What do you want for Christmas???

As you all know from conferences, journal writing in my classroom is to provide an opportunity for the students to ENJOY writing. I try to give them a topic that is highly motivating so they will be engaged with their writing and put forth their best effort. I do not help them with sentence structure or spelling for journal writing. This particular topic was writing about what the students wanted for Christmas. After they were done, I told them that anyone who wanted to be on the BLOG just needed to bring me their journal... as you can see below, many did! Some added their names, and some chose to remain anonymous! Enjoy!



a dog

Legos

a puppy and a dog

new clothes

a car, a bed, a puppy, a room and a reindeer

a DS game and a watch

a DS, My Little Pony

X Box 360

Hello Kitty, I touch, stuffed animals, baby doll and a puppy

scooter




cool game and a cool bike



Pup, I-pod

X Box 360

Nintendo DSI



I-Pod Touch




A basketball game for Playstation




a tree




a car that has a control




Wii, an Ipod and X Box 360




Whiplash Scooter




make-up




remote control helicopter




Gingerbread House



a doll



remote control car

 


 WOW! Santa better get busy!!!
Thanks for visiting!

Fresh and Easy

Please come support our school with a fundraising event TODAY at Fresh and Easy from 4pm to 8pm. Our school will earn money from each purchase. If you would like me to bag your groceries, I will be there working from 5 to 6pm. Thanks, as always for your support of La Paloma School!!! Hope to see you at Fresh and Easy!!!!

Primary and Secondary colors

Lucky for us, our PTA funds an Art teacher for our school. We get an art lesson once a month with Mrs. Draves. This week we had our lesson on primary colors and how to mix those colors to make the secondary colors. Here are some pictures from the lesson!


The lesson began with free-flowing, looping black lines.




Using the primary colors on their plates, they painted one section for each color.



Waiting for the next direction



Cleaning their brushes for the next step



If you look at the plates, you will see how they were blending colors to make the secondary colors.

Painting another section with each of their secondary colors

Tyler's completed project.



Isai, Roxanna and Lilianna finishing up their materpieces.

It's never too late to join the PTA, and a HUGE thank you to those of you who have already done so! It helps fund some wonderful activities such as this one!

The Gingerbread Man

This week I read a version of the story "The Gingerbread Man" to the class. We discussed the meaning of the word "version" and how sometimes authors will re-tell a story that has already been written but change it slightly. After reading the story and discussing how it may have been different from the version they had heard before, the students wrote in their writing journals about a Gingerbread Man. They could write their own version, design their own gingerbread man, or their own take on it as long as it involved a gingerbread man. Here are just a few example writings and drawings from their journals.

A gingerbread is on the grass. The gingerbread is happy.



Two gingerbread were playing tag.




A gingerbread man tastes good in the story that we just read. The gingerbread man was not nice.




Me and the gingerbread man saw a rainbow.


Finally, thanks to everyone for supporting the class book orders. I was able to get this book, and many more, for our class due to your support!

What happened to the Indian corn??

Are you wondering what it looked like after a few weeks of soaking in water? Well, it was heavier in weight but made a big change in appearance:

This is what it looked like when we returned from our Thanksgiving vacation.

Fallbrook Library Field Trip

We are very fortunate to be a part of a new program this year at the Fallbrook Library. We were invited to visit the library at their downtown location, and have plans to return in the spring when their brand-new location has opened. The trip started with a bus ride to the library and for some students was the highlight of the trip. I hadn't even realized there would be so many students who had NEVER been on a school bus before. They were VERY excited, to say the least. (Thanks to Dr. Jacobs, our Superintendent, for funding the bus!)   

Domingo, Johnnie and Derick on the bus.

Julian, Fernando and Noah

My best attempt at getting as much of the class as I could while on the bus.

Next, we all settled into the library to listen to the librarian tell us about their new program this year and important information about the library. My personal favorite message from her was that kids no longer have to be SILENT in the library. They understand that kids are kids and they want them to have FUN at the library in order to encourage kids to WANT to visit and read. She shared that the new location will have doors to close off the children's area for this exact reason. Sounds great! Can't wait to see it!

Our class ready to listen.

Hopefully by now, you have seen the lanyard that each student received. On the card, there are 5 spots for the students to get stamped for each visit to the library. They got their first stamp while on our trip and will get their second stamp when we return in the Spring to the new location. The additional 3 stamps are for visits when the students go to the library with their families. I hope that every student will particpate. They each will receive a prize once the card has been completed. About 18 students from our class received their library cards that day and were able to check out one book. They loved using the scanner and computer to self-check-out. Finally, every student received a free book to keep, a bookmark and a pencil. It was a WONDERFUL visit and ended with another thrilling bus ride back to school!

The lanyard that each student received.

Robin and Daniella enjoying their books.

Noah, Derick, Fernando and Brandon

Nolan and Tyler sharing a seat.

Johnnie and Derick asking, "Is this going to be on the BLOG???"