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!
Friday, October 5, 2012
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.
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).
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.
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?
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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!
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.
Including President Garfield, there have been 4 Presidents who were assassinated.
Can you guess who the other three are?
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
Another really cool event happened today, 66 years ago! My dad was born!
Happy Birthday Daddy!
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.
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.
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