School Safety

If you are volunteering in our classroom please make sure that you sign in with our security staff or with the office, and get a visitors sticker. Please make sure our classroom is your only destination.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Friday reading

All slots have been filled for Friday reading.
Remember we are wearing red, white, and black on Friday in celebration of Dr. Seuss's birthday and read in day.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Read In

Fyi- the 9:45-10:00 read in time has been filled.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Black History Month

During the month of February we celebrated Black History Month.
The children enjoyed hearing stories written by a fine author Donald Crews.
We revisited Martin Luther King Jr. during Social Studies as well.

http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/kids/authorsandillustrators/contributordetail.aspx?cid=16149

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

GET IT DONE!

Get it Done!
WOW Rainbow Valley Parents! This session sounds so interesting.  If this sounds like it could be benefical to your family I hope you will join us for this session. 
This session is designed to share ideas on how to help distractible, disorganized students start tasks in a more timely manner, persist till they complete tasks, and maintain their focus when working. This presentation is for parents of bright or gifted children who sometimes have trouble completing assigned tasks. For some students, managing these executive functions appropriately and effectively can be the difference between success and ongoing frustration. At this presentation you will learn research supported techniques and have the opportunity to share in the discussion with other parents about what works, and does not work, for them. This session will be designed to be interactive and allow ample time for parent questions and discussions.
This session is free but registration is required by calling Sandra Gizzi at 263-1461.
Wednesday, March 7
7:00-9:00 p.m.
Location: Landstown High School Auditorium

Friday, February 17, 2012

Learning is Great Fun!

This week we have been learning all about the presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. The children wrote non-fiction sentences about the presidents using 4 square writing.
Our Rainbow Valley Friends enjoyed playing a math game where they had to practice adding sums of numbers. The game is called the Growing Train Game.  Please check it out on EMGAMES. 
This week we really worked hard on improving our reading comprehension through Questioning.
We read a really neat book called Grandfather Twlight.  The children practiced asking before, during, and after reading questions.  They generated some really interesting questions.  After we practiced doing this a few times as a class the children indepdently asked questioned about their Just Right Books.







A question a student asked


Wow! Now that was an amazing question!



Valentine Exchange!


Happy Valentine's Day!

Friday, February 10, 2012

The 100th Day Of School Is So Cool!

We had so much fun celebrating the 100th Day Of School. We worked on counting by 2s,5s, and 10s to get to 100.  We wrote about what we would buy if we had $100.00.  The kids really liked sharing their one hundred treasures!  They also drew themselves when they are 100. (Some even included wrinkles!!!!)
This week was also busy in science. We started our unit on shadows.
Here are our vocabulary words that we are learning:
light source
sunlight
position
shadow
block
change
above
Ask your child to tell you about these words and how they relate to shadows.
Mrs. Law also came in and helped us with a great lesson on shadows. We discussed how the position of the light source changes a shadow.  We also dicussed that  something transparent such as a window's glass does not create a shadow. 
We also discovered that shadows only come in one color.
The children should be practicing making shadows at home.  We taught them how to measure a shadow using nonstandard measurement. 















Next week the students will be doing more experimenting with shadows, and they will also have a shadow assessment.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Questions

We have started learning about asking questions as we read.  I have explained to the students that this skill ill help them to understand the stories that they are reading even better.
We have learned to ask ourselves the 5 W's Who? What? When? Where? Why?
The children have enjoyed hearing the story  Henry's Wrong Turn .  As we read this book we stopped and the children were given opportunities to share questions.  Some wonderful questions were "Who is Henry?"  "Is he lost?"  "Does he find his way home?"  "Is he scared?"  "I wonder if he has a Mom?" 
As your child is reading with you during reading month please have them share questions that they are "wondering" about.
Remember Reading Is Thinking!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Report Cards

OH NO!  We made a mistake.   We forgot to send home report cards today! We are so sorry for this oversight.  I can assure you that everyone's report card will come home tomorrow.
Please forgive us.

Calling All Scientist!

SCIENCE FAIR IS COMING!
We have such AWESOME scientists in Rainbow Valley.  I know that, now it is time to show off just how talented you are to the school! :)
Every year Rainbow Valley has many students who participate in this wonderful event. Let's keep the learning going this year. 



What will your experiment be?!


Visit the Science Fair nook in the library or check out these cool websites for ideas:


http://school.discoveryeducation.com/sciencefaircentral/


http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/’



http://all-science-fair-projects.com/




http://education.wes.army.mil/clubhouse/experiments.cfm


Be part of the fun on Tuesday, March 13th, from 6:30-8:30 pm!
Dear Parents,
The John B. Dey PTA Sponsored Science Fair is an exciting event that encourages students to think like young scientists. Conducting an experiment using the scientific method has many educational benefits. Students develop skills in creative thinking, problem solving, writing, and organizing a presentation. Though optional, we encourage every child to participate. After returning their registration sheets, students will be given specific instructions for the steps to be taken in preparing their science projects. Most of the work will be completed at home; however, some teachers may choose to work on projects in school as well.
We ask that you encourage your children and monitor their progress along the way. Your guidance is key to a successful project, but be careful that you don’t end up doing the experiment yourself, no matter how much fun it would be! Please complete and return the attached Science Fair Registration Sheet by Friday, February 24th so that your child’s scientific discoveries can begin!


Mandy McCall, Science Fair Chair
348-7609 or mandymccall@verizon.net
SCIENCE FAIR REGISTRATION SHEET


PTA Sponsored Science Fair Will Be March 13, 2012 at 6:30 pm


*******************************************************************************************


PLEASE RETURN THIS FORM TO SCHOOL OR EMAIL IT TO THE


SCIENCE FAIR CO-CHAIRS BY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH


Student Name:


Teacher: Grade:
Title/Description of Experiment:


(Note: Displays at the Science Fair must meet all Virginia Beach Public School Safety Standards including but not limited to - No sharp blades or knives; No open flames or use of fire; No dangerous/toxic chemicals; No live animals. The Science Fair committee will notify you if there are any concerns or may recommend that the student select an alternative experiment.)
Parent Name:
Phone Number:
Parent Email:
Mad Science will provide some high-energy, entertaining science fun at our Science Fair.
Please email questions to the Science Fair Chair:
Mandy McCall mandymccall@verizon.net

Room 11 is on the road to reading!



Yesterday we started our school wide reading program for the month of February.
We are asking that each night your child read for a minium of 10 minutes.  Each time they read for 10 minutes please have your child color in a rectangle on their reading log. Once the reading log is filled in please return it to school. At that time your child will have his or her name entered into a drawing where they can win books and other goodies.  He or she will also write their name on a race car that will be displayed outside of our classroom.
We look forward to every family jumping on board our Road To Reading!

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Parent Connection

Here is another wonderful Parent Connection Seminar-




Helping Children and Teens Cope with Anxiety


Anxiety can prevent children from being successful in and out of school. Learn the difference between normal and problem anxiety, and how to recognize the faces of anxiety, including worry, separation anxiety, school refusal, perfectionism, test anxiety, social anxiety, panic, obsessions and rituals. Then get proven, ready-to-use strategies and learn the Worry Hill® approach to help children overcome anxiety. Presented by Aureen Pinto Wagner, PhD, clinical child psychologist, courtesy of Parent Connection partners CHKD and the Kohl’s Foundation. Register on www.chkd.org or call 757-263-1936 for more information.






Thursday, February 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.


Larkspur Middle School


4696 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach

Water Science Lab

Our Rainbow Valley Friends learned so much during our water science lab yesterday.
The students had the opportunity to discover what will sink and float in water, how water flows, they created boats and had to see if theirs would float when they filled it up with pennies, made a tornadoe, discovered that liquids change shape and they discussed volume, and they loved seeing how a real water cycle worked. 

A big thank you to all of our wonderful parents who helped make this possible.
Alexander's Mom, Megan's Mom, Paige's Mom and Grandparents, Hollis' Mom, Katie's Mom and Dad, and Luke's Mom.  You really know how to make learning fun!