Martin's Memos
Volume 1, Issue 37: June 15, 2018
This Week
"The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
What a fun ride we have been on this year!
It seems like just yesterday that we started this program...and look what it has become! I absolutely love the quote at the top. It so wonderfully sums up the progress we've made this year and how far the students and this program have come. I will truly miss all of the students this summer and am looking forward to meeting up a few times as a group! Please see below for our first GT family meet up! The invite will be extended to all incoming GT students!
Have a great summer!
Thanks!
-Ms. Kate Martin
Avondale GT Program 2017-2018 Tile Mosaic
Next year we can have it in the pod or a classroom, and then once we're at Meadows we can create a more permanent spot. :)
Ms. Martin's GT Class: Year in Review!
End-of-Year Photos
Thank you!
Kimberly Bachmann
Wendy Broughton
Megan Marx
Janet Raymond
Heather Shaw
Ali Weadock
Jennifer Wloch
I truly appreciate all of your help and hard work. It takes a village!
Popsicles in the Park!
When: Saturday, June 23rd 6-8pm
Where: Firefighters Park in Troy
We already have almost 100 people coming! Wow!
We would love everyone who can make it attend, but we understand that everyone has many plans for the summertime. All parents are more than welcome to create additional community events or meet ups throughout the summer! The more events, the merrier!
Sign up to bring popsicles! https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0f48a4ae2ea1fb6-gtclass
Next Year
PTO at Meadows
Overall, next year will be a "learning year" where interested parents can shadow our current officials. Attending the Woodland PTO meetings and events will be important as well. We want to build a strong community of parents and teachers at Meadows so that we can work together to continue to build our GT program.
Look for more information at the start of the 2018-2019 school year for all interested parents.
Don't Forget! Class Baseball Event at Jimmy John's Field!
Classroom Library Wish List
Avondale "BEE a Reader" Program
Please see your child's packet of materials they brought home today. Included is a calendar with reading and writing ideas for each day to keep up their ELA skills. There are also 4 dates where students and a few teachers are meeting up to read. (See below)
Tuesday, June 26: Dairy Treat 11:00-12:30
Wednesday, July 11: Fire Fighter’s Park in Troy 11:00-12:30
Tuesday, July 24: Woodland’s Playground 11:00-12:30
Wednesday, August 8: Dairy Treat 11:00-12:30
More Summer Learning
Optional Summer Book Club!
Optional Online Summer Book Club!
Who: Students in the GT program
What: Summer Book Club
When: Once per week, starts July 9th
Where: Online - Google Hangouts
Why: To help keep our reading skills up over the summer and to keep in touch
How:
Log in using your Avondale email OR personal email on www.google.com. Please let me know your personal email address if you aren’t using Avondale’s.
Click on the apps icon in the upper right hand corner. Look for: . If you don’t see it, click on “more”.
Look on the left rectangle for a message with more directions from Ms. Martin!
The Basics:
Choose one book (parent provided):
The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
Read the required amount each week.
After your weekly reading is complete, you must do two things each week by Friday:
Post your own thoughts, comments, or interesting details about what you’ve read.
Reply to at least one other classmate’s comment.
*I will email the parents whose children signed up for the book club.
More Summer Learning Ideas
Math:
Purple group math - Look for grade 4 materials
Blue group math - Look for grade 5 materials
Orange group math - Look for grade 6 materials
Remember that the students will always have free access to Khan Academy online. (khanacademy.org) The students just need to go to the website, log in with their current credentials, and then choose "subjects" in the upper left hand corner. They can then choose the grade level material they need to work on and then they will start the "missions"! Students can also go to khanacademy.org/mappers and continue to practice on their leveled skills, too.
Reading:
READ, READ, READ!
Have you used the Lexile Find a Book feature?
Go to https://fab.lexile.com/
Enter your lexile range.
Choose your areas of interests.
View your results!
Find the books at local libraries or online!
Check out other website sources for books!
goo.gl/o1s5CU
goo.gl/sxVUgf
goo.gl/oLTMS8
DON'T get too hung up on reading EXACTLY in your child's lexile. Find a balance! Maybe try encouraging your child to read every other book within their lexile. The purpose is to increase awareness that when we read within in our "zone of proximal development" we are challenging ourselves to come across new vocabulary and content.
Science and Social Studies:
Students will continue to have access to www.discoveryeducation.com using these credentials below. This website has thousands of videos, reading passages, interactive activities, etc. for science and social studies.
User - ghes5
Pass - ghes5
Khan Academy has more than just math! It also has middle school and high school level science and social studies courses. Have your child log in and click on "subjects" to check it out!
Contact Me
Email: kate.martin@avondale.k12.mi.us
Website: katemartingt.weebly.com
Location: 6465 Livernois Road, Troy, MI 48098, United States
Phone: (248) 537-6900