Our Heard Museum Field Trip: Learning about the Native People of Arizona!

This week we explored the native cultures and art of Arizona at the Heard Museum! The Heard was a great field trip which correlated with our current studies of the Native Americans of AZ.

We really enjoyed the journey we took, via our personal guide, through the Southwest and the vibrant arts and cultures of Native people.

We saw jewelry, cultural items, pottery, baskets, textiles, beadwork, a Navajo hogan, Hopi katsina dolls , and a 30-foot stunning glass and clay art fence by local artist Tony Jojola. We were able to try out a traditional pump drill and also create a bracelet using handmade beads! During our lunch, we were entertained as two men practiced hoop dancing!

We learned a lot, and the students were on their BEST behavior, as usual! It was another successful field trip! Thanks to Hiba's mom for sharing the pictures she took during the trip!

The fence...

Beading...

Trying out a pump drill...

Hoop Dancing....

The Students' Generosity Makes For a Wonderful Christmas...

We raised enough money this holiday season to purchase some GREAT things for our "Christmas Angel!" I was able to bring in the items that the generous donations allowed us to buy! In addition, each family registered not only received gifts for their children, but a food box which contained enough food to feed a family of four for one week.

The students were so enthusiastic throughout the process! I love that we were able to help the less fortunate this holiday season! What a super way to end 2008!

Lilia, our angel, received a bike, helmet, clothes, gloves, sneakers, and "girly" things!

Giving to the Less Fortunate this Holiday Season! Our X-Mas Angel!

Every year I get a "Christmas Angel" for our classroom. We talk about how fortunate we are and that there are children, of the same age, who are not as lucky!

The children have been generously donating to our fund. Before winter break, after all money has been contributed, I will go out and buy what is on the child's list. Before it is sent off, the kids will actually get to see what their contributions made possible!

This program is awesome because each family registered receives gifts for their children and a food box, which contains enough food to feed a family of four for one week.

We have a collection jar in our classroom and it is ALREADY VERY FULL! The students are so enthusiastic and are really getting into bringing in ANYTHING they can!!!

We will be collecting money until this Thursday! This is what it looks like so far!!!

Over $160 already!!!

Donating!

Everyone has been so generous!

Sparkle!

Sparkle is a game we play each week to practice our spelling words! It involves paying attention and working in cooperation with the other students! It is the one and only time the kids get to SIT on their desks! They LOVE IT!!! Ask your child about this fun game we created!!!

It was an exciting game of Sparkle today! We were reviewing for our spelling test which is tomorrow!

Goofing around for the camera!

Down to the last 2 sitting...

It's a battle!

Gabe had the Sparkle bag at one point during the game! The person with the Sparkle bag at the end gets a little prize!

One Minute Reading!

One Minute Reading is a fun daily practice activity we do with partners to improve reading fluency, speed, and expression! Here are some pictures of the students in action!