Brummitt's High Ability Blog Spot: Let the Lemonade War Begin!!

Well summer is almost upon us. There is so much going on at Brummitt with all the events and our One School One Book. This week was full of fun and adventure. The school was all a buzz about the Lemonade War. I could hear the students talking and discussing what has happened and what they think might happen next. It is so cool to hear so many students so excited.

It looks like the butterflies were released last week. I know some students were talking about seeing them flying around the playground the next day, which is very exciting.

Next week will be the last week for High Ability. I can’t believe that the school year is almost over. I know that I will miss seeing all the students each week, but I am sure I will see some of them around town all summer at practices, swimming lessons, and camps.

Remember that Fridays are the Student Council Spirit Days so be sure to wear those school colors.

Important May Dates:

9^th thru 12^th Lemonade for Sale

12^th PTO Meeting

15^th Brummitt Family Paint Party at Artsmith Studio

16^th thru 19^th Lemonade for Sale

17^th Last Day of High Ability Language Arts

18^th All library materials due

19^th Student Council Teacher Switch Day

19^th Last Day of High Ability Math

26^th Autograph Signing Day- Bring your yearbook to school!

27^th Brummitt Field Day!

30^th No School- Memorial Day!

June 2^nd Last Day of School

This week we continued learning about our Life Skills with Integrity. I think that all students should have integrity each day. I know that all students here at Brummitt are caring and honest, but do they all know what it takes to have integrity?

I see many of my students that have strong moral principles and make sure to be great upstanding students and citizens each and every day. I hope that they have learned that doing the right thing doesn’t mean getting praise for it, it is the feeling you get inside from doing what’s right each and every time.

I know that so many students make sure to be honest and it doesn’t take someone reminding them. They have the drive inside to always do what is right.

Goodness is about character - integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people. Dennis Prager

The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty. Zig Ziglar

Idiom of the Week

An Idiom is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. This week’s was …. She is laughing her head off. Everyone loved this one because the little girls head turned into a balloon and was floating away. We all really laughed. I asked and most of the students had heard this one before and totally understood it. They said they could visualize it without the picture. Some students said that sometimes they hear it because someone is laughing way too hard and kind of getting in trouble. I told them that in some cases I could see that too. I didn’t have any takers on the drawing this week, but I hope someone will next week since it is our last week. Here is the hint: it involves a cat and a body part. Good luck and I hope someone decides to draw this one or find a cool illustration online.

Language Arts

Kindergarten:

This week we continued our journey with connections and trying to find them all around us. We thought about different connections we make each day and how we are connecting to the people and things around us. We also needed to finish our hamburger model on why Spiderman is the best super hero. We got each part ready and glued it all together.

Then, we reviewed the Hamburger Model for writing: where each part of a hamburger (top bun, tomato, lettuce, beef, bottom bun) equal sections of a paragraph. We made sure to glue each part to the correct corresponding sentence from the paragraph. I think he had some great reasons why Spiderman is the best. We started our next lesson on a great book called Wimberley Worried. .

I read the book and we discussed it and why the book was so important. On Tuesday we got to use the I-Pads to go on the sumdog.com app. I wanted to make sure that all the students know how to use the site to practice all summer. This site let students practice math facts and helps keep them learning. Next week we review the four-level questioning, and we will reread the book to answer questions using the four-level questions record sheet.

First Grade:

This week the students got to see their Wordles. They loved them. We talked about adjectives and descriptive words and how they can change any sentence. We also solved a word cipher.

This week’s cipher was a Phone Cipher. They struggled for a minute or two trying to figure out what they needed to do, but once they thought about it the light bulb went off and they had it. The message was a riddle. It read: What do you call a skinny smile? This one totally threw them for a loop because they have never got a riddle to solve before. They all thought and thought and the answer was a thin grin. Once they heard it they all laughed. We also took some time to solve another cool cipher called VWXYZ. This one was wacky and zany and made us all laugh once we solved it.

They were all words with those letters in them and it wasn’t really a message just all the cool words. The students loved it because it kept them guessing the whole time. We also had a discussion on rhyming words and riddles. We talked about rhyming and how we can use it when writing. On Tuesday they all got a surprise and got to use the I-Pads. They loved it. I let them use their sumdog.com accounts and see what they are all about. I want them to know how to use them so they can practice all summer. Next week we will finishing up our lesson on riddles and complete our secret project.

Second Grade:

This week we finished with The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. The students were on the edge of their seats waiting to see how the book would end. Would he save the princess and how could a mouse do it? They loved the ending. I am so glad they liked it so much. We talked about the book and all the characters. The students discussed who they liked and didn’t like and why. It was great to see them so excited. We also talked about the Lemonade War and what they thought so far.

They all agreed it is going to be a big adventure for those siblings. On Tuesday, They got a huge surprise and got to use the I-Pads. I wanted them to log onto the sumdog.com website so they know how to use it for the summer. This site will help them brush up on all their math facts and keep them thinking all summer. They always look forward to that and all the fun they have with each other. Next week we will be completing our secret project that we have started. The students know that they need to wear as much dark colors or black as they can on Monday.

Third Grade:

This week the students continued their journals and got a new assignment. To write a letter as a character from a chapter book they love or from a character from Lemonade War. They were very excited to create a letter as another character. I told them they could write to any other character and discuss things that did happen or could happen in that story world. The only other requirement was for it to be a full page.

This was difficult for some, but all were up for the challenge. On Tuesday they got to finish up their letter, but once they were finished they got to use the I-Pads. I wanted the students to know how to use the sumdog.com site. I want them to use it this summer to practice their math facts and keep their brains working. They were so excited to get to play the math games against each other. They had a blast. Next week we will respond to the letters and start our secret project.

Fourth Grade:

This week the students continued their partner writing projects. I even had one group finish up their story. I was so proud of how well they worked as a team to get the job done.

I also had some groups come in again during their breaks to continue to work to get their stuff done. The class worked hard to get as much done as they could. On Tuesday the fourth grade was out on a field trip so we didn’t have class. I let the students know they can take their materials home to finish anything they won’t be able to complete in class since we only have next week.