Jack Horner

Jack Horner is the paleontologist who wrote our book, Digging Up Tyrannosaurus Rex. He is one of the most well-known paleontologists in the world. As we finish up our TRex learning, we had the opportunity to watch a partial video (we edited out the commercials and the ending) featuring Jack Horner and his current work.

Jack, pictured in our book

Jack, from our video

In the book, Jack Horner says they didn't put together pieces of fossils based on hunches. We talked about how "hunches" are ideas, guesses or even inferences. In the video, he talks about new theories in paleontology (hunches). We talked about how scientists do not always agree, and they continue to search for new fossils and data to support their hunches or develop new hunches.

Our book was published in 1992. There have been new discoveries in the past 21 years. Some students may choose to read articles of recent discoveries available in class. We enjoyed the opportunity to see and hear Jack Horner come to life.

Field Trip

The permission slips for the field trip to the Science Museum of Minnesota were sent home this week! (Mr. G sent his slips home on Monday. Ms. Leom sent her slips home on Tuesday).

We are going on Friday April 26th. The buses will leave shortly after the school day begins at 8:10 AM and return before the afternoon buses at 3:00 PM. The cost is $15. The cost covers entrance into the museum, an Omni Theater movie (Twisters), and busing. If the cost is an area of concern, please contact Mr. G or Ms. Leom. More information is available on the permission slips.

Parents who are interested in chaperoning need to have their slips returned by Friday March 22. Ms. Leom and Mr. G will select chaperones soon, so interested parents have time to make the necessary arrangements needed for their schedules.

Taking Responsibility

This week, during Ms. Leom's class's Community time, we talked about "taking responsibility" for our actions.

The steps we are using are:
1.) Say what happened
2.) Make an apology
3.) Make amends

We talked about how making mistakes happens. Our goal is not to be perfect. We do want to be accountable and strive to be our best self. Taking responsibility for our actions is one way we work to be our best self.

This "growing up" learning is tough work!

States and Capitals

One activity students are working on this week ... making States and Capitals flashcards. For now, this Social Studies activity will be a fun activity for students to work on when they finish their learning. Using page 122 in the back of their planners, students can check their progress. It is our plan to test states and capitals (by region) in the fourth quarter.

Many parents remember studying their states and capitals. Think back to the tricks you learned ("Cheyenne wondered WHY Wyoming?"), share them with your fourth grader, and encourage him/her to share your wisdom and experience with us!!

Fear

In Ms. Leom's Community today (Thursday March 14), we worked on the 2nd Step lesson about "Dealing with Fear". We talked about how having fears and feeling scared is normal. We talked about how our body feels when we are afraid. Students brainstormed many ideas: hot, difficult to breath, sick, brain shuts down, queasy, want to hide, and shaky.

We had a picture of Christine, a girl who is afraid to go on stage that evening for her school play. Christine wanted to go home from school, and she considered telling her teacher she was sick. We talked about her fears and all the things that could go wrong ... she could forget her lines, people could laugh, she could freeze up, she could forget part of her clothing, she could get sick ... We also brainstormed what could happen if she told her teacher she was sick ... she could go to the nurse, her parents could take her to the doctor, she might have to have (medical) testing, her parents could give her medicine she didn't need, her parents might not believe her the next time she said she was sick ...

We talked about fear being like a snowball. In the beginning, it starts out small, Christine was feeling slightly ill and worried about being in her class play. As she continued to worry, her fears grew, there were more and more things that could go wrong, and more ways she could get in trouble. The fear grew so big, like a giant snowball that might be used as a base for a snowman, it would be too heavy to move.

We asked students if they had ever found themselves in a similar situation. EVERY hand went up (even Ms. Leom). Fear is normal. We are not alone to have fears.

Now it was time to develop our strategy.
1. Calm down. (Are you really sick, ill sick, or are you scared?)`
2. Decide what you're really afraid of.
3. Decide whether this fear could actually happen.
4. Talk to yourself. (Shut down the negative and turn up the positive.)
5. Talk to someone else about your feelings.

Today felt like a productive community meeting. There was a large amount of student participation and student body language indicated this was an interesting topic to many participants. Consider sharing a past fear you have experienced, your strategy for solving it, and the outcome. Some of discussions open a new pathway of thinking for fourth graders and having an adult at home to share in their personal discovery can be helpful.

Community

Another reason I appreciate the opportunity to teach at Milaca Elementary, is the involvement of our community. February is "I Love to Read" month. We start with a pepfest. We have an entire month of activities to motivate and inspire students to read. Students in grades fourth through sixth, who meet their reading goals, are invited to go rollerskating at Thunderblades in Princeton, Minnesota. This activity is sponsored by the Milaca PTO (Parent-Teacher Organization).

Today, I finished filling out the certificates for students. Students can choose between a Mini Blizzard at Dairy Queen or a free game of bowling at Lakeway Lanes Bowling in Milaca. In addition, Hobnetti's Pizza and Hardees give a certificate for EVERY student who meets their goal. There are over 990 students in our school that have the opportunity! That is a big commitment for any business!

Certificates were on student's tables when they returned from Specials today.

There are other businesses in our community who participate, by supplying prizes for our weekly drawings including the Milaca High School Activities, Subway, and businesses that are active in many other ways. The businesses who donate will be recognized at our pepfests.

Our community, our community members and businesses, are involved in hundreds of other meaningful and important ways throughout the year. Often, their time and efforts are not known to me, yet no less valuable.

So proud to live in Milaca and be a part of a supportive and involved community who values their youth! Thank you!!!

Roll On!

In Phy-Ed on Tuesday, students entered the Milaca High School and sat down in the "old gym". It was time to (rock and ) roll in our annual rollerskating unit.

 First Mr. Narveson, Mr. Talberg, and Mrs. Beckman took turns explaining the expectations and rules.

Then we stored our shoes, laced up, and set the pace.

(We know, you are shocked, there are pictures!) Ms. Leom even laced up a pair of skates and showed us her skills. She didn't even fall once!

Roll on!