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November 2009

State Fair
Outside the State Fair, getting ready to go in and check it all out.

Checking out the circus at the State Fair. We were literally in the very front row!

Petting one of the baby calves at the livestock show

Riding the Ferris Wheel, and the view from the top...

Kaira and her first Funnel Cake!

Kaira riding her roller coaster

The view of the lights after dark

The Budding Scientist
Kaira playing with her microscope

More Butterflies
More butterfly cupcakes... this time for a friend's birthday (she specially requested the pink/purple combo). Getting good at these things! :)

Report Card
This is the first grading period in which Kaira has actually taken tests that were graded. Every Friday, they take a test in each of the subjects (they call it Quiz Bowl Friday). The first 9 weeks of school were just practice to get used to the idea of taking these 'quizzes'. The kids still took them, but they weren't for a grade. For 1st grade, they are easing them into the idea of grades, and instead of using the traditional A/B/C scale, they use...
O = outstanding (100-93%) = A
S+ = above satisfactory (92-86%) = B
S = satisfactory (85-79%) = C
S- = below satisfactory (79-72%) = D
U = unsatisfactory (<72%) = F

Kaira's report card.... straight A's!!! Way to go, kiddo! (Also perfect attendance!)

A Day at School
I got finished with school early one day, and decided to join Kaira for lunch at school. The original plan was just to stay to each lunch with her, and then head back home to study until it was time to pick her up. But I ended up having so much fun hanging out at school that before I knew it, it was 3 o'clock already. It was fun to get to see what her class does all day.

Kaira and some of her friends eating lunch

It was Veteran's Day, so one of the other 1st graders had his grandpa, who was a veteran, come in to talk to the class.

The kids hard at work... the class sitting on the rug learning new sight words and phonics sounds... and a close-up of the board behind Ms. Vowels (things that they go over in 'Morning Meeting' everyday).

One of the math problems set up at the Math Center (the kids have Center time every day, where they rotate through different stations).

Using the SmartBoard to practice phonics
(the SmartBoard is a combination between a projection screen, a white board, and a touch screen computer - very interactive, and very awesome! The kids LOVE to play with it.)

Using the SmartBoard to look up a picture of a particular dinosaur they were just reading about (the SmartBoard is also connected to the internet, so they can use it to look up things they were studying, like the topic for this week - dinosaurs!)

Kaira and her classmate, Emily, playing at one of the other 'centers'. This week it was stocked with dinosaurs to play with (changes from week to week, depending on the theme being studied).

Field Trip!
Kaira and her class took a trip to one of the local hospitals. They got to take turns doing various 'jobs', ranging from receptionist to radiologist to surgeon!

Thanksgiving Blessing
Kaira & I volunteered to help out collecting and sorting food for the local "Turkey Toss" (food baskets for Thanksgiving for those in need). She actually had a ton of fun helping sort cans. The amount of food was absolutely incredible! 1250 packets of gravy mix, a couple thousand cans of veggies, etc... There were tables upon tables in this gym set up that were just covered with the donated food. Amazing!

Operation Christmas Child
My class decided for a class service project to participate in Operation Christmas Child. Basically student fill up shoeboxes with various items to be given to children all over the world who wouldn't otherwise get to celebrate Christmas. Our class goal was to get together at least 30 boxes to send off... and our final count was just over 40! Myself and a couple of friends all threw in some money to buy things to fill up three shoeboxes worth, and Kaira and I were the 'shoppers' for the group. She really enjoyed picking out things to put into the boxes. We could select boy or girl, and an age group... so did one box each for Boy 2-4, Girl 2-4, and Girl 5-9. Kaira, of course, had the most fun picking out things for a girl her own age. She also drew Christmas cards to be included in the box. There was also an option to include personal info - a letter, picture or address, so that the child who receives the box can write back if wanted. We included a note and address in the box for the girl Kaira's age... so we will have to wait and see after Christmas if we hear back from her.

Kaira with our boxes... and cards that she drew...

A peek inside our boxes...
We included toys, PlayDoh, pencils/crayons with something to draw/write on, toothbrush & toothpaste, and a hat and gloves set in each box, along with other assorted goodies.
In the first box, that bright blue bag, I think was actually supposed to be a cosmetic case - but Kaira decided it was a purse and proclaimed 'this is so beautiful!'.
She also declared the glittery pink headband in that box a perfect gift as well :)

Animal Shelter
Kaira and I recently started volunteering at the local animal shelter. It is a great way for her to express her love for animals without us expanding our current collection at the house (2 dogs and a cat are enough!). It's a good plan... we get to go play with as many of the dogs and cats as we like... then leave them there when we are done (however, I have a soft spot for stray animals, and fear I will be compelled to take one home sooner or later... must resist!). I didn't realize until posting these pictures that the three I happened to take pictures of (Kaira & I plus my friend Jacq walked a total of 10 dogs this day!) are all very similar in color. The first three pictures are three different dogs. The last two are the same dog, and Kaira's favorite of the day.