Happy Holidays!

I want to take this time to wish all of you who are a part of 310, a very Happy Holidays. I have really appreciated all of the kind wishes and generous gifts that have come my way. More so than that, I am really appreciative for all of the wonderful moments we've had so far in room 310. It means more to me that we started out a little rough, and have managed to come so far in such a short amount of time. Look at all the things we've achieved! Not only were we able to pull off a very successful Haunted House and make a very meaningful experience for our two student teachers but we've also been able to:

Treat all of the 1-6 homerooms at Churchill to delicious snacks! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Colleen, Patti, and Shauna for coming in to help. I was so sick this week that I really wasn't able to wrap my head around this whole project the way I wanted to. We would not have been able to pull off such a successful Snack Shack without you. Thank you also to all of your donations of ingredients. In case you haven't seen it, here is the menu that the kids wrote up for the school:

Apple Maple Crumble

This crumble is made with soft, light, glorious apples with an extraordinarily natural layer of sweet, loveable, maple. It has been cooked to a crispy golden brown perfection.

California Roll

Fresh, mouth watering, sushi made with pearl white steaming rice cooked to perfection and wrapped around vegetables so tasty that they will drive your senses wild. Surrounded in a delicious wrap that will take you to the oceans of Japan.

Quesadillas

Delicious green peppers freshly cut to perfection mixed with juicy mouth watering salsa on top of succulent Monterey jack cheese sandwiched between two golden brown pieces of crispy pita bread.

Skeletal Veggie Dip

A multitude of your favourite vegetables. This veggie and dip platter soothes your tastebuds with freshly cut vegetables served on a platter in the shape of a skeleton. Delicious, delectable, and scrumptious, this platter will not only swarm your mouth with joy, but it will also infuse your body with tonnes of vitamins and nutrients.

Coconut Macaroons

If you like coconut then this is the treat for you. The coconutty taste is so fresh, that you'll feel like you're eating a coconut straight off of the palm tree. The richest most flavourful chocolate you'll ever taste. This scrumptious sensation leaves you wanting more.

The kids were great cooks, gracious servers, and efficient cleaners. They were so well behaved all day and that's why it was such a success. I'm so proud of them. I will add pictures to the Walmart "Churchill" album for you to enjoy.

We were also able to grant a wish! Anna's crane mobile idea started in our classroom and look at it now! It's so beautiful and we were so lucky to be able to share it with Anna when she came in for a visit.

I'm feeling a glow with happiness and pride for 310 and I can't wait for all of the wonderful things to come in 2008. I hope all of you have the merriest of holidays and I look forward to seeing you in two weeks. Thank you.

What's Left

Alas, I was not able to make it as I hoped I would. I've fallen prey to the evil sickness. My throat is killing, my head is foggy, I'm freezing col, and I'm achey all over. Poor me. I've left the kids in the able hands of two different supply teachers for the next two days and will return on Thursday for the Snack Shack.
As for the Snack Shack, I thank you for all of your donations. At this point, the only things we really need are 25-30 apples and veggies for our veggie platter. That's it. Let me know and keep those magazines and flyers coming.

Someone's In the Kitchen With 310!

Sorry it's taken me so long to post this...I've been shovelling.

On Thursday, we will be filling the following orders:

5 classes want Apple Maple Crumbles
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Apple-Maple-Crumble-Pie/Detail.aspx

4 classes want Chocolate Coconut Macaroons
I've chosen this no-bake recipe

1 cup white sugar
50mL milk
50mL butter
Put on stove and let come to a boil, then add:
50mL rolled oats
250mL coconut
45mL cocoa
1mL salt
5mL vanilla
Drop on wax paper. Cool and refrigerate.

2 Classes want our Skeletal and Veggie Dip
This is a veggie platter that's carefully placed in the shape of a skeleton. We will be making the following dip to serve with it:

INGREDIENTS
250mL sour cream
125mL mayonnaise
15mL finely chopped onion
10mL dried parsley flakes
5mL dill weed
5mL seasoned salt

Two items were not chosen. I have told the kids that we will try to make California Rolls and Quesadillas on Friday for our own little gourmet celebration.

I'm not quite sure how to collect all of your donated ingredients. If you can and want to donate, just email me what you will give and I will continue to update everyone via email as to what we still need.

EVERYONE is more than welcome to come and cook on Thursday. Come whenever you'd like. I'm guessing there will be something to do all day long. Thanks again!

310 Snack Shack

The 310 Snack Shack is opening soon! We have decided on our menu items and are in the process of creating our menu. We will be taking orders soon and then I will know what donations we will be looking for.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I am currently taking Computers Part 1 and I am in the process of completing a research project on blogs. I have a couple of quick questions to ask you.
Do you check the blog?
How often?
Do you feel more connected because of the blog?
Where do you check the blog (home or office)?
Do your children check the blog?
Any other feedback?
Please email me your answers at tiiu.tsao@ocdsb.ca as soon as you can. Thank you for your help with this project.

sharp

I keep forgetting to pass this along...
We are in dire need of some working pencil sharpeners. Our electric sharpener has seen better days and I have one manual one that is working overtime. If you have any spare ones in your home, please send it in.
We have also recently run out of tissues.
Thanks!

I'm back!

Now that Gavin and Scott have finished their practicum and are safely back at the U of O, I have once again resumed my position as your fearless leader. Here are some notes for this week and next, our last before the holidays!

I very much enjoyed meeting most of you during the interviews last week. It's a great chance for me to get to know your sons or daughters from a different perspective. I find it really helpful and I hope you did too.

Please remember that we are skating this Friday. You have probably already filled out a permission form and handed in your money.

The book fair is this Wednesday as is Pizza Day. Sub forms will be sent home tonight and are due back on Thursday.

I know how busy I am with the holidays approaching, that I can only guess what home life must be like for everyone else. I also know that we have some special projects that we are focusing our time on in class that may require some homework. As a result, I am ceasing the regular homework routine until after Christmas. Students are still expected to read for a minimum of 20 minutes each night.

I am currently trying to upgrade my qualifications by taking a computer course. I am currently doing a research project on blogs. I will be making a questionnaire for you to fill out. I would greatly appreciate your cooperation with this little project. Thanks!

We are going to be doing a special project to celebrate this season of giving. We are going to open up our own little Take Out Restaurant! In groups, we are going to be choosing group snack menu items. These snacks will be nutritious, delicious, and somewhat cost effective. Our categories are baked goods, fruit, vegetables, savoury, and a surprise category. The students are then going to have a lesson on persuasive and descriptive language in order to help us create a menu. We will take orders from each of the homerooms (except of kinders-sorry!) and then, next Thursday, we will prepare the snacks, serve them, and clean them up. This will be our gift to the school in order to spread joy.
I will definitely be looking for volunteers next Thursday. Once we have taken our orders, we will also be asking for donations for our ingredients. Any other costs will be made with our class funds. Tomorrow (Tuesday) we will be brainstorming our menu. If you have appropriate cook books, please send them in. Thanks!

Interview Schedule

310 Interview Schedule



2:40
Johan
3:00
Free
3:20
Richard
3:40
Isabel
4:00
James
4:20
Declan
4:40
Kaitlyn
5:00
Free
5:20
Kaden
5:40
Connor
6:00
Jazmin
6:20
Nick K
6:40
Nathan
7:00
Aemon

FRIDAY

7:40
Justin
8:30
Bronte
9:30
Paisley

FOLLOWING WEEK

Chaim

Rowan A

Martha

Darius

Here is the interview schedule so far.