I'm coming down with something

Hello,

Sorry no blog post last night.  I got out of Bowdoin a lot later than I expected. 

I had a runny nose this afternoon.  I don't get sick very often and will try to do everything I can to nip this in the bud.  The timing is tough with all the extra work surrounding report cards, but what can I do?  Conference time confirmations went home today.  If you don't like the time, let me know a better one.  I gave everyone a time during their first choice time slot.  Some didn't specify a priority time, so I just fit them in at a time that they liked. 

We've had an eventful two days.  In math we are going into learn multiplication fact mode.  We have been making flash cards.  Some children already have them at home.  This set can be their school cards.

We have been learning about erosion.  I have been dumping water on trays of earth and we have been watching the water carve its path down toward the "sea."  Tomorrow we will set up the trays so we have a giant water fall from one tray to the next.  This came from one of the student suggestions. 

Tomorrow will be a geology filled day as we will begin the day at the feldspar quarries of CREA and end with chorus and science.  Speaking of chorus and science, we will be learning the following song in the coming weeks.  I introduced the first two stanzas this afternoon.

Rock Cycle Song
(Sing to the tune of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat")

SEDIMENTARY rock
Has been formed in layers
Often found near water sources
With fossils from decayers

Then there's IGNEOUS rock
Here since Earth was born
Molten Lava, cooled and hardened
That's how it is formed

These two types of rocks
Can also be transformed
With pressure, heat and chemicals
METAMORPHIC they'll become.

 
The class did a great job writing today.  I gave them a writing prompt, (a story starter), and they were off and writing.  The entire class wrote for a half hour with barely a peep.  Their writing stamina has improved greatly from the beginning of the year.  You will see this writing sample at the conference.  (Maybe that was some motivation for them.)  I didn't even hear, "How many sentences do we have to do?"  I was very happy about that. 

Sorry no lego club tonight.  I didn't get a permission/info sheet made up on Wednesday, so it didn't happen.  I meant to do it during our lunch time but a grand Harry Potter Sorting Lunch got in the way.  That went very well.  We put a walkie-talkee into the hat and I yelled things like "You belong in...  Slytherin!" loudly from the special ed room next door.  Pretty funny.  It looks like a good club.  I think we have some enthusiastic members joining our crew.

Okay.  All for now.  I'm going home, having soup, and going to bed.  My eyes want to close right now. 

Thanks for reading.  I look forward to next week's conferences.

Mr. Shea