Math Olympics, Pizza, and more

We have finished 18 days of school and have 162 days more to go.

That's 10% of the school year. Only 90% of the school year left!

The Math Olympics took place this morning from 9 - 11 am in the cafeteria and art room. I believe Room 117 had the best turnout in the school! It was great to see many familiar faces enjoying all the math games and activities being offered. We will all be thanking Semetria this week, since her name was picked from the Pizza Combination game. This means Room 117 will be getting a pizza party in the near future! Thanks Semetria and everyone else for participating in that game!

A quick reminder that Thurston Woods is having an Open House from 6 - 8 pm on Thursday, October 1st. It would be great to see a large turnout for our classroom. This will be a good chance to see where your student is learning on a daily basis. I will also be more than willing to answer any questions about the curriculum and/or your student's performance.

Finally, I am going to attach the most recent Parent Letter and as always please feel free to call/email me with any questions or concerns!

Thurston Woods Campus

Room 117 – Grade 4/5

Mr. Pipkorn

Email: pipkordj@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Phone: 414-430-1937

Dear Parents and/or Guardians of Room 117 Students,

I’d like to update you on our classroom’s rules and consequences in this letter. We have been doing a lot of great learning, but often rules can be broken during instruction and the consequences need to be enforced. I’d just like to make sure you understand how our classroom works, so there is no confusion if I contact you in the future about your student’s performance.

We have six rules in our classroom: 1) Talk at appropriate times using appropriate language, 2) Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself, 3) Stay in your seat, 4) Be respectful to your neighbors, your teacher, and yourself, 5) Stay on task and be ready to transition quickly and quietly, and (6) Be a team player!

We have four consequences in our classroom: 1) 2-3 Verbal Warnings, (2) 5 minutes of recess time with me, (3) entire recess with me (4) phone call home/referral.

Please talk with your student about the classroom rules. They should almost know them by heart, but unfortunately they can sometimes be forgotten.

Also, remember there is a classroom blog: www.mrpipkorn117.blogspot.com

Thanks,

Mr. Pipkorn

Room 117 Update

We have finished 13 days of school and have 167 days more to go.

That's roughly 7% of the school year. Only 93% of the school year left!

An update on what we're working on:

Math - Multiplication Strategies using hands-on activities

Health - Feelings and Needs

Reading - Finishing Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing novel

Science - The Scientific Method

Writing - The Writing Process, currently on Prewriting

Last week, our class completed the first set of Benchmark testing in Reading and Math. We are all looking forward to seeing how well we've done.

This week's Parent Letter will include our list of Rules, Procedures, and Consequences that will have to be signed and sent back to school. Please make sure that goes back to school with your student. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to call me.

Upcoming events:

Parent Dinner - Wednesday, September 23rd 5:00 - 7:00 pm

Math Olympics - Saturday, September 26th 9:00 - 11:00 am

Open House - Thursday, October 1st 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Welcome to Room 117!

This will be the official blog of Mr. Pipkorn's Room 117 for the 2009/2010 school year!

I will be updating this blog on a weekly basis to keep everyone posted on the activities going on in Room 117. I hope to have some pictures up of the students and the classroom very soon!
I will also post the parent letters that have been going home in the Wednesday folders.

Tomorrow the students will be watching the President Obama Education speech in the computer lab. We are all excited to hear what he had to say, since we missed it on Tuesday :(