Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Read aloud Conversations

We are reading One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia, which about 3 black young ladies who go visit their mother in California in 1968. 

There is so much to discuss in this text and in life.  Some of the questions that came up were:

Who were the black panthers?
Who made the decision to make black people into slaves? 
Who/why did the idea ever come up that one type of person was better than another?
Why do we say "People of color" rather than colored? Is "African American" an appropriate term to refer to describing all people with black skin?
What is white privilege?
Does racism still exist today even though there is no slavery?


These conversations led to questions about labeling/judging people by gender, size, and age...
I was impressed with the thinking that has been done, and I hope these conversations continue at home.  Our kids are trying so hard to be respectful!  I am so proud of them.



Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Craft supplies Needed-- any of these laying around your house?

Holiday Craft Supplies needed!


Size 1 snaps--lots of them!
Ball jar lids
Tooth picks
Twine
felt--black, red, green, gold, brown
thin ribbon

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

Friday, November 9, 2018

Publishing party!

We are publishing our narratives in hardcover books!  The kids had so much fun with this project!  We will have a celebration next Wednesday.  Can you bring in peanut free snacks for the party?






Congratulations!

 Regis, Lauren, Ben, and Ayden's poems about winter will be performed on stage at the Black Box Theater next month!  Several poems were submitted to the Winter Tales competition through  the Young Writer's Project, and we got four Mountaineer winners!  So proud of them!

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Apples Needed

Happy Fall!  We have decided to make apple chips on Thursday!  We currently have 2 dehydrators to use in the classroom, but we need apples! If you can donate apples to the class, please bring them in tomorrow, Wednesday!🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎

Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Fall gardening!

These six students volunteered their time to help plant bushes at the front of Fleming School!  Thank you!!!


Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Do you know how much I love teaching poetry? TONS!!!!!!

Check out these three poems by Mountaineer fifth graders!



School Music
By:Mary Moyer
Inspired by:Arnold Adoff

This School:
TAP
TAP
TAP
Scribble
Scribble
Noises from the school
Flip go the pages
S-C-R-E-E-C-H-I-N-G
Sneakers STOMP
STOMP
STOMP
Down the stairs
Children drink from a bottle
T I T
W S

Glug glug glug

Then go back to work

School Music.





Push Yourself
By:Evander Mosley

I feel good
I am ready for my basketball workout
Today it starts off easy
30 minutes later
I feel weak
And sick
But I need to push myself
And every time someone passes me
I go a little bit faster
Because if he can do it
I can do it



Fire music
By Regis Houlier
inspired by Arnold Adoff

This fire:
The always
Noise of
Crackle
Crash
Spark
And the chirps
Of crickets
And the bright colors of
Red
    Orange
              Yellow
And sometimes blue
Being sent up into the air
D- i -s -a -p -p -e -a -r -i -n -g
Into smoke,
And the smell of burning
Pine .
With the
Always noise of this campfire
Fire music  


Conference Time!

Conferences start this week!  Your yellow confirmation went home today, and the date and time is written in your child's planner!  Looking forward to seeing you all!

The following photos were taken this morning as kids were writing letters to their parents and playing a game with our student teacher, Miss Annie!



Monday, September 10, 2018

Mountaineer Students Practice Power Poses!

What is a power pose?   A sitting or standing position that increases confidence and lessens stress! Ask the kids, and they should be able to tell you all about it!