One Proud Mama

Evelyn graduated from elementary school today having earned the President's Education Award for Outstanding Academic Excellence. This requires that she have maintained an A- average in 4th and 5th grade and to have scored in the Exceeds range on the state standardized tests for Math, Language Arts and Science.
Madelaine earned her very first Presidential Physical Fitness Award. There are five tests that the kids have to complete. To get the Presidential award, you have to score above the 85 percentile in all five tests. Amazing! I only got it for the first time in 7th grade and I think it was because the wind was at my back.
Enough bragging.

Mission Control

Emma has developed a fascination with space this past year thanks to her school's trip to the Challenger Center and a 5th grade science unit on rockets. Check out her launch:

This rocket was recovered and she's finishing a second, larger one today.  Apparently the teacher does not keep any engines at school. After watching launch day, I can see why. The Captain is keen on planning a summer launch. Yikes! The thought of having even one engine in the house makes me a little nervous. 

Dear Mrs. Miller

"I hope your 5th grade classroom is nice to you because if there not I'm going down there and say show some respect and their lucky to have you."

"Thanks for teaching us about poetry and because of you my brother will be proud of me. "

"I will miss your beautiful smile every day."

"We liked the fraction party you threw us. We got to mix the juice and soda. We got to mix the snacks, too."

"You are the best student teacher ever except  for Mr. S."

"When we were having hard times you told us to write you a note."

"Thank you for helping us to get 25 compliments and have a free shirt (not uniform) day."

"I liked doing the lunch bunch."

"Thank you for teaching us our multiplication facts better. I'll remember math the most out of all you teached us."

"Maybe you can be my 5th grade teacher."

"I really liked Social Studies and Science Jeopardy."

"Thank you for teaching us how to use Wordsmyth and the Smartboard."

"Thank you to teach us. Have a good summer."

"I think by the time I go to fifth grade I will know a lot of stuff because of your hard work."

"My favourite thing to do is the bird beak thing."

"I liked the plants we grew." 

"I love how you say sorry. At first I didn't understand you."

"The thing I will remember about you is your laugh."

"I liked it when you timed us when we went to bathroom and challenged us to beat our best time."

"I like that when we don't turn something in you give us a pink slip."

"If we don't understand something you take the time to do a huddle. You don't just make us do it without help."

 "I liked the story about how they named Canada: C-A(eh)-N-A(eh)-D-A(eh)."

"I remember your favourite food is cake. I really love cake, too. We are similar."

 "Your favourite food is cake. I really don't like cake that much."

 Thank you so much x 24,
Mrs. Meyer's 4th grade class

Poetry in Action

They had just finished reading the poem Lester by Shel Silverstein in pairs. I had them answer the usual questions teachers must ask like, "Who granted Lester his first wish?" and "What did he do with it?" I had them delve into what the author thought Lester should have done with his wishes instead wishing for more. I even probed into how we might describe the rhyme scheme and meter. But then came my favourite question, "If a troll granted you one wish, what would you wish for?"
First came the answers I expected: Ferraris, iPods, cell phones, and getting to meet someone famous. But then one brave soul spoke out, "I wish my mom and dad would get back together." "Me, too," said another, and then another. Someone started to clap. I joined in. Hands shot into the air. "I wish I could see my grandma again." "I wish my brother would come back home and live with us." Students who had wished for trinkets asked to change their wishes. The pain behind these wishes was raw. Miraculously no one laughed at anyone else. For a split second they were a family.
How I'm going to leave them on Wednesday without crying is beyond me.