Klipazon

You know about Amazon, right? But did you know there is a such thing as Klipzon!? Let us tell you a little bit about this awesome online shopping spree. In Klipazon you can’t pay with regular boring American dollars, you have to pay with the one of a kind Klipfel Cash! To get Klipfel Cash you have to earn it by working hard, being kind, being responsible, and showing respect to others, etc.

Now you are probably wondering what we buy with this magical money. A few things are….

• Monkey business $20: Which is when you get the adorable monkey/class mascot Mango for the day! He squeaks with the class and is just a little rascal!

• Klipa Kazillions Ticket $5: When you buy this you get a ticket and get to choose 3 numbers 1-6, then one other number for the Kapow number. To win, Miss. Klipfel has to roll a dice and your 3 digit number has to be rolled in the EXACT order. If that happens you will get the jackpot of KLIPFEL CASH!!!! But if you don’t get the jackpot, you still have a chance to get $6 from your Kapow number.
• Miss Klipfel’s Assistant $25: Which is when you get to help Miss. Klipfel for the day! Say she is going to spin the spinner, YOU would spin it.

Those are just a few things that you could buy on Klipazon. We also love Fluffy Chair, Smelly Shoes and Hoop Time. Once we make a purchase, we wait for the shipment to come in. Miss Klipfel gives us a certificate in exchange for our Klipfel Cash. Maybe you will buy something one day!

Written by Guest Bloggers: Gabby & Ria

Student-Led Conferences

Klipfel & Kids' second year of student-led conferences is complete and WOW am I one impressed and proud teacher!

In order to make our student-led conferences even possible students and teachers have been hard at work preparing. We started with a reflection and asked ourselves what's been going well? What have the challenges been? What have we learned and where have our strengths been? We completed this not only for each subject matter but also in our competency areas. We made a chart and brainstormed together to get our juices flowing.

After we had a lot of different ideas on our charts, we were ready to begin working on our own digital portfolios. Using Google Classroom each student had an individual copy of their digital portfolio to complete. Slides included areas for students to fill in where they glow and need to grow, space to reflect on specialist classes along with our Howe-Manning core values. Students then selected work samples they were proud of and others that represented the challenge they have overcome. Students and teachers conferenced and developed two specific measurable goals for the next term. This was by far the most rewarding part for myself and students as we had agreed upon language and clear goals moving forward.

Once our portfolios were complete it was time to practice. Ms. Brown's class and our homeroom became each others "parents" so everyone could practice presenting. We of course also had to practice with the clicker and laser pointer (which was a major highlight for students).

Finally, students were ready to lead their conferences and share their learning. Even with a few slight nerves, students absolutely rocked their conferences. Students were so proud of their work and parents were nothing but impressed with their skills. As I sat through conferences I was beyond impressed with everything students have learned and shared during our first trimester (and I was there every day with them!) not to mention their ability to speak and present so clearly.

Thank you to all students and parents for supporting your child as they SHINED during their first student-led conference! I am looking forward to our second round of student-led conferences in the spring.

Disney Day

Today Howe-Manning 4th graders got to experience one magical day! In honor of Mickey Mouse's 91st birthday, we all headed to Disney (Disney Middleton that is). Students traveled around Disney's magical lands, meeting different characters and reviewing skills across the subject areas.

While visiting Tomorrowland with Kylo Ren (aka Mr. Husson) students designed a Disney ride of the future. Using their science knowledge especially everything they have been learning about energy students used lego kits to motorize and build their ride.

With Ms. Shypula in Fantasyland students used the perspective of a Disney character to write a thankful letter to another character. They also got to plan and design a Thanksgiving feast for their chosen invited guests. My guess is Ariel is bringing fish sticks!

With Mickey Mouse (aka Miss Klipfel) students practiced their geography skills. For Mickey's birthday, Minnie Mouse planned him a spectacular trip around the Northeast Region of the United States. Students used iPads to scan QR codes which led them to letters from Minnie and clues for where she was taking Mickey on their trip.

In Adventureland with Ms. Brown students put their mathematical skills to the test. Mickey's grandmother was sick so she was unable to birthday shop for him. She gave students $250 to help her do the shopping. Students had to round prices and try to spend ALL of her money. Looks like Mickey is getting some wonderful birthday presents.

Minnie Mouse (aka Mrs. Weeks) exposed students to the many frontiers she has encountered in Cinderella's books from all around the world. Students listened to stories and then practiced with plot to figure out the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Students then worked in groups to compare their stories from around the world.

A special thanks to Miss Mountain our blog-tographer for our blog post pictures. Until tomorrow 4th graders, we might not be at Disney but it is sure to be magical. 

All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.

-Walt Disney

Focus Standards:

Tomorrowland: Energy-Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another.

Fantasyland: Engineering Design-Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

Magic Kingdom: Know and apply map and globe skills.

Frontierland: RL 4.9 Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g., opposition of good and evil) and patterns of events (e.g., the quest) in stories from different cultures.

Adventureland: NBT.A.3Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.