Merry CHRISTmas! :)

Hello, dear parents!  WHEW!  What a week!  We have been busy, and had loads of fun celebrating CHRISTmas in all that we did this week!  I am so thankful for all of you and your help!  I have placed some really great pictures form this week on our blog, so please check them out when you have the time! 

 CHRISTMAS ADVENT SERVICE-We shared the message of Jesus birth so beautifully on Wednesday evening!  Thank you for supporting us and worshipping with us! 

 POLAR EXPRESS PARTY-We had some fun yesterday hot chocolating it up and watching Polar Express in our pj’s!

 BOWLING/CAROLING-We had a blast bowling and caroling today, and we did a beautiful job sharing God’s message at Benton House!  I was proud of how our kids witnessed, and how well-behaved they were!

 LANGUAGE ARTS-Each student picked out a Christmas story to read this week, and worked on studying cause/effect, character development, and finding the rising action and falling action. 

 MATH-This week, most of us mastered long division!  We worked on it almost daily, and I think we have the hang of it!  We have also been working on 10s and 11s in mad minutes and worked with graphing this week. 

 SCIENCE-We shared our cell posters this week, and finished our experiment with celery to learn how plants take in nutrients.

 *The end of the 2nd quarter is TODAY!  Report cards will come home after Christmas Break. 

 BASKETBALL-If you have not had enough to do this week, :) and want to come and cheer on our Rams tonight, please do so!  We are having home games and we are honoring our awesome 8^th graders!

Friday, December 20 @ Timothy

(ALL 8th grade athlete recognition before the 7 pm game)

6 pm:  Timothy 5/6  G vs. Bethany 5/6 G

7 pm:  Timothy 7/8 G vs. Bethany 7/8 G

8 pm: Timothy 5/6 B vs. Bethany 5/6 B

 This SUNDAY, December 22nd—4th Graders have been asked to help out at our 9 am church service.   Please let me know if your child will be able to attend, so I can make sure we have enough to help.  Thank you!  Students just need to arrive by 8:45, greet people at the door, hand out bulletins, and help with the offering.  Then, stay throughout the service to worship, and then greet people for the 10:30 service.  After this, we are welcome to go!  If you are able to make it to any or all of this day, please let me know.  This is a wonderful way for our 4th graders to serve!  THANK YOU! 

 Please join us for WORSHIP-

Christmas Eve Services:  4:00 pm (Contemporary), 6:00 pm (Traditional) & 9 pm (Candlelight Service with Holy Communion)

Christmas Day:  Sat., Dec. 25, 10am (with Holy Communion)

 *I want wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I count you and your kiddos all amongst my many blessings, and you all will be in my thoughts and prayers!  See you on the 6th.  :)  Love you all!

Love,

Mrs. Brunkhorst

JESUS is the Reason for the Season!

 

A gift from a special kiddo... :)

3rd grade hosted Chapel this week, and they did a great job!

Hi, Parents! It was a busy and fun week!   Today, we saw the play “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” at the City Stage in Union Station.  It was WONDERFUL!  What a great paly about the true meaning of CHRISTmas!  Thank you to all of our adult volunteers.  It was a fun morning! 

 Next Friday is the end of the quarter, and students have been working hard to get work finished.  Report cards will come home after Christmas Break. 

 

There are A LOT of fun things coming up!  Please see below:

WEDNESDAY-The school is hosting the Advent Service  entitled, “Sacred Songs of Christmas Service.” at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 18th.  Students need to be in their classrooms at 5:30.  4th graders are angels, and they have been fitted for outfits here at school.  I am taking them home to iron them this weekend!  The white material is thin, so if your child has a white shirt or dress, this would be most helpful.  Even, a white shirt and black pants or skirt would be appropriate.  They will put this robe over their clothes in the classroom before the service.   Your student has also been given a short speaking part, which they brought home to practice.  I have attached these parts too.  They don’t need to be memorized, as we will have the paper up on the stage for them, but some shared that they wanted to memorize it.  :)  We are excited to prepare and celebrate Jesus’ birth with you!

 THURSDAY-4th Grade POLAR EXPRESS PARTY-DECEMBER 19th!  Kiddos can wear their pajamas to school, (please wear or send tennis shoes too!) and we will watch the movie in the afternoon with some hot cocoa and candy canes!  Blankets and pillows are welcome for this fun day.

 FRIDAY-ALL-SCHOOL BOWLING AND CAROLING TRIP!  The whole school will head to Lunar Bowl in the morning.  (10:00-noon) Kiddos need to wear tennis shoes this day!  We will return to school for lunch.  After lunch, (1:30) we will be going caroling at local nursing homes, and 4th grade is heading to Benton House (1701 NW Jefferson Street.)  I have permission slips from all but 5 of the kiddos.  (They are due on Monday, please.)  If you are able to help out with transportation that day, it would be much appreciated.  We need all hands on deck!   

 SUNDAY, December 22^nd—4^th Graders have been asked to help out at our 9 am church service.   Please let me know if your child will be able to attend, so I can make sure we have enough to help.  Thank you!  Students just need to arrive by 8:45, greet people at the door, hand out bulletins, and help with the offering.  Then, stay throughout the service to worship, and then greet people for the 10:30 service.  After this, we are welcome to go!  If you are able to make it to any or all of this day, please let me know.  This is a wonderful way for our 4^th graders to serve!  THANK YOU! 

Here is what we have been up to this week:

RELIGION- This week, we covered the 7^th commandment and what it means to steal.  We reviewed the story of Zaccheaus and learned the story of Achan, who disobeyed God and stole from Jericho.  We also discussed the discipleship of Matthew and how God called him to be one of his own followers and to spread the God News or our Savior.  We are called to do the same! 

 Upcoming MEMORY-

12/17- THE TENTH COMMANDMENT

You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

 12/20- What does this mean?  We should fear and love God so that we do not entice or force away our neighbor’s wife, workers, or animals, or turn them against him, but urge them to stay and do their duty.

 LANGUAGE ARTS- We read the wonderful biography of Jose Limon, an immigrant dancer, who overcame and persevered, an eventually owned one of the greatest dance companies in the U.S.  In this selection, we learned some Spanish terms, and learned about the Mexican civil war.  We reviewed skills such compare/contrast, cause and effect, and how to use context clues to figure our answers. 

 We will not have SPELLING WORDS next week. 

 MATH- This week, we have been working with longer division and how to use the dividend and divisor to make sense of word problems.  Next week, we will gain an understanding of what remainders are and how to interpret them.  We will tackle long division before Christmas Break!  I am proud of how hard all of these kiddos are working!  We are on our 9’s in mad minutes.   

 SCIENCE-We are working in groups to review the parts of animal and plant cells.  These groups are creating posters to share this knowledge with the class.  These will be completed next week.  We also did an experiment with celery to learn how plants take in nutrients.  Our noggins are growing!  ;)

 

SPECIAL CLASSES

ART- This week, we worked on beautiful gifts for YOU! 

MUSIC- We have been practicing, practicing, practicing songs for the Advent Service! 

P.E.- We learned how to play Knockout and RAM this week.  (Just like HORSE!)

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP- We wrote and illustrated a book called “B is for Bethlehem.”  We will share this poem when we carol on Friday. 

 Have a wonderful weekend!

God's Blessings,

Kim 

December is Here!

 Hi, Parents!  It was SO GOOD to see your kiddos again!  I missed them!  I am sending this a day early as I am headed to Nashville tomorrow for a wedding.  Ms. MacLean will be with the kiddos tomorrow.  :)

 There are A LOT of fun things coming up!  Please see below:

 *FIELD TRIP NOTICE!   Next Friday, December 13th, we will be headed to see “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” at the Theatre for Young America at Union Station in Kansas City.   I have reserved 28 tickets.  We will need some drivers to get there and back.  I have the link for the sign-up.  Please check if your student is coming, and if you are able to come and drive.  We will be leaving school at 8:45 and returning by noon.  We will eat sack lunches in our classroom upon return.  Thank you!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4DADAB2DA7F58-thebest

*Preparation has begun for our “Sacred Songs of Christmas Service.” At 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 18th, you will hear and see the Nativity Story. Students will be dressed in attire that fits the telling and singing of God sending us the gift of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 4th graders will be wearing white angel robes, which we have here at school.  Nice “Christmas” attire can be worn underneath!  They will put this robe over their clothes in the classroom before the service.   Thank you!

Your student has also been given a short speaking part, which they will bring home to practice.  We are excited to prepare and celebrate Jesus’ birth with you!

*4^th Grade POLAR EXPRESS PARTY-DECEMBER 19th!  We will be reading books by Chris VanAllsburg, ending with “The Polar Express.”  On the 20th, the kiddos can wear their pajamas to school, (please wear or send tennis shoes too!) and we will watch the movie in the afternoon with some hot cocoa and candy canes!  Blankets and pillows are welcome for this fun day.

*ALL-SCHOOL BOWLING AND CAROLING TRIP-ALL STUDENTS INVITED-DECEMBER 20th!  We are SO excited for this!  The whole school will head to Lunar Bowl in the morning.  We will return to school for lunch.  After lunch, we will be going caroling at local nursing homes, but these are not finalized yet.  We will get back to you!  Drivers will be needed for both events, so please mark your calendars.  Thank you!

 

Here is what we have been up to this week:

RELIGION- We discussed the 6^th and 7^th commandments this week, and how they apply to our lives.  We also learned about Simeon and Hannah and how they believed in God’s promises.  We discussed character traits of Jesus and the traits that Christians should have.  We also talked about John the Baptista and how he was a “forerunner” for Jesus.  This week, we have had fun “finding our wisemen” and reading the Advent devotions that go with them.  It has been a Christmas-filled week in our classroom! 

MEMORY-

12/10- betray him, slander him, or hurt his reputation, but defend him, speak well of him, and explain everything in the kindest way.

12/13- THE NINTH COMMANDMENT

You shall not covet your neighbor’s house.  What does this mean?  We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance or house,  or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to him in keeping it.

LANGUAGE ARTS- We began and finished the chapter book, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!”  It is fun for me to hear the little gasps of surprise and the laughter when these kiddos are reading!  It is fun to see them so enthralled in a book!  We read together, independently, and with partners, and quizzed over each chapter.  We also focused on the vocabulary /spelling words from this story.  We shared fantasy book reports this week and information about January’s book report over a historical fiction novel came home on Wednesday.  I am reading “The Indian in the Cupboard” by Lynn Reid Bands to the kiddos during DEAR time, and they LOVE it!  It is quite an entertaining book!

 

SPELLING WORDS for Friday, from “Jose! Born to Dance” – learn, dirty, worn, sore, thirst, burn, record, cure, board, course, worth, early, return, pure, world, search, worse, thirteen, sport, current, curious, thorough, *aghast

MATH-I am so proud of these kiddos, and the strides they are taking in math.  It is tough, but they are working hard and getting the hang of it!  This week, we are on 9’s in mad minutes, and we also reviewed how to multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by 1 digit.  We learned how to regroup, estimate products, and how to use this knowledge in real-world situations.  We tested over Unit 6 this week. 

SCIENCE-We finally began our next Science unit this week!  We talked about scientists and how they use Scientific Process to discover and things and answer questions.  Yesterday, we worked as scientists, and tried to solve a “real-world” problem together.  Problem: Build a bridge of a certain distance, out of set amount of materials, to hold a plastic cup of 20 pennies.  I witnessed amazing teamwork, great conversation, and much success!   Check out our pictures on our blog!  Next week, we will begin learning about living things.

 

SPECIAL CLASSES

ART- We made pictures that look like stained glass that depict the Nativity!  We called these “Star of Wonder.”  They are hanging in the hallway outside of our classroom.  Please come and check them out.

 

MUSIC- We are practicing the songs for our upcoming  Christmas service. 

P.E.- We used our basketball skills of dribbling, passing, and shooting to do several drills with partners this week. 

WRITERS’ WORKSHOP- We wrote and illustrated a book called “B is for Bethlehem.” 

COMPUTER LAB- We used Google Docs to make menus.  :)

 

Have a beautiful weekend!

God's Blessings,

Kim Brunkhorst