Welcome Back! (posted 8/29/10)
For the first two weeks of school, I will be testing 3rd grade students for GATE. 4th and 5th grade GATE classes start the third week of school. 3rd grade classes will start soon after that.

So, what are we doing in GATE this year? We are starting with a project called "Mapping Life's Journey". That will be followed by a Web Quest project about famous people, leadership qualities, and learning styles. November will be a crazy month because of all the holidays and short weeks. I think your favorite week might be the one when we go to Disneyland for a leadership field trip! (Field trip info is posted below.) We are going to work with Mr. Wilson when we perform at the Winter Evening of the Arts. (I hear that Elfis and the Sleighriders might be in the building.) After winter break it's time for forensic science! Our CSI unit will be lots of fun!

As you can see I have lots of plans for us this year. Welcome back! It's going to be a great year!

• 4th/5th Grade Field Trip (posted 8/15/10)
  We are going on a field trip! This year we will be exploring the concept of interdependence. As part of our study, we are planning a 4th & 5th grade GATE field trip to Disneyland. The purpose of our trip is to attend Disney’s Leadership in Action: Pursuit of Excellence tour.
  
  Disneyland describes the tour as a way to "discover Walt Disney's secret of making dreams come true while exploring some of his most famous attractions including Disneyland Railroad, Pirate's Lair on Tom Sawyer's Island, Pirates of the Caribbean and Splash Mountain. Students are challenged to dwell in the possibilities, have the courage to step out of their comfort zones and understand the importance of diversity. Throughout this program students will also learn how to work together through a team building experience, become confident in how to accomplish their goals and be motivated to achieve the impossible."
  
  Here are the details about the field trip:
       *  The trip is on Thursday, November 11, 2010. (There is no school Thursday, Nov. 11 or Friday, Nov. 12 in honor of Veterans' Day.)
  
       *   The trip will cost $100 and covers the cost of an admission ticket (hopper pass) and food (lunch, dinner & snacks). For bookkeeping purposes, please send a check for $60 and the balance of $40 in cash. The check will cover admission and transportation costs. The cash will be set aside for your child's meals. Thanks to a successful fundraiser last sememester, our charter bus is paid for!
  
       *   Beatty teachers will be chaperones, with a ratio of 1 teacher for every 5 students.
  
       *   If students want to purchase souvenirs, they should bring additional money.
  
       *  Our charter bus will leave Beatty EARLY (4:00 am Thursday morning) and come back late, approximately 4:00 am on Friday morning. (leaving Disneyland after the fireworks).
  
       *   Students will call home when we get back to Las Vegas so you can meet us at school when the bus arrives.
  
  More details will be sent home the first week of school. You can also visit the Disneyland website to find out about Disney's Y.E.S. (Youth Education Services). If you need additional information or have questions about our Leadership in Action field trip, please call or email me.
  
  

Summertime! (posted 8/15/10)
I hope you are having a great summer! This school year will bring some big changes to Beatty, the new schedule being one of the biggest! No more track breaks. No more weird groupings because half the class is out. We will all be on the same 9-month schedule. I think we will love it and hate it at the same time. I am looking forward to being able to plan things for everyone all at once. I am not looking forward to waiting for vacation. We've been on the year-round calendar for so long (12 years or something crazy like that) so it's hard to remember what it's like to be finished for the school year in early June. I hope you are as excited about the upcoming year as I am!

• End of the Year (posted 5/27/10)
  The end of the school year is almost here. Track 5's last day is Thursday, July 8. The other tracks are staggered: Tk 1= August 3, Tk 2 = August 4, and Tks 3 & 4 = August 5th. Last days are half days with a 12:00 dismissal time. My last day is July 16th. There will not be GATE classes after I track out. GATE will start again in the fall.
  
  I hope you enjoyed this year as much as I did! When I look back at all the things we did and learned... wow! We were busy!!! To all the 5th graders who are graduating Beatty and heading to middle school... I am so proud of your accomplishments! I would like to invite anyone leaving Beatty (for middle school or other elementary schools) to keep in touch. Stop by when you can or send an email. I would love to know how you are doing. Thanks for making my first year in GATE so memorable! I can't wait to see what next year brings!
  
  

Games2U Event (posted 5/23/10)
Games2U is coming to Beatty with laser tag, human hamster balls, and an assortment of video games! Come join the fun after school on Friday, June 4th (3:15-5:00). For $10, you will have unlimited access to the games and activities. *A permission slip must be filled out for anybody participating in the Games2U event. Money raised will help fund leadership training for GATE students at Beatty Elementary. The Games2U activities are open to anyone who would like to participate, not just GATE students. We hope to see you on June 4!

If you would like to donate water or Otter Pops, your generosity would be greatly appreciated. Just send them to school before Friday and I will make sure they get into the freezer.

• "It's Saturday" (posted 5/12/10)
  Mark your calendar so you don't miss our summer Evening at the Arts. This year, our musical is called "It's Saturday!". Click here for a copy of the script. Track 4 will perform on Wednesday, June 2. Track 5 will perform on Thursday, June 3. The show starts at 6:30 pm. Come early so you have time to walk the halls and enjoy the incredible artwork that Miss Summers has on display.
  
  

Optical Illusions (posted 5/11/10)
Optical illusions are visually perceived images that are deceptive or misleading. Take a look at this Optical Illusions PowerPoint.

• Stickmen (posted 4/28/10)
  Check out this funny Stickmen PowerPoint. The pictures are from cards I bought at Barnes and Noble.
  
  

Math Practice (posted 4/8/10)
Need practice solving math problems with integers? The CIMT website (Center for Innovation in Mathematics Teaching) has some good practice problems.

• Fun! Fun! Fun! (posted 3/14/10)
  We had a great time on our field trip! Thanks to the teachers who went with us! Thanks to Mom and Dad for letting us go on the field trip! Thanks to Disneyland for teaching us about how Walt Disney changed animation! And a special thank you to the kids for being so awesome! Everyone had a great time. I hope we can do this again next year!!!! ... Maybe we can stay until midnight next time?!
  
  

Daylight Savings Time (posted 3/10/10)
Daylight Savings Time starts Saturday night at 2:00. Don't forget to change your clocks...... Spring ahead, fall behind.... Move your clock ahead one hour before you go to sleep on Saturday. Our expected arrival time coming home from the field trip will be 3:00 because of the time change.

• 4th & 5th Grade Field Trip (posted 3/10/10)
  Rain or shine, we are going on our field trip this Saturday to Disney's California Adventure. The weather is supposed to cooperate and be nice for our big day but keep your fingers crossed just in case we need a little extra luck. The bus will leave Beatty at 4:00. Please come before that, ready to go, with a jacket (or sweatshirt), tennis shoes, and long pants. Don't forget to bring breakfast (and snacks if you'd like). We've got a fun day planned, starting with our "Animation Magic" tour in California Adventure. Then we're off to explore and have fun in Disneyland! Mom, we'll call when we get there and we'll also call when we get back to school. When will we back?... We'll leave Disneyland after the fireworks. They are scheduled to go off at 9:25 so we should be on the bus about 10:00.
  
  

Joke of the Day (posted 2/27/10)
If you are looking for some funny jokes, check out the jokes on our website. There's a link to the jokes in the "Projects" drop down menu at the top of every page. There are over 140 jokes listed and more on the way! If you have a joke you would like to share, send me an email.

• Back From Track Break (posted 2/16/10)
  I am back from my track break. I had a great time cruising the Mexican Riviera. We sailed from San Diego to Acapulco, Ixtapa, and Manzanillo. I had so much fun swimming with the dolphins and going on city tours. I have lots of pictures and great memories! Now it's back to work on our Monopoly project.
  
  

Miss Powell's Days Off Campus (posted 1/24/10)
I will be off campus on Wednesday, January 27 and Monday, February 1. The following week I will be taking a long awaited track break as I cruise to Mexico (February 7-15).

• Field Trip Update (posted 1/24/10)
  The field trip to Disney's California Adventure theme park has been expanded to include 4th grade GATE students! If you are a 4th or 5th grade GATE student and you have not signed up, it's not too late. Drop off your permission slip and deposit money this week for this incredible experience. If you lost your paperwork, see the post below and follow the links.
  
  

5th Grade Field Trip (posted 1/12/10)
This year we have been exploring the concept of change. As part of our study, we are planning a 5th grade GATE field trip to Disney’s California Adventure theme park. The purpose of our trip is to attend Disney’s Animation Academy to learn how Walt Disney influenced and changed the world of animation.

Here are the details of our trip:
*  The trip is on Saturday, March 13, 2010.
*  The trip will cost $140 and covers the cost of an admission ticket (hopper pass), bus transportation, and food (lunch, dinner & snacks). For bookkeeping purposes, please send a check for $100 and the balance of $40 in cash. The check will cover admission and transportation costs. The cash will be set aside for your child's meals.
*  Beatty teachers will be chaperones, with a ratio of 1 teacher for every 5 students.
*  If students want to purchase souvenirs, they should bring additional money.
*  The bus will leave Beatty EARLY (4:00 am) and come back late (leaving Disneyland after the fireworks).
*  Students will call home when we get back to Las Vegas so you can come meet us at school when the bus arrives.

More details are included in the parent letter that was sent home today. The Disneyland website has two short videos you should watch: an introduction to Disney's Youth Education Services and highlights of the Animation Academy tour. If you need additional information or have questions about our Animation Magic field trip, please call or email me.

• Two 4-day Weeks (posted 1/8/10)
  Just a reminder... there is no school on Friday 1/15 for Staff Development Day and Monday 1/18 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
  
  

Winter Break (posted 12/19/09)
Winter Break has officially begun! I hope you enjoy your two week vacation and have fun with family and friends.

• Conferences and Report Cards (posted 12/10/09)
  December 14-18 is conference week. Although I did not schedule conferences, I am available to meet with parents and students. Please stop by the GATE room (room 40) and say hello. Don't forget, there is no school on Wednesday due to conferences.
  
  Since this is the end of the trimester, it's report card time. GATE report cards will be sent home with your classroom report card. Grades are E (excellent), S (satisfactory), or N (needs improvement). Stop by if you have any questions.
  
  

That's a Wrap! (posted 12/10/09)
What an awesome cast! The Elves' Impersonator show was lots of fun. With two daytime shows and two evening performances, the cast and crew entertained the entire school and their parents as well! Stay tuned for our next theatrical adventure during Reading Week (the first week of March).

• Games from Mindware.com (posted 12/01/09)
  I had several requests to make a list of the games we've been playing in class. They all came from a company called Mindware. Their website has lots of great games that promote higher level thinking and strategy building. Make sure you check the clearance section. I found some incredible deals there. They are running a special right now: 20% off orders of $50 or more (coupon code = TY0904B)
  
  

The Elves' Impersonator (posted 11/30/09)
Tracks 1, 2, & 3: Pleassseeeee memorize your lines for the Winter Concert! You can print a copy of the script if you misplaced yours. Remember, you should sound natural, like you are saying your lines- not reading them. If you have some toys that we can use as props, bring them to the GATE room. Your name should be taped to the bottom of your toys.

• Winter Concert (posted 11/27/09)
  Tracks 1, 2, and 3 will be performing in the Winter Concert on December 9 & 10 (Wednesday & Thursday). GATE students will be acting in the show, "The Elfis Impersonator", both nights. Mr. Wilson has two performances scheduled. Tracks 1 & 2 sing on Wednesday and track 3 sings Thursday evening. GATE students will sing on their night and do the play both nights. Please be at school at 6:00. We will meet in room 40. Mom and Dad should pick you up in room 40 after the show.
  
  

Happy Thanksgiving! (posted 11/25/09)
I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving! See you after the long weekend. Gobble, Gobble!

• Thank You! (posted 11/13/09)
  Thank you for the birthday cards and wishes! I had an incredible birthday thanks to you!
  
  

InterAct (posted 10/25/09)
Third Grade GATE students... Here are the directions to download InterAct at home. Please do not download or install the program without your parents' permission. FYI- fourth and fifth graders will be working with InterAct after winter break.

• Mark Your Calendar (posted 9/30/09)
  Don't forget: Staff Development Day is Monday, October 5, and Nevada Day is Friday, October 30. Enjoy your long weekends!
  
  

Picture This (posted 9/8/09)
There's a new page on MyFunTeacher.com called "Picture This", an activity that encourages divergent thinking. Each Picture This PowerPoint contains mystery photos that reveal three different perspectives of one object or place. There are five items featured in each collection. Also included are websites with more information about the subjects in the photos. You can get to Picture This on the drop down menu of the Curriculum button at the top of each page or from the site map.

• GATE Classes Start After Labor Day (posted 9/2/09) Yippee! 4th and 5th grade GATE classes start next week! 3rd grade classes will start as soon as testing results come back, which shouldn't be too long.
  
  All GATE students are required to have 150 minutes of differentiated instruction a week. To accommodate this I have set up two groups per grade level. Each group will come to GATE three times a week. The schedule is:
       * Group 5A: Garcia, Winiewicz, Slater .....
                Monday, Tuesday, Friday 10:45-11:35
       * Group 5B: Nicholas, Zoumberis .....
                Monday, Tuesday, Friday 1:15-2:05
       * Group 4A: Niebuhr, Hawks .....
                Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 2:10-3:00
       * Group 4B: Sturak, Anderson, Paris .....
                Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:55-9:45
       * Group 3A: Martin, Severns, Coy, Underwood, Schott .....
               Monday, Thursday, Friday: 9:50-10:40
       * Group 3B: Cohen, Monturio .....
                Tuesday 9:50-10:40, Wednesday 1:15-2:05, Friday 8:55-9:45
  
  You do not need any special supplies for GATE. I will give your teachers hall passes with your scheduled times written on them. This is all you need to bring with you. The GATE room is currently in room 53, across from the art room. We will be roving into Mrs. Winiewicz's room (35) when track 2 goes on break, starting September 14.
  
  

Welcome to GATE! (posted 8/22/09)
Looking forward to an exciting year in the GATE program? I am! I've been asked lots of questions about what we will be doing and how things are changing. Here are some things you may be wondering about....
    * Do I have to test again to be in GATE?
       Once you qualify for GATE you are a GATE student until you leave elementary school. Even if you change schools or the GATE teacher changes schools, you are still in the GATE program.
    * Are you doing the same things that Mr. K did?
       Just like classroom teachers have their own style and interests, so do GATE teachers. This year, we will be working on the Universal Concept of Change.
    * When do GATE classes start?
       Classes for 4th and 5th grade students will start September 8. 3rd grade students will be tested during the first few weeks of school and will begin as soon as I know who qualifies for the program.
    * Do I need a notebook?
       No, you do not need a notebook for GATE. I have what you need as far as supplies are concerned. Just bring your smiling face and I will see you in the GATE room.
    * Where's the GATE room?
       The GATE room will change as tracks come and go. We are roving through the fifth grade rooms: Garcia (53), Winiewicz (35), Nicholas (37), Zoumberis (34), and Slater (42). I will be at a meeting on Monday, August 24, so I hope you enjoy your first day of the new school year. I am very excited to start our GATE adventure! There are lots of new things we will learn and discover together. As a wise man once said... "It's kind of fun to do the impossible!" (Hmmm... I wonder who said that.)

• Enjoying Your Vacation? (posted 7/24/09)
  I hope you are having a nice summer break! I am looking forward to my trip to Lake Tahoe at the end of next week. I will be relaxing and having fun with family and friends before I come back to reality and face the challenges as the GATE specialist. If you don't get a response to your email right away, that's because I'm on vacation. I will get back to you after my trip. Talk to you in August!
  
  

Website Changes (posted 7/19/09)
I started changing over MyFunTeacher.com from a third grade website to a GATE website. Some things have been taken off (such as homework and school-wide programs) to make room for new information. Try using the search feature if you can't find that special something you are looking for. If you want to see a list of everything on this website, visit the site map. You can also send me an email and I will point you in the right direction.

• Happy Track Break! (posted 7/14/09)
  It's official! Track break is here and so is the summer heat. I will be working on the website as I try to stay cool this summer. Since I will be the GATE teacher (Gifted and Talented Education) in the fall, I am updating the site and changing things a little bit. If you are a teacher who has linked to my homework pages, please save what you think you need. All second and third grade homework assignments will disappear by the end of July. I don't know exactly when, but once they are gone, they aren't coming back.
  
  

Summertime (posted 5/28/09)
After a lot of hard work over the past 36 weeks of school, it's time to relax and start thinking about our summer track break. I am happy to announce there will be no homework this week or next week. Enjoy your free time and try to stay cool! 108° is definitely swim weather!

• My Plans for Next Year (posted 6/17/09)
  "Miss Powell... what grade will you be teaching next year?" "Miss Powell.... what track will you be on?" "Miss Powell... will you be our fourth grade teacher?" Well, my answers to those questions are: GATE, none, and no. With Mr. Kelleher leaving Beatty, the GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) teacher position opened up and I was asked if I would be interested in it. I eagerly and happily accepted and am very excited about this great opportunity. I have tons of ideas and can't wait to get started!
  
  

Mark Your Calendar (posted 6/13/09)
As the school year begins to wind down, our social calendar starts to fill up. Here are some upcoming activities that you might want to take note of:
     * Student Appreciation Week Dress Up Days
            Monday, 6/15: Sports Jersey Day
                 He shoots, he scores! Wear your favorite sport jersey and show your team spirit.
            Tuesday, 6/16: Vacation and Travel Day
                 Where did you go on vacation? Show off your travels with a vacation destination t-shirt.
            Wednesday, 6/17: Beatty Day
                 Dig deep in your closet because today is your chance to show off your vintage Beatty shirts!
            Thursday, 6/18: Career Day
                 Dress up and show us what your future holds.
            Friday, 6/19: Pajama Day
                 Comfy is the name of the game. PJs are what we are wearing today!
     * Wacky Hair Day- Wednesday, 6/24
     * Talent Show- Tuesday, 6/30 at 6:30 pm
     * Independence Day- Friday, 7/3 (NO SCHOOL)
     * Awards Assembly- Thursday, 7/9 at 10:30 am (Everyone is getting an award!)
     * Report Cards & Early Dismissal- Friday, 7/10- Track 5 is dismissed at 12:00.

• Online Scavenger Hunt (posted 6/7/09)
  Looking for a challenge? Try to find the items I have hidden on MyFunTeacher.com. All items are hidden in plain site so you should be able to see them on a page. Click here for the list of items. If you print a copy of the list, you can write down where you find each of the things. Your answers can be emailed or hand-delivered. If you find all the hidden treasures, your name will be posted on the Scavenger Hunt page of our website. Good luck and happy hunting!
  
  

Book Projects (posted 5/23/09)
I have decided to cancel the last two book projects. We have a lot going on right now and I think the projects are too much to expect from everyone. Please continue to read and take AR tests. Reading 20 minutes per night is the minimum 3rd grade students should be reading. If you would like to do a book project “just because” you can do that. You can bring in your project and share it with the class when you have it finished.

• Fun Day Rocked! (posted 5/16/09)
  Yesterday was Fun Day and that's exactly what it was.... a fun day! We didn't do any assignments. We didn't take any Friday tests. We didn't even eat lunch in the lunchroom. What did we do all day? Board games (like Clue, Monopoly, Life, Sorry, & Trouble- all of which were from Disneyland so they were a little bit different!), computer time (Kid Pix, games in Kids' Corner, favorite sites), a scavenger hunt (30 items in 30 minutes for two teams armed with digital cameras), Domino's Pizza for lunch, and a movie (Bedtime Stories). Oops, almost forgot about the snacks we ate during the movie! Did I mention that all this fun was even "funner" since we took our shoes off in the classroom? Yep, there's nothing like running around in your socks at school- pure fun!
  
  Thanks to everyone who brought in snacks and music. We have so much left over that we will be enjoying a little bit each day for the next week! Fun Day keeps going, and going, and going....... We ran out of time for a freeze dance so we will do that next week as well. I think we were able to do almost everything else on our list. If I forgot something, let me know!
  
  

Friday is Fun Day! (posted 5/11/09)
Yeah for us! Before CRT week, our class played "Deal or No Deal" with Mrs. Villarreal. Lucky us, we chose the suitcase that said "fun day". Since everyone in our class tried their best during testing, we get to celebrate with a super fun day.

On Friday, we will be enjoying a fantastic day with no schoolwork and lots of great activities. The class came up with some really fun ideas: playing board games, free time on the computer, taking our shoes off in class, going on a scavenger hunt, a pizza lunch (please send in $2 to cover the cost of two slices of Domino's pizza), a freeze dance, doing the limbo, watching "Bedtime Stories", and eating snacks.

Snacks... that's where you come in. If you can send in a snack for Friday, we would love it! If you can't, no problem. I know we will enjoy our day just as much. Ideas for snacks: carrots & ranch, chips, Chex mix, popcorn (already popped), fruit, drinks (any drinks we have in the classroom have to be clear in case they spill- 7up, Sprite, and Capri Sun are OK), dessert.... Please, do not feel like you must bake something or spend lots of money for this.

Students can bring in games, pizza money, snacks, and music CDs all week. We will keep them safe until the big day. Remember, only bring games that are really fun. It will be up to you to keep track of all of the game pieces. I have a bunch of Disney games that I can't wait to play!

• Scholastic Book Orders (posted 5/11/09)
  On Tuesday, a Scholastic book order is coming home. If you would like to purchase books from these catalogs, please submit your order by next Monday, May 18. There will be one more book order before the end of the year. Look for it at the beginning of June.
  
  

Website Suggestions (posted 5/3/09)
I am in the process of updating and improving our website, and I would love your input! Please take a moment to send me an email if there is something you either really like or don't like about MyFunTeacher.com. Is there something missing that you want to have on this site? Can you find the things you are looking for? Is there anything that you don't use that can be taken down?

For all the teachers and parents who visit MyFunTeacher.com, your comments are encouraged! Kids, I value your ideas as well! Your suggestions will help me structure the site so it is the most beneficial to everyone. I really appreciate constructive comments! Thanks in advance for taking the time to email me your suggestions.

FYI... If you are using my site as a resource for 2nd grade materials, that part of the site will be coming down at the end of May to make room for new things.

• Registration for Fourth Grade (posted 4/26/09)
  Last week, registration paperwork was sent home. Please read through it carefully and fill it out completely. Some common things that are overlooked:
       * The left side of the green registration form asks about language.
       * The track selection form must have your first three choices (1st, 2nd, 3rd), no checkmarks.
       * If there is a reason you are requesting a track, write a detailed explanation on the form.
  
  As registration papers are returned, I will mark the date I receive it and I will turn it in to the office. Please complete these papers as soon as possible. If you are not going to be returning to Beatty in the fall, there is a place on the yellow registration paper to indicate that.
  
  A lot of parents have asked me "Who do you recommend for fourth grade?". Honestly, since I have been teaching mostly in the primary grades, I have not worked closely with any of these teachers, except Mr. Paris who is the other track 5 third grade teacher this year. All of the 4th grade teachers have taught 4th grade before. I think the students in my class are well prepared and will adjust nicely to whichever class they are assigned.
  
  I suggest that you look at the track schedule and see which track works best for your family's scheduling needs. If longer breaks are what you are looking for, tracks 1 and 5 are best for you. Track 3 is the most broken up when it comes to vacations. This might be a good track to consider if your child has a hard time getting back into the school routine after a long break. Tracks 2 and 4 are either in for a couple of weeks and then on break or vice versa. It really comes down to what schedule you are looking for. If you have a kindergarten student, track 4 will have the kindergarten classes in the fall.

Welcome Back! (posted 4/13/09)
I hope you enjoyed your track break! Now it's back to school for the last trimester of third grade. Twelve weeks to go until the end of the school year. We have lots to learn and lots to do in the next few months.

Report cards will go home on Thursday, April 16. The Honor Roll Assembly will be on Friday at 9:05 am. Although I will not be there, all students who earn A's and B's on their report card will be given honor roll certificates. I am so happy with all the hard work and effort that I saw during the last grading period. I know the next one will be even more impressive. This is the time of year when things really start to click and make sense. I am looking forward to lots of "aha" moments!

• CRT Week (posted 3/14/09)
  We've finished practicing and now it's time to take the Criterion Referenced Test (CRT). Just like the homework we did a couple of weeks ago, the test covers reading and math. I looked at the material on the NV Department of Education website and was happy to verify that all third grade questions are multiple choice.
  
  The CRT is intended to measure how well you know things, not how fast you are at answering questions. The test is not timed. Students who are working productively will be given time to complete the test. There are two parts to the reading test and two parts to the math test. Most students should complete an individual part of the test in approximately 60 minutes.
  
  We are scheduled for testing on Monday at 10:00 (right after library), and Tuesday - Thursday at 9:00. Please make sure you eat a good breakfast and get lots of sleep each night. I know you will do great on the CRT, especially if you remember to:
  
        * think
        * read all of the answer choices before you mark your answer sheet
        * don't rush through the test
        * go back and find answers in the stories you read
        * draw pictures or write equations for the problems on the math test
        * ignore the really silly answers
        * read the questions before you read a story to help yourself focus while reading
        * do your best on the test (deal or no deal?)
  
  

Beatty is in the News! (posted 3/5/09)
Yeah for us! This week, our school was featured in two newspapers for two separate events. The March 5, 2009, edition of the Las Vegas Review Journal featured an article about the new name for the Nevada state insect. Why is this newsworthy? Mr. Slater's 4th grade class wrote essays for a naming contest... and they won! For winning the contest, Mr. Slater and three students are flying to Carson City to officially present their nomination to the state legislature! Way to go!!!!

The other newspaper article was in the Las Vegas Sun on March 5, 2009. The reporter was at Beatty for Family Science and Jr. Engineering Night. The main picture features Mr. Longo (second grade teacher) experimenting with the idea that air is matter. If you click on the other picture in the article, more pictures appear. Check out the one of Katie's dad and brother! They are working hard using a balance scale to measure the weight of a cup of marbles.

• Scholastic Book Orders (posted 2/27/09)
  This week I sent home a Scholastic book order. Actually, there are three catalogs for you to look through. I couldn't decide which to send so I sent them all! This would be a great time to use the gift certificate you received in December to pick up a new book. If you would like to purchase books from these catalogs, please submit your order by Friday, March 6.
  
  

No School on March 2(posted 2/22/09)
There is no school for track 5 on Monday, March 2. This is a Staff Development Day for teachers. Tracks 1-4 are using this day as their make up day for the snow day in December. Since we were on track break we do not have any changes to our original calendar.

• Book Projects due Wednesday (posted 2/21/09)
  The second book project for this trimester is due on Wednesday. If you have not discussed your project with me, you need to do that BEFORE you begin. Overall, the projects we have seen have been great. For a couple of them it looked like a last minute effort was made to just complete a project and have something to turn in. While it is nice that you care enough to meet the deadline, please plan ahead and turn in work you are proud of. Throwing something together at the last minute is not a true reflection of your skills or understanding of the book. If you need extra time, mom or dad can write a note telling me when you will have the project complete. If you need a copy of the directions and sign off sheet, go to the site map or use the search feature on this site. I am looking forward to your presentations!
  
  

New Reading Books (posted 2/21/09)
Last week we checked out new reading books from the library. Please return the other yellow reading book you have at home. We are no longer using the book with the zebra on the cover.

• No School on February 16 (posted 2/14/09)
  Monday, February 16th is Presidents' Day. I hope you enjoy your long weekend. Don't forget that Wednesday night is Science Night (6:30-8:00). Everyone is invited to come see what we learn on Junior Engineering Day. Our Science Fair projects will be on display in the multipurpose room. Classrooms will be set up with experiments and demonstrations. See you there!
  
  

Valentine's Day Activities (posted 2/8/09)
Besides exchanging valentines, our class is going to have a cookie exchange. A letter with all the details went home on Friday. It's going to be a fun day!

• Space Shuttle PowerPoint (posted 2/4/09)
  Today I shared an incredible PowerPoint about the Space Shuttle. The pictures are amazing! You should take a few minutes and watch it. You won't be disappointed! (Check the site map for a link to the powerpoint.)
  
  

Yearbook Orders (posted 1/19/09)
Have you ordered your copy of the Beatty yearbook? This is one you won't want to miss! I've been working on it for the past few weeks and it's turning out great. The early bird sale price of $17 is good through the month of January. Love Lines are also available for $5.

• Snow Pictures (posted 1/12/09)
  I have some great pictures of the school covered in snow! Visit our Picture Place page to see how snowy and white it was that cold December day. If you have snow pictures you would like me to add, send them to school on a disc and I will post them.
  
  

See You Next Week (posted 1/9/09)
I will be out of school tomorrow just like I was today. I hope to be back with you on Monday. In the mean time, be the wonderful class that I know you are! I can't wait to hear about all the things you've been doing while I am at home. Have a great weekend!

• Let It Snow! (posted 12/17/08)
  As I look out my window I see snow blanketing my front yard! The snow has been coming down for a few hours now and it is very pretty! It looks like we can add "White Christmas" to our list of things to remember about third grade.
  
  Today is a great day to be on track break! I hope you are enjoying the fluffy white flakes as much as I am. If you have pictures of you and your family playing in the snow that you would like to share on our website, send me the pictures in an email attachment. I would love to post them for all of our friends to see! Let me know how you are spending this exciting snow day. Stay warm and drink lots of hot chocolate today!
  
  

Track Break (posted 11/22/08)
Track 5 has vacation (track break) from Thanksgiving Day (November 27) through New Year's Day. Our first day back to school is Monday, January 5, 2009. I hope you enjoy your time off. At parent conferences I heard about lots of exciting vacation plans. I hope you have fun and enjoy the holiday season with family and friends. I will see you in 2009! Happy New Year!!!

• Using Study Island At Home (posted 10/31/08)
  Study Island is a new web-based computer program that we have at school this year. One of the great things about it is you can access it from your home computer. Just go to studyisland.com. The kids have been using it in class for a couple of weeks and everyone knows how to sign on.
  
  Why am I telling you about this program? I encourage you to use it at home as part of your homework routine. Each week I choose topics for the kids to work on that are related to reading and math skills we are learning in class. The Study Island program is a CRT test prep system. That means the questions it asks are set up in a way that is similar to the state testing we do in the spring, the Criterion Reference Test.
  
  If you have questions about Study Island or just want more information, come by the classroom any time and we would be happy to show you what it's all about. This program has the potential to be a wonderful enrichment and supplement tool for us.
  
  

No School on Tuesday (posted 10/31/08)
There is no school on Tuesday, November 4, due to the Clark County School District Staff Development Day that is scheduled. Enjoy your day off... and don't forget to vote!

• Conferences (posted 10/31/08)
  Thank you to everyone who returned the pink conference slips already. I really appreciate that! Over the next few days I will be coordinating schedules with the other Track 5 teachers as we plan conferences for the week of November 17-21. As soon as I get the schedule penciled in, I will send come a note letting you know your conference time. If the time is not convenient for you, let me know and I will do my best to work things out.
  
  

Nevada Day (posted 10/30/08)
Just a reminder that there is no school on Friday, October 31, in honor of Nevada's birthday! Nevada Day is a state holiday, celebrated on the last Friday in October. Have a great day off! The weather should be nice for trick or treating.

• Family Math Night: October 23 (posted 10/20/08)
  This Thursday evening, from 6:30 to 8:00, Beatty Elementary will be hosting our first Family Curriculum Night of the school year. We have been using our new math series and the kids love it! Now it's time for you to see what the new enVision math series is all about and the technology that is available for you at home. Besides the technology, you can learn some math games and strategies. The PTA will have Beatty Spirit shirts for sale. (If you bring in an old Beatty shirt you will receive a $3.00 credit toward the purchase of a new one!) There will be a book fair in the library and yummy snacks for sale in the cafeteria. I look forward to seeing you for all the fun!
  
  

Study Island Website (posted 10/3/08)
The Study Island website (StudyIsland.com) is now available for you to use. You can find a link to it on the curriculum button at the top of every page of our website. To sign in, use your ID number@beatty as your user ID and your ID number as your password (for example user ID: 123456@beatty    password: 123456).

So what is Study Island? Study Island is a standards-based website that will help us get ready for state CRT testing. The questions and activities are all based on concepts that are tested on the Criterion Reference Tests. Study Island has math and reading lessons and games. To get started, you need to take the pretests. Please start with the reading test and then do the math. The website can be accessed at home or at school. I think you are going to like Study Island. Check it out and let me know what you think!

• Progress Reports Sent Home (posted 10/2/08)
  Progress reports went home today, October 2. After you've reviewed the report, please sign and return one copy. The other is for you to keep. If you have questions about grades or would like to discuss something on the report, please let me know. I am available before or after school for conferences.
  
  

Ticket To Read (posted 9/27/08)
The TicketToRead.com website is now available for you to use. You can find a link to it on the curriculum button at the top of every page of our website. To sign in, use your ID number as your user ID and password. Happy reading!

• No School on Friday 10/3 (posted 9/26/08)
  Just a reminder that there is no school on Friday, October 3 because of a District-wide staff development day. Enjoy your long weekend!
  
  

New Links Added (posted 9/22/08)
New links have been added to the pull down menus at the top of each page. I added a direct link for enVision Math, Ticket To Read, cursive handwriting, and information about our Bucket Filler program. On the site map page, I posted some useful pages for you to print when you need them: blank math answer sheets and 1/2 inch grid paper that can be used for crossword puzzles or hidden word searches. As more sheets are introduced in class, I will post them for you to use at home.

• Monday 9/8/08 (posted 9/5/08)
  I will not be at school on Monday, but I will be there on Tuesday. I am looking forward to getting a wonderful report from the substitute teacher about how terrific and helpful everyone was. I'll see you Tuesday.... Have a good day!
  
  

Our First Stories Are On the Web! (posted 9/4/08)
Yes! Our first stories of the year are posted on our web pages! You can use the links above to go to the "Student Web Pages". We hope you enjoy reading about what we want to learn in third grade. We wrote some more stories that will be up on our site real soon so check back again!

• Labor Day.... No School on Monday, September 1 (posted 8/29/08)
  Just a reminder that there is no school on Monday due to Labor Day. I hope you enjoy your three day weekend! I'll see you on the playground Tuesday morning.
  
  

All About Me Project (posted 8/27/08)
The "All About Me" project went home today for homework. We were talking in class about how it is important to do work that you are proud of. I originally thought this project could be turned in this week but if you would like to work on it over the weekend and turn it in next week, that's fine. I know there's a lot going on with the beginning of school. We are looking forward to learning more about each of our classmates with these scrapbook pages.

• Day #1 (posted 8/25/08)
  We all had a great first day! We went to the library, started writing stories, did some math, and checked out our class website! Yippee... we have new student pages! Each student chose a unique background and style for their web page. As soon as we get our stories finished and typed we will share them with you online.
  
  

School Starts Tomorrow! (posted 8/24/08)
Second grade is so last year! Third grade officially starts tomorrow morning!!!! I am looking forward to seeing you on the playground. Our class lines up on dot #40. It's in the same place it was last year, by the 4th grade classes. Mom and Dad are welcome to come take pictures of your first day in third grade but they need to sign in at the office first. Get lots of rest tonight and I will see you bright and early in the morning! (Playground gates open at 8:25.)

• Open House (posted 8/07/08)
  Friday, August 22, will be the Beatty Elementary Open House. This is your chance to come by and check out the classroom before school starts on Monday, August 25. Like last year, we are in room 40, on the corner past the library. Open House will be 2:00-3:30 and 6:30-8:00. I hope you can stop by and say hello! I can't wait to hear what you've been doing over track break, and there are a few new friends I am eager to meet!
  
  

Backpacks For Third Grade (posted 8/7/08)
While you are out shopping and enjoying the back to school sales, please make sure you have a backpack. You will have a math book and reading book (checked out from the library) to use at home this year. That will help reduce what you bring back and forth to school. It is important to bring your backpack to class everyday.

• School Supplies (posted 8/3/08)
  'Tis the season to do back to school shopping and I have been asked by several parents "What supplies do we need for third grade?".  Actually, not much.   The Clark County School District provides the basic supplies that we use in the classroom. There are some things we go through rather quickly. It seems like we can always use more low odor dry erase markers, ziplock sandwich baggies, Kleenex, and hand soap. If you want to send in some of these items, your donation would be greatly appreciated!
  
  Use this time to take advantage of back to school sales to stock up on homework materials: pencils, crayons, glue, scissors, colored pencils, markers, notebook paper... all the usual stuff.
  
  

Website Changes (posted 7/30/08)
I am in the process of updating the MyFunTeacher.com website for the new school year. Last year's webpages and stories are still here. You can find them on the site map or you can use the search feature to look for a specific student's page. New pages will be added to the site over the next few weeks so keep checking back to see what's been added!

If you come across any broken links, please send me an email. Just let me know what page you are on and the link that is down. (You can copy and paste the url address into the email.) There are thousands of links on this site and one or two might slip through the cracks as I update for the new school year.

• Vacation! (posted 7/18/08)
  It's here....the end of second grade.... our last track break..... summer vacation.... I am setting sail for Mexico with my family first thing in the morning. I will be back in Las Vegas at the end of July. While I'm gone, I hope you enjoy the website. I have some new pages I am working on that I think you will like. I know a bunch of third graders who are excited to learn cursive handwriting in the fall! I found some great websites to help us with this monumental task! But before we can start thinking about third grade, let's enjoy a couple weeks of summer vacation. Send me an email and let me know what you and your family are doing to stay cool in Vegas. And if you go on vacation, bring back a postcard or two for our collection.
  
  

Important Dates & Times (posted 7/9/08)
Mark your calendar...Our last day of school is Thursday, July 17. Track 5 students will attend an awards assembly at 9:05 a.m. All students will receive an award. Everyone worked hard this year and this is our time to acknowledge that hard work with our friends and family. We hope you will join us in the multipurpose room on Thursday morning.

The last day of school is a minimum day. Track five students will be dismissed at 12:05. Students should not bring backpacks to school on Thursday. It will be a great day to celebrate all of our hard work and accomplishments this year.

Speaking of celebrations, the Second Grade Celebration is this Friday, July 11. We will be enjoying root beer floats and playing games with our friends. We are all looking forward to lots of fun!

• Returning Books (posted 7/2/08)
  With the school year coming to an end, it's time to return all text books and library books you have at home. Please bring back our red reading book and the FOSS Solids and Liquids book if you haven't already done so. All library books should be returned to Ms. Bryan.
  
  

Beatty's Best Chosen (posted 6/30/08)
The class voted for our Beatty's Best and this time it was Aalani! Aalani was selected because she is friendly to everyone and fun to be around. The Beatty's Best luncheon was held last week and was the final celebration for this year. Congratulations to everyone that was chosen as Beatty's Best this year! It's always nice when your friends choose you to receive an award. I can't wait to see who is Beatty's Best in third grade!

• Is there school tomorrow? (posted 6/25/08)
  YES.... WE HAVE SCHOOL ON THURSDAY, JUNE 26! Today's events will not require the school to be closed tomorrow.
  
  So, what happened? Well, today was exciting when the fire alarm sounded at lunch. We had just finished recess and were headed in to the cafeteria when we heard the alarm. Everyone followed the procedures we have practiced all year and exited the building to the grassy field. It turns out there was a small fire on campus that was quickly extinguished. The fire department came and drove their large yellow truck across the playground! Once we got the "all clear" we went into Ms. Lehner's classroom to get out of the heat while we waited for more directions. We ate our lunch and then we took a little trip to Louis Weiner Elementary School. (The school bus was fun!) We gathered in their cafeteria and watched a movie. After a little while we loaded back on the bus and returned to Beatty.
  
  I must say.... the kids were great! Considering the heat and the unusual circumstances, I am highly impressed with how well they listened and followed directions. Parents, please make sure I have a good phone number to call you on in case there is an emergency. Several of the numbers I have are out of service or just voicemail. Thanks!
  
  

Concert and Art Show (posted 6/18/08)
We've been practicing in music class for weeks.... We've been working on a special art project for quite some time.... Now it's your chance to come see what's been keeping us so busy! On Thursday, June 19, you are invited to Miss Summers' art show (6:00) and Mr. Wilson's music show (6:30). Students need to be in our classroom by 6:10. There is no homework so everyone should be able to go to the show. See you there!

• Student Appreciation Week (posted 6/13/08)
  Beatty PTA is sponsoring Student Appreciation Week, June 16-20. Without such wonderful students, Beatty wouldn't be the great school that it is. To celebrate our terrific students and say thanks for being the best you can be, there are special activities and dress up days planned all week! Let's bring on the fun...
  
       * Monday- Inside Out/Backwards Day
       * Tuesday- Crazy Hair/Hat Day
       * Wednesday- Pajama Day
       * Thursday- Hawaiian Day
       * Friday- Sports Jersey Day
  
  

Science Book (posted 6/10/08)
If you haven't done so already, please bring back your science book, "Solids and Liquids". For the rest of the year, our stories will come from the red reading book. This week's story, "Abuela", is a little tricky because of the Spanish words the author uses. Practice reading it at home to improve your fluency and comprehension. Remember, a fluent reader sounds like they are saying the words instead of reading them. Also, good readers can retell the details of stories they read.

• Jokes, Jokes, and More Jokes! (posted 6/03/08)
  A new page has been added to our website and it's a funny one! For the past few weeks we've been doing a "Joke of the Day". The jokes are now on MyFunTeacher.com for you to enjoy. If you have a joke you want to share with us, please send it in an email! We're always looking for new jokes!
  
  

Book Orders Due By May 30 (posted 5/22/08)
I sent home a new Scholastic book order this week. There are two catalogs for you to look through. If you would like to purchase books, please submit your order by Friday, May 30. Books are delivered to our classroom, usually within two weeks.

• Congratulations, Chad! (posted 5/16/08)
  Chad joins Kobe in the NFL (Never Finished Learning) Challenge Club Hall of Fame! As the second member of the Hall of Fame, Chad's name will always be featured on this website, and displayed in my classroom with the NFL questions. Who will be the next member of the NFL Hall of Fame?
  
  

Thank You! (posted 5/16/08)
Thank you for making Teacher Appreciation Week so special! The cards, pictures, gifts, and hugs were great! I am so lucky to work with such a terrific group of students. The family support is incredible and makes all the difference in the world! Together we're having a great second grade year.

• Way to Go Kobe! (posted 5/6/08)
  Kobe has the distinct honor of being the first member of the NFL (Never Finished Learning) Challenge Club Hall of Fame! Kobe has earned 25 challenge points so far this year. As a member of the Hall of Fame, Kobe's name will always be featured on this website, as well as displayed in my classroom with the NFL questions. Kobe worked very hard with his family to earn this honor. A special section on the awards page of MyFunTeacher.com will be devoted to the NFL Hall of Fame members. Will you earn 25 points to be part of the club?
  
  

Honor Roll (posted 5/6/08)
Congratulations to everyone that earned a place on the Beatty Honor Roll! Awards were passed out last Friday and the happy recipients are.....
        A Honor Roll- Gabby and Kenneth
        A/B Honor Roll- Chad, Cali, Kalob, Ethan, Kobe, Bryce, Josie, Dave, Matt, Mark, Anthony, Taryn
Keep up the good work! I can't wait to see who earns A's and B's in the last trimester of second grade.

• Interim Testing (posted 5/5/08)
  Since we have finished the second trimester of school, it is time to evaluate our progress and complete our interim assessments. All students in CCSD take these tests to measure progress toward grade level benchmarks. While they are not the end-all, be-all of testing, the interims are important and useful to me when it comes to planning and reteaching. We will be doing reading and math tests on Tuesday and Wednesday. Each test will take about an hour. Test scores should be available in a few weeks.
  
  

Welcome Ms. Cura (posted 5/5/08)
Good news.... we have a new student teacher! Please join me in welcoming Jocelyn Cura to our classroom! Ms. Cura is working on her teaching credential through Regis University and will be with us until the end of the school year. Over the next few weeks, Ms. Cura will be learning how we work in our room. I know she is excited to have the opportunity to work with us as she completes her teaching program. Welcome to Beatty, Ms. Cura!

• Beatty's Best (posted 4/27/08)
  Congratulations, Beatty's Best! The class voted for these students to receive this honor:
  March 2008 (We were on track break when they had the celebration breakfast.)
         Josie- tries hard to finish all of her work and she always is nice to the other kids in our class.        Matt- writes great stories and he always finishes his work.
  April 2008
         Ethan- working hard to finish all of his classwork.
         Taryn- writes stories that are fun to read.
         Kalob- always finishes his work and helps out in class.
  
  

Awards Assembly (posted 4/27/08)
Report cards will be sent home on Thursday, May 1. Students who earned all A's, A's & B's, or all B's will receive honor roll certificates at the Track 5 Awards Assembly on Friday at 10:30 am. Unfortunately, I will not be at school on Friday, but I have made arrangements for our certificates to be passed out at the assembly. I will send home notes on Monday if your child will be receiving an award so you can make the necessary arrangements to attend the assembly.

Sometimes, second trimester grades slip a little from first trimester. I don't' know if students get comfortable with the routine of the class or over confident in their abilities. With the progress reports I sent home, grades should not be a huge surprise. If you would like to set up an appointment to discuss the report card, just let me know.

• Registration Paperwork (posted 4/20/08)
  Thank you to everyone that returned the registration paperwork for the fall. If you still have the packet, or one of the papers, please complete it and return it as soon as possible. Thank you!
  
  

Plans for Next Year (posted 4/3/08)
With registration for next year rapidly approaching, I have been asked about recommendations for third grade teachers. I am happy to say that I will be teaching third grade next fall! This is the first time in 13 years of teaching that I will be "looping" with a class and I am very excited to be doing it!

I hope you will consider staying with me for third grade. If you would like to do that, please mark track 5 as your first choice on the registration form AND write "looping with Miss Powell". Please do not feel pressured or obligated to stay with me for third grade. You need to do what you feel is in the best interest of your child and your family. I hope that will choose to be in my third grade classroom, but if it's not, I understand.

• Track Break (posted 3/30/08)
  Track 5 is out of school until Tuesday, April 15. I hope you enjoy your vacation. I will see you after the break!
  
  

Book Orders Due By March 28 (posted 3/23/08)
A Scholastic book order will be sent home on Monday. If you would like to purchase books from this catalog, please submit your order by Friday, March 28. It usually takes about two weeks for the books to come in. I will place the order next weekend, so the books will be waiting for us when we get back from track break.

• New Pictures and Pages (posted 3/19/08)
  Our Egg-cellent Fashion Show pictures are ready for you to enjoy. You can view the Egg-cellent Fashion Show slide show by doing a search or by going to the site map. Enjoy!
  
  New pages for Reading Week are being posted this week. We wrote stories about Mrs. Nevada's visit to our class. You can also read about Egg Roll 2008. These stories are also posted on each student's web page.

Kalob's Back! (posted 3/12/08)
Good news.... Kalob is back in our class! We were all very sad when Kalob left. Needless to say, today was a happy day when Kalob came back to school. That brings our class total back up to 20 students- 12 boys and 8 girls.

• Accelerated Reader Awards Breakfast (posted 3/8/08)
  On Wednesday, Miss Bryan will be hosting the Accelerated Reader Awards Breakfast. 14 out of 19 students from our class will be attending! That's something to be very proud of! The five students who did not make it to the next "star" level were very close and should be able to reach that goal by the end of this month. Keep reading and taking A.R. tests!
  

Mark Your Calendar (posted 3/8/08)
            • Spring Break: March 17-21
            • Track Break: March 31 - April 14
            • Family Night (Math): April 17
            • Bring Your Child To Work Day: April 24

• We'll Miss You Kalob (posted 3/8/08)
  Last week, Kalob and his brothers and sisters moved to a new school. We want to wish him the very best in everything he does. Kalob is a great friend that we will miss. If you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by and visit us, Kalob!

New Stories To Read (posted 3/3/08)
I've posted some new stories for you to enjoy. The class wrote about reading week and one of the mystery readers that visited us. The entire collection of stories is on a page called "John Goes To Second Grade". These stories can also be found on each student's individual web page.

• Beatty's Best for February (posted 2/26/08)
  The class has voted and the votes are counted... Kobe and Nathalie will represent our class at the Beatty's Best Luncheon on February 27. Both Kobe and Nathalie were chosen because they try to finish all of their work and they are nice to other people. Congratulations and keep up the good work!

TicketToRead.com (posted 2/25/08)
The Clark County School District recently purchased a license for Beatty Elementary to use a reading website called TicketToRead.com. Ticket to Read is an interactive online reading program designed to strengthen reading fluency, vocabulary development, and comprehension skills.

Ticket to Read can be accessed from any computer with an Internet connection by going to TicketToRead.com. To login, students should use the user ID and password they were given in class. Ticket to Read consists of 12 levels of reading difficulty. Passage length and words per minute goals gradually increase with each level. It is recommended that students complete three sessions per week at 15–30 minutes per session. We will be using some of our morning computer time to access this website in class.

• New Pages Added (posted 2/17/08)
  If you go to the "Projects" button at the top of the page, you will see links to our latest internet projects, the Holiday Card Exchange and From Me To You Valentine Cards. Both of these projects were a lot of fun! We made cards to send to classrooms around the country. These activities were coordinated by a teacher in California, Jennifer Wagner. She has lots of great ideas that bring technology into the classroom. Close to 500 classrooms participate in these card exchanges.
  
  I created Google maps to show where we sent our cards. The maps are interactive. Just click on a marker and information will appear! Another great way to explore is with Google Earth. It's a free download if you click on the link above the Google map that says "View in Google Earth".
  
  

Valentine's Day Cookie Exchange (posted 2/14/08)
Wow! What a fun Valentine's Day! All day long we did Valentine activities. We started the day with a word search. Then we solved logic puzzles using clues in a story. We made little books about Valentine's Day and tried to figure out a hidden code that was written in symbols.

The best thing we did was our cookie exchange. Before we started, everyone wrote a descriptive paragraph about their cookies. After music class, we used the cookie descriptions to figure out who brought each of the cookies. Then we ate cookies! YUM! Check out our Valentine's Day Cookie Exchange page. It has photographs and our cookie descriptions.

Thank you to everyone for the yummy Valentine treats as well as the cards and gifts. The friendships in our classroom are very special thanks to each of you!

• No School - Monday, February 18 (posted 2/14/08)
  In honor of Presidents' Day, we get to enjoy a three day weekend! YIPPEE! There is no school on Monday, February 18. Have fun on your day off and I'll see you on Tuesday.
  

Two Minute Math Drills (posted 2/6/08)
Last week we started doing a daily Two Minute Math Drill in which students have two minutes to solve 50 math facts. Everyone began with +0 and +1 facts. In order to move to the next quiz, students can only miss two questions. If a student misses more than two questions on a drill, they will have the same paper the next day. As facts are mastered, students move from +1 to +2, to +3... all the way up to +10. Then we do subtraction facts, -1 through -10, followed by mixed addition facts, then mixed subtraction facts.

The purpose of the Two Minute Drill is to help students rapidly recall addition and subtraction facts. Since math facts were introduced last year in first grade, second grade students should not have to count on their fingers to solve basic addition or subtraction problems.

To help prepare for the Two Minute Drill, you can practice with the actual sheets we use in class. These math pages can be printed and cut down the middle for two practice sheets. There is a link to the math facts on the site map.

• Yearbook Orders (posted 2/5/08)
  If you would like to purchase a yearbook, they are available for $17. Yearbooks will be delivered at the end of the school year. A limited number of extra books are ordered so it is wise to pre-purchase your copy. Please make checks payable to "Beatty PTA". With Bryce's mom overseeing the PTA's yearbook committee, I'm sure it will be a great book!
  
  

Beatty's Best for January (posted 1/29/08)
The class voted and it's official! Our Beatty's Best for January are:

        Chad – He is always nice to other kids, works hard, and writes great stories!

        Cali – She is always ready to learn, and she finishes all of her assignments!

        Bryce – He always turns in his homework, and he is fun to work with at centers!

Congratulations to this month's winners! November and January Beatty's Best will be honored at a luncheon on Wednesday, January 30. (We started our track break right before the November luncheon so those students will celebrate this month. There were no winners in December because we were on vacation.) I wonder who will be chosen in February.

• Family Valentine Project (posted 1/28/08)
  Don't forget to bring in your Family Valentine Project by the end of the week. I would like to have them all finished by Friday, February 1. Have fun and be creative!
  
  

No School (posted 1/19/08)
Don't forget.... there's no school on Monday, January 21 to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and there's no school on Friday, January 25 due to a teacher inservice day. After this week, we'll be back to regular, five-day school weeks for a while. Enjoy your long weekends!

• Change of Plans (posted 1/16/08)
  It turns out that Miss Bjarnason and Miss Allen will not be doing their student teaching in our class. Unfortunately, they have been moved to another school. Both of these ladies are working toward a degree in Early Childhood/Special Education. Right now, Beatty isn't able to offer them a placement for the Special Education component of their student teaching requirement. Our second grade class would have worked for the General Education setting but they also need a Special Education class to train in. We are sad to see Miss Bjarnason and Miss Allen go, but wish them lots of luck as they start their new adventure.
  
  

New Stories For You To Read (posted 1/14/08)
This week we started learning about another of the six writing traits, voice. We had lots of fun writing a story using a different character's voice. You've got to check out our stories about Miss Powell's new car! Instead of writing like a kid is telling the story we changed things up and added a twist... the stories are written from the car's point of view!

• Hard Work Pays Off! (posted 1/13/08)
  Eleven of our classmates were presented with Honor Roll certificates at an awards assembly on Friday, January 11. I am happy to announce the latest additions to the Beatty Honor Roll ...
  
          B Honor Roll- Mark
  
          A/B Honor Roll - Anthony, Dave, Logan, Josie, Kenneth, Kalob, Matt, and Bryce
  
          A Honor Roll - Nadia and Gabby
  
  Congratulations to everyone! I can't wait to see who will be on the Spring Honor Roll. Some students were sooooooooo close to being on the Winter Honor Roll that I'm sure with a little extra effort, they'll make it this trimester. Keep up the good work! You can do it!
  
  

New Year, New Friend (posted 1/13/08)
The new year brought a new friend to our classroom! Taryn and her family recently moved to Las Vegas from Carson, California. She is very excited to be here and is making lots of new friends. This week Taryn started working on a story for her web page. It should be posted in the next few days so check back soon.

• Welcome to Our Class, Miss Bjarnason! (posted 1/10/08)
  Starting this week, we have a student teacher, Miss Raeann Bjarnason working in our room. Miss Bjarnason (pronounced B-R-NU-SUN) will be with us until the middle of February. Then she will trade places with Ms. Hailee Allen who is working with Ms. Giese in Early Childhood right now. It will be really exciting to have these two student teachers from BYU Idaho!
  
  

Book Orders Due By January 15 (posted 1/7/08)
I sent home a new Scholastic book order today. Actually, there are three catalogs for you to look through. I couldn't decide which to send so I sent them all! This would be a great time to use the gift certificate you received and pick out a new book.

• 2008 Handprint Calendar (posted 12/26/07)
  I've added our handprint calendar project to the "Information" button at the top of each page. We had so much fun making and wrapping these calendars for Christmas that I thought I would share them with everyone. Check the calendar for important class information and dates.
  
  

Congratulations, Beatty's Best! (posted 12/3/07)
Before leaving on track break, the class voted on who would represent us at the Beatty's Best luncheon for November. Each student wrote about the person they think is most deserving of the award. We used this opportunity to write a persuasive letter and convince other people that our friends are Beatty's Best! This month, three students were selected:

     Gabby- She is a good helper, a great friend, and a nice person!

     Anthony- He has awesome handwriting and takes pride in his work!

     Logan- He is showing good improvement in problem solving and he has the most Accelerated
                Reader points in our class!

Since the awards luncheon was held while we are on break, our November winners will attend the luncheon with our January winners. Congratulations!

• Our New Home Page (posted 11/29/07)
  MyFunTeacher.com is getting into the holiday spirit! As you can see, there are new graphics on our home page that celebrate the holiday season. Check back after Christmas to see the next graphics collection!
  
  

Track Break (posted 11/26/07)
Thanksgiving weekend was the start of our track break. Track 5 returns to school on Monday, January 7. I hope you have fun during your time off. I'll see you in six weeks!

• Conference Dates Set (posted 11/20/07)
  Thank you for returning the conference sign up sheet. I am sending home a letter today (Nov. 20) with your date and time for Parent-Student-Teacher Academic Planning Time. If there is a conflict with your schedule, please let me know. I look forward to meeting with you! And remember, students are welcome and encouraged to come to the conference. At our meeting we can discuss Interim Assessment results, first trimester report cards, reading and fluency data, and general classroom performance. The conference will take approximately 15-20 minutes.
  
  

Picture Day Retakes (posted 11/15/07)
On Monday we will have a chance to retake school pictures. The photography company will be here in the morning. Please return the photos you do not want to school tomorrow. Thanks!

• Math Survey For Parents (posted 11/8/07)
  The Southeast Region of the Clark County School District is preparing to adopt a new math series. Your input about math instruction in elementary schools is very important! The survey will only take a few minutes and can be accessed on the Beatty website.
  
  

PowerPoints and Pictures! (posted 11/3/07)
We have a new page on our website that is filled with pictures and slideshows of our class activities. The page is called "Picture Place".

• October's Beatty's Best (posted 11/3/07)
  Congratulations Dave and Haylie! The class voted for our Beatty's Best this month. Dave was chosen because he always completes assignments neatly and accurately. This is something that his classmates really admire. Way to go, Dave!
  
  Haylie was chosen by her classmates because she has shown great improvement in her penmanship. Haylie has some new and improved handwriting that's looking good! Keep up the good work, Haylie!
  
  Before we go on track break at the end of November, the class will vote on two more of Beatty's Best. Due to our break, our November winners will celebrate at the January luncheon. Keep working hard and you might impress your classmates enough to choose you for Beatty's Best.
  
  

Website Awards! (posted 10/28/07)
Thank you to everyone who has been sending such nice comments about our website! MyFunTeacher.com has earned five awards! These are proudly displayed on our new page called Website Awards.

• O.R.E.O. Challenge (posted 10/21/07)
  As promised, the pictures and results of Our Really Exciting Online (O.R.E.O.) Challenge are now on our site! You can view them by searching for O.R.E.O.
  
  

New Stories For You To Read (posted 10/16/07)
There are new stories posted on our website for you to enjoy: "Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month", "How to Eat an Oreo Cookie", "O.R.E.O. Challenge", and "You Are the Author". Coming soon... pictures and information about Our Really Exciting Online (O.R.E.O.) Challenge, as well as pictures of the Macaroni Skeletoni project and "A Book In A Bag" book reports!

• Family Projects (posted 10/14/07)
  The skeletons are wonderful! What a great way to start our study of the human body. You should be proud of your work! I was so impressed with your creativity and originality that I put them on display in the main hallway of the school. I'm working on a powerpoint slide show that should be on our site by the end of the week.
  
  Reminder: "A Book In A Bag" projects are due on Monday, October 15. If you haven't completed yours, please finish it as soon as possible. I am looking forward to students sharing their projects with the class.
  
  

Interesting Ideas...i...i...i (posted 10/8/07)
Throughout the school, classes have been learning about the writing trait of ideas. Our class is no exception. When we talked about ideas and where they come from, the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss came to mind. He used so many creative ideas and words in his stories. As a salute to Seuss and as a celebration of the Cat in the Hat's 50th birthday, our class wrote a book called "Interesting Ideas...i...i...i". Our book is displayed in a powerpoint presentation.

• Skeletoni Macaroni Family Project (posted 10/1/07)
  As an introduction to a health & science unit we are going to do later this month, I sent home a project for your family to work on together over the next week.
  
  The project is called “Skeletoni Macaroni” and the directions are easy:
  
  1. Cut out the skeleton pieces.
  2. Arrange them to form a human body.
  3. Glue the skeleton to poster board or cardboard.
  4. Decorate the skeleton using an assortment of dry pasta.
  5. Return your completed project by Monday, October 8.
  
  As a family, you can get as creative as you like when it comes to decorating and embellishing your skeleton. If you want to change its name or add special features that's up to you.
  
  

Magazines Needed (updated 9/30/07)
Do you have any "kid friendly" magazines that we can cut and use for some upcoming projects? If you do, please send them to class. Thanks!

• PTA Fundraiser (updated 9/28/07)
  The Beatty PTA is sponsoring a fundraiser with the Kids Are First company. This is the only fundraising event planned for the year so we hope it is successful. Our PTA gives so much to the school. The money raised from this fundraising event will help pay for programs and projects for all of the students at Beatty. If you can, please support the PTA's fundraising efforts.
  
  Besides being a great way to help the school, students earn prizes based on the number of items sold (not the dollar amount they generate). If every student in our class sells just 1 item each, our class will get $50 to spend on anything we choose! As a member of PTA, I would like to support this project through my students. Show me your catalog. Maybe there's something in there that I would like to buy. So far, no one has asked me about making a purchase... ALL ORDERS AND MONEY ARE DUE BY WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3.
  
  

Beatty's Best for September (posted 9/26/07)
Congratulations Kenneth and Nadia! They were chosen as Beatty's Best for September. Kenneth received this honor for being a good listener. He follows directions the first time they are given. I really appreciate how he listens to what is said and responds to it. Being a good listener is a skill that we are working on this year and Kenneth is a good role model to follow.

Nadia was selected as Beatty's Best for the effort she is putting into her schoolwork. She finishes assignments neatly and on time. This is also something we are working on as a class. Nadia is a good example of what it looks like when you have good work habits. The October Beatty's Best students will be selected by the class. I took the honor of selecting the first month. Now it's up to you. Show your classmates that you are Beatty's Best. Maybe they will choose you to represent our class at the next Beatty's Best Luncheon!

• Book Orders (posted 9/24/07)
  I sent home a new book order today. Actually, there are two order forms for you to look through. I couldn't decide which to send so I sent both. Scholastic has some great prices on books that are at your child's reading level and I would be happy to make recommendations for you and your child.
  
  If you would like to purchase books from these catalogs, please submit your order by Friday so I can send it in this weekend. Books will be delivered to our classroom in about two weeks.
  
  

Homework Assignments Page (posted 9/22/07)
Homework assignments have moved to their own page. You can get to the new Homework Assignments page by clicking on the banner below this section or from the link in the drop down menu of the "Information" button at the top of every page. Besides a detailed description of our weekly assignments, the new page includes online activities that support our reading stories and enrich our second grade curriculum. Enjoy!

• New Page Added to Site (posted 9/18/07)
  There's a new page on our website called "Featured Websites". Throughout the year I will add websites that support and enhance the curriculum we are studying. If you come across a website you think would be a good extension to our curriculum that is not included on our list, please send me the link. I'd be happy to check it out!
  
  

Family Connections (posted 9/12/07)
This week we've been talking about families and the things that make each of our families so special. I was very impressed with the timelines the kids made for homework! Today in class, everyone had a chance to share their pictures and tell about their family. We learned a lot about our classmates. I think I might make a timeline, too. That way I can share pictures of my brother, Andy, with all of you. If you haven't finished your timeline, it's not too late. Remember... better late than never when it comes to turning things in!

• New Stories Posted on Student Web Pages! (posted 9/11/07)
  Take a minute to read about the jobs our class thinks will be important in the future. The Jobs of the Future stories are funny!
  
  

Dave's Back! (posted 9/10/07)
Dave has decided not to change schools after all and is officially back in our class... Welcome back!

• Calling All Mystery Readers... (posted 9/9/07)
  We would like to invite you to come to our class as a Mystery Reader. You can sign up online or send a note to Miss Powell. Mystery Readers can be moms, dads, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, grandmas, grandpas, special family friends, teachers... the list goes on and on.
  
  So far we have had two incredible visitors. Logan's mom read us "My Many Colored Days" by Dr. Seuss. Gabby's mom read a book that was a twist on an old classic. It was called "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed A Bat". We hope you can come read to us too!
  

Bye Dave! (posted 9/9/07)
Last week, Dave moved to a new school and will not be at Beatty any longer. Coincidentally, his new school is the same one where Mrs. Lee (our librarian for the past six years) works. We'll miss you, Dave, and wish you the best of luck! Stop by and see us when you can.

• Book Orders Sent In (posted 9/9/07)
  I submitted our book order this weekend and it is being processed right now. We have quite a few readers in our class! It should take about two weeks for the books to arrive.
  

Book Orders Due Friday (posted 9/5/07)
I am placing our order with Scholastic Books this weekend. You are not required to buy any books but the option is there if you are interested. Books should be delivered to our classroom in about two weeks.

• Doing Neat Work (posted 9/3/07)
  Please read Miss Powell's Things to Remember About Doing Neat Work (check the site map). I thought it might be helpful if you knew how we set up our papers and what my expectations are for completed assignments.
  
  

Reading Textbooks Sent Home (posted 9/1/07)
Each student will check out a reading text book to take home and use this year. Please do not send the book back to school until we have finished reading all of the stories. This book is for you and your child to use to develop stronger reading skills. At the beginning of each week, I will introduce the new concepts and focus skills for the story. The next day, we will read the story in class. If you would like to pre-read the story with your child, that's great. If you want to wait until I have introduced it, then wait until the second day of the school week (I would say Tuesday but this week we have no school on Monday so Wednesday will be our second day).

• STUDENT WEB PAGES (posted 8/28/07)
  To showcase our work, each student has their own web page. Our student web pages are unique so please take some time to look at each of them. New assignments and projects will be posted throughout the year.
  
  The first assignment was to create a list of facts and opinions about a topic. Students could pick what ever they were interested in and brainstormed the "Top Five Things" the reader needed to know.
  

We're off to a great start! (posted 8/27/07)
We had a very nice first day of school, in spite of the rain. Some parents were asking about our room assignment. We are in Room 40, not 88A like your track assignment letter stated. You can find us just past the library, on the corner of the fourth grade hall. (This was the 5th grade hall last year.)

• DISMISSAL (posted 8/27/07)
  Typical for the first day, leaving school and meeting mom and dad, brothers and sisters was a little hectic for some kids. In an effort to make things easier, our class will exit through the front of the school. I will walk the students out past the office when the bell rings. Please choose a meeting place that both of you are familiar with. Some key landmarks in the front of the school include the flagpole, the benches by the flagpole, and the "circle wall".
  
  Also, parents, please remember that the parking lot is not open during dismissal so plan ahead when looking for parking on the street.
  

Important Papers (posted 8/27/07)
Make sure you look through the papers that were sent home in the Beatty Folder. Some papers require a parent signature and need to be returned to school. Other papers are for you to keep and review at home. Please return the Beatty Folder to class tomorrow.

• WELCOME TO ROOM 40! (posted 8/26/07)
  This is going to be an exciting year for Chad, Gabby, Cali, Kalob, Ethan, Nathalie, Erik, Kobe, Aalani, Bryce, Nadia, Josie, Logan, Dave, Kenneth, Matthew, Mark, Haylie, Maria, and Anthony!
  
  I have lots of fun projects planned, starting with "A Salute to Dr. Seuss". If you have any Dr. Seuss books that you would like to share with the class, please bring them to school with you. Make sure your name is inside the front cover.
  
  

New Site Debuts! (posted 7/7/07)
7-7-07... lucky sevens....the date this website was up and running...

Since I'm in Las Vegas, 7-7-07 seemed like a good day to launch a new website! I hope you enjoy your visit and will come back often. New information will be posted on a regular basis. If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know. My email link is at the bottom of every page.