What is your favorite part of Christmas?  My favorite part is decorating the Christmas tree, but my family usually does it on Christmas Eve.  We then leave the tree up until Epiphany and enjoy the lights through the twelve days of Christmas.  Every family has different traditions and ways they celebrate the holidays.

In religion class, we have been learning how children in countries around the world celebrate the season of Christmas.  I have been using a website that has a different country for each day of Advent.  While we have seen most of these in class, we have not had a chance to check it every day, and will not see it for the last few days once we are out of school.

Take a minute and look through the calendar with your friends or family and see if there are any traditions from around the world you might want to start with your family!!

Interactive Advent Calendar

Wow!  It's amazing how quickly the school year flies by.  I started the year thinking I would post links and suggestions every couple weeks.  All of a sudden I look at the website and it's been 3 months!  We are now well into our second trimester and all working hard in the rhythm of school.
Last week, Ms. DeNeve and I went to a conference of math teachers in Chicago.  I came back so full of ideas, I wish I could just teach math all day.  I am going to try to post a new link or website each week to give parents and students both ideas for how they can work on those important math, reading, and writing skills that can help in every subject.

Stay tuned for new websites and apps coming soon!

There's an App for Math

With all of the technology available to parents and students alike, it can be hard to decide what is helpful and what is not. Knowing who created the app or game can be a good place to start. I recently found out that there are some great math apps available for iPod and iPad devices. If you search for National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, there are a number of free math apps available. These are all apps that are created by the NCTM which is a well known and reputable organization. I have downloaded some to try and have found them easy to use and helpful. They span from number recognition to fractions and decimals. Check them out!

And, as always, feel free to email me with any ideas you have that may help other students.

Getting into a Routine

Now that we are coming to the end of our first week of school, students are starting to have homework and projects assigned.  Here are a few tips to help with getting this work done at home.

1. Water your brain!  The brain is a muscle, and, as with all muscles, it needs to be hydrated to work best.  Students might not always get the water they need during the day, so when you get home, drink a big glass of cold water before starting your work.

2. Take a break!  After working all day, it's important to give your mind and body a break.  Play outside, read a fun book, maybe even take a quick nap.  Then you will be energized to get back to your work.

3. Find a homework home!  Doing your homework in the same place every day will actually help with memory and concentration.  Make sure your homework place is away from distractions like TV, games, or cell phones. 

4. Ready, Set, Go!  Now that you have your mind, body, and space ready, it's time to start your work.  Look through your planner before you start and see what the most important homework is.  If you have an assignment due tomorrow and one due in a few weeks, spend the time on the immediate needs first.  But don't leave those big ones until the night before!  A little each night makes for less stress in the end.

First Day of School

Hooray for the first day of school!  It was a quick one since we went to church and had an early dismissal.  I had a great time walking around and checking in on the classes.  It's going to take a little while for all the teachers and students to get re-adjusted, but today was a great start.

Two very easy things to help get back into the routine of school.  Go to bed early so you get enough rest and eat breakfast every morning!  Both of these will help the whole day go better.

Here's to a great school year!

New Year, New Job!

Welcome back to my newly updated website.  After 6 years in the classroom, this school year will be a change for me.  I am starting as the Special Needs Coordinator at St. Nicholas Academy and could not be more excited!  I believe that every student has special talents and with those come special needs.  I am looking forward to working with students in kindergarten through eighth grade, as well as getting to work with the other teachers at my school in a different way.

Check back often for resources that might help your student find their individual strengths and ways to help each student feel successful!

Last Day of School

On our last day, all the fifth grade gathered to show their happiest . . .

. . . and our silliest faces as we were ready to move on to sixth grade.

Saying Goodbye to Eighth Grade

Today was the eighth graders last day of school. As they left this morning for graduation practice, the whole school lined up outside to wish them well. As we watched the eighth graders leave, it was also a reminder to the fifth graders that they are almost in middle school!

Panthers on the Prowl!

Third, fourth and fifth walking down the road.

Taking a break while waiting for our picture.

Most of 5A at the Gazebo. A welcome break!

Cotton candy after lunch while the band Appalatin played!

Body Systems

Even though I'm in Chicago with the eighth graders, I'm still thinking about my fifth grade class. The Science and Industry Museum has a display on the Human Body!

Circulatory System

Digestive system

Artificial knee in a leg

Holy Week

This week we have spent time in class and as a school remebering the events of Holy week.  The fourth grade presented a prayer service on Holy Thursday of the washing of hands (a little easier in school than washing feet!).  On Good Friday, we watched and discussed the movie Jesus Christ SuperStar.  It was a different way to think about the last week in Jesus' life.  Then in the afternoon, the second grade performed a passion play, the eighth grade presented the Stations of the Cross, and we had a veneration of the cross.

All of these events, individually and together, are part of why I love teaching at St. Nicholas Academy.  Our daily activites are engaging, but being able to share in these Holy days together brings a feeling of community that is more than what you find in a book.

Simple and Compound Machines!

We just finished a unit on simple and compound machines. Instead of a test, some student built compound machines or models of machines.

Happy Holy Week!

We are reading, thinking and praying about the events of Holy Week.  In addition to our work in class, we will have prayers on Holy Thursday at 1:30 and on Good Friday ay 1:00.  Students and parents are also encouraged to find out the prayer times at their home parish and celebrate with all faith communities.

Blue and Red Day!

A Hard Day's Work Complete!

We are getting ready for our ending town meeting. It's been a successful day with lots of work and fun!

Hard at work at JA Biztown

Our TV/Technology group getting ready to start the work day!

Getting ready for Biztown!!

We have been working for a couple months now to get ready for our field trip to JA Biztown. Everyone is hard at work getting their checks, deposit tickets and registers ready for the big day!

Spring has sprung!

I love this time of year because it is starting to feel so nice outside.  It makes it hard to stay inside and work on homework or study for tests, though.  So make it the best of both worlds.  On a nice spring afternoon, take your book outside to read.  Or take your math homework outside and do some multiplication and fractions in the sunshine.  The Vitamin D from the sun actually helps your feel better, so maybe you'll start feeling better about that homework :)

Testing Madness!!

We are full swing in our testing week now.  Students are working hard on their Terra Nova testing and trying their very best.
But, of course, their minds might be somewhere else as the March Madness basketball games have started. 

To prepare for testing, get lots of sleep, eat a good, healthy breakfast and try your best.

To prepare for the NCAA games, follow this link and set up your brackets!
Set your own Brackets

Shrove Tuesday

. . . then went outside as a school to pray over the burnt palms as we prepare for Ash Wednesday services tomorrow.

Celebrating Mardi Gras!

We learned about some of the traditions of Mardi Gras festivities today . . .

Valentine's Day part 2

Congressman John Yarmuth joined us to make more valentine's cards. His office will deliver them to the VA hospital later today.

Fifth graders working hard

Since our stewardship focus is military and veterans, many of the fifth graders are here early, working hard and having fun.

Valentine's for Veterans

Many students came early to school to start working on their Valentine cards . . . and to be filmed for WHAS morning news!

Pep Rally!

Feast of St. Blaise

Father Phillip and Mrs. DeLozier came around to the classes and blessed our throats. This should help with all those coughs!

Pajama Day!

The students of 5A have enjoyed being in there pajama during class :)

Pajama Day!

Day 4 of Catholic Schools Week is pajama day, groundhog day, and the 100th day of school!!

Student Appreciation Day!

Everyone could wear their spirit wear and we have school wide BINGO in the afternoon. One student is in charge of checking off the numbers on the Smartboard!

In motion!!

Get that body moving and the blood flowing to the brain!

Moving again!!

Catholic Schools Week!!

Get up and move gives a nice break in the afternoon!

Energy workshop

I am not in school today but still working hard! I'm spending the day at the Kentucky NEED Project workshop learning some great ways to teach and learn about how we use energy in our world.

New Year!!

It's been a wild first few weeks of 2012.  We had a smooth start, excellent parent/student/teacher conferences, and then an absolutely crazy Tornado Tuesday!!  But now we are back in gear and heading full speed ahead.  We have a nice span of time coming up without many interruptions. 

Check out the calendar page for information in fun events for Catholic Schools Week and stop by the Website page for more review activities and games.

Refraction!!

Today we talked about the principles of light refraction. Ask your fifth grader if they can explain why the pencil looks different under the water.