See the World with Sparks

Every year I introduce my students to one of my favorite charitable organizations, Heifer International.  We spent two weeks of our homeroom time exploring the idea of Passing on the Gift.  We learned just how powerful the gift of an animal can be!  This year my students chose to purchase a llama, a goat, two flocks of ducks, 4 groups of honeybees, 11 flocks of chicks, a trio of bunnies and a flock of hope.  These animals, along with the necessary training, will go to people around the world who are in need.  Thanks Heifer International and Happy Holidays!!!

We choose to be DRUG FREE!!!

After many years teaching 6th grade Gifted and Talented World Cultures, I am back in a 5th grade math classroom!  I am very excited to be back in the math world.  My first career was as a Certified Public Accountant so math is near and dear to my heart!  A huge welcome to all of my 2014-2015 students...expect a fast paced year of fun and learning.  Check back here as I add more math content including websites and apps to help with your learning.  Enjoy the rest of your summer :-)

To all of the high school graduates.....the current events of your life done in a rap song.  Enjoy! 18 Years in Rap

Congrats to the Humanities classes who just completed their culminating project for the year!   The students chose a country and a target audience then completed the research, selected pertinent data, graphics and other information to present in a Publisher document incorporating both Microsoft Word and Excel.  Nice job!!

Every year on April 22, over a billion people in 190 countries take action for Earth Day. From San Francisco to San Juan, Beijing to Brussels, Moscow to Marrakesh, people plant trees, clean up their communities, contact their elected officials, and more—all on behalf of the environment. In class, we discussed the impact each of us makes on the earth.  It is called our ecological footprint. Here is the ecological footprint calculator  we used in class. Class averages ranged from 7.1 earth's per person to 8.9 earth's per person depending on lifestyle choices.  Every person makes an impact on the earth!  Use the calculator to determine a more accurate measure of the impact you make as an individual.

In Homeroom today, we discussed compassion.  What does it look like?  What does it feel like? Below are a few of the student ideas.  I challenged each student....and myself, to practice compassion by quietly demonstrating three acts of compassion today.  Have a compassionate day!

Fabulous lesson from the World War II Museum in New Orleans!   They helped us examine political cartoons by Dr. Seuss, answered questions and gave us a tour of the museum.

Despite temperatures in the 20's, this dedicated group of students made sure all of the recycle bins were emptied.  And there wasn't a single complaint!!!  Nice job, kids :-)

The ancient Greeks made important contributions in many fields of learning, including astronomy, mathematics, and medicine. Greek scholars were extraordinarily successful in scientific fields for several reasons. First, Greek culture encouraged the pursuit of knowledge. Secondly, many citizens in the Greek city-states were wealthy. They had money to support academies and other centers of learning, and free time to pursue academic interests. In addition, Greeks who lived along the Aegean Sea traveled to and traded with other countries, such as Egypt and Babylonia. Through contact with other ancient cultures, they discovered and then built upon the scientific works of scholars from other parts of the ancient world.  Discoveries made by the ancient Greeks have influenced many aspects of modern life. To examine some of these achievements, go to: http://www.mitchellteachers.org/WorldHistory/AncientGreece/RecognizingAncientGreekAchievementsintheModernWorld.htm