October 28, 1011

October 28 Blog

Halloween was great fun!!

We decided to hold off on the character test for this week since Halloween was kind of crazy.  We want the children to be successful and having it today might sabotage that!!  The test will be on Monday.  A good way to review is to have your child write the sentences since most of the words are in the sentences.

I’ve checked some of the websites that give reports and it’s exciting to see that a lot of the children have been using these to learn. 

Remember if you have any questions—just call or e-mail!

Please have your child return their October reading calendar on Tuesday. All book orders will be coming through Mrs. Adams now. I have included book orders for both classes in the Monday folder with instructions of how to order online. Please use the online ordering code for Mrs. Adams. It is on the blue letter. If you want books for a Christmas gift please send me an email and I will hold them until you can come in.

Thank you for being so supportive!

October 7, 2011

Mrs. Craven:
I  am currently grading the Vocabulary Tests for this week and so far I am really impressed!  I knew our students could take on that extra challenge!  Overall they are doing better in speaking only Chinese in our classroom!  Thank you for your encouragement and work with them.

I purchased a membership for our classes to the QUIA website that Mrs. Shumway used last year.  Mrs. Hicks has helped me in entering all the names so that you can now access that site.  Attached to this week’s homework will be you access information.  There will be no cost to you for using this.  Currently there is one game on it to help the students practice their shapes.  More games will be added soon.  The site will also record whenever your student works on it and how long they worked on it.  Hopefully it will be a good learning tool and help your student progress.

Mrs. Adams:



Report Cards will be sent home in the Monday Folders. We look forward to seeing you this week for Parent Teacher Conferences.

September 30, 2011

Mrs. Loertscher passed along a site that she found useful.  I use it also and it really helps.  We’re passing it along to you if you could find it useful.  The site is: http://www.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php

I also sent out by e-mail a wonderful site that has the stories we are covering in class on line.  It is a site from Singapore since that is where our Chinese Curriculum is out of, therefore it is all in Chinese, but please don’t let that intimidate you.  It is fairly easy to navigate and definitely worth the effort.  The site is: http://xuelle.edumall.sg/xuele/slot/u107/index1.html
The page that pops up is where you click the first oval that says 一 年 及。  That means first grade, but all of the state’s 2nd grades are covering the last half of that material.  When you click on it a bar will show.  You click on the bottom half “一 下“。 After that, you click on the top choice in the middle which will bring you to the story on the pink book that I sent home last week.  The children can read along with the audio.  It has pictures and good sound and is much better than the power point I made last week.  Go ahead and play with the site.  The other options are some fun games and review.  Let me know how you like it.

I went to a Dual Immersion Training again this week and found that many of the Chinese Teachers are giving 8 words and two sentences for vocabulary each week.  I feel like our children are very capable of doing that also and it will help them to accomplish the curriculum goals.  This week there will be only six words and two simple sentences to help them move into the longer list.

 I am in the process of compiling a list of all the characters we will be learning this year.  They are spread out between all the lessons we will cover and will take some time to compile, but I will try and get that to you sometime this coming week.

Last Thursday I sent home the “I Love America” Book.  It is yellow and they have illustrated their own book.  This story is also found on the Singapore site, however, it says, “I love Singapore!”  I translated it to have more meaning for our children.  Please let them read it to you.

I hope each child is feeling confident in the effort they are putting forth and having success.  Please always feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns (or even good things you notice ☺!)  Thank you!

Please remember that Parent Teacher Conference is October 12th and 13th most of you have signed up for a time. If you have not please sign up when you can. If you need help or have lost the letter about how to sign up you may email either of us and we will send home a new one. Please remember that both classes sign up with Mrs. Adams and you will be meeting with both of us. We look forward to meeting with you all. We both really enjoy teaching your children. They are doing very well and working hard. Thank you for your support.

Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Craven

September 23, 2011

Mrs. Adams:


I enjoyed meeting with you on Wednesday. I appreciate your support! Your children are wonderful and doing very well. Just keep reading at home and keep working on the leveled readers. Vocabulary and Comprehension tests will be on Thursday. Please study the vocabulary words a few minutes each day. Please remember if you have any questions to email me.:) Communication is very important!

Mrs. Craven:

It was wonderful meeting with most of you on Wednesday night.  I am sending home an extra practice sheet with this week’s homework folder.  Feel free to copy that and use to help your child.  Also, if they come home with a half finished sheet, they can sure use the extra columns for practice.  If they have a wonderful extra sheet they have worked on at home, have them return it and I can reward them at school.

This week’s Chinese homework is on odd and even numbers.  The word “odd” (just for numbers, not meaning strange) is 数单dān shu.  The word for “even” is双 数 shuāng shù which is the word of the week.  The paper asks the children to put the numbers in the correct place.  It is a cut and paste activity.  Remember, if you have any questions, feel free to call. (801)446-5271

Thank you to all who are encouraging your children to always do their best work and to closely pay attention in class.  Those children always feel better about themselves and they definitely progress more quickly.  There has certainly been a “learning curve” for all of us and I appreciate those who have come to school to help or have done projects and checking at home.  Any and all help in this new program is so great.  Thanks so much!

It appears that a little “strictness” is paying off.  Today’s tests were SO MUCH BETTER!!  Thank you for those who are working with your children at home to help them be successful.  I did send home two books this week that we have been working on.  One was folded to a half sheet and is pink.  It is about three little ants who are using leaves as “bumper boats”.  The other is a blue page folded into fourths and is about our American Flag. We have enjoyed studying them.  I hope you enjoy listening to your child read them.  I am going to attempt to put these books on a power point with audio, so you can hear them. If I am successful, I will e-mail this to you. 

Thank you!

Mrs. Adams  and Mrs. Craven

September 16, 2011

We had another great week! Mrs. Adams forgot to send home the vocabulary words for our first story last week. Sorry! Every week I will be sending home vocabulary words for you to practice with your child and the Word of the Week will be at the bottom of the paper. This way all the words are on one sheet. I will talk about it more at our parent meeting on Wednesday. I also plan to clarify the leveled readers. There have been a lot of question about them.

Would you please email either of us and let us know if you have any questions you would like addressed at the meeting.  I am sure if you have a question someone else may have the same question.

In Chinese, Mrs. Craven sent home the yellow card with this week's 5 characters to learn.   The pinyin and the English were included. We hope that was helpful.  We try to cover these very thoroughly at school, but extra help at home is also encouraged.  Thank you for those who do encourage your children in learning the characters.  It really made a difference!

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting on Wednesday!

September 9, 2011

We had a great first week back.:)

We wanted to let you know about a wonderful opportunity at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Every third Saturday they offer free admission to everyone as well as beginning at 1:00 and continuiing through 4:00 they have an art project that any children who would like to can do. This also is no cost. I have taken my niece and nephew for the last four months and participated in wonderful no cost to you art projects. It only takes a few minutes and then we tour the museum. They have developed a love for fine art from doing this. This month is particularly special because all the activities have to do with the Cinese Mid Autumn (Moon) Festival. Your children would love this free experience if you have the time.

Most of the children did very well on their first Chinese Vocabulary test. Thank you for asking them about the characters they bring home. It helps them to build responsibility for their own learning. Some are still just trying to copy pretty characters without even thinking about what they mean. Please try to encourage them understanding what they are writing.

This week the homework includes the stroke order, pinyin (how to say it) and the English Translation. I hope that helps. These are review characters and not the vocabulary for the week. I will send a book mark home with those on Monday. Remember if you have any questions I can help with, please either email me (janet.craven@jordan.k12.ut.us) or call (School 801-302-8599, Home 801-446-5271). Also feel free to drop by after school. I am generally here pretty late. While good weather holds, I will keep my door open so you can see from the road if I am here.

Also, if you have not sent the $25 for the website and would like to join, please do so ASAP. Make the check out to Foothills.

Just to clarify on the leveled readers. I don't expect every students to finish a level a week. They will  start getting harder and may take longer. Please don't return the leveled reader until your child has read all four stories with the words per minute indicated.

We will be starting guided reading next week. I am really excited for that.

Thank you for communicating with us. It makes our job easier if we know what we can do to help you. Please remember you can reach me through email (marcy.adams@jordan.k12.ut.us), the school (801-302-8599) or my cell (801-856-4632).

Thank you for your support! Your children are wonderful and you parents are as well. Thank you for those who have worked on projects and volunteered in our classes. You really make a difference!!

Just some dates to be aware of:
Wednesday, September 14th picture day.
Wednesday, September 21st Chinese Immersion Parent Meeting 6:00.

Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Craven

September 2, 2011

Welcome back on track!! We will see you on Tuesday. We hope everyone had a great off track. Please check in your child's homework folder for the reading and volunteer calendars. We will also send home book orders. If you would like to order Scholastic Books, please return the book order and payment to your child's homeroom teacher. We are also sending home a Highlights Magazine order form. These are wonderful magazines to order if you can, but if you choose not to, please say no and sign the form since we both get free things for the classroom--the more forms we get the more free things we get, even with a "no" answer.
Chinese classes will be starting the vocabulary words this week.  We will cover these words thoroughly in class.  The homework this week is practicing writing these characters.  Be sure you child can tell you what they mean and write them.  I will also be sending home a bookmark with these characters.
If you have responded as interested in the Better Chinese Program--good news!  It is only $25.  Please make out a check for $25 to Foothills Elementary.  The sooner we have the required numbers, we can open the account.  We have a trial account now.  This is the information you need get on the sight.  Anyone can try it out.  The site is: www.betterchinese.com.  Please use the user name: janet.craven@jordan.k12.ut.us (my e-mail address) and the password is 123456.  Then you will need to click on "log in".  I have spent a few hours checking the site out and I think it will be a great help to our students.  If you have any questions, just give me a call (801-446-5271).  Thanks and have a fun time with it!

Please return the bookorder by Friday, Sept. 9th.

Thank you!

Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Craven