Finally!!! Pictures from Raven Run:)

Here is the link to the album with photos from our Raven Run field trip! It was so much fun and I cannot wait until our next field trip!!!!
https://picasaweb.google.com/117468328572685742736/RavenRun2011?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Updates!

Good afternoon!!!! The following include important information about the coming weeks:

                                   Carnival!!!!

The Fall Carnival is October 7th 6-9. There will be a “Spirit Week” leading up to the fun evening!

    Mon 10/3– Hat Day!

    Tues 10/4– Team Spirit Day!

    Wed 10/5– Backwards Day!

    Thurs 10/6– Crazy socks/shoes day!

    Fri 10/7– Liberty Day!!

GRADED WORK FROM LAST WEEK WILL BE SENT HOME TOMORROW!!!!!!!

Things your student is responsible for TOMORROW, Friday the 30^th:

-          Reading/Pronoun Packet

-          Math workbook pages 21-24

-          Reading Log

-          Library books to return or re-check out

-          Studying for spelling, vocabulary, and morning work tests tomorrow

Book reports were very well presented!!!!!

Please let me know if you have any concerns or questionsJ

Have an amazing weekend!!!

Graded Work, Infinite Campus, and Reminders for Tomorrow

Things your student is responsible TOMORROW, Friday the 9^th:

-          Reading/Noun Homework packet

-          Math workbook pages 6-10

-          Reading Log (only 3 nights required because no school on Monday)

-          Library books to return or re-check out

-          Studying for spelling, vocabulary, and morning work tests tomorrow

Graded work went home TODAY!

Coming home in the student orange folder should be the following:

-          Morning Work Test 3

-          Spelling Test

-          Reading Log

-          Reading and Social Studies Homework with the Math Homework Grade also written on it

-          4 Morning Works with “Week 3” at the top

-          Spelling sort on notebook paper

-          Plant lifecycle cut and paste with descriptions

The vocabulary tests are now taken on the clickers, so those grades will have to be entered into Infinite Campus.

Remember, reading and math homework receive one “glow” comment (what the student did well) and one “growth” comment (what will help the student grow as a learner). I put a lot of time and thought into these comments because I want each student to accomplish amazing progress this yearJ

Infinite Campus is still giving me troubleL I hope to meet with Polly Cox soon to get it straightened out but am afraid it will be next Monday or Tuesday before that is possible. As soon as I get it set up, I will enter grades, and then send home a copy of your student’s current grades in each subject. That WILL go home next week.

Homework and Graded Work

Good afternoon everyone!

We have started off this week on an excellent foot, and I am very excited to see how hard everyone works this week!!

Just a couple things…

Homework packets were sent home today! They should have the spelling/vocabulary cover sheet, a goods and services sheet, and the reading example and blank copy. We went over directions for all pages today, so students should be pretty well preparedJ Unfortunately, I forgot to hand out Math Workbooks at the end of today; so those will go home tomorrow. I am so sorry for any inconvenience! If you or your student has any questions over the homework, please ask before Friday morning. Friday is when everything is due, and is therefore, too late to ask questions.

Also, you may have seen in your student’s planner that the first batch of graded work will be sent home tomorrow. Infinite Campus is not currently set up for this school year due to the mass number of students that must be entered into the system. For now, you will just be able to view your student’s progress through the graded work. I will enter grades into Infinite Campus as soon as it’s set-up. The items that should be coming home include: the “Me Project” scoring slip, 2 reading logs, the spelling, vocabulary, and morning work tests from last Friday, 8 morning works from the past 2 weeks (graded by the individual student in blue pen for self monitoring and then receiving participation points with a blue highlighter checkmark from me), and one spelling sort. Once Infinite Campus is working, I will also be entering participation grades from daily observations made during hands-on activities.

If you have any questions about homework or graded work, please do not hesitate to ask! I hope everyone has a wonderful nightJ

Help Our School Garden Grow!

Liberty’s Teaching Garden

Liberty Elementary is raising money for the second phase of our teaching garden, which is located behind the primary wing of the school. The garden is a focal point of many lessons that take place in the science lab. We have already begun constructing several projects including a small stream, a butterfly garden, themed edible gardens, and a bird-feeding station. We would like to add seating, additional raised beds, as well as solar and wind energy stations. What an awesome and engaging place for our students to learn!

Please help out by bringing individually wrapped baked items to the Open House on Thursday, September 1^st, for the bake sale. Rose Brown is offering to pick up items out of the car line for anyone who is not able to come into the school to drop off their items. If you are interested in donating, please sign up at:

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/bake136

Thanks so much for your support!

Library

Please help your student remember their library books tomorrow! Even if they want to re-check it out, make sure they bring it to school!
Also, study, study, study for the vocab and spelling tests! Reading logs are due tomorrow, too! Whew, feel like 3rd graders yet;)
Thanks so much for all you do:)

This Coming Week

I hope everyone enjoyed their long weekend:) We are going to be jumping right into more rigorous curriculum on Monday! We will begin reading our class book "The City of Ember", discussing economics, exploring plants, brainstorming "Bright Ideas", and beginning Chapter 1 of Math in Focus (numbers to 10,000). Our first set of spelling and vocabulary words will go home Monday. Be sure to study for the tests on Friday! http://www.spellingcity.com is a great tool to help students study their words! As for our specials schedule, it is as follows:
Monday- P.E.
Tuesday- Computer Lab
Wednesday- Drama
Thursday- Music
Friday- Art

As always, contact me with and questions or concerns. kelly.morris@fayette.kyschools.us
Welcome to our first full week of school!!!

Pictures of Our Class So Far:)

Here are a couple of pictures I wanted to share from these past few days!!!
https://picasaweb.google.com/117468328572685742736/August212011?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCJyu84ml16mF5AE&feat=directlink

Our Specials for the next few days:)

The following details the specials we will have. Students had P.E. today, so you have another 5 days before you have to worry about remembering tennis shoes!
Friday, August 12:  Computer
Monday, August 15: Drama
Tuesday, August 16: Music
Wednesday, August 17: Art
Thursday, August 18: Science
Friday, August 19: NO SCHOOL!!!

Hope this helps:)

First Day!

          Well, our very first day of 3rd grade has officially ended! We made it!!!:) I am so excited to see all the wonderful enthusiasm from students and their families!!! It is so nice to get these little procedural activities out of the way early on so that we can dive right into learning next week! We are still working through the beginning kinks of the school year; so, I appreciate everyone's patience these first few day. As always, if there is anything I can do to help make 3rd grade smoother for you and your student don't hesitate to email me.
          As many of you may have noticed, the beginning of the year forms folder and the "me" assignment were sent home today. Both of these are due on Monday but I greatly appreciate those of you who are early birds:) If the class as a whole turns in all of their forms on Monday, I will let them choose their first class reward!!! In case your student's forms were lost in the chaos of today, I have attached them to the email I will be sending out tonight. Please email or call if you still have trouble!
         I am so excited about this year and hope you are as well!!!! I look forward to great things from each and every one of these amazing students:)

Vacation:)

My family and I are on vacation in Gulf Shores, Alabama!!! We haven't been able to come on a vacation for about 10 years together; so, I am beside myself with joy! We are doing all the fun things I remember from when I was younger and the weather is gorgeous!!! However, there are jellyfish EVERYWHERE, and I, being the big chicken I am, am terrified to get into the water:( Still, so blessed to be here! This is a picture of my current view:

Awesome Website

While planning for the coming school year, Mrs. Thompson and I played around with a site I learned about in one of my graduate classes. It allows you to create your own cartoons and is really engaging!! You get to choose already created people and can make them speak and move in countless ways. You can select different settings for your character to be in and move or add props to suite your needs. This could be a useful resource when creating monthly book report projects. Definitely a site kids will have a blast playing on! Try it out yourself:
http://www.goanimate.com/

My First Post!

It is a little sad how excited I am to be posting my very first blog:) I thought it would be fitting for this post to give myself a full introduction, so here goes:

I graduated in 2009 from the University of Kentucky with a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and am pursuing a Master's Degree with an Endorsement in Gifted and Talented Education from Georgetown College (to be completed May 2012). I grew up in Barren County (in south central Kentucky) but have enjoyed living in Lexington for the past seven years. My first year as a teacher was better than I could ever have imagined and I'm extremely excited about the coming school year! My teaching philosophy focuses on offering every student individualized instruction to better meet his/her unique needs so his/her fullest potential can be reached. It is my belief that every child can learn and is capable of remarkable accomplishments, as long as they are supported by family, school, and community. I cannot wait to work with each and every one of my students and parents for the coming year!

With that said, I look forward to using this blog as a great form of communication with my students and parents/guardians!