Happy Almost August!

Hi, everyone! I'm at the beach this week having a great time with my family! I have a few pictures to post, but I'm not able to do that here, so I will post when I return home next week!

I hope you are all having a great summer. We sure are. We've been down for about 5 days and we've been fishing, crabbing, swimming, bike riding...the kids have been on boogie boards and skim boards, and we've had fantastic weather! I just love it here.

I finally heard from one of our classmates by email! Allie sent me an email and filled me in on her summer...here is an excerpt...

I'm writing this from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. You'll be happy to know I've been learning over the summer. I am learning German and improving my Arabic.

How cool is that? She also told me about visiting her family and friends, going to a birthday party and jumping on a moonbounce!

Do YOU have any fun news or info to share? I only have one more post left until I turn this blog over to my new class, so send me an email pronto! karen.wills@fcps.org

I miss you all and hope you're enjoying your break. I look forward to seeing you at Open House in August.

Love,
Mrs. Wills

Happy July...

Hello, everyone!! I miss you guys...are you having a great summer? I would love to hear from you...drop me an email so I can share what you've been doing with the class. karen.wills@fcps.org


I have been in a class since school let out. I am part of the Maryland Writing Project and have been doing tons of personal writing, as well as learning lots of wonderful strategies to improve my writing instruction! It has been time very well spent...and I finish tomorrow!


I also have spent a lot of time on baseball fields...both of my boys' teams went to the State championship tournaments this past month! And both boys' teams did very well. Connor's team and Jake's teams placed THIRD in the State. It was a lot of great baseball.


I have also been to the pool quite a bit. Kate is swimming on the swim team for our neighborhood, so I work at the swim meets...its a lot of fun. I've seen Garrett and Zach during swim meets, I saw Farzad one day at the pool, I saw Nicholas at church, and I saw Hoseok one day this summer. But for the rest of you...I MISS YOU!

I will check back in during August...but would love to hear from you soon, so please send me an email. I hope you are relaxing and enjoying your families.

Love,
Mrs. Wills

WHAT WILL I MISS?

THESE SMILES...

everyday.

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(August 2010 - absent today)

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(August 2010 - absent today)

I am going to attempt to say goodbye to some of my favorite people ever this afternoon. It will be very sad for me...but I send them back to you knowing they are ready for 4th grade! I hope you and your families have a terrific summer and I look forward to hugging (or shaking the hand of) your 4th grader at Open House in August!!

Lots of love,

Karen

So much to cover...grab a pillow...this could be a long post!

Where to begin?!?! I guess I should start by apologizing for no blog last Friday...I'm hoping this one will make up for it!!

FIELD DAY 2010...

I forgot my camera! (How could I?) If any parent has good pictures please send them my way. It was a VERY hot day and the kids were WIPED out by the end of it, but I was SO very proud of all of them. They were such good sports as BLUE battled GREY...and fun was had by all!

OUR CLASS PLAYS 2010

I know there is a lot of video footage out there...I saw you all with your cameras! I would love to post a video or some of your photographs, so if you wouldn't mind sending them to me via email, I'd really appreciate it. Weren't they wonderful?! I mean, let's be honest, some of the set changes were a bit too long, and some of their voices were hard to hear...but if you only knew the growth each individual up there has made...makes me teary eyed...they are such amazing kids. Thank you for sending props and helping your child practice his/her lines. Their success was job well done by YOU, too!

MARKET DAY 2010

What fun we had selling our products. Each company set up their "store" and worked to make profits today. The conversation we had after the sales was priceless. We discussed why the consumers were drawn to certain products over others. We discussed why profits were greater based on cost of manufacturing and advertising. This ENTREPRENEUR unit was a definite favorite among your kids. Check out our companies...

OUTDOOR PRODUCTS

THE SHARPENERS

FLYING, INC.

SKY HIGH

SCRABBLE TOURNEY
What better way to spend the last hours of our school year than playing SCRABBLE! Trust me, you better be prepared to go up against your kids in this game...they are REALLY good!

PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION, PRODUCTION....

Yes, we're majorly producing these days...the three class plays, the products each company has chosen to create...it's all about production...and these kids are truly learning the importance of specialization!

We did a lot of work on scenery and props this week...interdependence at its finest...we need everyone working hard to have a successful play! And then, down the hall on stage in the cafeteria we have people working curtains, moving props, announcing scene changes, producing sounds on cue off stage, and actors performing....we are all about production!!

In our Entrepreneurs unit we've got people managing loans, ordering materials, designing products, building products, planning sales pitches, creating posters/flyers, writing scripts for commercials...we've even had kids ask if they can have a "roll back" price...how funny is that?!

We did a few other things this week...but not many....

Math
We worked with stem and leaf plots...this took us back into statistics as the students realized they could easily find the mode and range using the stem and leaf plot. They also found the median and calculated the mean. Their math tests were returned today...they have them in their take home folders. Most of the kids did a super job...it was obvious they spent time studying...thanks for helping your child manage his/her time!


Word Study
We took our last word study test of the year...YAH!! Two Word Study packets are coming home today...the kids have been doing a great job on those packets...they test the true understanding of the words and their meanings!


Instrumental Music
"Mom, Dad, can I play an instrument next year?" Have you heard this from your child yet? All of the instrumental music teachers from Frederick County came and performed a show this week for 3rd and 4th grade students...it was an entertaining show that introduced each instrument to the kids in order to motivate them to play an instrument next year. Look in your child's Take Home folder for the letter about this fun program! Please return the bottom portion if your child is interested in playing an instrument next year.


Next week is FULL of PRODUCTIONS...
We are attending the CHORUS CONCERT, the 5th Grade TALENT SHOW, and the PTA has a CULTURAL ARTS program for us as well!

Our DRESS REHEARSAL is Wednesday, June 2nd...please have your child bring the costume that he/she needs to wear that day...our plays are at 1:15.


On a side note...I can't believe it's almost over...I get very weepy at the thought of passing your children on to another teacher...I'm so possessive!! Thank you for sending them each day with a love of learning and an eagerness to continue their educational journey with me! Enjoy the long weekend...no surprise here...I'll be on a ballfield.

Mrs. Wills' Class Theatrical Productions...AKA..."Our Plays"

Please join us Monday, June 7th from 9:15-10:15 in the cafeteria

to view our three productions...

"Will the Real Abraham Lincoln Please Stand Up?"

"Once Upon a Hundred-Years' Nap"

"Two Pigs, a Wolf, and a Mudpie"

The kids are working very hard preparing these plays...we'd love to have you join us! Please plan to stay for all three plays if possible...they will run back to back.

Hope to see you then!

JHU's Center for Talented Youth (CTY)

Please join Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth (CTY) for games, resources and information parents can use to support academically advanced learners in grades 2-5. This special event will feature:

- Research on the social, emotional and academic needs of academically advanced students
- Breakfast and lunch
- Hands-on, educational games that families can do together
- Information about CTY summer, online and family programs
- Optional above-grade-level testing for students in grades 2-5

Admission is free for students participating in CTY’s 2009-2010 Talent Search. Interested in signing up for the Talent Search?! Click on the link below to find out more!

https://legacy.fcps.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://uestechworld.pbworks.com/f/JHU%2520CTY_Supporting%2520Your%2520Bright%2520Child_June%25205%25202010.pdf

Saturday, June 5, 2010
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
McAuley Hall
5801 Smith Avenue
Baltimore, Maryland 21209

Please call 410-735-6196 or see the attached flier for more information.

Sincerely,

Lionel Foster
Assistant Program Manager
Center for Talented Youth
Johns Hopkins University
5801 Smith Avenue, McAuley Hall
Baltimore, MD 21209

Phone: (410) 735-6196
Fax: (410) 735-6220
https://legacy.fcps.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.cty.jhu.edu/