{The last day of school}

Tanner was totally cute this morning and was in the mood for pictures.   I can't believe another school year is over. 

{The A/R Wall}

All year the kids read books and took tests on those books.  The more books you tested on, the more points you earned (max of 0.5 per book in their level).  One of the last prizes is breakfast with the principals and then your name on the wall.   Here is a picture of the kid's name on the A/R Wall.  They were so excited to see their names up on the wall!!

{Luau}

The Principal of Jaedyn & Landon's Elementary School had a birthday.  The school told all the students they could dress up in Hawaii/Luau dress.  The Principal turned 40 and was celebrating by going to Hawaii.  It was a surprise to her that all the students would be dressed.  It was also the Q and U wedding in Landons class, so he was torn between the two dress ups.   Luau or Football.... so he did a little of both!

{Math Day}

Kindergarten had "Math Day" and Landon had a blast.  He got to go around and do fun things, like paint his hair, nails, computer time, watch a movie.  He loved it! 

Our Long-Term Sub is Leaving... :-(

Landon's teacher adopted a baby in November.  We have had the most AWESOME sub.   Landon loves her, I love her.  It will be sad to see her leave.  We are doing a little gift for her, and we took these pictures to go with it.

{A/R & Challenges}

If you ever wonder what I am doing after school with my kids, this is it.  It consumes a lot of my life.

First A/R - which stand for Accelerated Reader Program.  Every night we read a book or two at least 3 times to the kids.  The next day they take their A/R Folder back to school and are given a comprehension test on the book.  The test usually is 5 questions (some are 10 questions- hate those books).  They have to score a 60% or better to pass the test.  Based on their percentages they receive points, usually up to 0.5 points for the book levels they are reading.  They have a rewards schedule that they earn prizes based on how many points they receive.  

Second is Challenges.  This is a Kindergarten program, Jaedyn did her's last year.  Landon and I work hard at passing challenges.  He can test on one challenge per day.  Some challenges are easy for him, some are hard.  They deal with letter sounds, 3 dimensional shape names. counting to 100 by 1's, 2's, 5's & 10's.  Some challenges are very easy for Landon, some we really have to work on. 

Of course this is in addition to their regular homework.  Which granted isn't too bad.  We usually knock out our homework in one night and spend the rest of the week focusing on A/R & Challenges.

Here are the cuties with their folders!

{Polar Express Day @ School}

The Friday before Christmas break is "Polar Express Day".  The kids have a fun day, and get to wear their jammies to school.  The kids wore their matching snow man jammies to school.  Tanner has a dark blue pair just like them.  They will wear these Christmas morning while opening presents too!

{Coach of the Day}

Last week, both kids read enough books, and had enough points by taking comprehension tests on those books that they were both "Coach of the Day".  The school has a point system that they earn prizes for getting points on their "A/R" tests.  Some prizes are homework pass, ice cream pass, Hat, pencil sharpener, etc.  The higher in points you get, they have some really cool things.  The kids eventually get their names on the wall in the main hallway, a special program in the library, and even breakfast with the principals!!! 

Back to "Coach of the Day".  Landon was "Coach" on Tuesday and Jaedyn was "Coach" on Wednesday.  I'm not at the school on Tuesdays, so I didn't get any pictures of Landon, but luckily I was there on Wednesday and was able to snap a few pictures of Jaedyn.  First thing they get to do is pick out a whistle.  Then as each group comes into the gym, they introduce themselves on a microphone.  They tell their name, teacher and what grade they are in.  Sometimes they get to lead the opening exercises (stretches and stuff). 

By chance, Landon had PE on Wednesday so I caught a quick shot of him and his class.  They are playing dodgeball, they wait their turn then try and run across the gym without being tagged by a ball. 

Both of them loved it, and couldn't stop talking about it for days!

{Helping in Landon's Class}

Last week I was able to go into Landon's class and help them make gingerbread houses, decorate sugar cookies & decorate picture frames for Christmas.  The kids had so much fun, and lots of sugar!  I love being able to go into the classroom and hang out with my special guy!

{Thanksgiving Play & Feast}

Landon had his Thanksgiving Play & afterwards a feast in his classroom.  The play was very cute and the sang a few songs afterwards.  Landon was a Pilgrim Man & his part of the play was, every time the story said Pilgrim Men - he said bang-bang-bang.  There were a few different parts, and each part had something else to say.  Landon used to have stage fright, but he did really well!

[trying to wave hi, but being upstaged by the really cute "corn" girl in front of him]

[singing yum-yum-yum]

[bang-bang-bang]

[love that cutie smile!]

[and a Landon smile - love this boy, he is so cute]

[me and my Pilgrim Man!]

{Math Day}

Last week at the Elementary School they had Math Day.  It always happens right around Halloween, and is fall themed.  It is always focused on math concepts.  I helped during both the 1st grade math day and the Kindergarten Math day.  Because their was a high probability of rain (which it didn't) they held it indoors.  First Grade had theirs first, and in the cafeteria.  Kindergarten had theirs afterwards and in the kindergarten classrooms. 

Jaedyn had hers first.  They went around to different stations and did fun activities, like 100's puzzle chart, estimation, and other math concepts geared towards 1st grade.  They made paper bags that they carried with them to collect all their prizes into. 

 [showing off the bracelet she made!]

Landon's activities were geared towards Kindergarten math concepts.  They were not as structured as the 1st graders and did not give out prizes and treats.  They were free to roam the classrooms and do whatever they wanted.  The kids had a lot of fun!

 

{Cagle Dairy Farm - A Field Trip}

Landon and his class had a field trip to Cagle Dairy Farm.  I wanted to chaperone, but so did 1/2 the parents in his class.  His teacher pulled names out of a hat and did not draw mine.  Oh well.....  so I thought.  The morning of the field trip I get an email really, really early (she knows I am never far from my phone) saying a parent can't come, can I be at school by 8:30.  I text my mother-in-law to watch Tanner and to my surprise, she calls me back.  She should be sleeping, because unless you are getting kids off to school, why are you awake sooo early???  Anyways....  So Landon is so excited that I can go on the field trip with him.  We load onto the bus, and go to Cagle Dairy Farm. 

We separate into groups, this makes it much easier to keep track of the kids.  I had 4 kids in my group, including Landon.  The kids all pile onto a Hay Ride, where we go see a man named Isaac and his dog.  He shows us how his dog "herds" the sheep and the cows.  The kids love it, the cows come right up to the Wagon we are riding.

After the hay ride was over, we went over and got to see some animals.  They gave the kids some food for the animals so they could feed them.  They had cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and ducks.  You weren't allowed to feed the chickens or the turkeys because they would peck at your fingers.   By the time we got to them, they weren't very hungry still.  But the kids had fun anyways.

Then they went to see a demonstration on how they milk the cows at the Farm.  The kids even got to stick their thumbs into the machine that hooks on the utters of the cow.  Landon was too scared to put his thumbs into the machine, so he let it suction on his hands.

Then the field trip was pretty much done.  The kids got go pick out their pumpkins, eat some lunch and take some pictures.  They played duck, duck, goose while waiting for the buses to take us back. 

On the bus, I asked Landon if he had a good time.  You be the judge!