I love Christmas, not just because of the presents but because of all the decorations and lights and the warmth of the season. Ashley Tisdale

Hello there. Well, we made it through the first of the two days with no problem. With 7 gone (hence the picture of the unstacked chairs..boohoo!), it was pretty darn quiet in here! :0) Kids that came to school today got an extra reward after leaving Fly Time today. Ask your kiddo what it was. If they can tell you, write WINNER in the planner for $10 tomorrow.



Tomorrow is Polar Express Day. The entire day will be full of fun activities revolving around the book and the movie. Some will be academic driven and some will be just darn fun! :0) Kids that bought in for the "extra" fun activities may wear their pajamas/slippers/robes tomorrow, bring a stuffed animal to snuggle with during the story, and a fun hot chocolate mug. This is totally optional. Those that bought in for making candy trains, please bring in all of your supplies tomorrow morning.

I will be providing a pizza and crazy bread lunch from Little Ceasers tomorrow for all the kids. We will eat in the classroom together. If kids want to bring a special drink to enjoy (pop, juice, milk, etc) that is fine with me. Those that don't like pizza can sure bring a lunch and still eat with us. :0) Merry Christmas!

In math today, we took a look at a four quadrant graph. Kids learned how to graph all sorts of numbers including positive and negative numbers. Tomorrow, we will do a Polar Express activity with this knowledge.

We were able to see Rudolph today. He was playing with all his reindeer friends. Check this out! They really do bully poor Rudolph. :0( Too cute!


We ended the day by doing a little Minute to Win It game. Kids had to be Rudolph and use only their nose, with a little help of some Vaseline, to help carry down noses (cotton balls) for their team. The team that carried the most noses down and shake them off in one minute won the game. Fun!



There is NO homework tonight. However, some kids need to finish up their Scholastic News from Reading class this morning. Enjoy the free night!

Mrs. Grewell

Santa, don't forget the Grinch. I know he's mean and hairy and smelly, and his hands are cold and clammy, but I think he's kinda… sweet...Cindy Lou Who

Hi! I hope you had a great weekend.

We spent ours at the annual Grewell Soup Night. We do it every year at the ranch. All the neighbors come over for homemade soup and we do a fun white elephant gift exchange. After that, we all play games and laugh the night away! This year, we even sat around and sang carols since our nephew learned to play the guitar this year. So very cool! I also spent a large part of Saturday doing some Christmas shopping with the rest of Billings. Crowded!!! It was very fun to take a break mid-day to meet up with Mrs. Risser and Mrs. Gleason to go watch Miss. Hergenrider coach the Skyview JV Girls Basketball team win a VERY close game! Fun, fun, fun! Today, I was able to spend some quality Auntie Tam time with my nephew Tristan. He got to do two things he had never done before. He got a trip to Build A Bear and he got to see his very first Tumbleweed tumble across the road! He is such a cutie!!! Kids are the ultimate de-stressers!!!!



It looks like Gabrielle got into the spirit this weekend as well. She spent some time making eggnog cookies. I bet those are delicious!! :0) She also enjoyed the tradition of lighting the advent wreath. Don't you just love traditions??? Precious memories Gabrielle. Thanks for sharing them with us!




Happy Holiday week, where only Billings Public Schools is in session in the entire world!!! :0) I actually consider it a gift. The more I have with your kiddos the more I love my job! We will spend the two days we are together doing some fun Christmas activities that follow our standards, but the kiddos will hardly notice they are even learning! :0) Tuesday, we will do the same but with a Polar Express theme. With so many kiddos gone on vacation and so many sugar plums dancing in our heads…I don't want to start something new. So, there will be no new spelling words this week.

I will provide treats and hot chocolate for Polar Express Day as my gift to the kiddos. Kids may bring in their favorite hot cocoa cup if they want to, but I do have some extras as well.

I had a great visit with Avery last week. It was fun to teach her the REAL way to eat ice cream. Everyone has their own container and you eat it right out of the carton. :0) During her boring time at home, she was also able to make me a very cool BELIEVE sign to add to my collection! Awesome!  We are all excited to see her back in class tomorrow.



Miss Gwen also surprised me last week. Since she is heading out of town with her family this weekend, she played Santa early. I will sooooo enjoy eating all 4 of my chocolates and spending some quality time at Barnes and Noble over the break. A HUGE thank you to her and her family for being so generous and making my day! Thanks Gwen, and safe travels.



Last but not least, Mr. Dominic! Dominic and family are also going out of town so he played Santa as well on Friday. He surprised me with a very special and very blingy BELIEVE necklace. My first bling ever! Thank you so much Dominic and family. I hope you have a wonderful holiday with Grandpa! Travel Safe.



I will blog tomorrow after school. After that, I will not blog until the Sunday before we come back.

Tomorrow, I will share some more safari pictures from Espen with the class. Priceless memories being made in Africa I tell ya!

Have a great, great Sunday!!!

The two most joyous times of the year are Christmas morning and the end of school. Alice Cooper

Howdy folks!

Three more days, and I couldn't be prouder of this group of kiddos. They are doing such a great job at staying strong and academic! It will be fun to do some holiday things on Tuesday!



Here is the last part of the book report due tomorrow. Kids need to have all three of their completed pieces tomorrow so we can put it all together in class. Tonight, kids need to tell me about their favorite part or parts of their story. We talked about how their description should make me want to read their book over the break. On the other bulb, they need to illustrate what they wrote about. Illustrations should be 4th grade quality and show effort and be colored. Sorry it's upside down. I couldn't figure out how to switch it in the program I took it. :0(



In Fly Time today kids shared about their parent hugs project. Love it! Today, we took some time for kids to ask other kids for their phone numbers so they could have some possible playdates over the break when they experience cabin fever. What is cabin fever? Ask your kiddo. If they can tell you, write CABIN in the planner for $10 tomorrow.

The sub left an AMAZING note this morning!!! Kids were so well behaved. Again, so proud of them. All kids present earned $100. :0) Well done team Grewell!!!

Spelling and the SE states and capital's test is tomorrow. As is library.

Mr. Landon is flying out to the Philippines tomorrow, so I opened up his Christmas gift this morning, and I LOVE it!!! First of all, I love owls!!! (They are all about being smart! The perfect bird for a teacher!) If that wasn't enough, it can be heated up, placed on my neck and shoulders, and let the relaxation begin!!! I plan to try it tonight! Landon, thank you so much for thinking of me and for filling my bucket today. I love it, and I love the family Christmas card. Have a wonderful vacation with your family. Make a million memories!!!!



Speaking of making memories…check out these pictures from our dear friend Espen. They come to you all the way from Africa where he and his family are having the times of their lives. Like we see deer here, they see baboons, seals, and penguins! Yes penguins!!! Crazy cool! Thanks for sharing with us Espen!



Dominic had a special visitor last night at his house. He must have been a good little boy to get that special visit! Even the dogs loved the visitor! Fun!



I am sure sending well wishes to David and Josh today. Hope you are feeling better tomorrow!

Well, I am off to have some Strawberry Ice Cream with a very special little girl. Miss Avery…here I come!

Mrs. Grewell

Maybe Christmas, the Grinch thought, doesn't come from a store. Dr. Seuss

Hi there.

Homework tonight is to carry on with the book report project. Last night they did the outside ring with adjectives in their text. Now, it is time for nouns. On the inside of the wreath, kids need to write two nouns on each leaf that they find in their text. They can be proper nouns or common nouns. They need to do this in green marker or colored pencil. Then, kids may color the picture with colored pencils or crayons. We will do one more piece tomorrow night and then put it all together for a final report. This Friday, kids will check out their next book for our January project. It needs to be a biography about a person that they don't know a lot about. I want them to have it over the long break just in case they get bored (or you need 30 minutes of piece and quiet!) :0) Here is my example of the homework…



In Fly Time today, we talked about why parents might seemed stressed this week. Kids shared how some moms and dads are busy cooking dinners, shopping in busy stores, spending time online buying presents, and decorating the house. This is a lot of extras for mom and dads. We talked about how important it is to give extra hugs and little notes of I love you. I told kids that this may seem like such a little thing, but it really does help moms and dads de-stress when we can feel appreciated for a minute or two. So, I hope that you get an extra big hug tonight or find a fun I love you note in your lunch box, wallet, purse, or somewhere fun tomorrow. If your kiddo does this, write LOVE in the planner tonight or tomorrow night for $10. :0)

I have added the Polar Express Supply List to the right of the blog for you. I know it is easer for me to have it on my phone, rather than carry around a piece of paper. :0)

We watched the primary holiday concert this morning. So, so adorable! If you have a little one at Arrowhead, you are in for a special treat on Friday! Enjoy!

Mr. Pertuit and Mr. Carter have added a fun activity at recess for the winter. They, at times throughout the week, will be out at lunch recess with the school sleds. Kids know the safe rules. They may only go out to the hill if they have boots, snow pants, and a hat. They also know that they may not be out every day. The few times they have been out this week have been super fun for those that participated! Fun in the snow is the BEST!

I leave you tonight with a fun little Facebook quote I found this morning and found that it for sure rang true to me! I know so many of you moms and DADS can apply this as well. It is so tough to be a parent, especially a good one. I just keep saying to myself…mold and guide them into a person that later on you will want to become your friend! Right now, however, is not the time to be your child's friend. Urg! Being a mom and/or dad is so important and sometimes… just so, so difficult! :0)



Have a wonderful night!
Mrs. Grewell

Believe in something bigger than yourself!

Howdy! Another busy day in Grewellville!

This morning we read a fun story in Fly Time about Santa's little daughter having to save Christmas from the evil Wallie Ransom that works for the XMAS company. The lesson learned was that Christmas is not about presents and the commercialized hoopla, but about believing in something bigger than yourself and believing it enough to just trust the system. A great lesson for both adults and kids!

During the story, we also discussed our homework for tonight. Kids did a great job on their Action Verb Stockings, now it is time to find those adjectives. Adjectives are words that tell us what kind or how many something is. After the story today, we made a list of the adjectives we heard in the story. Kids did a great job identifying them. Kids need to fill up the outside wheel rectangles with adjectives they find in their December book. Below each adjective they need to write the page number they found it on in the little star. Kids know NOT to color it or do anything else with the page. It will be continued tomorrow night. The assignment needs to be done with their red pens. Here is my example…



Tuesday folders came home today. It was so wonderful to see Avery and her mom (who so graciously stuffed the envelopes). For those of you that don't know, Avery got her tonsils taken out. She is pretty sore, but looking forward to coming back to school. I will enjoy taking her some ice cream on Thursday!!!

In the folders you will find the Polar Express Day information sheet. At the bottom, it tells you your child's status as far as buying into the event. It also lists the supplies they will need to bring to school that day in order to make their winter train scene. They are pretty excited about this one! After you see the slip, please write EXPRESS in the planner for $10 tomorrow. The movie is rated G so parent permission is not required this time. :0) Therefore, the sheet may stay home for your records.

A gentle reminder that the SE states and capital's test is this Friday.

Feel better soon Dominic! We miss you buddy!

Some fun pictures to share from Espen in Africa tomorrow at Fly Time. Wow!!!

Have a wonderful night!
Mrs. Grewell

"Well?" boomed Santa. "Have all the children from Montana been good this year?" (Opening line from the book I read aloud today :0))

Hi there. Happy Monday! Gotta love waking up to that white stuff and slick black ice roads. I am glad everyone made it safe and sound! Hoping Dominic is doing ok, and that Espen took off in a jet plane before the storm hit! Also hoping Avery is snuggled warm in her bed eating a TON of ice cream! :0)

Today was kind of a crazy mixed up day. We had music x 2 today due to Mrs. Waddell having concerts with the little ones this week. Therefore, we will not have it on Wednesday this week. They started watching the Nutcracker in class. Kids always love to study that movie. Mrs. Waddell is always so creative with her lessons!

Then we went to an orchestra concert. It was pretty fun to see one of the kiddos play Do You Want To Build a Snowman on the violin. Wowzers!!! Pretty advanced stuff. Many kids raised their hands when I asked who thought they might want to play an orchestra instrument next year. I know I love listening to Emma play the violin and saxophone both! Which reminds me, I will be gone on Thursday morning to her band concert. I will be back after lunch.

In spelling, we went over their holiday words. It was funny that many kids didn't know who Scrooge was or eggnog. We got them all cleared up though. :0) Kids were given a sheet with some of their spelling words on it. They then decided on a number between 6 and 10 and wrote it beside each word. That was how many words they needed to include in that sentence using that word. We talked about how we can add adjectives to make sentences longer.

We ended the day doing two activities. We graded their Christmas listening activity they did last week. They had to rate their listening skills on a scale from 1 to 4. One being not so good and 4 being got every detail perfect. Then they had to analyze their data and determine overall what kind of a listener they were: Always listen to the teacher, Most of the time listen to the teacher, Some of the time listen to the teacher, or I don't listen to the teacher. Finally, they had to come up with strategies that they could use to become a better listener. Now, they need to show you. They need to show you some of their mistakes as well as their strategies. Please make a big deal about this. Listening is always an issue in the 4th grade. Then sign the grade sheet and they know to bring it back tomorrow. The fun activity sheet may stay home.

Homework tonight is their book report, part one. It is completely different this time. In class, I read a short book called Santa is Coming to Montana to them. We then found some fun action verbs in the sentences. Their assignment tonight is to do the same with their book and write them in their stocking template until it is full. I had each child find three in their book so they knew what they were doing. They need to be ACTION verbs. No am, is, are, was or were. :0) Here is my example. Finally, they need to color the fun stuff on top and write Action Verbs in the top space of the stocking. Again, this is only part one! They do not need to cut it out yet. Thanks.



Have a  great night!
Mrs. Grewell

Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas. Dale Evans

Hi there. Happy Snow day again!!! Oh Montana!!! I hope you had a great weekend. Mine was spent with friends and family. Friday night was the Arrowhead staff Christmas party. After playing many minute to win it games and doing a gift card white elephant exchange we all agreed that Arrowhead is a pretty fun place to work! It was also Mrs. Gleason's birthday lunch weekend. It is tradition for a small group of us teachers to get together and celebrate by having lunch together. How lucky am I to work in a place that I love surrounded by people that are also my friends!?!



Well, we are on the countdown till winter break, and with that comes more temptation to push the limits when it comes to expectations. We have a very busy week ahead of us and kids need to stay with me on this one. The following Monday and Tuesday will be our Christmas fun academic days and Polar Express Day. Until then, we are all focussed on the 4th grade standards and routines. Please continue to remind kids that Santa is watching them…even at school. :0)

Information about Polar Express Day and materials needed list will come home in the Tuesday folders. Supplies are not needed until the following Tuesday (the 23rd). Please don't send them in before then. Does anyone have the DVD of Polar Express that I could borrow? Please send it in if you do. Thanks.

Academically this week…

Math: Metric Capacity and Weight and conversations in each.

Reading: We will finish Unit 3 in Lead 21 and begin our research for our Inquiry projects that we will really focus on after the break.

Spelling: Everyone is an alternate this week. We will take a break from the book and do some holiday words and lessons.

Science: We will finish building our PLTW cars and pendulums.

Social Studies: We will begin our tour of the SE region. States and Capital's test is this Friday. Those that miss it, will take it upon their return.

MT History: Continue with state symbols. All notebooks were graded this weekend. See online grade book for your child's results. There were MANY that were not complete. That was disappointing as students were told to go back to the last time I graded them and check every page to make sure it was done and given a week to do so. Grades stand, but I do encourage them to finish them for the learning purposes.

Fly Time: We will continue to look at random acts of kindness and paying it forward. We will also read some Christmas literature.

We will also start our December book reports. Students MUST have their books with them at school on Monday.

My thoughts continue to be with Avery as she recovers and with another family as they are going through a tough time right now. My thoughts have been with you both all weekend! Hugs.

I leave you with some fun pictures of AJ decorating his Christmas tree and home. What a beautiful tree. I can tell you are such a lucky boy AJ!!



Have a wonderful night!
Mrs. Grewell

Thank you for BELIEVING in me!

Hi there!

It was the first day of Project Lead the Way and I could not have asked for a better start! We started building our first project. Kids were engaged and so into it. It is like legos to them. In the program the teacher is really supposed to fade out during these engineer building times and force them to use the iPads and their group members to figure out how to build something. So, I told the kids if I just say…"Man, that is a tough one, I hope you and your group are able to figure that one out with your awesome engineer brains!" that I am not being rude, but instead am just doing what the program is designed to do. We will start the actual "teaching/science concept learning" after the break. For now, we will just build and have fun with the VEX kits. Kids worked so well together. The helped each other and listened to other's ideas. Awesome! Ask your kiddo about this. If they tell you write PLTW in the planner for $10 tomorrow.



We spent quite a bit of time in the computer lab today practicing those keyboarding skills. Kids typed their Rudolph stories today. They then shared them with me using their D2 Google docs account and then printed a copy for themselves. Everyone left with a printed copy! Success! Thanks for all your editing last night. We finally went over to a first grade class and shared them with them, which they really enjoyed. Now, they are a hall display in front of the library. I will grade the ones I printed myself and record those grades this weekend. Writing takes a while to grade.



Homework tonight is a spelling skill sheet.

Thank you so much for all your emails and texts about the Polar Express Letter system. Your support means the world to me. It is so difficult to be the bad guy, but accountability and choices have to have consequences. I appreciate you all!!!

December books are due next Monday. We will start the report then.

Southeast States and Capital's test is next Friday.

Montana History notebooks are due tomorrow (kids knew this on Tuesday).

A HUGE thank you to Miss. Hanna for organizing my BELIEVE collection after I cleaned them all. Dusty place up there! Didn't she do a great and creative job. Miss. Hanna LOVES to organize so this was like an early Christmas present and when I asked her she lit up like a Christmas tree!!!



Miss. Avery, I am thinking about you tonight and tomorrow! BELIEVE girlie!!! All will be GREAT!

Have a great, great night!
Mrs. Grewell

In Three Words I Can Sum Up Everything I've Learned About Life: IT GOES ON! Robert Frost (Thank you Hanna for sharing this great quote with me!)

Well, I said that tomorrow is a better day, and it was! With only one reminder, kids were so quiet and respectful all day for the most part. Those that just couldn't remember, got letters that spelled out the word POLAR. I told them that if they spelled it, they were out of the day. That is 5 chances/reminders (way too many in my mind as a mom and a teacher), but nonetheless they got 5 chances. Many, many kids never even got a P. Yay!!!! Some kids got a P and that was the end of that behavior. They learned right away. Yay, yay, yay! A few…well, you can ask your kiddo how they did. If they tell you, write POLAR in the planner for $10. Overall, it was a great day in the 4th grade. Thank you for all your support and conversations at home.

Some of you emailed or texted me today/last night about grades, especially in math. Please know that the 3rd grade review days are over. Everything we are learning now is a 4th grade common core standard. That means…tough stuff! Kids should be feeling challenged. If kids are getting a 100% every single time, it makes me wonder if they are being challenged enough. Therefore, kids are really working hard to earn the grades that you see.

Also, in math, if your child does not pass a quiz I generally put it in the one on one tutoring pile. Then, a tutor calls them back within a few days to go over the concept again. They often can teach it in a way that I could not or sometimes kids just need to work out three or four problems with an adult leading them step by step. Then, I generally requiz them again and put in the better grade. Again, this sometimes takes a few days. Two weeks ago, three of my tutors called in sick, so the pile grew large. I was able to catch a few on a couple of days but most kids had to wait a bit. 10 kids retested today on perimeter. So, check the online grades to see up to date information. I don't always do this, but most of the time I try to, and I do the tutoring help for tests as well, but kids do not retest on mastery tests. Those grades are final.

Homework tonight involves you. Kids edited their Rudolph story today in class, then had a friend help them edit, then came to me for spelling on words they thought that looked odd. Now, they need your help. Please pull up a chair and sit beside them. Allow them to read it aloud to you all the way through. They really are cute stories! Then, please take the time to mark it up a little for them. Correct spelling they didn't catch, periods that are missing, capital letters, and so on. Also, they MUST have three paragraphs: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Therefore, I should see a VERY clear indentation three different times. We talked about information that doesn't belong too and finding places to add in some fun adjectives or adverbs. They will type their final draft for a grade tomorrow in class with me using your marks as a guide. Please sign their paper so I know that this was done. Those that do, will earn $50.

Kids got to watch the 5th grade band concert this morning. Next year, all kids will have a choice if they want to be in band, orchestra, or general music class. We will watch the orchestra concert next week.

Have a great, great night.
Mrs. Grewell

Tomorrow is ALWAYS a better day!

Hello there.

Today was an interesting day school wide. At first, I thought it was just my class, but then we had a staff meeting that told me otherwise. The kids were really wild school wide. By wild I mean, talking nonstop, talking rudely over teachers, dancing and twirling when walking in the halls or waiting outside in a line, and so on. My class came in from lunch and I couldn't even hear the parent I was speaking with when wrapping up a phone call home. So, we spent our normal read aloud time (15 minutes) walking from place to place without our voice. We went outside, lined up, came in quiet, moved to the window, to the back table, to our desks, back in line, to fly time area, back outside, down the hall, to the book shelves, to our tub shelf, back in line, and so on. I was seriously over all the talking. When going past the library to our buddy's classroom, that class was also in trouble and practicing the same thing. Then at the staff meeting two other teachers said the same thing. Oh my…Christmas break jitters are upon us. We have so much still left to do and learn before that time. We need to finish up strong. I told each student that if I see them talking again while transitioning, they will not be joining us in Polar Express candy train building on the 22nd. I will not go back on this. If their name makes my list, they will not participate. The class was extremely respectful and quiet after our practice session. We also were able to get a lot of things done in a shorter amount of time. Imagine that…I am 100% positive that we will have a better day tomorrow.

We ended the day beginning to build our fun Montana State Symbol page in our MT History notebooks. Kids will construct a scene similar to the one below to show the different symbols. Today, we discovered that states often use symbols for name of important buildings or offices. For example, we have three schools named after our symbols in Billings: Ponderosa (after the state tree Ponderosa Pine), Meadowlark (after the state bird: the Western Meadowlark) and Bitterroot Elementary (after our state flow the Bitterroot). We also have a college team with a mascot of our state animal. Ask your child what that is. If they can tell you write it in the planner for $10 tomorrow.

Homework tonight is to finish a math paper we started in class. We are using two strategies to see what metric length unit is the best choice to describe how long an item is. Kids need to start with the largest measurement (Kilometers, Meters, Decimeters, Centimeters, and Millimeters) and work small. They need to visualize the length by using their rulers and picturing meter sticks. They know that a meter stick is almost 3 rulers long. They also know that a ruler has 30 inches. Therefore, 60 cm equals 2 rulers, 90 equals 3, 120 equals 4, and so on. They need to look at all four choices and x them off as they go. Then, they need to select the correct choice. I don't want them to just guess. They need to understand the conversions and visualizations. We will correct it tomorrow step by step and then take a mastery quiz after.

Midterms came home today. Over half the class wanted a hard copy, so it was just easier to send/print them all. They are in the Tuesday folder. If you see them, write MIDTERM in the planner for $50. I may have also added a math report from our iPad program called xtramath. There are some kids that have not made growth in the past three weeks, or just a small amount of growth. Kids need to be mastering these soon!!! Please invest in a set of flashcards and some time at the table flashing these over and over and over again. It will be the best investment you can make in your child for years to come.

Another thank you for yet another spoiling of Mrs. Grewell. I told the kids that I have never been treated like such a queen. :0) Miss Gwen came back from Oregon and came bearing a fun, fun gift. Take a look! I LOVE it!!!! My BELIEVE collection is growing and growing! Thanks Gwen!



We finished up our buddy reindeer project today. We also wrote our rough drafts of the stories that go with them. Poor Rudolph!!! His nose is no longer red!!!! What the heck is going on? Your child picked a new color for a nose. They then had to come up with a story including a beginning, middle, and end as to how that color change happened. Their homework tomorrow, will be to read it aloud to you and ask for your help to edit it. We will edit it ourselves tomorrow, but you will help catch the final oops'. I could do each one, but without them next to me one on one my marks mean nothing. It is the discussion as to why this need capitalized or why I should add an adjective to make this sentence better that makes the real difference. Then, we will type the final draft in class and print them off by e-mailing them to Mrs. Grewell using their D2 doc account (a skill they learned in library). Finished products will be shared with first grade classes and then hung in the hallway on display.



I leave you with a request from Mrs. Meier. Please take the time to fill out the parent survey about Arrowhead Elementary School. If you do or already have, please write SURVEY in the planner for $100. Thanks for your honest input! :0)

MY VOICE PARENT SURVEY
My Voice Parent Survey measures your perceptions of your experience and your child’s experience at Arrowhead. The Billings School District wants to learn how you view the teaching and learning that occurs at our school, and how those views align with our mission and vision. All teachers and 3rd-5th grade students at Arrowhead will be taking a short student and teacher My Voice Survey to get their perceptions as well.

This survey is completely anonymous and takes less than 10 minutes to complete. The survey must be completed between today and December 16, 2014.

Go to: www.myvoicesurvey.org

Enter code: 09eba7 

THANK YOU in advance for your participation. 


Have a fantastic night!
Mrs. Grewell

Hi there.

What a great day in the 4th grade!

We started the day with a little video about perseverance. It was pretty funny, but sad at the same time. I am sure hoping that it was staged. The poor soccer goalie in the shoot off just got nailed in the face by the soccer ball over and over again, but he just kept on going back out there to defend the next shooter. It was a painful yet powerful lesson for kids to see one never ever quit! Ouch!

Krissy was our star of the week last week. She was able to share today. She loves to bake with her mom. They just baked a fun cake for her brother's "golden" birthday. She also collects bracelets and charms to put on them. Krissy loves her stuffed animals. So cute! Thanks for sharing with us Miss. Krissy!


Homework tonight is to study states and capitals. They may play a game online, use their flashcards, or build a new puzzle using a printed out copy of the SE region. Remember that they need to know both the location and the matching capital for each state.

This is the last week to read the December book report. We will begin to construct those next Monday. Students that will be gone that week will just be excused from the assignment. If you want them to write a report on their own, please feel free. They may share it in class as well. You can also check the blog from home to see what we are doing if you really want your child to do the same project as we are. Your choice.

At the end of the day we did a Christmas Listening activity. Students had to divide their paper into 16 congruent figures and then listen to oral instructions as to what to draw in each box. They only heard the directions once. We have been working on visualization in reading class so I had them close their eyes and visualize the directions before each one. They also had to put their drawing in the correct square. This was tough for some kids. Listening seems to be a challenge for some kiddos in here.

Tomorrow, midterms are scheduled to go home. Once again I find myself frustrated with this and the waste of paper (especially after our going green unit in Lead 21). So, I am going to ask you to do me a favor. If you want a hard copy of your child's grades at this point write COPY in the planner. If you can see their grades online and don't need a print out please write NO COPY in the planner. If you request a copy I will include it in the Tuesday folder tomorrow. If not, then I will not print it out. Clear as mud? Thanks! Those that write in the planner will earn $10 tomorrow.

Ok, the spoiling needs to stop! Three more gracious gifts for Mrs. Grewell today at Fly time. Josh found the PERFECT Mrs. Grewell shirt in Denver this weekend! Boy, I wonder if I will love wearing that one…YEP! So much so, that I went right into the restroom and put it on! Comfy and fashionable! Love it!!! Thanks Josh! Carl surprised me with a nutcracker. It is the first one I have ever owned. I have always wanted one! I am going to use it to open sunflower seeds, which I enjoy very much!!! Thanks Carl! Finally, since Espen is traveling to Africa for the holiday season he gave me an early Christmas present. I will very much enjoy doing some shopping at the new Scheels for MRS. GREWELL stuff. He said that it was to be spent on ME!!! That is a super fun one. Yay! Thanks Espen!



I leave you with some fun pictures of kids decorating and doing some fun Christmas activities. We saw the beginning of Reece's annual sugar cookie making. But, WOWZERS, look at the end the result!! Holy smokes Batman! Yummy! Morgan also got in on the cookie action. She looks like she is having a great time making some very yummy treats! Miss. Laney is having a grand time decorating her beautiful tree with dad. I LOVE the picture of her on top of his shoulders. She is all smiles!!!! What do all of these pictures have in common? They are all of kids loving every single second making memories with their families at Christmas! Love!!!


Have a great night!
Mrs. Grewell