Odyssey Observer
Odyssey Magnet - - Grades 2-5 - - Friday, Sept. 22, 2023
Updates
No School on Monday!
Odyssey Spirit Wear
Girl Talk! (Grades 4/5 Only!)
An Article About 2E Students
Conference Preference Sign up in the Highlands Newsletter (Repeat Info)
Book Recommendations (Repeat Info)
Here is Mrs. Blattner's gathered Book Recommendations for Ody Students by Ody Students. This is geared more toward 2nd and 3rd graders, as that's who recommended them!
Here is Mrs. Velpel's gathered Odyssey's Epic Book Recommendation List to help you out if you need it. This is geared more toward the 4th and 5th graders because of the maturity level on some of them. Let us know if you think there should be an addition to it and give us your suggestion!
Teacher Spotlight
Mr. Tibbets
Beloved Foods: Tamales, PIE!, and good, homemade pizza
Desired Free-Time Activities: Biking, fishing, playing Magic: the Gathering, board games
Cherished School Subjects: Latin (I taught this for 15 years…); social studies and current events
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About: Grammar & Syntax
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human: I do a crossword puzzle every day
Madame DeJarlais
Beloved Foods: chocolate ice cream, fajitas
Desired Free-Time Activities: swimming, running, biking, being outside
Cherished School Subjects: French for sure, I loved doing my French homework every day, always the first subject done.
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About:
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human:
Ms. Gruszynski
Beloved Foods: Street tacos, street corn, watermelon, guacamole, and queso
Desired Free-Time Activities: Golfing, going up north, playing with my dog, and watching Netflix
Cherished School Subjects: math!
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About: Digging into data
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human: I played softball for team USA in Germany in 2017.
Ms. Balke
Beloved Foods: Alfredo, All Kinds of Fruit, Grilled Cheese
Desired Free-Time Activities: Singing, Reading, Boating, Paddleboarding, Snowmobiling, Flower Gardening, Knitting
Cherished School Subjects: Social Studies and Science
Self-Proclaimed Nerd About: History of National Parks
Something Unique or Awesome About This Human: I love writing my own music(vocal, guitar, and piano)
From Ms. Balke - Grades 2 and 3
Homeroom
ORGANIZATION & TRANSITIONS: We are focusing on staying organized and making sure we have everything we need during class transitions. Doing great! (The bags help a ton!)
AGENDAS: Students are doing an EXCELLENT job sharing their agenda with you and getting parent signatures! Thanks for your support at home!
CLASS LINKS: Our class is working together to earn a class trip to Kiwanis Park. It takes 500 tickets and we already have 329! WOW! What a wonderful team effort!
ELA 2/3
Read Aloud: Mouse & the Motorcylcle by Beverly Cleary ~ the mischievous adventures of a mouse!
Spelling: We’ve pretested to identify our level, and we are learning how to use Canvas to work through spelling lists (ask about the optional activities!)
Handwriting: Students will begin practicing handwriting including basic formation, print, DeNelean, cursive, or calligraphy (depending on their needs).
Typing Club: we are learning touch typing with daily practice on this site - students may log in to AASD Classlink to access this from home if they like
Science 2/3
ARTIFACTS: Students should have a maximum of 10 artifacts representing the BIG moments of their lives, birth through the present. Please be sure to include pictures they can add to their timelines.
HOW WE LEARN ABOUT HISTORY: We have learned that there are many ways to learn about history: story-telling, interviews, artifacts, nonfiction texts, and timelines.
TIMELINES: Students will begin building their own timelines next week using their family interviews and artifacts.
From Mrs. Blattner - Grades 2 and 3
Homeroom
This week we continued to focus on Ant Man who reminds us to always be kind.
We are becoming masters of transitions to other classes - on time and with all of our needed supplies.
We continue to work on identifying the need to return to the ‘green zone’, and how to get there with mindfulness, calming techniques, or short breaks.
Math 2/3
MULTIPLICATION
Purple Group: representing multiplication with scaled graphs, tape diagrams, and groups of
Blue Group: seeing multiplication as area, exploring prime numbers
Yellow Group: expanded form and powers of ten
ELA 2/3
Read Aloud: Love That Dog by Sharon Creech, inspiring writing through poetry
Spelling: we’ve pretested to identify our level, and we are learning how to use Canvas to work through spelling lists (ask about the optional activities!)
Handwriting: students each started using a handwriting booklet for daily practice - basic formation, print, DeNelean, cursive, or calligraphy (depending on their needs).
Typing Club: we are learning touch typing with daily practice on this site - students may log in to AASD Classlink to access this from home if they like
From Mr. Ghiglieri - Social-Emotional Grade 2
From Madame Hooyman - Grade 3
From Mrs. Velpel - Grades 4 and 5
SEL - Choose Happiness
We talked about choosing happiness and seeing the good in things. Using gratitude journals and smiling freely are both techniques proven to improve outlooks.
We spoke about the idea of finding glimmers, places where you find joy throughout the day.
ELA 4/5
- We worked on making Seed Idea lists, where we can go back and look at to get ideas when we are stumped. We will use one of these ideas to work on our first essay..
- We wrote about intended audiences of a written work and justified why a song of our choice should be a theme song for a character.
- We did read aloud and DEAR time. Student reading logs should be added to daily.
Life Science (Velpel Homeroom)
- We learned about how our nerves and brains are connections that work together.
- We did an activity to test our reaction time.
- We worked on figuring out what topics we are interested in learning more about to do a short, independent research and presentation project.
From Ms. Witzeling - Grades 4 and 5
SEL with Owl Group
Homeroom - finishing owl posters - Check them in the hall!
SEL - this week’s theme ”Choose Happy” We have discussed negativity bias, glimmers, and giving quality compliments.
Math
KHIM Math 5 (Red group)
Reinforcing the message that our classroom is a safe place to ask questions and learn from each other
Made multiplication fact cards for 8 more cards and started practicing these in our class. It is going to be our start-of-class seatwork.
Continuing Unit 1 - Volume
KHIM Math 6+ (Silver & Owls)
Reinforcing the message that our classroom is a safe place to ask questions and learn from each other
Multiplication fact quiz #1 taken and decimal division quiz
Starting Ch 6 - Powers of 10, conversions, exponents Here is an overview for parents: https://im.kendallhunt.com/k5/families/grade-5/unit-6/family-materials.html
Physical Science: (Witzeling Homeroom)
Discussions:
Vibrations create sound
Sound can create vibrations and move things!
Waves
Next up: light
From Mr. Tibbets - Grades 4 and 5
SEL
We defined glimmers as the opposite of triggers We cataloged our glimmers and how we can use them
Social Studies
This week:
Students will continue reading (and writing!) for information from ‘The Week, Jr.’ Their first summaries are due this week!
We learned our roles as archaeologists, anthropologists, and sociologists in our ‘Motel of Mysteries’ introduction
We are starting to find the benefits of thinking like historians
Coming Up:
Students will be partnering up to examine artifacts from the ‘Motel of Mysteries’ book. They will present on the errors and corrected findings
Students will prepare for an analysis of an historical object. More info to come!
Earth Science: (Tibbets homeroom)
This week:
We figured out the difference between an equinox and a solstice
We modeled a solstice or equinox using the equator, Tropic of Cancer, and Tropic of Capricorn
We began our exploration of the moon–(it’s further away than you think!); Moon phases
First independent ‘Naturalist Notebook’--’The Moon’
Coming Up:
Eclipse-What is the difference between a lunar & solar eclipse? When is our next eclipse? When is it?
Scale of the solar system
From Madame DeJarlais - Grades 4 and 5
Phy Ed with Mr. Verheyen
Grades 4 and 5 We Missed You page
Teacher Wish List
Balke - 🚫
Blattner - colored permanent markers (both fine tip and regular)
Tibbets- 🚫
Velpel - 🚫
Witzeling - 🚫
Hooyman/DeJarlais - 🚫
Ghiglieri - 🚫
Odyssey Directory
Questions? Concerns?? Compliments???
Please email the appropriate person from this list of Odyssey team members; we'll get back to you!
Jean Balke - Grades 2 and 3: balkewolffjean@aasd.k12.wi.us
Jenni Blattner - Grades 2 and 3: blattnerjennif@aasd.k12.wi.us
Brian Tibbets - Grades 4 and 5: tibbetsbrian@aasd.k12.wi.us
Courtney Velpel - Grades 4 and 5: velpelcourtney@aasd.k12.wi.us
Dory Witzeling - Grades 4 and 5: witzelingdorot@aasd.k12.wi.us
Stephanie Hooyman - French 3: hooymanstephan@aasd.k12.wi.us
Krista DeJarlais - French 4 and 5: dejarlaiskrist@aasd.k12.wi.us
Nate Ghiglieri - SEL Grades 2: ghiglierinatha@aasd.k12.wi.us
Melissa Fields - Music: fieldsmelissa@aasd.k12.wi.us
Kadie Smith - Music: smithkadie@aasd.k12.wi.us
Erin Sjostrom - Art: sjostromerin@aasd.k12.wi.us
Bryce Verheyen - Phy Ed: verheyenbryce@aasd.k12.wi.us
Rachel Richards - Strings: richardsrachel@aasd.k12.wi.us
Matt DePietro - Band: dipietromatthe@aasd.k12.wi.us
Holly Goymerac - Secretary: goymeracholly@aasd.k12.wi.us
Jessica Nesemann - Secretary: nesemannjessic@aasd.k12.wi.us
Kari Krueger - Principal: kruegerkari@aasd.k12.wi.us
David Nitka - Associate Principal: nitkadavid@aasd.k12.wi.us
Going Out of Town?
Upcoming Events at Highlands/Odyssey!
September
25 - No School
October
7 - Tough Kid Challenge - Field - Runs all day
9 - PTO Meeting - LMC 3:45-4:45 pm
10-20 - Book Fair
17 - Picture Day/Vision Screening
17 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:30 pm
19 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:15 pm
25 - Ody/Mag Advisory Committee 6:00 - Hig/Ody LMC
27 - No School
November
6- PTO Meeting - LMC 6:00 -7:00 pm
16- Picture Retakes
22-27 No School
December
11 - Odyssey Open House 6:00-6:45 pm
22-29 - No School - Winter Break
January
1 - No School (Last day of Winter Break)
8 - PTO Meeting - LMC 3:30-4:30 pm
15 - No School
22 - No School
26 - Family Movie Night 6:00 pm doors open, movie starts at 6:30 pm
February
5 - PTO Meeting - LMC 6:00-7:00 pm
8 - Odyssey 4/5 Music Concert - Gym 2:45-3:15 pm
13 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:30 pm
15 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:00-7:15 pm
19 - No School
21 - Ody/Mag Advisory Committee 6:00 - Hig/Ody LMC
29 - Odyssey 2/3 Music Concert - Gym 2:45-3:15 pm
March
11 - PTO Meeting - LMC 3:45-4:45 pm
20 - Strings/Band Concert - Gym Time TBD
22-29 - No School - Spring Break
April
1 - No School
4 - Odyssey Interim Showcase - 6:00-7:00 pm
8 - PTO Meeting - LMC 6:00-7:00 pm
10 - Ody/Mag Advisory Committee 6:00 - Mrs. Cash's room
18 - Goodies with Grown Ups - Gym 7:00-8:30 am
May
6 - PTO Meeting - LMC 3:45-4:45 pm
7- Odyssey Skate Party - Skate City 5:30-7:30 pm
16 - Fun Run 4:30-6:00 pm
24 - No School
27 - No School
June
5 - Odyssey 5th Grade Farewell - Kiwanis Park 5:00-6:30 pm
6 - Field Day/School Picnic/Kona Ice Day
7 - Last Day of School - dismissal at 11:27 am
Odyssey Magnet School
Odyssey-Magellan Magnet School provides learners that are highly gifted with a challenging study of math, science, communication arts, social studies, and foreign language in a stimulating classroom environment, with experienced and dedicated teachers.
Students in grades 2 through 5 attend school on the Odyssey campus located at Highlands Elementary School. Students in grades 6 through 8 attend school on the Magellan campus located at Wilson Middle School.
Email: velpelcourtney@aasd.k12.wi.us
Website: om.aasd.k12.wi.us
Location: 2037 North Elinor Street, Appleton, WI, USA
Phone: (920) 832-6250
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OMMagnetSchool