A little imagination...

...can take you anywhere!

Click HERE to visit Caine's Arcade.  The 10 minute video will inspire and delight you.  It might even bring tears to your eyes.  It is such a great reminder of what kids are capable of.

Water Lilies

What the Heck's a Rekenrek?

The Rekenrek is a tool, sort of like an Abacus designed to help students build number sense and fluency in addition and subtraction.  This week the 2nd graders learned how to make and use them.  Then they were paired up with a 1st grader and given the difficult task of teaching them!  It was so cool to see how quickly they had them built and in use.  

 The first graders picked up new ways to use it and new ways of thinking.  There was so much math vocabulary floating around the room I was close to tears. 

 Then everyone started recording different ways to make numbers in number sentences.  Some stuck with comfortable addition and others went straight to abstract thinking in subtraction. 

Now everyone has one to take home to assist them with homework.  For more information on how to use a Rekenrek check out The Rekenrek Site. I will put links in the math section of our blog soon. 

I've Got A Golden Ticket!

Congratulations to:

MYA

ALISI

CADEN

CINDY (not pictured :( )

Golden Pride Ticket Winners for excellence in the 3 Rs and always doing their best.  Room 9 had FOUR representatives this go around.  Just further proof we are the best class!

Not only did we have so many Golden Pride Tickets but we also tied with Mrs. S's class in the school fundraiser.  As a school we raised over $2,000 for Pennies for Patients.  This class is so generous.  Everyone worked so hard to bring in funds.  An Olive Garden lunch is in our future. 

In the Rain Forest

The Dioramas are done!

Don't they look fantastic?  Everyone was so excited to share them with the rest of the classes.  1 other class made dioramas like us.  The other two made beautiful tri-folds.