Thanksgiving11-09CVES

"School should be a reflection of the future."
K. Shields

Dear Parents and Students:

This summer I am traveled to London, and while there, I will met some British educators from Henry Green Primary in Barking. I am so pleased they made time for my visit! They have been active in the Global Gateway program and I'm sure I will get lots of great ideas about how to expand the classroom by connecting with the global community of learners.  I have also made some contacts in parts of Africa including Uganda to the East and Ghana and Nigeria on the West coast, as well as and one school in Scotland and another in India. Our school calendars are somewhat off so the most likely start time of projects will begin in September. In the new school year more CVES teachers are hoping to pair up with classrooms around the world.  I will be helping to match them up through Global Gateway.

In 3rd grade students are doing less learning to read and more reading to learn.  This is an important divergence from previous years.  Reading comprehension and critical thinking play a central role in helping students become successful across the curriculum. It also means they must learn to become more independent and responsible for their learning. The most difficult task for parents this year, is learning to let their children learn about cause and effect first hand.

I have a reputation for being a computer geek. It all started with my participation in Heidi Holcombe's 21st Century Classroom grant. I was able to teach using all of the latest edtech accessories. I particularly enjoyed getting the students to unleash their creativity in applying literacy skills to blog posting and play writing. My edtech philosophy has evolved over time.At this point, I would like to see all software interaction as part of web based programs using a 1:1 tool such as a Netbook. I will be testing an Acer Netbook over the summer to see how I might incorporate an entire class set. With the increasing demands for assessment tracking and data driven modifications, I think student feedback could be improved greatly leading to improved performance over time.

Web-based programs such as Riverdeep and some desktop programs are available to extend and enrich student learning.  Our classroom will incorporate lots of speaking and writing which will be captured in the form of audio podcasts and a classroom wiki (a collaborative writing tool). Parents are encouraged to subscribe to the small voices podcast as well as the classroom website and blog.

Animate Your Own Story

Our site of the week is a visual storyteller's dream.  The movie feature allows users to layer the actions including, text, sound, animation and transitions.  kerpoof is a simple sequencing tool.

Heat Unit Flash Cards

Go to Cramberry and login in:
user name: creekview
PW: cheetah

Her name is Cucumber!

I used my science camp mini grant to purchase a giant millipede for the classroom and the gentile giant arrived on Wednesday! We have observed it both inside its' habitat and on a tray.  It curled up like a shell.  Students were eager to touch the shell. Soon we will give it a name.

1st CVES Cooking Show

The Killer Whale Reading group, Killer Whale Chefs chose to make pizza after reading Hold the Anchovies!: A Book About Pizza (Hardcover)
by Shelley Rotner (Author), Julia Pemberton Hellums (Author) and
Curious George and the Pizza (Curious George) (Paperback)
by Margret Rey (Author), Alan J. Shalleck (Editor)

Yearbook Photography

Welcome Parents &Visitors

Parents should always head to the BLOG pages for the latest classroom information.  Please email me or ask your child for the password! Visitors: It is nice to know there are so many of you exploring our classroom web pages! You may like to read my professional development blog, also ripplingpond.

Virtual keyboard? Cool!

Wolfram Alpha - I can just enter a fraction and get the percentage. Try it 23/27, what's your grade?

Creek View Elementary 

We have a wonderful new principal this year, Matt Rogers!  He is an avid runner and supporter of fitness for boy and mind. He is looking forward to working with our dynamic community of parents, students and teachers. I'm proud to be part of this dynamic team!

Sparkle has the travel bug!

Sparkle has visited several students this fall and he looks forward to future excursions. It's true he doesn't travel light.  His cage is a bit  awkward to carry and  he always packs his bedding, hay food and his own personal cheetah pattern tote. The tote was donated by his dear friend Callie.  Sparkle has only good things to say about his time with Thea, Callie and Mary.  They made him feel right at home!  If you would like to have an extra house guest for the weekend, you will need your parent's approval.  They will have to come in Friday after 2:30 to collect his things. He can be returned at 7 or 10 AM Monday morning.

A Recent Classroom Visitor

Identify Verb Tenses

GA DOE Provides a Guide

Click here to view and print a copy of the CRCT Study Guide for grade 3.

XO Laptop Connecting through Education

On September 19 at 9:30 am several groups of students demonstrated educational applications for the OLPC-XO Laptops. Guests observed the students in action and were able to ask questions about the OLPC program.   Some video tape of the event will be available soon so CVES families can view it on our website.

Initially I became involved because I thought we could select the recipients of the donations. I made friends with Martin Sebuliba Victor the chairman of a school/orphanage for displaced Ugandan children through Global Gateway. His organization Springs Alive serves nearly 100 children. They have limited supplies, inadequate housing and difficulty paying teachers to stay on.  This is just the type of situation addressed by OLPC but apparently on a much larger scale. They must negotiate with governments. It is a difficult existence and not a day goes by that I don't think about how I can bring them hope. I think my role is to let people know they are there and that they need some new friends.

I am a big proponent of Nicholas Negroponte's OLPC initiative otherwise known as One Laptop Per Child.  Rolling out like a tsunami this spring, 100's of thousands of students in 3rd world countries will be receiving their own personal link to the world.  I am very pleased to announce that Creek View has become a partner in this program by participating in the Give One Get One plan! Thanks to numerous heartfelt donations from students and several parents and a corporate sponsor, our Media Specialist Diane Briggs placed the order to give 10 and get 10 laptops which we finally received at the end of July!