Check Your Church Calendars...

Okay, okay, for all you careful readers out there, we are starting ADVENT, not LENT on Sunday. Enjoy your first Sunday in ADVENT.

(At least I got the "Coming of a Savior" part right.)

Happy Wednesday Before Thanksgiving

The 39 Clues - Our Read Aloud Book and Future Activities
Today we finished The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan, the first book in The 39 Clues series. It has been a wild ride. What a story! Our main characters went from Boston to Philadelphia to Paris, places where Ben Franklin lived, and now they are on their way to Vienna, Austria to learn something about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Book two in the series, One False Note by Gordon Korman, is scheduled to be released next week on Tuesday.

Just in case . . . I called Book World in town and said there might be some interested children coming their way looking for the second book. I've already reserved mine, so hopefully it will be there on Tuesday.

Next week I'm planning a large activity for reading and English class around the books. We will be doing research about famous historical people, more reading and writing, code breaking, and dot connecting, so to speak. Instead of letting the excitement over the books just fade away, I thought I'd try to harness it and teach them something along the way.

The 39 Clues website has information about the books and additional clues for readers to solve. There are also collectable cards that can be used on the website. Basically, there's a TON of information, all scattered around. It is the kids' job to decipher it, organize it, and solve the mystery. And we're going to try.

In Other News...
Parade This Friday - Friday night is the Parade in Wisconsin Rapids. Mr. Betts is looking for people willing to walk the route with some Immanuel handouts. Hey! We can be in a parade! Time to practice that parade wave. I'm planning on being there, so maybe we'll see you.

Next week - At-Home memory assignments will continue with Q2W4, but the at school memory will focus on the Christmas program. Students are bringing home the lyrics today.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and first Sunday in Lent as we ready our hearts for the coming of a Savior this Christmas!

Monday, 11/24 News

Food Offerings for Chapel
We are currently collecting non-perishable food for the local food pantry. Offerings can be brought in any time, and on Wednesdays they will be taken to chapel as part of our offering.

Items for Iraqi Children and Our Troops
A note went home last week about donations for Iraqi children and the troops stationed in Iraq. Some items for the children include soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, small toys like Hotwheels or Beanie Babies, children’s clothes, and school supplies (scissors, rulers, pens, pencils, etc.)

Students may also include cards or letters to American Troops. Another option would be to simply donate money to go towards postage to mail the boxes.

Culver's Night
Tuesday night is Culver's Night. Ten percent of all proceeds go back to school, and there's always someone you know to eat with and talk to.

T-Shirt Day
This Wednesday has been declared a "Wear-Your-White-Vine/Branches-Immanuel-Shirt-To-School" Day. (Is more explanation needed?)

Recess Clothes
It's that time of year. Please make sure your child has necessary items for recess. All children should have boots, snowpants, jackets, hats, and mittens. Even though it hasn't been snowy, it's still been cold. Too many kids go outside wearing a sweatshirt and then say, "Can I go in and get my hat and mittens?" Once the snow flies, children aren't allowed on the snow without the proper clothing. Thanks.

Here's the Story

Yesterday I had to leave school at midday. You may have heard a story involving Mr. Wilhorn, Texas, airports, a heart attack, my mother, and my grandmother. Here's the story, and I'm sorry if you received another version. Stories sometimes lose their accuracy on the way home.

My grandmother had a heart attack early Monday morning. She was taken to Riverview and immediately transferred to Marshfield.

May parents are in Texas on vacation. My mother flew home to be with my grandmother - her mother. I needed to drive to Minneapolis to pick up my mother from the airport.

To answer the next question: She's doing better than could be expected at this point. Once they got the blocked artery cleared, she immediately felt better. She arrived at the hospital Monday morning, and by Monday afternoon she was asking about going home the next day. The doctors still wanted her in the critical care unit overnight, but she was asking about going home. I'll find out more today after I talk to my mom.

Thanks for your prayers.

Friday, 11/14 Newsletter

Muffins with Mom
Our annual get together for moms and grandmothers and kids is next week on Wednesday morning. The morning starts at 8:00. Consider coming and staying for chapel at 8:50.

The Upcoming Week

Memory - At home: Q2W2 slips At School: The 7th Commandment and meaning. Students may break it into two parts (the first part up to "...or possessions.") or say it all at once. In the end I'd still like students to say it all at once.

Religion - The coming of Jesus

Reading - Theme 2 Unit wrap-up.

English - Writing

Math - Numbers through hundred millions, mixed numbers, money

Science - Weather

Social Studies - Finish the Northeast states. Current events and more Wisconsin history.

Spelling - Unit 11 ground, frown, downtown, bounced, council, about, scout, counter, background, amount, bound, shower Additional words: mountain, county, cloud, south Bonus words: thousand, allowance

Coming Home Today

Due to a combination of not handing papers out and not emptying take-home folders and not checking mailboxes (and probably some other stuff), today, finally, there is a ton of student work coming home. Be sure to ask your fourth grader about it.

November Book Order

First, a couple notes for parents.

• The book order is due on Friday, 11/14.
• Cash and checks both work, but a check to the book order company works best for me.
• Since the Christmas season is coming, I can keep orders secret for you. (I won't tell the kids this, and I'm willing to stretch the truth for you. No BIG lies, however!)

And now, books I can recommend from the November book order.

• The City of Ember
• Knee-Knock Rise
• Chronicles of Narnia
• Number the Stars
• The 39 Clues, Book One: The Maze of Bones (our current read-aloud)
• The Kid Who Became President
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Books 1 & 2

And now, books I know something about or by authors I am familiar with, but haven't read. Yet.

• The Homework Machine
• Miracle on 49th Street
• Magical Girls Trio - I have read Princess Acadamy, but not the other two.
• Main Street Series
• Snot Stew - Dick King-Smith write enjoyable animal stories.
• Deltora Quest Boxed Set - I've heard that it is a fun adventure/fantasy series.
• The Shadow Children Collection - potentially tough for fourth graders, but again, I've heard that it is very exciting and adventurous.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Just a reminder that parent/teacher conferences start tonight. Everyone should have received a note with your night and time. If you didn't, send me a message and I'll let you know right away.

When you arrive, report cards will be in envelopes outside the room. Feel free to take it before the conference. You can even get it early if you are headed to another child's conference.

Finally, there will be a little contest in the hallway with some student work. If you want, take an entry form, do your best, and turn it in. Everything you'll need will be in the hall.

See you tonight (or Tuesday or Thursday).

On Our Way To Dig Up the Past

Here we are on our way to the excavation site, ready to be archeologists and dig up some history.

Good Morning!

Here we all are, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a great night's sleep and on our way to breakfast.

Coming Home Tonight - Tuesday, 11/4

Here is a list of all the important stuff coming home tonight:

• Orange parent/teacher conference note telling date and time of conference.
• Final CWES field trip note.
• Election Information - state electoral votes map, poll closing times chart, and "scorecard"
• Quarter 2 Week 1 memory slip
• All second quarter memory (which we start next week with the 6th and 7th commandment.)
• Spelling List 10
• And maybe something else I'm forgetting, but I think I got it all.

Have a great night, don't stay up too late watching the election results, and see you in the morning at 8:15.