Jefferson Elementary Newsletter
March, 2018
Message from Principal Kluver
- Morning supervision times are 7:30-8:00 a.m.; students should not arrive before 7:30 a.m. If students arrive before 7:30 a.m. they will be unsupervised and unable to enter the building.
- Door #1, the main entrance, and the multipurpose vestibule doors are the only doors open for arrivals. The multipurpose vestibule doors will be locked at 8:00 a.m. Any students arriving after that time should enter through the main entrance (door #1).
- The road that leads to the multipurpose vestibule doors is for student drop off only, and for safety reasons there should be no parking on this road.
- Any parent who would like to walk their child to their classroom MUST sign in at the office before entering the building. Parents should not enter through the multipurpose vestibule doors.
- Any middle school aged siblings who are dropped off at the multipurpose room vestibule doors will not be allowed to walk through Jefferson to get to the middle school. Middle school students should either be dropped off at their building or walk outside to their building.
We appreciate your cooperation to keep traffic flow in and out of our building smooth, therefore keeping everyone safe.
Yearbooks are for sale!
Order your Yearbook at YBPAY.LIFETOUCH.COM today! (Yearbook ID Code: 2792518) Families can order online until March 16th.
Orders can also be sent to the office by March 14th. Please make checks payable to Lifetouch.
PACKAGES
PACKAGE A $20.25 includes a yearbook, personalized cover, autograph insert, current events insert and Yearbook Stickys
PACKAGE B $19.00 includes a yearbook, personalized cover, autograph insert and current events insert
PACKAGE C $17.75 includes a yearbook, personalized cover and current events insert
PACKAGE D $13.50 includes a yearbook and current events insert
A regular yearbook with no extras is $12.00
Upcoming Events
March 2- Read Across America/Family Reading Night in Media Center from 3-6 p.m.
March 5- through March 9- No School (Spring Break)
March 11- Daylight Savings, set clocks ahead 1 hour
March 13- PBIS Assembly 1:10-1:40
March 14- Yearbook orders due to the office
March 16- Online yearbook orders due
March 21- Art Show in the multipurpose room 8 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
March 22- Art Show in the multipurpose room 8 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
March 23- Art Show in the multipurpose room 8 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
March 23- Music & Physical Education program
March 30- No school
April 2- No school (Workshop Day)
1st Grade
February has been a busy month for First Graders! We have been reading many wonderful books and learning lots of skills to help us be readers. Our mentor texts this month were Hooway for Wodney Wat by Helen Lester, Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink by Diane de Groat, Just Going to the Dentist by Mercer Mayer and Abe Lincoln’s Hat by Martha Brenner. Our world of reading and spelling continues to open up as we were introduced to these dipthongs: ou, ow, oo, ew, oi, and oy. We continue to work on long vowel words and new spelling patterns.
An important reading focus for first grade readers is fluency. Fluency is smooth and steady reading. Duet reading has been a part of our daily routine the past few weeks to help children become more fluent readers. This process involves two students taking turns reading every other word of a short passage. The students begin the passage again and switch turns so each child has the opportunity to read every word. Try Duet Reading at home with your child.
Our February Math has involved addition and subtraction facts to 18, including missing addend (9+_ =17). We have continued to work on place value, including addition facts with bigger numbers like 69+ 20=_. Problem solving is a part of our lesson everyday and may be addition, subtraction or money problems. We know there are many ways to solve number stories and we share the strategies we use daily.
Our Science/Social Studies units have been Dental Health, Black History and Presidents’ Day. We learned a lot about Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. The students completed a writing project about how they were alike and different.
2nd Grade
Welcome to Second Grade!
We are already half way through the year and half way onto becoming big third graders. The second graders have been working so hard and learning so many new things this past month.
Eagle’s SOAR
Our students have been working so hard on making the right choices that we earned our second all school reward! On Valentine’s day we got to have a dance party in our classroom four times throughout the day. The students and the teachers enjoyed letting loose in the classrooms and busting some moves!
Olympic Readers
This month we have all been partaking in a fun “I Love to Read Month,” following along with the winter olympics. A few of our second grade classrooms have had some fun inviting someone special to come and read to their class. It has been so fun sharing our classrooms with all of you!
Two-digit Subtraction
This past month we have been working really hard on our two-digit subtraction problems. We have learned so many different methods to help us solve these problems. We have each learned what works best for ourselves and we are becoming experts at solving these challenges problems!
Wonderful Writers
We have been working very hard on becoming wonderful writers this past month. We are learning about the writing process and using it to write; research, narrative, and opinion papers. Check out some of our work!
3rd Grade
Reading: We focused on the main idea of text, which included nonfiction texts about penguins. We conducted a novel study of Charlotte’s Web. It’s a classic book written by E.B. White. We are incorporating a variety of reading skills as we complete each chapter. Keep reading at home!
Math: Throughout the month of February we have been exploring rounding, counting money, and making change. We have practiced these concepts through games and activities. We analyzed and created our own graphs, charts, and tables. Keep practicing your multiplication and division facts at home or in the car.
Social Studies: Native Americans, Early Explorers, and Jamestown has been our area of studies this past month. The students have been working diligently on creating a Google Slide Presentation on a Native American tribe.
Science: In Science we are learning about the Scientific Method. We are discussing the different steps as well as applying the steps to our experiments. The students enjoyed our first experiment; “Does the type of pop affect whether or not it will sink or float?” The students will also work in small groups to carry out a student lead experiment which is, “How will the four different types of solutions affect a gummy bear?” They also tried to, “Save Fred the Gummy Worm.” It was a great experiment that required logic and communication.
Meet Mrs. Kloeckl: My name is Mrs. Kloeckl and I have been teaching for over fourteen years. This is my fifth year at Jefferson. I’ve also worked at Sleepy Eye Public School as a Kindergarten and 3rd grade teacher, and I taught in Madelia. My husband of almost 15 years and my three children live in New Ulm. Logan is in 2nd grade, my twins Kailee and Jaxon are 5 years old and will be attending Kindergarten in the fall. I enjoy walking and spending time with my family. My favorite thing about teaching third grade is getting to know each of my students.
Favorite Color: Purple (Go Eagles!)
Favorite Subject: Math and Reading
Favorite Books: Upside Down Magic and Charlotte’s Web
4th Grade
In the month of February, fourth graders got a special visit from high school S.P.O.T.S. The high schoolers performed skits on listening and being respectful. Fourth graders celebrated the 100th Day of School by dressing up like old men and women. They also celebrated Valentine’s Day by exchanging valentines with their classmates. Fourth graders have been working hard on completing their Olympic Reading Sheets for the school-wide competition. Their desire to read more minutes than any other grade level has motivated them to read outside of school.
In math, we have been working on solving long division problems. Fourth graders have learned a variety of strategies to help them solve those tricky problems!
In reading, we have been working with our weekly mentor texts to help us continue to practice those comprehension skills. Students have been working on summarizing, identifying character traits and using text evidence to support inferences. In writing, fourth graders finished up writing their biographies. Students presented their biographies and an accompanying project to their classmates.
In science, we have been learning about slow and fast changes that occur to the Earth’s surface. We began our unit by talking about weathering, erosion, and deposition. Students completed an erosion lab, where they got to shake rocks and chalk in an applesauce jar for several minutes. After learning about slow changes, we learned about fast changes such as volcanoes, earthquakes, landslides, and tsunamis that can change the Earth’s surface rapidly. In social studies, students have been working with the Southeast states. Students have learned about the states, capitals, resources, and the history of the region.
Fourth Grade Celebrates the 100th Day of School!
Jefferson Media Center
I Love To Read month was lots of fun with reading while learning about the Olympics as a bonus! Each week kids read at home to total up their minutes for their grade level team and minutes were posted on the bulletin board in the cafeteria. The closing ceremonies are March 2.
The students had a great time with author, Brandon Terrell, on February 16! Thanks to Friends of Jefferson for sponsoring his visit! Jefferson students enjoyed his humor, appreciated the work it takes to write a book, and had a chance to ask questions. His most important message, “Anyone can be a writer, and to help you reach that goal: read, read, read! Read anything you can get your hands on: cereal boxes, comics, books, magazines, etc.”
The National Education Association (NEA’s) Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. The goal is to have activities to bring reading excitement to children of all ages.
YOU’RE INVITED: Jefferson will keep the media center open into the evening (3-6 p.m.) on March 2 so parents, grandparents, and families can gather at the library to read a book, try an activity, sign up for prizes and hear guest readers. Hope you can stop by for a few minutes either after school or after work!
Library lessons: All students learned about the Caldecott (picture book) award winners and Newbery (story) winners during February. Students were also researching their favorite book online or in the library so they could draw the cover for the book cover contest.
Technology:
1st grade-typed their first document and continue to find their way around the keyboard.
2nd grade-used Google more often and are working on remembering their login information.
3rd grade-worked collaboratively with social studies teacher on research and technology project on Native Americans.
4th grade-shared pictures taken with ipads, uploading to Google drive, and sharing them through email.
If you haven’t been to the Jefferson Technology webpage, try this link! Jefferson Tech webpage
Author Brandon Terrell visits Jefferson!
Read Across America
March 2
Music
March is Music in Our Schools Month! The purpose of MIOSM is to raise awareness of the importance of music education for all children – and to remind citizens that schools are where all children should have access to music. We are so lucky to live in New Ulm where the community supports the Fine Arts! 4th grade and 1st grade had the chance to reflect on why they like music and what our world would be like without music. 2nd grade created a visual depiction of one of their favorite songs from music class. 3rd grade celebrates MIOSM by having their Music Program on March 23rd.
4th graders started learning how to play recorder in January and they are doing amazing articulation, breathing, and reading music with their recorders. We can’t wait to learn more and share what we know with our Recorder Recital in May! More information to come!
3rd graders have been practicing for their program “Singing and Dancing Through the Decades”. We are rehearsing together, and learning how to sing as a choir and memorize all the words.
2nd graders have been practicing writing music! It has been fun to see the students work together to create music and to see them work on their own to become composers!
2nd and 1st graders got to learn about all of the different instruments and instrument families by watching Mrs. Koepsell and Ms. Cacciatore play real instruments! They learned all about the brass family, woodwind family, and string family.
STEM
Students in second and third grade have been learning more about some Olympic sports as they build and test bobsleds and hockey nets. There is so much science and math in these sports!
Second graders also learned more about the Ozobot, a robot that reads and follows color code.
Fourth graders are learning more about earthquakes and engineering structurally sound houses that will withstand earthquakes. The last rotation found the 4th graders creating chain reaction machines in the cafeteria. There were many creative and successful ideas!
First graders heard the story of Rosie Revere, Engineer and engineered their own creations using found items.
All students continue to work on effective group skills such as collaboration and communication.
Literacy Corner
We will continue with our 20 Ways to Raise a Reader this month. The 20 Ways to Raise a Reader sheets will come home with your child the first week in March. Please watch your child’s backpack for the challenge topics. Please feel free to share your pictures as your child completes the challenges using the hashtag #NUEaglesRead on our social media pages. This challenge that can be done by the whole family! Work together to see how many literacy challenges you and your child can complete. Let's see some pictures!
Book recommendations: Mercy Watson to the Rescue by Kate DiCamillo: This book is about a pig who is more than just a pet. Read about Mercy's adventures in this wonderful beginning chapter book series.
Jefferson Reading Tutors Needed! Do you enjoy working with kids? Do you have a heart to serve and help others? Check out the Reading Corps website for more information. https://minnesotareadingcorps.org/
Nurse's Notes
In the nurse's office, we see kids for a lot of different reasons. The most frequent complaints we have from kids are stomach aches and headaches, and these symptoms can be caused by a variety of reasons. One of those reasons may be due to feeling anxious, and, unfortunately, we see more symptoms of anxiety than we'd like to.
If a student comes to the nurse's office on a regular basis, or we start to see a pattern, (i.e. coming in at the same time each day), we will call a parent to report the symptoms and to discuss if there is some medical reason that we may not know about.
If we or the parent suspect it may be related to anxiety, we can refer the student to the school counselor. Or the parent may consult another resource. Either way, we want our kids happy and healthy.....both physically and mentally!
Title I
Greetings from your Title I Department~
Monthly Math Tip: Is it getting a little tougher to help your child with math homework? You’re not alone. There’s an all too common misconception that some people are born with a head for numbers and others aren’t. Your Attitude Can Help! Studies show that a parent’s attitude toward math is contagious-and your child will catch it, good or bad. So just by having a good attitude toward math, you are helping your child. Try these fun, pressure-free ways to boost your child’s math skills – without a worksheet or a textbook in sight and show your child your positive attitude toward math.
1.Travel Time – When you’re going somewhere, ask your child how long it will take to get there if you leave at 8:00 and get there at 10:00?
2.Penny for Your Pancake Thoughts?- Ask your child to double (or half) the recipe in your favorite pancake recipe.
3.A Better Buy – Demonstrate using math to problem solve in everyday life. Let’s say you’re grocery shopping and there are two brands of macaroni and cheese. One brand is $1.99. The other brand is $2.99. Ask your child to figure out which is the better buy. Which is cheaper or higher?
4.Cards and Board Games Boost Math! – Play math boosting games with your child such as Crazy 8’s.
Your Title 1 Team,
Jean Jore, Dawn Portner, Lisa Thorson
Special Education
7 Spring Break Tips to Keep Kids Active
Get the kids off the couch and computer this spring break with fun, healthy activities.
From the beginning of the year, kids start looking forward to their spring break. It’s a time to relax from the workload of school, have fun and enjoy a little freedom.
That said, it’s still recommended children get 60 minutes of exercise or activity every day! While many kids see spring break as a time to “veg out” on the couch, plan ahead and make sure their spring break is not only full of fun but also of activity. Here are seven fun ways to keep your kids active over spring break.
1. Find an Adventure Sport — As a Family
Think outside of the box for this one and find a sport or activity near your home you haven’t tried yet. Going to a rock climbing gym is a fantastic option. Many cities have gyms you can try, and even have options for small children.
Rock climbing is a great cardiovascular activity and helps to build strength and muscle endurance, too. Other options include kayaking, zip lining and so much more. The idea behind this style of exercise is that your kids are having so much fun they won’t realize they’re working out, too! So the more adventure the better.
2. Go On a Scavenger Hunt
This one takes a little bit more effort, but the amount of fun to be had makes it worth it. You can make clues leading around your house, your neighborhood or a park. Have your children invite friends over and make it a team activity — complete with prizes!
3. Create an Obstacle Course
By using everyday household items, you can create a fun obstacle course for your kids to run through. This is a great alternative to playing outside if the weather isn’t cooperating. Jump through hoops, crawl under broomsticks, carry canned goods during a shuttle run — let your creative juices flow and see how a transformed space can inspire some family fun.
4. Go for a Hike
Hiking is a fun family-friendly activity that also works up quite the sweat! Do a quick search to see what trails are nearby. Many hiking websites will even rate them by length and difficulty, so you can find one that meets the criteria perfect for your family. Take it a step further and pack a picnic lunch to enjoy during your journey.
5. Plant a Garden
Spring is the perfect time to start a garden. Preparing the ground for planting takes a lot of hard work, from digging holes, weeding flower beds and more. While working on the garden, you can discuss the importance of healthy eating with your children and let them choose some of their favorite fruits and vegetables to plant.
6. Go to the Zoo
What kid doesn’t love going to the zoo? Spending a day looking at the animals is a lot of fun but also requires lots of walking. Your kids won’t even realize you are sneaking more activity into their day.
7. Take Daily Family Walks
Spending a few minutes before or after dinner going on a family walk is not only an excellent opportunity for family bonding but also a great source of exercise. Embrace the spring weather and get out into the fresh air together.
Making spring break more active isn’t as hard as you’d think. Most importantly, staying active benefits the whole family — and it’s a win-win because you get to spend time with your kids.