuperStars. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Do you have all your school supplies?

The first day of school is 2 days away.  Do you have all your supplies?

Click here for the 5th grade list....remember I have a 3-ring binder for you.

See you on Monday!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Open House

I was so excited that EVERY SINGLE FAMILY came to Open House last night.  I am so looking forward to getting to know my new students and families as the year progresses.  Please save my blog's website as a favorite, because I will be updating this frequently, with posts about what our class is doing at South Fork.  You could also become a "follower" and the blog will send you a message when I have added a new post.

Feel free to leave a comment on any post. Just click on the word comment and it will take you to a new page. If you respond as "anonymous", please add your name at the end of the comment so I will know who wrote me.  You can also respond as "name", and it will allow you to put your name there.

Looking forward to the new school year and all it has to offer! I think we are in for a great 5th grade year!


Monday, August 13, 2012

It's the right day to be Left!

Today is Left-Hander's Day, a day to celebrate those who use their left hand.

Only about 8-15% of people are born left handed.  But don't think you are alone. Here are some famous people who are left handed.
  • Baseball Great Babe Ruth
  • Basketball star Larry Bird
  • Actor Jim Carrey
  • Actress Julia Roberts
  • Actress Angelina Jolie
  • Musician Jimmi Hendrix
  • Prince William of England
  • Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon
  • Matt Groening, creator of the cartoon show The Simpsons
  • Artist Leonardo da Vinci
  • Musicians Mozart and Beethoven
  • Scientist Albert Einstein
Several Presidents were left handed: Harry Truman, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush (father), Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama.

My husband, my father-in-law, and my uncle are left handed.

Are you left handed? Is someone in your family left handed?

Then today is all about you!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--August 9th

Another beautiful summer sunset!


I just love how the sunlight is reflecting off these clouds. The picture just doesn't show how amazing this sunset truly was!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Have you been watching the Olympics?

One of the most exciting things to happen this summer have been the Olympics.  We've been watching a little bit of the action every day.  We watched the Opening Ceremonies to see how London would welcome the world to the games.  We've also been watching some of the high-profiled events, like the swimming races, gymnastics, diving, and beach volleyball. I even saw a few events I didn't know much about like archery and trampolines! I didn't even know jumping on a trampoline was an Olympic event, but apparently it is! So far the USA has won 63 medals (29 Gold, 15 Silver, and 19 Bronze)

Some of my favorite moments so far were watching the Ladies Gymnastics get the team gold medal, and seeing Gabby Douglas win the Individual All-Around gold medal (also for gymnastics). I enjoyed watching Michael Phelps become the most decorated medalist....22 medals overall, 18 were gold!

Have you and your family been watching the Olympics?

What's been your favorite part so far?

Monday, August 6, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--August 6th

My family and I were coming home from the fire station tonight and I could see that some storm clouds were brewing. I caught this picture from our driveway.


Pretty intense, but strangely enough, we barely got any rain, thunder, or lightning from this storm!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--August 5th

Today is Sunday, and I always get up first so I can get cleaned up and start getting my family ready to go to church. Today, though I had to get up a little earlier so I could cook something to take to church for our special Breakfast Day.  I was letting our dog Dixie out into the backyard for her morning stroll and I noticed the sky looked pretty. From our backyard, it's hard to see clearly for all the trees, so I went quickly to the front yard and saw this.  What a beautiful morning sunrise!

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Now would be a great time for a trip to the zoo!!

I just saw on our local news website that the NC Zoo has a new member! A female gorilla gave birth to a baby just this morning!  This is an exciting time for the zoo. The last time a baby gorilla was born, I was in 5th grade....1989!!  That was 23 years ago!  And another female gorilla is due to have a baby in November.

Want to see what this little cutie looks like?  Then click here!

Posts on Mrs. Staton's SuperStars may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of Mrs. Staton's SuperStars. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--August 3rd

Tonight we had to go out to the store. As I was loading my boys into the truck, I noticed this huge wall of clouds in the sky. It seemed as though these clouds covered almost the entire sky. I couldn't even get them all in the picture. I've never seen clouds look quite like this before. It was absolutely beautiful!

School Starts Soon!

It's already August.....hard to believe!  It seems as though it was yesterday that I was saying goodbye to my students that I had taught for two years.  Now I'm looking forward to a new group of 5th graders.  Our time together will begin on August 27th....only 24 days.  All the teachers will come back to work on August 20th.

This weekend is the annual tax-free weekend in NC, so this might be a good time to do some back-to-school shopping for clothes and supplies.

Click here to see our school system's generic supply list.

Click here to see what is considered "tax free".

If you are like me and don't care to get mixed up in the crazy crowds of shoppers, you can wait until Open House to get the supply list from me. Many stores have good sales other than this weekend as the start of school approaches. There are a few things on the generic list that I do not use in my classroom.  According to the district's web page, Elementary School Open House will be August 23rd from 5:30pm - 7:30 pm.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--August 2nd

I didn't get a picture of the clouds yesterday. I was too busy celebrating with my husband for his birthday.

I did get a picture of the clouds today, just as the sun was peeking out.

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 31st

Sorry I didn't get a picture posted yesterday. I had to take Baby Jacob for his doctor's appointment. He's four months old now and needed some shots. Then after naps, Jacob, Quinn and I rode to Statesville, NC to visit my husband's sisters, one of whom we don't get to see except at Christmas time.  I had so much fun with my family I forgot to take a picture.

Here's the one for today.  I love how you can see the sunset colors reflecting onto this cloud.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 29th

You would think by how dark this cloud looks that we had another summer storm, but you would be wrong. What you are seeing is the shadow of the cloud. The sun was just about to peek out of the hole in this cloud. I love how you can even see the beams of sunlight shining down.


Saturday, July 28, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 28th

Another beautiful sunset! I am just amazed and in awe of how different the sky looks every single day.


Friday, July 27, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 27th

Check out how low these clouds are in the sky! Almost seems like you could reach up and touch them.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 26th

I love seeing the bright white of the clouds up against the clear blue sky. This cloud looks like the top of an ice cream cone, don't you think?

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 25th

Didn't think I was going to get a picture today, but I wasn't disappointed.

Check out this amazing sunset!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 24th

Another summer day....another afternoon storm.  I took this picture just a few minutes before the rain started.  I love how you can see the layers of stratus clouds. Now you can see why we say that stratus clouds are like a blanket covering the sky.


Monday, July 23, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 23rd

Today we had another summer afternoon storm. I went outside to take some pictures right after the rain stopped, hoping to catch a rainbow. Unfortunately there wasn't one, but I caught two images that I thought were really pretty.

This one shows the clouds at the back of the storm.



This one shows the sky over my house after the storm came through.


It was a little strange to see it cloudy and dark on one side of my street, yet beautiful and clear on the other side of my street. But that's how these summer storms work!

National Hot Dog Day!

Grab your ketchup and mustard....today is National Hot Dog Day!

Hot dogs are considered an "American" food, and is served often at our national events like Memorial Day or the Fourth Of July. Hot Dogs were actually first created in Germany. Another name for hot dog is frankfurter, after the town of Frankfurt, Germany, where the hot dog was created.

Here are some fun hot dog facts.

The longest hot dog was 1,996 feet long and was created for the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia.

Over 20 billion hot dogs are eaten in each year in just the United States.

The most popular way to eat a hot dog is with mustard. However many people prefer to add ketchup, onions, chili, relish, or other condiments.

My favorite way to eat a hot dog is with ketchup and mustard.

How do you eat your hot dog?

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 22nd

If clouds are my favorite thing to look at in the sky, then sunsets are my second favorite!

Doesn't get prettier than this!!


Saturday, July 21, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 21st

I am just amazed at how different the clouds look each day, and I've only been taking these pictures for a week. Sometimes the clouds just seem as though you could reach right out and touch one.


Friday, July 20, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 20th

As usual in the late afternoon, the clouds build up to bring us those summer storms.  Check out these cumulonimbus clouds I spotted today.


Thursday, July 19, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 19th

Today started out as a "perfect" day. As we say in the South, it was a "Carolina" blue sky, with hardly a cloud to speak of.


By evening, the clouds had arrived, but they still made a pretty picture!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 17th

Pretty, isn't it?  Clouds are one of my favorite things!

Monday, July 16, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 16th

Is this a cloud?  Or a duck?  You decide!




Can you see what I mean?





Sunday, July 15, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 15th

Sunday was a beautiful day! I love to see blue sky and those "puffy" clouds.  I took this one as we left our subdivision, headed to the grocery store.

Do you remember the name of this type of cloud?

I scream, You scream, We all scream....

FOR ICE CREAM!!!

Today is National Ice Cream Day. Did you even know there even was a holiday for ice cream?  Me either!

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared July to be National Ice Cream month, and the third Sunday to be National Ice Cream Day. The ice cream cone was first invented in the late 1800s, but ice cream has been in the history books for hundreds of years before that.  It's amazing to me that before there was electricity, people figured out ways to keep ice cream cold enough to enjoy!

So how do you celebrate National Ice Cream Day?

By eating it of course!

And what kind of ice cream should  you eat?

According to a survey by FoodChannel.com, the most popular flavor is vanilla. My absolute favorite flavor is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, but I'll eat just about any flavor.  Even plain old vanilla!  You know how much I love red velvet cake. I even found a brand called Blue Bunny that makes red velvet ice cream!  You should try it...amazing!

What's your favorite flavor?

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Cloud of the day---July 14th

I took this picture on Saturday in the mid-afternoon. This is a typical summer day in North Carolina.  Do you see all those clouds in the distance? Perfect way to build up a summer storm!

Friday, July 13, 2012

A new feature starts today

I have decided I am going to start posting a "Cloud of the Day" picture to our class blog. Weather is a big topic for us in 5th grade science, and knowing the different kinds of clouds is also important.

So look each day for a new picture! 

If you think you remember the name of the cloud, you can leave a comment!

I took this from my front yard, just before the storm came in this evening.


Click here to see a cloud picture I posted last summer. I've never seen a heart in the sky before!

Hot and Now for 75 years

Today is a special day for world-famous company that started right here in our town. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is 75 years old today!

Krispy Kreme started in Winston-Salem on July 13, 1937, with the first store being on South Main Street. This is now part of historic Old Salem. The doughnuts were originally sold to grocery stores, but as they were being baked, the yummy scent could be smelled up and down the street. So many people came asking if they could buy a doughnut that a hole was cut in the wall so doughnuts could be sold individually. That was 75 years ago and now there are Krispy Kreme stores in 38 states and 22 countries. 

I love the original, plain glazed ones, but earlier this year I discovered they made a red velvet doughnut! Boy was that tasty!

What's your favorite Krispy Kreme doughnut?

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Happy Birthday America!!

For every other country in the world, July 4 is just another day. For the United States however, it is a day of celebration, because this is our country's birthday!  This year, the United States is 236 years old! While that seems like a large number, our country is very young compared to other countries. For example, England is 1,085 years old.

In 1997, I spent 8 weeks in Germany as an exchange student. Because I was there in the summer, I happened to be there on July 4th. It was so strange to not see red, white, and blue decorations everywhere. Our German classmates took all of us American students to a restaurant that day because they knew we wanted to celebrate. This particular restaurant was having a "sale" that day on all drinks from America...like Coke, Pepsi, and other things. The owner was so proud to have real Americans in his restaurant on that day that he came to take a picture with us!

Here are some fun facts about July 4th.

The oldest known documented Fourth Of July celebration happened right here in Winston-Salem! The communities of Salem, Bethania, and Bethabara got together on July 4, 1783 to have a time of music and reflection of our nation's birthday.

Only one President has ever been born on July 4th. That would be Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President.

Three Presidents have died on July 4th. The 2nd President, John Adams, and the 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826. James Monroe, the 5th President, died on July 4, 1831.

Any military base that is able to fires a 50-gun salute called the Salute to the Union. They fire one gun shot for each state on July 4th at noon.

What will your family do to celebrate our Nation's Birthday?

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Mayberry will never be the same....

If you were a student in my class this past year, you may remember a story I read to you. It was about a man who was watching something happen for the first time, and as I read the description, you had to make an inference to figure out what he was talking about.  Several of you guessed right, that the man was watching a football game.

Well, the man who wrote the story died today. Andy Griffith was born in Mt. Airy, NC, not far from where we live. Have you ever been to Pilot Mountain? Mt. Airy is just a few miles from there. He was the star of the Andy Griffith Show, and played the role of Sheriff Andy Taylor who lived in the town of Mayberry.  It is said that he created Mayberry to remind himself of his hometown.

Would you like to hear that story again? Click here to see the video.

Posts on Mrs. Staton's SuperStars may include links to external websites. Links to external sites are not under the editing control of the author of Mrs. Staton's SuperStars. Please ask that children use adult supervision when visiting websites outside of this blog, especially YouTube. While there are many great videos, please considering the ability for the public to post and comment on videos on YouTube.

Monday, July 2, 2012

Cloud Pic of the Day--July 24th

Another summer day, another afternoon storm. I took this one right outside my front door, just a few minutes before the rain started. 

Can you see why we said that stratus clouds lay on the sky like a blanket. Layers and layers of stratus clouds, just waiting to dump their precipitation on us!

Thursday, June 28, 2012

We're in a HEATwave!

Our weather for the next few days is calling for record-breaking heat.  We are expected to have highs in the 100s for several days. The last time we had temperatures this hot was in the summer of 2007. The local meterologist says that we may break temperature records from as far back as 1914!

So what can you do to stay cool during this heat?

For starters, don't go outside during the hottest part of the day, which is between 11-4.  Try to avoid these hours as the sun is at its peak in the sky.  Do your physical activity in the morning hours or the evening hours.

If you must go outside during the middle of the day:
  • Drink plenty of WATER!
  • Wear light-weight clothing.
  • Wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Don't forget sunscreen!
  • Take plenty of breaks.
Enjoy these hot days, but be safe and careful!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Summer Reading

Dear Students,

On one of our last days of school, I mentioned to you that the bookstore, Barnes and Noble, was having a summer reading program. 

Here's how it works.

If you read 8 books, and fill out this form, your parents can take you to the bookstore and you can choose a free book! 

You can also print a form for your brothers and sisters so all of you can get a free book this summer.

If you do this program, please leave me a comment and tell me what book you chose!

READY......SET....READ!!!

Love,
Mrs. Staton

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Remembering the 5th Grade Class of 2012

Dear Students,

School is out and Summer is in!  It was quite a year wasn't it?

We started out together AGAIN, since most of you were in my class in 4th grade as well. A few of our classmates were from other classes, but 17 of us were together for 2 years.

We added 3 new teachers to our grade level, and said goodbye to one when she retired.

We said goodbye to 3 classmates who moved away at different points during the year.

We learned to DANCE! Who would have thought?

We said goodbye to each other for 8 weeks as I left school to have my baby.

We were reunited for 8 days at the end of year...field day, picnics, and your "Graduation"!

And then we had to say goodbye one last time...

The next time I see any of you, you will be middle schoolers, or even older than that. I do hope you will come back to "The Fork" to visit and let me see how you've grown and how much you've learned since you've left me.  I've never taught a group of students for 2 years in a row, so you guys will always hold a special place in my heart. 

Have a wonderful summer and enjoy your 6th grade year!!  You are well prepared!!

Love,
Mrs. Staton

Thursday, January 26, 2012

First Week of Dancing Classrooms

This week we started our Dancing Classrooms program. We are learning to dance during our recess time for two days a week. I really think you students are enjoying yourselves, whether you want to admit it or not.

So far, we have learned
  • Red Light Green Light steps (as part of the Merengue dance)
  • Escort Position
  • Proper hand positions for dancing with a partner
I was so impressed after Thursday's class when our instructor said our class had learned the steps faster than any class she had taught in a while! Despite some silly behavior (which I think was because some of you were nervous), you ARE learning to dance!!  I also enjoyed that we got to learn some line dance steps at the end of the class on Thursday....especially when the song used was a #1 hit back when I was young. Brought back some memories for me.

How do you feel after the first week of dance is over?

Friday, January 20, 2012

We are going to be a DANCING CLASSROOM!

Yesterday, we had two ladies from the Dancing Classrooms program come and talk to us about the new program we will be starting next week. We are going to participate in a 10 week dance program, where we will learn different types of dances. We may learn line dances or partner dances. We will be using our classroom and dancing twice a week during our recess time.

I would love to hear your thoughts about this program.

Are you excited?   Nervous?  Scared?  

Write a comment telling me how you feel about this program.  Later when the class is over, we will ask this question again to see how your first opinion changed!

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Teacher Read-Aloud Time

Over the past few months, I've been reading out loud to our class. I have been reading books from "The Series of Unfortunate Events" by the author Lemony Snicket.  So far we have read the first 3 books.

In the first book, The Bad Beginning, we met our 3 main characters who became orphans after their parents died. They were sent to live with a so-called relative they had never met and many terrible things happened to them.

In the second book, The Reptile Room, the 3 children were sent to live with a distant uncle and the terrible things followed them there.

In the third book, which we just finished this week, The Wide Window, the children were sent to live with an aunt who was scared of EVERYTHING...and again, terrible things happened.

Now we are getting ready to start the fourth book, called The Miserable Mill. 

What do you think might happen in this book? Do you think our evil villain will show up again? Will things get better for the orphans?  Share your thoughts with me!

Super Kids Class #3

Today Officer Costner talked to our class about drugs. We had to tell him the different ones we knew and we had a discussion about the legal age to use these drugs. I think some of our classmates were surprised to learn that some drugs are actually illegal, meaning no one is allowed to use them. Other drugs, like tobacco and alcohol, while still bad for us, can be bought by adults at different ages.

Then we watched a video that told many facts about drugs and how they harm our bodies.

Share with me one or two facts about drugs that you had not known before.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Super Kids Class #2

Today Officer Costner talked to us about how we deal with conflict.  A conflict is any sort of problem or disagreement you might have with another person.  We can choose to deal with this conflict in a positive way or a negative way.  The decisions we make could also have consequences, especially if we choose the negative way to deal with problems.

Tell me about what you learned from Officer Costner about dealing with conflict.  Is this different than how you usually handle problems?  Are you changing how you think about or how you handle problems?

Friday, January 6, 2012

Super Kids Class #1

Today we started our Super Kids class with Police Officer Costner.  He comes every year to teach the Kindergarten, 2nd Grade and 5th Grade students at our school.

Today he talked about Self Esteem. He said Self Esteem is the way we feel about ourselves.  Having good self-esteem is very important, but we also have to be watchful. The things we say or do to others can bring down their self esteem.

What did you learn from Officer Costner about having good self-esteem?