Thursday & Friday

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. We had a rough, but fun day, as the kids were wound up from the holiday yesterday. Hopefully things mellow out as we close out the week and send home report cards tomorrow (on Friday the 13th, no less. How ominous!)

Please remember that report cards represent just the first third of our year together, and that the kids have done a tremendous job adjusting to the pace of a much more rigorous academic schedule. Kids will fine tune their skills as the year progresses, and this first report card does not always look as good as we would like them to look. (Disclaimer: the grades look good as a whole, but we all know the kids can do better when they apply themselves to their potential and take responsibility for their themselves.) OK, my soapbox moment is over.

The kids are responsible for the following tonight:

- math 9.3
- reading log
- ocean animal reports due tomorrow in final draft form

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Tuesday and Wednesday

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. It is my sincerest hope that each of you have a peaceful and restful Veterans Day Holiday tomorrow. I will be out of the classroom on Thursday, working at the District Office on math assessments. Mrs. Abelar will be here in my place, and the kids are looking forward to having her around for the day.

The kids are responsible for the following in the next two days:

- reading log
- finish explorer art (if necessary)
- a nature log entry
- catch up with The Witches packet (if necessary)
- ocean animal reports are still due on Friday

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Hello New Week

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. We are officially into our second trimester. We had a chat today about what to expect from report cards now that they have letter grades on them, and I think I might have scared a few kids. Oh well, Friday will come soon enough.
We started a new social studies unit on Early California Explorers today that will segue into the Mission System. I am going to go light on the Mission studies this year, and we will be making mission brochures rather that full mission reports.
Blue Folders have second trimester AR goals. Please be on the lookout for them.

The kids are responsible for the following tonight:

- reading log
- math 9.2
- blue folder
- ocean animal report is due no later than Friday

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Thursday and Friday

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. We are having a very pleasant week, and are all excited about wrapping up our first successful trimester together. As promised, homework tonight is light.

The kids are responsible for the following:

- reading log
- math 9.1

Have a great night, Mr. Bryant

Wednesday

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. As this first trimester winds down on Friday, several of the kids are needing to turn in missed or late assignments, as we discussed at conferences. Thursday (tomorrow) is the last day I would like to collect these assignments, but will be pressed to take them on Friday if absolutely necessary (but the reason better be a good one).

Tonight the kids are responsible for the following:

- reading log
- math textbook page 184, set B (1-20) The kids were given paper to work these out on.

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Tuesday

Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. My apologies for posting this late in the day, but we had a teacher's meeting at Bradley school, and we all rushed to get off campus. Anyway, we are looking good for the remainder of the week as we finish up little things prior to the end of the first grading trimester. Homework will be light for the remainder of the week in an effort to get the kids caught up with classwork.

On that note, the kids are responsible for the following tonight:

- reading log
- math 8.5 (pages 75 + 76)
- nature log entry

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant

Happy Monday

What is this? The first week in November and it is 79 degrees out? Howdy all, and thanks for checking in. We had a very interesting day back from the holiday weekend. The kids weren't too hyped up on candy, so we did manage to get quite a bit done. I need to quickly include a disclaimer regarding a science experiment we discussed in class today. In an effort to connect the idea that water expands when frozen, I asked the students if they had ever put a can of soda in the freezer. Many were very excited to explain that the can would explode and make quite a mess. A few kids said that they were going to go home and try it. I told them to put the can in a large Ziploc bag so that they wouldn't ruin any freezers! You've been warned, so watch out for junior scientists in action.

I did not send blue folders home today, and will not until next Monday. I did send home picture retake order forms with students who wanted them. They were also each given emergency ID cards. Please ask them for the cards, in case they neglect to give them to you.

The kids are responsible for the following tonight:

- math 8.4 (pages 73 & 74)
- reading log
- study for tomorrow's science vocabulary quiz

Respectfully, Mr. Bryant