Hello Former Melvin Students!

Hello 4th Graders of 2008-2009,

I just received a blog post from Luis, and I thought I'd reach out and see how any of you who still check the blog are doing!

Luis, you might be the only one reading this! I can't believe you're in your second semester of high school! It's been 6 years since you were a 4th grader at Melvin. I hope school and life are going well for you!

I am teaching 5th grade at a school in Northridge. Things are going great! I still remember our class at Melvin and think about all of you from time to time. We had a great year together. Please keep in touch and let me know how you are doing every now and then.

:) Ms. B.

Happy 2013!

Hello Melvin Alumni!

It has been so long since I posted, but I wanted to let those of you who have been keeping in touch know that I have been receiving your emails and blog comments and am very happy to hear you're doing so well!!!

I'm teaching fifth grade now at a charter school.

Please continue to keep in touch. I still think about you all often!

:) Ms. B

Hi Nicole and Luis!

Nicole, I can't believe I'm hearing from you!  I am so happy to learn you are doing well.  I miss our class so much, but it thrills me to know that you are all excelling in school and in life.  Are you enjoying 7th grade?  Ready for 8th?  Ever visit Melvin?

I just graduated with my Master of Arts Degree in Elementary Education last Thursday.  It was such a challenging thing to achieve, but I am so happy I did it! 

I hope you continue to keep in touch!

Luis, I forgot that you had a younger brother.  It's nice that you get to go back and visit Melvin from time to time.  Ready for summer vacation?

:) Ms. Bracha

Hi Luis!

I love that you went back to visit Melvin. Ms. Rios is right...I love all of my students!

Hello Again!

Hi Baljot and Luis!

Baljot...I'm so glad you went back to visit Melvin!  I BET our room looked different.  It would probably look really different to me too.  Did you see Ms. Rios?  She and I are still friends. 

I bet you are glad testing is over! I'm not sure what testing is like in other states. That is a good question! 

Yes, my birthday recently passed (April 29th) and I am graduating with my masters NEXT WEEK (Thursday)!  I am so excited!


Luis...I am so glad you check the BLOG!!! I will continue to keep up with it if you do!  I hope I get to see you all graduate from eighth grade next year.  I bet you are doing so well in school!  Please continue to check the BLOG after Facebook. :)

-Ms. Bracha

Hi Ezra and Baljot! Thank you for your recent posts! I really miss you guys too. We had such a great fourth grade year together. I will never forget you either. Luis and Michelle, I hope you're still checking the Blog from time to time. I really miss you all! Please continue to keep in touch. :) Ms. Bracha

Hi!

Dear Michelle, Luis, and Baljot,

I am doing well! It's hard to believe so many years have passed since our fourth grade year together. I hope school and life are going well for all of you. I remember our class so vividly! You all hold a special place in my heart. I would probably be shocked to see how much you've all grown. I hope I get to be there to watch you guys graduate. I am graduating myself this May...got my master's degree in education! Miss you all a lot. Hope to hear from you soon.

:) Ms. Bracha

Hi Everyone!

Dear Michelle, Rodolfo, and all recent blog contributors!

It makes me so happy to hear from each and every one of you. I only spent two years teaching at Melvin, but I will never forget any of you.

Michelle, I am so happy you found me! I hope you are doing well in school..7th grade right?

Rodolfo, I still remember you like it was yesterday...even though it was really 5 years ago! I can't believe you'll be going into ninth grade next school year.

All of you... please continue to keep in touch. I would love to see you graduate one day. Each of you hold such a special place in my heart.

:) Ms. Bracha

Hello Melvin Room 24 Alumni!

I know a few of you still keep up with our old class blog, and I want you to know I still check it too! I miss this class very much. Our 4th grade year together will always hold a special place in my heart. I am teaching 5th grade at a private school now, and I enjoy it a lot. I still really miss Melvin though. I hope all of you are having a fantastic year in 7th grade! Write if you can...I would love to hear from all of you! Happy Holidays...here's to a fantastic New Year!!!

:) Ms. Bracha

Hi Baljot! How is school? I hope I get to see you guys graduate from middle school!

Luis, I'm sorry your comments aren't coming through :( It's so good to hear from you!!!

Hi Baljot! Miss you and hope school is going great!!!

Happy Summer!

Hello to anyone who might be reading this (most likely Luis and Baljot)!

I hope you guys are enjoying your summer so far. It hit me that you are going into 7th grade! Time really flies, doesn't it? I really miss you guys, but it makes me happy that you still keep in touch and are enjoying middle school. I hope you have some fun, relaxing plans for the summer!

I will talk to you soon!

:) Ms. Bracha

P.S. Baljot, congrats on your puppy!

Hi Luis and Baljot!!!

Hello Former Students!

I am so glad you guys are writing. I bet you are excited that it's almost the end of the school year! Is everyone working hard and getting good grades??? I know you are. I miss you all and think of you often. Please keep in touch. I love hearing from you!

:) Ms. Bracha

Hello!!!

Hello Baljot!

I am glad you are enjoying middle school. I know 7th grade is going to be tough, but I have confidence that you will do great! I teach in Room 3 at Egremont. My students are getting ready for 5th grade graduation and moving on to Chaminade Middle School.

I hope you will continue to keep in touch!

:) Ms. Bracha

Hello Everyone!

Hi Fourth Grade Class of Room 24! I hope everyone is doing well. I have not been here in awhile, but I saw there were some comments from Luis G. and Baljot, so I wanted to make sure to say hi! How is middle school going? I hope everything is going well. I miss you all a lot. I think of you often and hope you are working hard and learning lots. I am doing great! I am teaching fifth grade and enjoying it a lot. Please continue to keep in touch. Wishing you the best, Ms. Bracha

Hi Everyone!

Hi Baljot, Luis G., Joshua, and anyone else who is reading,

It is so nice to check the blog and see that you are still writing! I really like teaching at my new school, but I still miss Melvin and all of you. How is middle school treating you?

Luis, you are right. Our school mascot in the eagle, so that was the bird you saw on the sign. It is a very small school, but also a very nice one. How do you like playing soccer?

Joshua, it's so nice to hear from you! How do you like your magnet school? I still remember that you liked poetry. Are you still reading/ writing it?

Baljot, I am glad to hear Nobel is going well. I miss you guys a lot, but I am so happy to hear you're doing well. Keep working hard and learn as much as you can.

Keep in touch!

Ms. Bracha

A Few Weeks Into the New School Year

Hello,
I hope everyone's start to the new school year is going well. Mine is going great!
-Ms. Bracha

School Starting

It sounds like those of you I have heard from have had a great summer and are excited to start 6th grade! Thanks for the congratulations on my new teaching position. Who knows Luis? Maybe you'll let me know when you're graduating from middle school or high school and I'll get to see you graduate. Best to all of you!!!

New School

Hi Baljot,
The new school I will be working at is called the Egremont School. It is in Chatsworth. I am so excited! What are you doing to get ready for middle school?
-Ms. B

Dreams Come True

Hi Baljot,
Your dream must have really meant something, because guess what? I got a job teaching 5th grade at a private school!!! I am so excited to be back in the classroom again. I will miss Melvin, but I am very excited to have the opportunity to try something new. I am so excited for you and your approach into middle school! I hope you keep in touch.
:) Ms. Bracha

How's it going?

Hi Blog Readers,
I can't believe it is almost time to start school again. Luis, I am so glad you are ready for all that middle school homework! Baljot, I went to a theme park a few weeks ago too. I had so much fun but it was really hot! Miss you guys.
:) Ms. Bracha

Summer

Hello,
I am here sometimes! I check the blog every couple of weeks or so. It has been so hot! I hope everyone's summer is going great. Stay cool and have fun!
-Ms. Bracha

To the Class of 2010:
Congratulations to all of you for completing elementary school and moving on to a new and different part of your life. All of you are growing up...before you know it you'll be teenagers! I will always remember our year in fourth grade together and I cannot wait to you hear from you as you explore the next few years of your life. I will keep this blog going as long as I can, so check back from time to time.
I too have gone back to school to work on my Master's Degree in Education. In a couple of years, I will be graduating too!
Anyway, I would love to hear from you all from time to time. I hope to see some of you graduate from middle school and maybe even high school one day. Email me, and I'll do my best to be there. Have a wonderful summer!
-Ms. Bracha
Your 4th Grade Teacher

End of School

Hello Again,
I am sorry I missed the Talent Show Baljot. I didn't know it was going on. Nice to hear from you Luis! I will be at Melvin the whole last week of school substituting for Ms. Pinotti. See you then! Congratulations on culmination!
:) Ms. Bracha

Hello

Hi Everyone,
I am not sure who wrote the last few posts to me because they didn't leave their names! Just wanted to say hello back to all of you who are writing. I am doing well. Miss you guys!
-Ms. B

Update

I am not sure who reads this anymore, but I thought I would put up a posting, just in case. Thank you to those of you who wished me well after my jaw procedure. I am doing better and should be able to return to substitute teaching in a few weeks. I am sorry I am not yet well enough to make it to the Shakespeare performance. I know all of you will do well, and I wish you the best! Hope to see you really soon.

:) Ms. B

Back to School

It's almost the first day of school! I wish all of you the best! Don't forget to push yourselves and work hard. I know you will make me proud.
Miss you all,
Ms. Bracha

Summer Hello

Hello Everyone!
Well, summer is more than halfway over, and it's almost time to start 5th grade! I really hope all of you are having a nice, relaxing summer. Enjoy the last month before school starts. I know you will be fantastic fifth graders wherever you may end up. I hope to hear from you from time to time.
:) Ms. Bracha

Hello

Hi Room 24!
Hope you are all keeping cool in this hot July weather. I enjoyed some beautiful fireworks on the Fourth of July. It has been great to hear from a lot of you. Hi to everyone and thank you Tyler, Dolce, Luis G., Lexy, Kelly, Meagan, Baljot, and the rest of you for writing. I hope you are reading!
Best,
Ms. Bracha

Happy Summer Everyone!

I just want to wish the whole class a fun, enjoyable summer! It's only been a few days, but I miss school already! I will continue to keep the blog going so we can keep in touch. You can also email me at msbracha@yahoo.com. I already heard from Bianca, Michelle, and Luis G! I hope to hear from more of you soon.
Best of everything,
Ms. Bracha

Problem of the Week: 6/1-6/5

Follow the clues to find the mystery answer:

What is the square root of 36, plus 48, divided by 9?
Take the answer to the above question and add 14.
Now subtract 18. Add 2, and tell me the square root of that number.

Mystery answer is:

Problem of the Week 5/25-5/29

Evaluate this exponent: 11 to the sixth power

Problem of the Week 5/18-5/22

You are asked to figure out how much water it takes to fill up a cube-shaped water tank. The water must be filled to the very top of the tank. The tank has a height of 5 ft. How many cubic feet of water will end up filling the empty space in the tank?

Math Problem of the Week 5/11-5/15

Your favorite aunt is coming to visit you. She lives in San Francisco, and you live in Buffalo. The trip is an 5-hour flight. The distance is 3,060 miles. How fast does the plane travel per hour?

Extra Credit Opportunity

Due: Wednesday, March 11, 2009

I am offering an extra credit opportunity to those students who wish to improve their reading and writing grade on the upcoming progress report. You may choose only one of the following assignments. You must write the assignment by hand, with a first draft with revisions and a final draft with edits. No typed copies will be accepted. The assignment will be worth a maximum of 15 points.

Option 1:
In paragraph form, explain how the universal concept of "power" ties into Artemis Fowl. Use several examples from the story and support your thoughts with details. Use at least two depth and complexity icons in your writing.

Option 2:
Imagine you are a lawyer for Artemis OR for Holly (choose only one). It is your job to argue to a judge that your client is innocent of the aggressive actions they had to take during the story. You must prove you client is in the right (innocent), and that the other is in the wrong (guilty). Write this in paragraph form with a judge or jury as your audience. Integrate at least two of the depth and complexity icons into your writing.

California Mission Independent Study Assignment

Due Date: Friday, March 13, 2009
For this research assignment, you will formulate a question about the California Mission system. You will then analyze that question by doing research and supporting your ideas with information and facts. You will also integrate the universal concept of "conflict" into your assignment. The finished product will include a written report and an alternate presentation of your choice. Details will be provided. This is an in-class assignment, meaning the majority of it will be completed in the classroom.