Friday, October 31, 2008

This is Why Halloween is so Scary!

These are the students that dressed for Halloween in my class. As you can see, there is some improvement in looks. Too bad we don't have them do this more often!

Noel School Hallowen Parade





Our school has a tradition of parading the kids around with their Halloween costumes. Here are a couple clips of this years parade.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Too Cool to Miss!



Follow this link to The History Channel's Hidden Spirits Site. Follow the instructions to play the game. Since this is science class, make sure to read the directions carefully so that you can use the instruments to record and collect data. If it is fun, keep it to yourself, 'cause school isn't supposed to be fun!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Can You Sasa?

We have been asked to create a Sasa, Samoan slap dance, and video it for our friends at Tamaki Today. They would like us to give it a little of our "flavor". Get ready and we will video it on Friday! (Halloween just got a little scarier!)

Monday, October 27, 2008

AR Day


AR day was last Wednesday. We planned to spend all day reading books. The students were allowed to bring snacks, wear pajamas, and bring pillows and blankets to get comfortable with. We had a great morning with students reading like crazy. It was awesome to see them reading so intently. Unfortunately, the afternoon was interrupted by an anti-drug assembly. We didn't get to read all day long like we planned.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Blogging Tiger Award for Writing:The House on Maple Street


Congratulations Emily on winning the Blogging Tiger Award for Writing! Here is the story Emily wrote. You can also find it on the Creative Writing Blog.
The House on Maple Street

"Oh no!" Bell says, "Stay away!" she was very scared as a robber is in Bell's house. The robber grabbed Bell and ran to the creepiest house on Maple Street.

"Ms. Bell? Ms. Bell?"

"Huh?" Bell says yawning, waking up in math class.

"What does h equal in 4 times h equals 16?" she looked at Bell doubtfully

"4 times h equals 16 oh, um h equals 3?" she said trying to remember. She heard giggling from the class mates behind her.

"Incorrect. To be correct h=4. Were you sleeping again? If you weren't you would know that I just told you what h equals." Mrs. Patron asked already knowing the answer. Bell heard some whispers across the room. Great Isabella she thought

"Yes, Mrs. Patron…….."

They heard the bell ring that cut off Bell.

She walked down the hallway; Bell heard some snoring, then giggling. She felt miserable. She got out the door realizing there was some snow on the ground. She passed the house she was dreaming about, which were 2 houses away from hers. When she got home she heard some screaming upstairs. She threw my bag on the couch and ran upstairs to find her little brother Simon's hand stuck in a mouse trap.

"What are you doing?" Bell said yelling. Simon's face was wet from tears. He was still whimpering. She carefully took the mouse trap, untangling his fingers.

"Don't ever touch this again ok? I thought you broke a leg or something!" she exclaimed.

6 hours later it was time to go to bed. she have to share a bunk bed with Simon. Luckily she gets top bunk.

"No put me down!" she screamed the bandit got to the house and the house shot from the ground like a rocket ship. It was a perfect lift-off. "I'm in space oh, no." The robber put some rope around her face so she could not talk. She hummed something trying to get something out. He just pulled more tightly. A tear fell from my eye. I cannot believe I am crying. She thought to herself. I need to get home before mom thinks I'm off wondering somewhere.

She saw all the planets. But she did not even try to look at the sun, although it might hurt her eyes anyway. How am I breathing? She thought again.

"Just another dream phew." She said under her breath.

In the morning she woke up and ran downstairs. She turned on the TV, It said there was no school due to snow.

"Yes!" I yelled so loudly that I woke up my brother and he came downstairs. He went over to the window, looked out and gave me a smile.

"Sissy, can we go play in the snow?" Simon asked

"Sure go get your winter clothes on and I will too." As soon as they got downstairs they went outside and had lots of fun.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Blogging Tiger Award for Social Studies


Congratulations, Vanessa on your Blog Action Day post on poverty. You receive the coveted, and rarely awarded Blogging Tiger Award for Social Studies. Here is the link to her post. Go there and congratulate Vanessa on her award.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Blog Action Day: Why We Participate

Today thousands of bloggers are writing about poverty. Why are we participating? With this year's emphasis on the global community, it is important for us to look outside ourselves and our immediate community to see what is going on in the world. You will be having a lesson today on poverty in social studies. What does poverty mean? The United States has a scale that determines the poverty level. According to Wikipedia last year, for example, the poverty line for a family of four was $21,200. Does that reflect poverty in the rest of the world? What differences do you see between poverty in the United States and other countries?



Update: Check out the students' posts on poverty at Compendium.

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Blog Action Day 08- Raising Poverty Awareness


Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.

We are preparing for this day in both Math and Social Sciences. Will you join us?

Monday, October 06, 2008

Would You Like to Write With Us?


Chris Van Allsburg's excellent children's book The Mysteries of Harris Burdick has been a source of writing inspiration for my students for years. I honestly have never had more success getting my students to write than using this book as a story starter.

So, my question to you is, "Will you join us?" I want you to write a story based on one of Van Allsburg's pictures from The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. There are two rules to this assignment:

1. You must use the line that goes with the picture somewhere in your story.
2. The story must have something to do with the picture.

If you don't have a copy this link will take you to Google Book Search of the story.

Write your story on your blog, or use Google docs, or some other on-line publishing and send me the link so my class can read it and so I can link to it. If you can't publish it on-line, email it to me at wmchamberlain@gmail.com and I will post it here on the blog. You can even record audio or video of you reading your story!

There is no reward except for the joy of writing and sharing with others and perhaps the coveted Blogging Tiger Award for Writing to place on your blog or website.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

30,000 Hits and Counting



Today my website collected its 30,000 hit. We had a small celebration and I bought a cake for the fifth grade to eat at lunch. I am really pleased with the response this blog has had.

Weather Unit Topic 1

Here is a link to the vocabulary page that I made on the Smart Board. It shows both informal definitions and my graphic representations. Remember, your graphic representations are due after we finish reading the topic.

Passage to Freedom A Study of Character



Passage to Freedom is a biography of Chiune Sugihara. In the story Mr. Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat to Lithuania, signs thousands of travel visas for refugees escaping from the German army in 1940. The picture above is an actual visa signed by Mr. Sugihara.

Mr. Sugihara's efforts reveal to us three of his character traits: compassion, courage, and integrity. Give an example from the story to show one of these traits.





The Commenting Tiger Award goes to Michael for his excellent comment using details from the story. Congratulations