CGB Elementary News
March 3, 2023
March has arrived and hopefully the old proverb of "in like a lion and out like a lamb" reflects February and not March this year. The weather certainly brough a challenge last week and again this week. There are no easy solutions for teachers and students when making up for lost time. They do their best to adjust curriculum and fit in vital learning. However, teachers care so much about students learning and instruction that it does provide a challenge.
Third, fourth, and fifth grade students take MCAs in April so lost time certainly makes it challenging to fit in standards and necessary learning before then. Click here for the district's current testing calendar. It is located on the district website.
Third quarter mid term reports have been sent out and we will be approaching the end of the third quarter on March 24. There is no school on Monday, March 27th as this is a teacher workday to finalize quarter 3.
February Paws Ticket Winners
Here is what students won this month!
Lunch with a teacher
Nathaniel - 2nd grade
Makenna -3rd grade
Bonnie’s Gift Certificate
Paige - 1st grade
Jennifer - 5th grade
10 minute of extra recess for the class
Dawson - Kindergarten
Kenley - 4th grade
Ice Cream Class Party
Olive - 2nd grade
Grayson - 5th grade
Pledge of Allegiance
Music March Madness
Back by popular demand…MUSIC MARCH MADNESS. This year’s theme is Music of the Decades. We will be listening to selections from the 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. In addition to the students in grades 2-3-4-5 voting on their favorite hits, the staff will also have the opportunity to vote on the same songs. It will be fun to see how the two brackets compare. Along with hearing the different songs of the past decades, students will also learn a little about each artist. Some of the selected songs are La Bamba, I Walk the Line, What A Wonderful World, The Twist, Rocket Man, Dancing Queen, Born In The USA, and I Love Rock-N-Roll to name a few.
March is also Music In Our Schools month. Music education is important for all students. At CGB elementary building, our music classes get the opportunity to experience music in several different and creative ways. Bucket/tin can drumming, recorders, basketball rhythms, movement/dance, guitar just to name a few. At the same time the students are doing these activities, they are learning to read music and rhythms. Research shows that music improves cognitive function as well as academic performance. It encourages teamwork, responsible risk-taking, better self-confidence, letter pattern recognition as well as math skill and music gives us a sense of achievement. The list is endless. And as we all know, music can be relaxing. The students enjoy coming to music class and they have fun.
Thanks to Mrs. Olson for writing the above. I certainly echo the importance of music education and we are so thankful for all that Mrs. Olson does.
Podcasts in our Classes!
5th Grade Podcast
This was a great activity for students to learn about planning, creating, and using technology to create a project. This relates to our media literacy standards as well.
- Your podcast was fun but scary to record my voice.
- It was really fun to pretend to be someone from the Oregon Trail.
- Everyone sounded great
- I liked it when you interviewed me!
- This was one of my best days ever at school!
- I loved how you made me sound better than everyone in the world and you're even better than the news!
- I loved your podcast because you showed us how to do a lot of technology. It looks like a lot of work!
- Next time, we should make one about golf!
Dental Hygiene
Some learning about our teeth
Water Flosser Example
Egg Experiment showing the effect of pop on teeth
Spring Fling March 10
Spring Fling
BEACH THEME
When: March 10,2023
Where: CGB High school
PreK & Kindergarten Spring Updates
Kindergarten roundup will be held on April 19th. Time is to be determined in the near future.
Here is a link to some more information about all of our PreK and Kindergarten programs at CGB.
MindUP
- neuroscience
- social-emotional learning (SEL)
- positive psychology
- mindful awareness
Through a grant, Nicole Erickson from Big Stone County Countryside Health visits our 2nd grade to work on a variety of learning and activities.
Congratulations Tessa!
This was featured recently in the Northern Star.
Tessa Taffe, a CGB 3rd grader was selected as a winner for her artwork in the My District, My Minnesota program. We invited students to submit photos or drawings of life in their district. Each Senator then chose the one they felt was the best representation of their district. Tessa's submission was chosen to represent District 12. Her submission will be hung in February, and it will be on view in the Minnesota Senate Building for the rest of 2023.
February Reading Goals
Fundations
This comprehensive program teaches and practices:
- Print concepts
- Letter formation
- Phonological and phonemic awareness
- Sound mastery
- Phonics, word study, and advanced word study
- Trick word (high frequency word) instruction
- Vocabulary
- Accuracy, Automaticity, and Fluency
- Comprehension strategies
- Handwriting
- Spelling
The picture to the right uses a visual to help with writing letters. It shows skyline , plane line , grass line, and worm line letters.
1st and 2nd grade basketball opportunity
Read Across America
This is such a fun event. Thanks to Mrs. Andrews, Mrs. Cardwell, and the student council for planning a great event. rStudents not only read in a unique spot throughout the school but they got to partner up with someone else from a different grade and enjoy reading. These are such valuable experiences that our teachers offer for our students.
Thanks to Mrs. Sigler for organizing the National Honor Society students to visit our school. Four year old preschool read with the NHS students in their classroom. It is amazing to see kids all over the school doing exactly what they were expected - reading and having fun!
Kindergarten and 4th grade read in the hallway and lunchroom
2nd and 5th grade read on the 2nd and 3rd floor
1st and 3rd grade read throughout the gym
Absent Line
Sounding Great!
Mr. Huselid
CGB Elementary
Email: jhuselid@graceville.k12.mn.us
Website: https://www.graceville.k12.mn.us/elementary/
Location: Clinton Elementary School, 1st Street, Clinton, MN, USA
Phone: 320-325-5224