Sunday, January 22, 2012
Get Fired Up for Reading!
Spirit Lake Elementary has BIG NEWS----Reading Month is coming!!! Beginning January 23rd, and continuing for 4 weeks, we will be promoting reading even more than usual. With the theme of “Get Fired Up for Reading” in recognition of the Chinese New Year (2012 is the Year of the Dragon) we have a number of fun celebrations planned. Students will be forming a Great Wall of Readers, participating in a dragon parade around our building, enjoying special foods and treats, making fortune cookies and bookmarks and hearing about life in China today from local celebrities who have recently visited China. The elementary staff will be challenging all students to turn off the TV/electronics and spend a few extra minutes each day reading. To go along with this month long celebration, we will also be holding a service project which will support our US Troops in Afghanistan. Below is a list of items that are good examples of things the troops need and use on a daily basis. We encourage all items to be dropped off in one of the boxes located by the Elementary Office, Elementary Media Center, or the Fourth Grade Pod by Thursday, February 16, 2012. Cash donations will also be accepted to go toward postage. If you have additional questions, you may contact Dana in the office, Mrs. Sievert in the media center, or Mrs. Vugteveen (4th grade).
Suggested items:
candy that doesn’t melt (no chocolate, please)
gatorade pouches
gum
magazines/books
snack stuff: jerky, crackers, nuts, popcorn, etc.
toothbrush/toothpaste
chapstick
fruit snacks
DVD’s/CD’s (personalized CD’s are a favorite!)
Personal notes/letters
Thank you for supporting our students in their quest to “Get Fired Up For Reading!”
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Free Ebooks!
Please click on the link below to access a variety of links to free Ebooks that are available to the students at SLES in addition to those featured in the "EBook List" on our Library Catalog page.
http://sqworl.com/ndwmfu
Monday, September 5, 2011
September 2011 Internet Safety
My time with students will be scheduled a little differently this year. I won't see the students on a regular schedule as one of their Specials. I will be integrating the information skills needed with the classroom curriculum and teaming with the homeroom teachers to teach these skills. Our focus this month will be internet safety and responsible use of technology as I meet with classes. The following resources will be used: http://sqworl.com/dk7pg4
Information in a print format will be available at Open House. We are striving to teach students to be responsible and respectful users of technology by introducing them to a variety of tools that will be needed for their future. If you have questions or concerns about the skills being taught or resources available please feel free to contact me.
Information in a print format will be available at Open House. We are striving to teach students to be responsible and respectful users of technology by introducing them to a variety of tools that will be needed for their future. If you have questions or concerns about the skills being taught or resources available please feel free to contact me.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
May Library IS Class Plans
Kindergarten: We will finish up with Letter of the week stories and our technology skill lessons on Learning.com. Some time will be spent practicing with the Tux Paint program.
First Grade: We are enjoying reading the animal reports we wrote on Tar Heel Reader in preparation for the field trip to the zoo. We will be finishing up our lessons on Learning.com to acquire a few more new technology skills. We will also be learning a little about the Dewey Decimal system and the location of the animal books on the shelves of our library.
Second Grade: We have been watching our YouTube videos of our photography project and will next take a look at next year's nominated titles for the Goldfinch Award books. We will end the month with a look at poetry books and some technology skill lessons on Learning.com.
Third Grade: We will be previewing the books nominated for next year's Iowa Children's Choice Award, playing some Book Spine Bingo to review call letters and numbers, and learning about email.
Fourth Grade: We will be meeting Ms. Sherrill the MS Librarian who will teach students about the care of their laptops they will receive as 5th graders. Our month will end with some fun Bingo games in between field days, concerts, field trips, and graduation!
First Grade: We are enjoying reading the animal reports we wrote on Tar Heel Reader in preparation for the field trip to the zoo. We will be finishing up our lessons on Learning.com to acquire a few more new technology skills. We will also be learning a little about the Dewey Decimal system and the location of the animal books on the shelves of our library.
Second Grade: We have been watching our YouTube videos of our photography project and will next take a look at next year's nominated titles for the Goldfinch Award books. We will end the month with a look at poetry books and some technology skill lessons on Learning.com.
Third Grade: We will be previewing the books nominated for next year's Iowa Children's Choice Award, playing some Book Spine Bingo to review call letters and numbers, and learning about email.
Fourth Grade: We will be meeting Ms. Sherrill the MS Librarian who will teach students about the care of their laptops they will receive as 5th graders. Our month will end with some fun Bingo games in between field days, concerts, field trips, and graduation!
Sunday, April 10, 2011
April Learning in the Library
Kindergarten: We will be reading books about Jaguars and rainforest Jungles during "J" week. The Cross Country Cat by Mary Calhoun will be our focus during "C" week. The rest of the month we will be using the FunSchool site to learn about Earth Day!
First Grade: We are wrapping our research on mammals using the World Book online encyclopedia and will be making our stories about our chose mammal available on Tar Heel Reader website. More information about how to access your child's story will be coming to you via email!
Second Grade: A photography project is underway this month. This is a cooperative project between Mr. Proctor and Mrs. Sievert. Students are learning to use the features of the Kodak digital camera: the focal point grid, the Macro setting for close-ups, and turning the flash on and off. Students will be photographing faces on inanimate objects and looking for super close-up photo opportunities that might make others say "What in the world is that???"
Third Grade: Students continued their study of news and information websites with the Tween Tribune. They each will create an account and do some blogging about interesting stories they read. Learning.com will be used to brush up a few technology skills and the month will wrap up with some Earth Day games and books.
Fourth Grade: This is a big month for fourth graders. The transition to Middle School has begun. We are learning how to log onto a laptop with our own personal accounts and adjust the settings to our own preferences. The Acceptable Use Policy will be reviewed and Email will be introduced at the end of the month.
First Grade: We are wrapping our research on mammals using the World Book online encyclopedia and will be making our stories about our chose mammal available on Tar Heel Reader website. More information about how to access your child's story will be coming to you via email!
Second Grade: A photography project is underway this month. This is a cooperative project between Mr. Proctor and Mrs. Sievert. Students are learning to use the features of the Kodak digital camera: the focal point grid, the Macro setting for close-ups, and turning the flash on and off. Students will be photographing faces on inanimate objects and looking for super close-up photo opportunities that might make others say "What in the world is that???"
Third Grade: Students continued their study of news and information websites with the Tween Tribune. They each will create an account and do some blogging about interesting stories they read. Learning.com will be used to brush up a few technology skills and the month will wrap up with some Earth Day games and books.
Fourth Grade: This is a big month for fourth graders. The transition to Middle School has begun. We are learning how to log onto a laptop with our own personal accounts and adjust the settings to our own preferences. The Acceptable Use Policy will be reviewed and Email will be introduced at the end of the month.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
March is Reading Month at SLES - IditaREAD begins March 1st!
Kindergarten: We will continue to use the Tux Paint software to draw things that begin with our letter of the week. We will use ovals to draw dinosaurs during "O" week, for example. We will be reading the story A Week of Raccoons by Whelan during "R" week. We will also continue using the Learning.com lessons to learn more about the parts of a computer.
First Grade: We are learning to use the World Book Encyclopedia online edition to find facts about animals. We hope to use these facts to create an online book about an animal next month.
Second Grade: We are finishing our study of American Folktales and will start to learn how to use digital cameras. We hope to produce a slide show of photos of all of the important people who work here at SLES. We will be voting for our favorite Goldfinch Award Book during the month of March so that our school can contribute to the statewide competition.
Third Grade: We will be using the Pages software to write thank you letters to the many people who are sharing their time and talents with us during reading month. We will also be learning about the newspaper as an information source, both print and online editions. We will be looking at online editions of The Des Moines Register, the Lakes News Shopper, and The Dickinson County News. Next month we plan to look at some news blogs. At the end of the month we will be participating in the statewide voting for our favorite Iowa Children's Choice Award book.
Fourth Grade: We are working hard on completing our Keynote presentations about one of the 50 states in preparation for a state fair event where we will share our learning. Fourth graders will also review the newspaper as an information source and participate in the statewide voting for their favorite Iowa Children's Choice award book.
First Grade: We are learning to use the World Book Encyclopedia online edition to find facts about animals. We hope to use these facts to create an online book about an animal next month.
Second Grade: We are finishing our study of American Folktales and will start to learn how to use digital cameras. We hope to produce a slide show of photos of all of the important people who work here at SLES. We will be voting for our favorite Goldfinch Award Book during the month of March so that our school can contribute to the statewide competition.
Third Grade: We will be using the Pages software to write thank you letters to the many people who are sharing their time and talents with us during reading month. We will also be learning about the newspaper as an information source, both print and online editions. We will be looking at online editions of The Des Moines Register, the Lakes News Shopper, and The Dickinson County News. Next month we plan to look at some news blogs. At the end of the month we will be participating in the statewide voting for our favorite Iowa Children's Choice Award book.
Fourth Grade: We are working hard on completing our Keynote presentations about one of the 50 states in preparation for a state fair event where we will share our learning. Fourth graders will also review the newspaper as an information source and participate in the statewide voting for their favorite Iowa Children's Choice award book.
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