David

 Meet David!

David started with this wooden statue of a toad.  His Aunt Pon gave it to him...and she got it in Taiwan.  You rub the stick over the toad and it's used to call in toads!  Interesting!!!

 David showed us a picture of him as a baby.  This picture was taken while his family was camping...his first time camping.  He told us "I mostly slept."  David has two brothers:  Toby Joseph, Jr. is 16 and Thomas Samuel is 14. 

He had another photo of him playing soccer.

His aunt...not Aunt Pon, but Aunt Robbie, gave him this rabbit skin.  She also gave him a weasel skin, but he left that at home.  Aunt Robbie moved to Arizona for awhile, like 10 weeks, but moved back because it was too hot.  She gave him this skin before she went to Arizona.

David told us about his name.  He's named David after the David in the Bible...the one who killed Goliath.  His middle name is Matthew, and he doesn't know why he's named that. 

Last but not least, he showed us a plastic lizard.  He likes to play with it, but mostly, he likes to play with his army guys.

What fun it was to learn more about David!

Breanna

Meet Breanna!

Breanna started by sharing this heart.  Her sister, Heather, made it in class.  She gave it to Breanna because she loves her! 

Breanna also shared a photograph of her dog who died last year....

Now look at this smile!  This is a trophy from a dance recital.  This makes me think that she really loves dance?

Last but not least was this little jar of honey. 
Breanna told us that her grandpa, who lives in Oregon, has boxes of bee hives.  She actually helped him with pouring this honey!

We all enjoyed hearing a little more about Breanna!

Kate

Meet Kate!

Kate started her 'bag' by showing us a ball of yarn and crochet hook.  She told us she likes to crochet!

An origami frog was her next item.  Her cousin made it for her...but Kate also likes to do origami and she likes frogs!

She had a feather from her grandpa.  They're not sure what kind of bird it's from, but she likes it anyway.

This is a birthday doll.  It has the number of years she is old.

Kate also had a dog (not a live one,of course) from her grandma.  One time when they went to the zoo, her grandma let Kate and her cousins pick out an animal in the gift shop. 

She showed us a rock....that had some dirt on it.  She just really likes it and got it from her Dad.

Kate showed us some chimes...and wiggled them so we could hear the chimes.  This was a gift from her granny for a birthday.

She included a bookmark in her bag because she likes to read.  Sometimes, she doesn't have enough bookmarks!

"Chocolate" is a mustang figurine.  Kate has a lot more figurines at home.  'Chocolate' is a horse (figurine) that she got for Christmas. 

This is a rabbit.  She got it from some friends who are moving.  Her sister got one, too.

The last item Kate shared was a quarter.  She had it in her bag because she collects quarters.  She likes to see the states that are printed on the backs.

Wow!  It was fun learning a lot about Kate!

Ms. G

Meet Ms. G!

Room 5 is fortunate to have 2 student teachers this year.  We have Ms. G for the first half of the year.  After Christmas, she'll move to a different school.  (sniff, sniff)

Thursday, we learned a bit about Ms. G.  She showed us this sandal key chain.  It has a picture of a turtle on it.  The Spanish word for turtle is 'Tortuga' which is her mom's nickname for her.

This coin purse is also a key chain.  It was given to her by her host sister who lives in Italy.  Ms. G lived with her for 2 weeks.

She also showed us a toy that Zoe likes to play with.  Zoe is her roommates dog.  This was a loud...actually, the loudest toy!

This is a magnet from Pisa, Italy!  She saw this while she was living with her host sister.  This magnet is kind of a joke about the leaning tower!

Ms. G also showed us a picture of herself with her parents when she was 9 years old.  She told us she doesn't have a lot of photos because her family moved a lot...and many pictures got lost. 

A cat eraser was another item in her bag.  It was given to her by her little sister, Makenzie.

A copy of a cat painting was also in her bag.  It's a French painting because she studied French in college!

Ms. G is excited to be in Room 5, so included in her bag was a little Panda bear given to her by our very own Aarin!

Ms. G's first name is Stephanie.  She told us her mom named her after Princess Stephanie of Monaco.  It means "crowned one."  Janette is her middle name.  Her mom named her this after a singer her mother really liked.

We so enjoyed getting to know more about Ms. G!

Friday Silent Reading

 Fridays are a bit different in Room 5.  Our usual schedule is a bit off.  For example:  Silent Reading

 We actually haven't even started Silent Reading...but Friday, our first Friday, I did something I don't think I've ever done.

 During the regular school year on Fridays, I usually let Room 5 sit with a partner (not a group, just a partner) and read a non-chapter book.  This could be a comic book, a yearbook, Where's Waldo...etc. 

  However, I never start it the first week of school.  This year was different because this group has been so incredibly well behaved and followed directions so well, that coupled with the absolutely beautiful day it was outside, I decided to let them start. 

 I have carpet squares they are welcome to take outside our room and sit on....or they can use them in the classroom.  They're also welcome to sit at their own desk...or at a table...

 We had students doing all the choices available...

 Some started outside...but the 'beautiful weather' was a bit too warm for some of them, so they came back inside. 

We definitely started this fourth grade year with a super week!

A brand new year! 2013-2014

So here we are in a brand new year!  I hope we have a lot of family and friends who follow our journey through 4th grade this year....

We're definitely off with a great beginning!

Our last Minute-to-Win-It

 

We had our final Minute-to-Win-It on Friday...the last day of school, the last afternoon of the last day of school, the last activity of the school year...

I seriously cannot believe I forgot my camera...so these came from my iPhone.  We had the first activities...and I took no photos, since I didn't think of using the camera on the phone.  When Mikayla and Austin got ready to stick their faces in these pans of whip cream, in my desperation, I thought of the phone camera... and I took off running to get it.

The pans had gummy bears mixed in with whip cream.  A partner held your hair back, while the contestants, with their hands behind their backs, tried to get the gummy bears out of the pan and into another container.

They were victorious...actually, I don't even remember who "won" but in my opinion, they all did!

 

Next:  eating donuts off a string.  A partner held the string with the chocolate donut that had been sitting in the sun, tied on. The partner had to keep a 'stiff arm' while the contestant tried to eat the whole donut...

 

It was definitely harder than it looked!  I think Chloe was the SLIGHT winner...

 

Next, gummy worms in chocolate pudding!  

Your job:  using your toes, find the worms, take them out, and put them in the other container.

 Phoebe was digging in..................

 as was my little fashionista, Cameron...............

 and another of our fashionistas, Sabrina!

In the end, I have no idea who transferred the most worms, but  do know these contestants were over at the water hose, washing off their feet!

FUn, fun, fun.... that's what today was as far as the final Minute-to-Win-It!