Viewing: Class Updates
September 5, 2012
Get in touch with Mr. Moss!
Kids: If you want to message me, you can use the “Message Mr. Moss” contact form to email me, even if you don’t have an email address yourself. Just click on this link (below) or go to:
tinyurl.com/emailmoss
Kids, here are some rules you need to remember: You must ALWAYS have your Aunt Petunia‘s permission before using the computer to go online for a school project or assignment. If you want me to reply, please give me your Aunt Petunia’s email address in your message to me, even if you know I already have it. I will not email you at a personal email account – all of my responses will go to your Aunt Petunia’s account. (Or, I will CC your Aunt Petunia if emailing you directly.) Remember to include your name so that I know who is writing to me, and remember that you are responsible for your actions online. This contact form is for YOU to use to email me – not for your friends, cousins, neighbors, or pet armadillos. Your parents can email me by using my normal email address. (You can also email me directly and can skip this form, but again, I will always include your Aunt Petunias when I reply.)
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
September 5, 2012
A successful first day!
Our first day of school went wonderfully! This year, we have a terrific class of 21 students, and I enjoyed getting to meet everyone. Over the next few weeks, you can expect to see a few web posts introducing some of the different teachers who will work with your students, explaining class routines, and addressing other topics. I will also share a lot of information at the open house/curriculum night for families (adults only, please) on Thursday night between 7:05 and 7:35pm. I hope you’re able to attend!
One of the most important things to accomplish at the start of a new school year is the development of a positive classroom climate. I work to create a class environment where students feel comfortable enough to share ideas and to take academic risks in front of their peers and teachers. Yesterday, kids had the opportunity to ask me any questions they had, and I enjoyed having the opportunity to share information about the school year and our class. Our school is focusing on lunch room climate this year, and we spent a bit of time yesterday morning reviewing cafeteria routines (several of which are new to the students this year). In the afternoon, our class joined the rest of the school in the courtyard for the annual bell-ringing ceremony. With the necessary tasks of practicing fire drills, sorting supplies, and distributing materials, there was little time left for class discussions and getting-to-know-you activities.
Today, we talked about my expectations for students’ citizenship, and we had a great conversation about students’ favorite books. (This will serve as a lead-in for a lesson about choosing books from our class library this afternoon.) The students are at art right now, and they will work on a few activities later today that will allow them to share a bit more about themselves with the rest of the class.
Here are a few friendly reminders:
Please remember to return all medical, directory, and emergency dismissal forms as soon as possible. Please also try to return the student technology survey to me at your earliest convenience. All student summer reading logs are due Friday morning. Remember, reading logs do not need to be on a formal log form and can be written on any paper.
We have snack each day, and students are invited (and encouraged) to bring in a healthy snack to enjoy. All students are welcome to keep a water bottle at their desks, as long as it goes home every night or two for cleaning. Our classroom’s temperature can fluctuate, and I encourage students to keep a sweater or sweatshirt in their lockers for when it gets a bit cool in our room. Students are welcome to celebrate their birthdays with the class and may bring in treats to share. I ask that families email me in advance of sending in treats and that ALL birthday treats are easily distributable without needing to be cut or sliced.
See you Thursday night!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
August 19, 2012
Welcome to Fourth Grade!
Hello! Welcome to the online home of PGS Room 209. During the school year, I will update this web site regularly with information about activities happening in Room 209, bulletins and news items, current events related to what we’re studying in social studies, online assignments, and much more.
About Me
I graduated from the University of Rhode Island summa cum laude in 2004 and have a degree in Elementary Education and Psychology. I also have a Masters Degree in Educational Technology at Central Connecticut State University‘s Center for Innovation in Teaching and Technology. In addition to my teaching role at Pine Grove School, I am our school’s lead educational technology teacher and work to help teachers integrate technology into their teaching in meaningful and valuable ways.
This will be my ninth year teaching at Pine Grove School. I taught third grade at PGS for five years before moving to fourth grade. While at URI, I taught grades 3, 4, and 5. I have also taught kindergarten, first, and second grade summer school, and I have interned with an elementary school principal in East Hartford. I have a background in experimental research in the field of social psychology, so you’ll probably see my interest in research and statistics come through this year during math lessons!
Charlie and I after he got his first haircut this summer!
I live locally with my wife, my son (Charlie), and our dog (Rimley). In my spare time, I like working on home improvement projects, making things in my woodworking shop, finding “good eats” at local farmers’ markets, or just relaxing by cooking, listening to old time radio shows from the 1940s and 50s, reading comic books, or watching the news. I collect old reel to-reel tapes of music, antique or unusual telephones, and all things related to Star Trek.
I enjoy tinkering with my computer and coming up with interesting ways in which I can use technology in the classroom. (You can definitely expect to use computers a lot in Room 209! I enjoy using computers, our class’ SMART Board, and other technologies while teaching.) Of course, I also love watching my favorite sports team, the Boston Red Sox! (Don’t worry Yankees fans, I promise not to be mean!)
It’s going to be a great year in fourth grade. There are so many new things to learn, and there are some really interesting activities coming up! I can’t wait for the new year to begin! I hope you can stop by our room to meet me and to drop off supplies on Friday, August 31st, between 3:30 and 4:00pm. (Because I am in meetings beforehand, our room will not be available for visits at other times.)
For more information about our class, click “Read the rest of the entry”.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
June 13, 2012
Items needed for Sycamore Day
-A swimsuit
-A towel
-Sunblock
-Blue PGS signature t-shirt
-Change of clothes
-Sneakers, no sandals
-Small backpack for spare stuff, and more bags for emptying the classroom!
-Bring your muscular arms and legs so that our class can again win the Nolan Cup at the tug-o-war!!!! Huzzah!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
June 12, 2012
Thoughts and comments about our class website
This year, we’ve used our class website for many different activities and purposes. In a comment, respond to some of the following questions.
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What do you like about our class website?
What do you dislike about our class website?
What was particularly helpful to you?
What sorts of activities did you enjoy the most? The least?
What changes or additions should Mr. Moss make to the class website to improve it or to improve its activities?
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
June 5, 2012
NTS: What would you have done?
In class today, we read about what happened when the Nazi soldiers came into Annemarie’s home. After they left, who would be the first to speak? What would he or she say? How would the conversation develop? Share your ideas by commenting, below. If you’re replying to someone, click the REPLY link under their message.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
June 5, 2012
Fun Activities for the Year’s End
One of the really fun parts about the end of the academic year is having the flexibility to add in creative activities that are enriching but may not fit into our thematic units earlier in the year. Yesterday, for example, the kids developed and executed a plan for measuring the distance that I walk when I collect papers in numerical order. (We’ll find the answer today!) Tomorrow, Mrs. O’Brien and I will debate the merits of The Giving Tree and will let the kids decide who was more convincing. Of course Sycamore Day is fast approaching, and I have a few more activities up my sleeve that I’m not quite ready to announce.
In preparing for some of the upcoming activities, I need a bit of help, if you’re willing. First, I need some volunteers to send in gallons or half gallons of skim milk. (I don’t know of any dairy allergies, but if there are, I’d love an acceptable non-dairy alternative too.) I also would love some disposable plastic tea cups – the kind with contoured plastic handles for warm beverages. If you can help with either or both of these needs, please email me (before sending in anything, please).
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
May 30, 2012
Discussion Topic: Limerick Challenge
This is an actual university, located in Ireland, I believe. But we in room 209 seem to be making our own limerick school! 🙂
This assignment might be tough, a little,
You might rather find some wood to widdle.
Create a limerick.
Use words that you handpick.
But leave out the last word so it makes a __________.
Can you tell what word fits in the blank space? It’s the word RIDDLE. Limericks are five-line poems in which the first, second, and fifth lines end with words that rhyme (see red words in the limerick above) and the third and fourth lines end with rhyming words (see blue words). Also, the third and fourth lines tend to be shorter.
Your assignment is to create a limerick where we have to guess the last word. Like in the example above, you need to include clues to help us to figure out what the missing word can be. The HARD part is thinking of words that rhyme that will work. But I have a strategy to help you: If you go to http://www.rhymer.com/index.html, you can use the online rhyme dictionary to search for words that rhyme! How cool! Take some time to work on this; you may have TWO NIGHTS to do this assignment! (So it is due FRIDAY.) This is separate for the “Limericks for L…” activity.
When you post your limerick riddle, be sure to give it a title on the top. For example, if it were me, I’d write:
“What a mystery…”
By 25
This assignment might be tough, a little,
You might rather find some wood to widdle.
Create a limerick.
Use words that you handpick.
But leave out the last word so it makes a __________.
Have fun! After you post, see if other kids can guess the answer to the riddle. IF YOU CORRECTLY GUESS ONE, LET OTHER KIDS HAVE A CHANCE TO GUESS OTHERS. You may post as many limerick riddles as you want, but please wait until someone has correctly guessed the answer to your previous limerick riddle.
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
May 29, 2012
Discussion Topic: Interesting Facts About States
Using one of the websites, below, research a bit more information about your state. Maybe you’ll even find information that you want to print and add to your research packet! Write a short post sharing an interesting fact about your state. Pay attention to your spelling and grammar as you write your posts today. Take an extra moment to EDIT your writing!
Here are some websites you can use:
The following states have been assigned:
1 – WI, 2 – ME, 3 – AK, 4 – CT, 5 – UT, 6 – FL, 7 – GA, 8 – KY, 9 – IL, 10 – RI, 11 – TX, 12 – PA, 13 – WA, 14 – CA, 15 – DE, 16 – NC, 17 – MO, 18 – NJ, 19 – OR, 20 – HI, 21 – MA, 22 – NY, 23 – SC, 24 – MI.
If you want to challenge yourself, pick one of the states that NOBODY is researching and share a fact about that state too!
Bonus Question: That map (above) is made of license plates from the states in each location. (For example, New York is made with a NY license plate.) Pretty cool, huh? What’s very, very wrong with this map?
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss
May 22, 2012
CarTalk Puzzler
Today, you worked on a Car Talk Puzzler about flying with a standby ticket. I thought the person would be stuck in Chicago, but sure enough, they made it! Wasn’t the solution interesting? Your homework tonight is to share the puzzler (but not the solution) with someone at home. It could be a parent, older sibling, babysitter, neighbor, or someone else. See if they can solve it!
As they work, pay attention to the following things:
- What strategies does the person use to figure out the answer? Do they use the same strategies we discussed? Something new?
- Were they able to figure out the answer?
In the end, it’s ok to give the answer if the person is stumped! Afterwards, log in, and post a comment sharing what you observed as the person at home worked on this puzzler. It’s ok to comment on other people’s messages too. Remember, no names!
Posted in Class Updates|By Jon Moss