7th and 8th Grade Class Joins Us for Science Explorations

Today, we had the privilege of having Mr. Cluck’s 7^th and 8^th grade class join us for science explorations. We’ve been looking forward to the last Friday of the month for this reason! The students were divided into groups of one 7^th or 8^th grade student and one or two 3^rd and 4^th grade students. Each group was given the task of attaching straws end to end using only Scotch tape, and then one person from each group had to drink water from a cup through all of the attached straws. Mr. Cluck reminded the students to check their straws frequently so they could quickly catch a flaw in their design if the water could not be sucked through the straw consistently. Jayden and Abbi were successful in attaching 17 straws and drinking the water from the cup! We will look forward to next month’s explorations!

Next week, third and fourth grade will take our first English and Science tests. We are learning good study habits by rereading our lessons at home in preparation for our upcoming tests. In reading class this past week, we read personal narratives written by last year’s 3^rd and 4^th grade class. We’ve noticed they used descriptive words to make their writing come alive and we are trying to replicate that in our own personal narratives. We’ll look forward to sharing them next week and then hanging them outside our classroom on the Writer’s Wall for all the school to enjoy. Yesterday, we belted out our favorite praise and worship songs by bands like Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Third Day, Newsboys, and Hillsong United. Our theme verse for the school year is, “Serve the Lord with gladness. Come into His presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2) so we sang with all our might to our great Creator! We’re still studying the Psalms in our Friday Bible studies and therefore, are being constantly reminded of His desire to hear our lovely voices “make a joyful noise”!

Have a blessed weekend and start if off right with some fried fish at our Fish Fry tonight at the VFW!

Mrs. McLaughlin & Class

Upcoming Week Reminders: Sept. 3-7

Tests: Students should reread each lesson and practice the questions at the end of each lesson. They should learn the vocabulary definitions and the main ideas of each lesson.

• English: Wed. over Chapter 1
• Science: Thu. over Chapter 1

Memory Work: Books of the Bible

 22. Song of Solomon (SOL-o-mun)
23. Isaiah (eye-ZAH-uh)
24. Jeremiah (jair-uh-MYE-uh)
25. Lamentations (lam-en-TAY-shunz)
26. Ezekiel (e-ZEEK-yul)
27. Daniel (DAN-yul)
28. Hosea (ho-ZAY-uh)
29. Joel (jole)
30. Amos (A-mus)
31. Obadiah (oh-buh-DYE-uh)
32. Jonah (JO-nuh)
________________________________________________________________________
Spelling Words-3rd Grade
Week 3: The Ballad of Mulan

1. pond
2. luck
3. drop
4. lot
5. rub
6. does
7. drum
8. sock
9. hunt
10. crop
11. shut
12. won

Challenge Words:

1. dodge
2. dusk

________________________________________________________________________

Spelling Words- 4th Grade
Week 3: Grandfather’s Journey

1. snow
2. grind
3. still
4. coast
5. odd
6. crime
7. gold
8. wrote
9. flight
10. build
11. broke
12. blind
13. folk
14. grown
15. shock

Challenge Words:

1. remind
2. approach
3. rigid
4. recognize
5. continent

Lutheran Schools Pen Pal Project

This year, I would like to have the third and fourth graders involved in Lutheran Schools Pen Pal Project- a program for 2nd-8th grade students in our LC-MS schools. Each child will be matched with another child of similar age and interests. Students will be encouraged to improve their writing skills and share their faith with another Lutheran student somewhere in the country. I sent home the information with your child yesterday so that you can review it and approve it. This is a project we will do in class, and the letters will be received here at school so it will not be an "at home" assignment. I would like to use it as another part of our writing and religion curriculums throughout the school day. Please sign the form that went home with your child yesterday which states that you approve our project. Then return it this week or next. You do not need to send in the $5. I will be using our classroom money from PTL to cover the costs of this year-long project.

Thank you!

Mrs. McLaughlin

Memory Work & Spelling Words: Aug. 27-31

Memory Work: Books of the Bible

11. 1 Kings 

12. 2 Kings 

13. 1 Chronicles (KRAHN-ih-kulz)

14. 2 Chronicles (KRAHN-ih-kulz)

15. Ezra  (EZ-ruh)

16. Nehemiah (NEE-uh-MYE-uh)

17. Esther (ES-ter)

18. Job (jobe)

19. Psalms (sahlms)

20. Proverbs 

21. Ecclesiastes (ik-lee-zee-AS-teez)

_______________________________________________________

Spelling Words-3rd Grade
Week 2: Off to Adventure! Reading-Writing Workshop

1. have
2. haven’t
3. found
4. around
5. one
6. than
7. then
8. them
9. before
10. because
11. other
12. mother

Challenge Words:
1. family
2. cousin
3. everybody
4. guess
________________________________________________________

Spelling Words- 4th Grade
Week 2: Journeys Reading-Writing Workshop

1. cannot
2. can’t
3. don’t
4. haven’t
5. won’t
6. wouldn’t
7. I’d
8. I’ll
9. let’s
10. we’re
11. I’m
12. didn’t
13. o’clock
14. that’s
15. there’s

Challenge Words:

1. minute
2. stretch
3. instead
4. ninety
5. divide

Exciting Times Approaching in Third & Fourth Grade

These third and fourth graders have already nailed the routine of a new school year after completing their first full week of classes! With practice, they will get more efficient at preparing for their next subjects, and they are quite eager to acquire a heavier workload very soon- Wow!

Exciting times are filling up our present week and the weeks ahead! This week our students had the opportunity to share a bit about themselves as they presented their timelines to their classmates. Each student carefully explained a picture from every year of his/her life, described details of his/her hobbies and interests, and provided a little history on his/her family and background. These timelines will hang in the hallway all year long so the other students and staff in our school may get to know our class, too. Last night, several of our students competed in their first volleyball game of the season. Excitement was buzzing this morning as they proudly shared their accomplishments with one another. We are all looking forward to Saint Paul’s Annual Ice Cream Social which is scheduled for this Sunday from 2:00 - 4:00p.m. in the front lawn between the school and the church. Three students from our class will be performing musical talents as part of the afternoon’s entertainment- Emily will be singing and Cayla and Claire will each share a piano piece. All of the students in the school are looking forward to the ice cream sundaes, games, bounce houses, photobooth, and most of all, the opportunity to dunk Mr. Cluck in a tank of freezing cold water at the dunk tank! Our first field trip of the year- The Annual Field Day for Third and Fourth Graders at Metro-East Lutheran High School- is planned for Tuesday, September 18. Our class is anxiously awaiting their opportunity to meet fellow students from other area private schools and compete as a team at this exciting event. Events range from running, throwing, kicking, dribbling, and jumping to the forever favorite obstacle course!

This morning, I asked my class if they had any news they wished to share on our website this week. Three of them wrote the following blogs:

“This year is going really good right now! I really hope the third graders and Emily like Field Day! And I think that math is really easy right now, but I know it will get better and harder. Emily is already fitting in and Brayden and I like her!!! I don't want to leave this class next year but luckily the year just started so we have a while. Fourth grade is really, really fun! I like having a girl in the class and I think that she is very nice. I can’t wait until Current Events start. And I think that the third graders will get what to do! And I really like the posters we are making right now! And I hope that the year gets better and better!” -Jayden

“This year is going great! The teachers are great! And students are too! Volleyball and all other sports are starting too. 20 kindergarteners, CRAZY! This will be a great year. Mrs. McLaughlin is a wonderful teacher. You would love her. Volleyball just started for the C Team. We versed Hamel and they won. But, we can try again.” -Claire

“I like this year soooo much! I never had so much fun in school.  If you're going to be in third or fourth next year you will love it. Mrs. McLaughlin is my favorite teacher so far and I am having fun in Mr.Cluck’s technology class. He is a good typing and computer teacher.” -Emily

Thank you for visiting our blog and if you haven’t done so yet, please enter your email to the right of this blog page so you can follow our updates.

We hope to see all of you at the Ice Cream Social this Sunday!
Mrs. McLaughlin and Class

Field Day for 3rd & 4th graders at Metro-East Lutheran High School

Dear Families of 3rd & 4th Grade, 

Our class will be attending the annual Field Day for 3rd & 4th graders at Metro-East Lutheran High School in Edwardsville on Tuesday, September 18, with a rain date scheduled for the following Tuesday, September 25. Registration begins at 9 a.m. so we will leave the school at 8:45 a.m. and our day will wrap up at 1:30 p.m. The children will participate on teams of four in various competitions throughout the day. I welcome any of you who are available that day to join us! Please let me know if you would like to chaperone the field trip as we will need drivers to transport the students. Please also let me know how many children (including your own) you can transport. I would like to know if your child will be bringing a packed lunch or purchasing a lunch on the field trip. Students have the opportunity to purchase a pre-ordered bag lunch of either a turkey sub sandwich or hotdog with chips and a bottle of water for $3.00. There will also be a concession stand selling hot dogs, corn dogs, burgers, turkey subs, nachos, pretzels, popcorn, chips, water, etc., for $1.50-$2.00/item. For children who are purchasing lunch from the concession stand, $5-6 should more than suffice. Please have your child wear a red shirt uniform for the day. They may wear athletic shorts or pants instead of their uniform bottoms. We’re looking forward to our trip!

My son/daughter, ______________________________________________, has permission to attend the Field Day field trip at MELHS on Tuesday, September 18.

He/she will be: (circle one) buying a $3.00 pre-ordered lunch at the field trip (circle: turkey sub or hotdog), purchasing from the concession stand,   or  bringing a sack lunch.

I, _____________________________________________, would like to be a chaperone. I can transport ______ (number) of children.

Thank you,
Mrs. McLaughlin

Memory Work & Spelling Words- Aug. 20-24

Memory Work:

Books of the Bible

   1.    Genesis (JEN-uh-sus)

2.    Exodus (EG-sud-us)

3.    Leviticus (luh-VIT-ih-kus)

4.    Numbers

5.    Deuteronomy (due-ter-AHN-a-mee)

6.    Joshua (JOSH-yew-uh)

7.    Judges

8.    Ruth

9.    1 Samuel (SAM-you-el)

10. 2 Samuel (SAM-you-el)

Spelling Words-3^rd Grade

Week 1: The Lost and Found

      1.      mix

2.      milk

3.      smell

4.      last

5.      head

6.      friend

7.      class

8.      left

9.      thick

10.  send

11.  thin

12.  stick

Challenge Words

1.      empty

2.      glance

Spelling Words- 4^th Grade

Week 1: Akiak

1.      gain

2.      cream

3.      sweet

4.      safe

5.      past

6.      reach

7.      kept

8.      gray

9.      field

10.  break

11.  east

12.  shape

13.  steep

14.  pray

15.  pain

Challenge Words:

1.      graceful

2.      descent

3.      athletic

4.      knead

5.      activity

 

First Week a Success!

Our first week has been a success! The children are quickly adjusting to a new routine and a new teacher (for some of them), and those students who are returning to my class for the second year as fourth graders are doing a fantastic job of helping their new classmates learn the routines and procedures of our classroom. By the end of next week, we hope to have our daily schedule down to a routine!

As third and fourth graders, the students are expected to demonstrate an increased level of responsibility and independence inside and outside of the classroom. They are already proving they're prepared to take on this task by checking their schedules before the next class begins and having the necessary materials ready, recording their assignments in their planners and turning their finished work into the appropriate trays, carrying the bucket of playground balls in and out to recess for all the school children, monitoring the restrooms we share with the younger grades and checking to be sure the water is wiped off the sinks and the paper towels are in the trash, exemplifying positive examples when lining up and walking through the halls, and completing our classroom jobs ensuring that our classroom remains tidy and our plants stay watered. I am very proud of them!

The students have had the opportunity to delve into all of their new textbooks this week and see what we will be learning this year. They were already asking for homework by 9:00am the first day of school! They have been working diligently on their timelines—posters of pictures and captions describing each year of their lives. They will share their timelines on Monday as a way to get to know one another better, and then their timelines will hang in the hallway all year long so the other students in our school may get to know them as well.

Today we started our Friday Bible study by reading Psalm 100 which includes our school theme for the year, “Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing.” –Psalm 100:2. As a group we read through the chapter several times noting any repeated words or ideas and then asked questions about specific parts of the chapter so that we could better understand it. As students asked their questions, their fellow classmates shared their own thoughts on what the verses meant. It was beautiful to hear their insight into the Word of God. We’ll look forward to continuing our study next Friday!

I praise you for the wonderful job you have done as parents as evidenced by the bright, eager students I have in this classroom. They are hard workers and I am pleased by the love they demonstrate for learning.

Be sure to enter your email to the right of this blog page so you can follow my updates.

Blessings for a wonderful weekend!
Mrs. McLaughlin

Healthy Snack Ideas for Snack Time (10:30a.m.)

Healthy Snacks

1. Almonds -- Rich in protein, plenty of crunch

2. Granny Smith apple slices topped with cheddar slices -- One fruit serving and a great way to get fiber and calcium

3. Dried cranberries -- a surprising, tasty source of vitamin C

4. Hard-boiled Eggs -- protein in a handy take-along package

5. Dried Apricots -- Loaded with Vitamin A, promotes healthy skin, eyes, and bones

6. Hummus spread on romaine lettuce leaves and rolled into a "wrap" -- A meatless protein source, plus romaine provides twice as much folate and Vitamins A and C as iceberg lettuce

7. Yogurt with a sprinkling of Grape-Nuts cereal for crunch -- Calcium, protein, and fiber all in one

8.  Pickle spear wrapped in a slice of turkey -- Jazz up that lean protein with a taste of crunchy dill

9.  Oat Bran pretzel nuggets -- tasty, snackable source of fiber

10. Banana -- potassium

11. Veggie Booty -- these "gourmet" puffed-rice-and-corn snacks are made with super-healthy kale, but they taste so great that you'd never know it

12.  Whole wheat graham crackers with peanut butter and unsweetened fruit spread -- a childhood classic remade for optimal protein and fiber

13. Cottage cheese mixed with crushed unsweetened pineapple -- calcium and protein, sweetened with a taste of the tropics

14. Kiwi fruit -- an excellent source of vitamin C

15.  Enriched, high-fiber cereal sprinkled with fresh blueberries -- a slew of vitamin and minerals

16. Edamame (also called "vegetable soybeans" or "sweet beans"), served chilled with a sprinkling of sea salt -- these cute green beans, often sold in the supermarket frozen-food section, are a crunchy, addictive source of protein, Vitamin A, folate, iron, and calcium

17. A handful of grape tomatoes -- little bombs packed with vitamin C

18. Celery sticks with dip made with pureed fresh spinach and yogurt -- a great source of folic acid

19. Fresh cherries -- sweet treats, fun to eat, a source of Vitamin C

20.  Baked potato topped with plain yogurt and chives -- eat the potato skin, which is full of iron

21. Skim milk and banana smoothie -- protein, calcium, and potassium

22.  Mango cubes -- full of Vitamin A

23. Oatmeal sprinkled with raisins -- fiber and iron