Mrs. Yollis and her students ♥ to share what they are learning and experiencing. In an effort to include more family members in our online community, we are proclaiming:
November is Family Blogging Month!
Each student made a list of their family members. After looking through the archive, students selected specific posts tailored to the interest of a particular relative.
We're inviting everyone to comment: moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandmothers, grandfathers, uncles, aunts, and cousins.
We welcome friends, too!
Students will be inviting their family and friends to participate in a conversation!
Maybe we'll get some 2-point comments!
(We frequently evaluate the comments that our blog has received. In order to earn the 2-points, a comment must be error-free and add something to the post. Many of Mrs. Yollis' third graders have already met the challenge!)
If you don't know what to say, here is a video made by Mrs. Yollis' third graders.
Learn FIVE tips for writing a quality comment!
If you don't know How to leave a comment, here is a video tutorial about HOW to leave a comment on our blog.
Here is the key we will use for Family Blogging Month.
What do you think of our idea?
Who are you inviting to be a part of our online community?Please leave a comment and introduce yourself!
@ Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteI am doing the challenge with my family. My mom and dad are doing it. Maybe my brother and sister will too! In addition, my cousins might blog with us! Three of my cousins live in Miami, Florida and also my grandparents live there too. My other cousin lives in New York.
I think that it is a good idea to let our relatives blog with us because they probably haven't blogged before and it will be new, interesting, and fun for them. They might write more than one comment since they love blogging so much.
Your student,
Allie
@ Mrs. Yollis
DeleteHi, we are Allie's grandparents, and she calls us Boo Boo and Gon Gon (the Chinese words for grandma and grandpa).
We live very near Washington, DC, where there are many amazing monuments, museums and the White House. Once about 10 years ago, Allie's cousin Justin (our grandson) came to visit, and we had a tour of the White House, which had to be arranged by a member of Congress. It was very special.
Allie, her mom, and sister Sofia and brother Ethan came to visit us about 3 years ago. We went to the National Zoo especially to see the panda exhibit. There are two new baby panda cubs just born September 3rd this year, both girls, named Cub A and Cub B until they are given names. Their mother's name is Lun Lun. You can actually view them on the Panda web cam, which is very neat.
We also went to the Air & Space Museum and watched the incoming planes as they approached Dulles airport, and the National Building Museum to play an indoor miniature golf course specially built for children.
We hope to do many more sights on their next visit. For now, we can't wait to visit the family for Christmas this December.
Sincerely, Allie's grandparents,
Boo Boo and Gon Gon
One correction - newest Panda cub at National Zoo in DC is boy, Bei Bei, born in September 2015. These two newest panda cubs, born this year, are from the Atlanta zoo. However, both have web cams that are fun to watch! Maybe the class can check them out if Mrs. Yollis agrees.
DeleteBoo Boo (Allie's grandma)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteWhat a terrific idea! I have been following your blog and love all of the creative things I am seeing. Who knew you could make a tower out of pasta and marshmallows?
I also enjoyed seeing all the students becoming a part of their favorite books on Halloween.
I wonder how many students have ever seen a live tarantula? I saw 2 on my way out to the ranch to see my horse last week. Why do you think they were out that day?
Thanks for encouraging us to participate! There's a lot to learn and we can help each other.
Fondly, Meme (Kaya's Grandma)
Dear Mrs. Yollis's class,
ReplyDeleteHi, I am Sofia R. also none as Allie's sister. I am in fourth grade. I think that letting relatives blog is a great idea because I am a relative myself and if I wasn't I wouldn't be writing to you right now. I am not inviting anyone because I was invited myself. If it is not family blogging month, can I still blog?
Sincerely,
Sofia {Allie's sister}
Hi Sofia,
DeleteIt is so nice of you to join the blog even though I am sure you are busy with your own fourth grade work. It shows you are a kind and caring sister.
It is my understanding that anyone can add comments to any blog thread at anytime, not just during Family Blogging Month. Mrs. Yollis will always look over the comment prior to posting it.
Since I started blogging when Nolan's older brother, Troy, was in Mrs. Yollis' class two years ago, I find myself constantly looking for a new photo to take and post on Mrs. Yollis' 365 Photo Blog site. When I'm driving around town or just taking a walk, that next photo and blog post are top of mind. I'm always asking myself "what might interest the students and spark a conversation?"
Maybe you have an interesting photo you would like to post. Or perhaps you have some tips for the third grade class on what to expect in fourth grade.
Sincerely,
Barb (Nolan's Grandma from Wisconsin)
Hello,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Barb. I am Nolan’s Grandma from Wisconsin. Mrs. Yollis’ students know me as Grandma Barb though Nolan just calls me Grandma.
I love the idea of family blogging month because I get to chat with Nolan and also meet new people and learn new things. Two years ago when Nolan’s older brother, Troy, was in Mrs. Yollis’ class, I participated in family blogging month and had many fascinating conversations with not only Troy but also his classmates and their family members. One particularly interesting conversation meandered through many different topics one of which was frozen yogurt. One of Troy’s classmates told me there was a place in California called “The Golden Spoon" and the spoons were actually gold in color. That made sense! I told him there was a place near me that was called “The Frozen Spoon” and the spoons were definitely NOT frozen. I was happy about that! It’s cold enough in Wisconsin in the winter!
I plan on inviting some of my friends to participate in blogging. These gals have been friends of mine since we were in high school, that’s a very long time ago, and some of them have joined in this blog or the photo blog in the past. I hope they will join in again. The more, the merrier!
Are there any topics you would like to discuss or questions you want to ask?
I was going to ask which team you are rooting for in the World Series but the final game is tonight and this may not get posted in time. Since the Milwaukee Brewers are not in the series, I’m rooting for the Chicago Cubs but both teams and their fans are very deserving of the honor.
Your blogging buddy,
Grandma Barb (Nolan’s Grandma from Wisconsin)
Dear Barb,
DeleteI am so happy that you are going to participate in Family Blogging Month again. I also remember two years ago when we did lots of fun blogging with Troy's class and many connections were made.
I was rooting for the Cubs last night, but I agree with you that both teams were deserving. I think it is funny how the term "drought" is used in sports. Here in California, that word usually means a long period of time without rain, and that's what I always think of when I hear the word. But when it comes to sports, the word means a long period of time without a championship. Both of the teams playing had been experiencing a drought for many decades!
I wonder if any of the students know how long a decade is?
Sincerely,
Your daughter-in-law, Lisa
@ Grandma Barb,
DeleteThank you for your lovely comment and for inviting us to ask you questions or choose any topic of discussion.
One topic that fascinates me is the topic of seasons, especially as it pertains to how people experience the change of seasons in different regions.
You mention that you are from Wisconsin and that winters in Wisconsin are cold enough to not warrant any frozen spoons from your local frozen yogurt store, "The Frozen Spoon." Your comment made me chuckle. Thank you for your great sense of humor.
What is the Fall season like in Wisconsin? What is your favorite season in your region and why?
Your blogging buddy,
Liat (Elie's Mom)
@Liat (Elie's Mom),
DeleteThank you for your thoughtful reply and question. I'm so happy I made you chuckle. I’m a firm believer that ”laughter is the best medicine”!
Wisconsin has four distinct seasons - winter, spring, summer, and fall. My favorite season is fall though I really like having all four seasons to experience and look forward to.
Fall in Wisconsin is usually less humid then summer with cool, crisp weather. The leaves on our deciduous trees turn beautiful colors, eventually fall from the trees, and get very crispy when you step on them. There is a different fragrance in the air in fall that is very enjoyable as well. It is more earthy than in summer. For me, fall is a feast for all of your senses - sight, sound, and smell.
I don't want to leave out the sense of touch so I get my fill of that by cutting down all of the plants in my gardens so they can rest for the winter and grow back strong and healthy in spring. I do a lot of cutting, digging, bagging, and hauling of my garden waste so my sense of touch is definitely not left out and I get a lot of great exercise.
And of course, I have to mention the sense of taste in fall. Fresh apples are abundant as well as fresh pressed cider. Yum!
Have you always lived in California? What is your favorite season?
Respectfully,
Barb (Nolan’s Grandma from Wisconsin)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteThis is Allie's Dad. I never blogged before I started blogging on your classroom blog. Now I really enjoy communicating with you all in this way. We did not have this type of technology when I was in third grade 40 years ago because there was no internet. To do something like this, my Dad would have had to have written a letter and sent it by mail to the school. Can you imagine the kinds of technology that might be available to third graders 40 years from now? Maybe third graders will be taking field trips to Mars in 40 years. Thanks for inviting me to blog, Allie.
Hi! I am Allie's Aunt Jacqui- I am so excited to be writing my first blog! I am a kindergarten teacher and think this is an absolutely wonderful project to include friends and family in the classroom. I want to wish Alia a wonderful week at school, and I'm so happy to see pictures of her parents at her desk 😊. Much love XOXO Aunt Jacqui
DeleteHi I'm Allie's Aunt Laura - I live at the beach and am watching the biggest waves of the season today. They are almost over the pier!
DeleteThanks to Allie and the whole class for inviting me to blog. It's such a great way to communicate with friends an family near and far.
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteIs it November already? Time has flown but that's what can happen when we're busy. Family blogging month is a fantastic idea I know I would have copied had I still been teaching.
I hope the comments come flooding in. :)
Ross Mannell
Teacher (retired), N.S.W., Australia.
@ Ross Mannell,
DeleteThank you for contributing to our blogging community.
I concur with the sentiment of it being November already. Time surely has flown!
I see that you are joining our blog community all the way from Australia.
What season are you going through during this Family Blogging Month of November? What does it consist of?
We have entered our fall season whereby leaves are turning beautiful colors and trees have begun to shed their leaves. It is cooler than our previous hot temperatures of summer.
Do you experience similar seasons in Australia as we do in the United States?
Hope you are enjoying your retirement,
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
DeleteHi I am Ty. I am Hayden's brother and I am in 5th grade but I used to be in Mrs. Yollis' class. I am glad that Hayden got Mrs. Yollis because it brings back old memories like blogging. There are new things too that Hayden mentioned like different places to sit. He mentioned tall town and a tent. This sounds like a lot of fun. I'm wondering where Mrs. Yollis came up with these brilliant ideas.
Also, Mrs. Yollis, how is Buck doing? Our dogs are doing fine. They still love swimming, wrestling, and playing ball.
If anyone else has dogs, what activities do they enjoy?
Sincerely,
Ty
Hello Mrs. Yollis and class,
DeleteMy name is Vlad and I am Leor's big brother. I grew up in Los Angeles just like Leor, but I currently live all the way across the country in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is a 5 to 6 hour plane ride away from Los Angeles!
Some fun facts about Philadelphia that your students might not know are: (1) Philadelphia was the first capital of the United States, (2) Philadelphia is the home of the first zoo, and (3) Betsy Ross made the first American flag here.
Since I'm Leor's brother, I should also add that Philadelphia is known as the "City of Brotherly Love."
Have you or your students ever visited Philadelphia? Or, has anyone visited any other cities or states outside of Los Angeles recently?
Best,
Vlad
Dear Vlad,
DeleteIt's me Leor. I really liked your comment. I miss a lot.
How is your dog, Maxie? I am buying
a pug.
As you now, I am in Mrs. Yollis' class.
She was voted one of the top five teacher in the United States two years ago! She is a good teacher.
I hope you had a good time commenting to my teacher's blog! My favorite fact was number 1.
You can look at the videos that we made. I was in
the "Down by the banks" I you liked
the video!
Your little fun and loved brother,
Le♥r
@ Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteI know that I already blogged, but I am blogging again. So here I go.
I am really exited for the challenge because we get to hear about family members! I would love to meet lots of family members! I bet we are going to learn a lot from family members.
I think one of my cousins is going to blog with us! She is in college right now. She is my oldest cousin. Are any of your cousins going to blog with us?
Do you think that the challenge sounds fun?
How many of your family members are going to blog with us?
Your blogging friend,
Allie
Hi Mrs. Yollis, class, Nolan, Grandma Barb, and friends,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Carol. I'm one of the high school friends that Grandma Barb (Nolan's Grandma from Wisconsin) mentioned in her post. I posted two years ago when Troy was in third grade, and I really enjoyed doing so at that time. I am a grandma, too, and I'm a math teacher. I noticed that you are learning about composite numbers and prime numbers. Can you tell me: If a whole number is not prime, does that mean it is composite?
I have another question for you. Did you know that November is also "National Family Caregivers Month?" I heard that this morning while I was listening to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR 90.7 FM). You can read the proclamation from President Obama at https://www.whitehouse.gov. Do any of your families provide care for another family member?
By the way, I'm rooting for the Cubs, too.
Have fun blogging,
Grandma Carol (friend of Nolan's Grandma Barb from Wisconsin)
Hi Carol,
DeleteThank you so much for blogging again this year. I know you have a very busy schedule so I truly appreciate you taking the time to connect with Nolan's class.
Thank you also for sharing the information about November being National Family Caregivers month. I read the President's proclamation using the link you provided. Very interesting! I agree with our President when he said, "Our Nation was founded on the fundamental ideal that we all do better when we look
out for one another".
I know that you and your siblings are caregivers for your mother who I believe is 92. My siblings and I do the same for our mother who is 88. It's a privilege to do this.
I also hope that I am setting a good example for my grandkids as my parents did for me when I saw how they cared for their aging parents.
How do you balance all you have to do with your own family, grandchildren, students, and also caregiving for your mom? Are there any organizational tips you could share?
On a side note, I too was rooting for the Cubs as I had mentioned and stayed up and watched the whole game. I am so happy for the Cub Nation fans but can't help but say kudos to the Cleveland Indians who played an exceptional series and made this a World Series Game 7 that will not be forgotten for at least another 108 years!
Your lifelong friend,
Barb (Nolan's Grandma from Wisconsin)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to participate in the family blogging challenge! I think it's a wonderful idea, and such a fun way to enhance reading and writing skills.
Did anyone watch any of the World Series? It was an amazing game (7), and was down to the wire! I thought it was neat when the TV would show the fans who were at the stadium. Could you imagine being there in person? Wow! If you were, who would you have been cheering for? Would any of you have painted your faces, or worn crazy team clothes and hats?
Sincerely,
Cora's Dad
Hello there Mrs. Yollis and class!
ReplyDeleteThis is Payam, Elie's dad. My daughter Chloe had Mrs. Yollis in third grade as well, and I remember her blogging away just like you guys are.
I think this is a neat way of being connected to people around the world, however I'm a little old-fashioned and generally prefer to communicate in person whenever possible. Then again that would be hard to do with someone in China or Australia right now!
Anyway I hope you guys have an amazing experience with this and talk to you soon.
Regards,
Payam
@ Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteWow! I love your proclamation of November as Family Blogging Month! What a wonderful invitation to include family members and friends to this lovely online community!
My name is Liat and I am Elie's mom. I enjoy meeting and reading everyone's posts via this forum. It is wonderful to have this platform as it allows us to stay connected with family and friends from all over the globe. Thank you for creating this fabulous online community forum!
I will be inviting my brothers and sister who live in the East Coast of the United States to join us in Family Blogging Month.
Does anyone know what the East Coast of the United States is? What states and cities are on the East Coast? Have you visited any?
Your Blogging Mom,
Liat (Elie's Mom)
Dear Liat,
DeleteThis Family Blogging Month is so much fun! Thank you for inviting me too, in addition to your brothers and sisters on the East Coast.
I live in California, but I've been to the East Coast a few times.
The East Coast is the coastline where the Eastern United States and the North Atlantic Ocean meet.
I've been mostly to New York City in New York State because, as you know, we have family there too.
What states and cities on the East Coast have you been to?
Your blogging friend,
Abby (Elie's cousin)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteI am so excited that it is Family Blogging Month! Two years ago when Nolan's brother was in Mrs. Yollis' class, I learned a lot about some different holidays and traditional ethnic foods by making connections with other parents on the blog. I always enjoy reading everyone's comments and interests.
I have three children who attend your school, so many of the students see me around school a lot. I am also one of the room parents for your class! I also like to help in the library and in the art room, as well as in science for fifth grade.
Speaking of those activities, I wonder what the students' favorite specialist is? Do you enjoy PE, Art, Library or Music best?
For the parents and grandparents, which was your favorite when you were in third grade? I enjoyed everything when I was in third grade, but PE was my least favorite. I always preferred to be singing or reading than to be running around playing a sport. (I am actually still the same today, but I know exercise is important so I try to be active!)
Your blogging friend and co-room parent,
Lisa
Hi Lisa,
DeleteI was so happy to see your post and read your honest assessment of not really enjoying PE in 3rd grade. You seem to get a lot of exercise now just running around keeping up with a busy family and lots of volunteering for school and your Daisy troop so I think you are in “training” every day.
I remember 3rd grade pretty well. I distinctly remember writing spelling words multiple times as practice and writing sentences on paper with special lines to help guide my letters. There was always a blank line in between the sentence lines so we were asked to “decorate" our work. That was my favorite part! I was particularly fond of making rows and rows of tulips on those blank lines. Maybe that was an indication that I would love gardening when I got older or perhaps that was the easiest flower for me to make that would actually end up looking like a flower. At any rate, I can still make those same tulips today and, yes, they still look like a 3rd grader made them. My art teacher friend, Sandy, says I am not artistically challenged but I’m not so sure about that. I could be Sandy’s toughest student!
As for PE, I remember hating it in 9th grade when we had to run what our PE teacher called the country mile. It was torture! I’m a good walker but not a good long distance runner. Well, a mile seemed like a “long distance” for me!
Was there a chorale group for third graders in your school? Was there a song you remember singing in third grade? I truthfully have no idea what we sang when I was in third grade.
See you soon!
Barb (Your Mother-in-law and Nolan’s Grandma from Wisconsin)
@ Barb,
DeleteYes, we had music class as well as an optional choir in elementary school, and I was always in the choir. I can still remember some of the songs we sang back then.
I have a funny story about my third grade year. I had the most wonderful teacher, and I was so excited to have her. My older sister had had her and I just could not wait to be her student. However, she had to leave in the middle of the year to have a baby. I was very happy for her but also quite sad that she wasn't able to be my teacher for the rest of the year. Well, she never did return to our school to teach third grade. But she returned to teach fifth grade! I bet you can guess what happened. Yes, I got to be her fifth grade student! I felt so lucky and thankful to have an opportunity to be her student again. Just like Mrs. Yollis, that teacher was energetic and creative and really brought out the best in her students.
Bye for now,
Lisa
Hi, I'm Helen.
ReplyDeleteI've got a pal named Liv (@thelivbits) who is an ambassador for reading and kids sharing their thinking.
I met her on Twitter, I tweet to help teach people about sharks. She wants to be a shark scientist so she and I met, and we've been pals ever since. I call myself her Guardian Shark because I watch out for her.
Liv and I were invited to join the blogging challenge and when I saw this link I was so excited to see kids sharing their thoughts on this classroom blog. I'll swim by and comment here and there.
I don't have any relatives in your classroom (unless you have an aquarium) but I am happy to meet you all!
Helen The Shark
@helentheshark
Hello Mrs Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteI am Françoise, Reese's aunt from Boston.
I am very impressed by the blog and think that is is a fantastic idea.
When I was a kid in France we did not have computers. We did not even have a telephone at home, we had to go to the post-office to place a call, or to the grocery store. I liked going to the grocery store because there was a Cuckoo clock on the wall near the phone booth. The cuckoo came out of its little Swiss Chalet to sing every quarter. I would not leave the store before seeing the bird!
Happy blog all,
Francoise
Hi Mrs. Yollis's class! My name is Lisa Frank and I am Reese'e aunt. I was super excited to hear about November being Family Blogging Month. I am a little sad today because last night was the end of baseball season. It was a great World Series and the Cubs won. Reese's Grandma Donna is from Chicago so are all happy to see the Cubs become Wold Champions. It will be a long winter waiting for the new baseball season. Maybe next year my team will win. I am a long time Dodger fan since I was a little girl. As you can see, I like baseball A LOT! Hope to learn about what all of you like too.
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa,
DeleteI am a long time Dodger fan as well. As are both of my parents. I grew up listening to Vin Scully on the radio all summer long.
But Dylan's dad, Jason, is from Chicago. Jason and most of his family (including Dylan's Grandma and Grandpa) are HUGE Cubs fans.
When the Cubs and Dodgers were playing against each other during the play-offs, I was rooting for the Dodgers, while Jason was rooting for the Cubs.
But once the World Series started, we all wanted the Cubs to win. We were very happy when they did.
Did anyone else have different family members rooting for different teams?
Go Cubs!
April (Dylan B.'s mom)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteWow! You guys are so busy! I always hear about so many fun things that you get to do in class! What has been your favorite memory so far this year? What are you looking forward to in third grade? Do you think there will be any field trips?
Sincerely, Melissa (Kaya's mom)
Dear class,
ReplyDeleteI'm Frangoline. You probably saw me in your classroom. Right now, I'm in a dark and scary cave,
but it's ok, because I'm going to be brave!
Did you know that bats are blind?
I hope I blog with you guys again!
Your bloging bat,
Frangoline (Cora)
@ Melissa,
ReplyDeleteI bet that we will go on field trips this year because my sister Sofia went on field trips last year. I want to learn how to tip e at least a little bit without looking. My best memory so far in school is meeting Mrs. Yollis she is a great teacher. You are right we are very busy.
What fun thing's do you get to do at home?
Are you busy a lot?
Warmly,
All♥e
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteI am Lola's mom and I am really excited about this blog challenge. When I was younger, I used to write letters to my cousin, Sandra. She lived 3 hours away from me so we didn't see each other very often. Writing letters was our way of staying connected with each other. Back then, I would send her a letter through the mail and she would receive it a few days later. She would then write me back, put it in the mail and I would get it about 1 week later. Sometimes we wouldn't write back for weeks at a time because we would get busy. Blogging would have made it so much easier for us to talk to each other!
Like Lola, I love to write and tell stories. I'm exited to share more stories with your class and to read stories and comments from all of you. So far, I enjoyed reading the posts from Nolan's mom and grandmother, from Reece's dad and Elli's mom. I can't read to more soon!
I'll check in with you all again soon!
Jessica (Lola's mom)
Dear Class,
ReplyDeleteI'm Cora's Brother, and I am very excited to be a part of November's family blog month! My sister and I are always reading these blog posts, and it has become one of our nightly routines. Did you know, in 1981 there was a baseball game that lasted for 33 innings, with 8 hours and 25 minutes of playing time.
I hope I get to blog again!
Sincerely,
Cayman "Cora's Brother"
@Cayman,
DeleteWelcome to the blog! Your nighttime ritual with Cora sounds very enjoyable. We can learn so much on the blog.
I enjoyed your fascinating sports fact. I have one for you, but it's about football. Did you know that the coldest air temperature ever recorded at an NFL game was minus 15 degrees? It was 1967 and the game was between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys. I bet you can guess which of the two cities hosted this game!
Until next time,
Lisa (Nolan's Mom)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteHow exciting that November is Family Blogging Month. I have never blogged before this year, and I still have a bit of trouble. I hope to be able to figure it out soon.
I love reading all about your activities, and I look forward to reading all your family members postings. I have forwarded the family blog to my sister-in-law who is currently in Budapest on a film . Budapest is the capital of Hungary. Does anyone know a fact about Budapest? Does anyone want to share their favorite movie ?
Your new blogging friend,
Molly (Josh's mom)
Hello, class!
ReplyDeleteMy name is Irina, I am Leor's, Vlad's and two olders Leor's brothers mom. Leor's brother Vlad wrote that he lives in Philadelphia now. Way before that we lived in Israel and before Israel we were living in Russia.
All Leor's classmate most likely are born in USA. Interesting enough that a lot of kids from the class know other languages and celebrate array of holidays from different countries where their parents or their grandparents came from. Different cultures makes the class so colorful, interesting and diversified. Traveling is very compelling and captivating. But it is not that easy or possible to go from country to country to learn about it. May be by creating a time to talk about each family roots and ancestors will be amazing way to learn about other countries. By knowing the history of your friend family kids can learn about the diversity and beauty of the world. Learn about countries and capital cities, different cooking, fairytales, rules and regulations and many many more interesting details that make the world colorful and attractive.
Do you think we can do that? I think it is an interesting journey that we as a class can take together. Lets learn from
each other about other countries, other states and about our beautiful California.
Warmly,
Irina (Leor's mom)
Dear Mrs.Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Shelley, called Nana by Reese and her brother Holden. Their grandfather, Papa (David) and I moved to Los Angeles in 2009 so that we could be close to them and their parents. I was born in Cleveland, Ohio; Papa was born inBuffalo, New York. We met in college in Cambridge, Massachusetts; after we married we moved to New York City where David went to medical school and I went to graduate school to become a high school English teacher. Then we moved to Boston, Massachusetts, and then to Washington, DC, where we lived for 40 years except for a 2-year break in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you have been counting, you can see that each of us has lived in six different cities in the United States. After teaching high school for 15 years, then leading groups and teaching French cooking, I became a travel agent.
Because of my interest in travel, in addition to traveling all over the United States,we have been in many different countries in the world: Canada, Mexico, Argentina, England, Scotland, Wales (all in the United Kingdom), France, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Israel, Denmark, Sweden, Estonia, Russia, Hungary, Austria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, China, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. Can you find all of these countries on a map of the world?
When I was in third grade, my favorite subject was reading and, by the time I was in fifth grade, my favorite gift was a book; that year I especially loved Little Women and other books by Louisa May Alcott; I also loved reading stories about horses and dogs.
What are your favorite books?
When I was 12 years old, I did something very exciting; I represented northern Ohio in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC. Although I misspelled the word caitiff (means a despicable or cowardly person) and was eliminated while 9 others were still competing, I was honored to represent my area and really enjoyed the 5-day tour of our capital. What exciting event in your life do you think you will remember when you are as old as I am (77 years)?
I hope you have enjoyed this introduction though it may be too long; in any case I look forward to getting to know you.
Shelley (Reese's Nana)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Abby. I am Elie's cousin. I think it is awesome that you formed this online blogging community and I love that you are inviting us relatives to join.
I'm in ninth grade and I actually just started a blog myself. I think its really cool that in third grade you are already blogging and that you follow safety rules.
Right now my blog is private and the link is only sent to people I know. It is about my relationship with my parents and how I can honor and respect them according to Judaism and its values.
If you were to have your own blog, what would you be interested in writing about?
Your blogging friend,
Abby (Elie's cousin)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteI am Helen, Elie's Grandma. He calls me Mimi, which is a nickname for Grandma in my culture.
I am so happy to be a part of your online blogging family. I wanted to write a comment before but couldn't figure it out myself.
Tonight I have Elie and his cousins, aunt and uncle over my home for a special dinner. I am so happy when we are together. I am also very happy that Elie and his family can finally show me how to leave a comment. I hope I remember after they leave. :)
I am 64 and it is my first time blogging, thanks to you, your class and Family Blogging Month! :)
How old were you when you posted your first blog comment? Was it hard to learn how to do it at first?
Your blogging Mimi,
Elie's Grandma
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteI am Allie's grandmother. All my grandchildren call me Bubby. I live in Aventura, Florida. When people hear that I live in Florida, some think immediately that we are near Disney World. We are about three hours away from Disney World. Disneyland is much closer to where you live. We cannot go from our home for just a day's outing as you are able to do. Have many of you been to either Disney World or Disneyland? If so, what is your favorite activity there? I love the parade and fireworks in the evening, but most of all it is experiencing everything with my family.
Allie's Bubby
Hi! Szia! This is Susan (Josh's Aunt). I am blogging all the way from Budapest, Hungary. I have been here for 6 months working on a film. The language, food and money are all very different here. In Budapest there are many people who speak English as well as their language: Hungarian. In Hungary the word for Hungarian is Magyar. Does anyone in class speak another language?
ReplyDeleteHi Mrs. Yollis, class, and families,
ReplyDeleteI am David, Reese's grandfather, known as Papa. How fascinating to learn about the class and families, from many places and backgrounds. It reminds me of what I liked about work I did for over 40 years as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, getting to know many interesting people and hearing about their experiences and feelings. When I was in third grade, I loved sports, especially baseball. I lived in Buffalo, N.Y., but my Dad took me to see my favorite team, the Dodgers, then in Brooklyn. I have stayed a Dodger fan for now over 70 years so moving to LA was a homecoming to actually live where they played for the first time. I'm interested to learn more about what excites all of you.
David, Reese's "Papa"
Hi Mrs. Yollis's Class!
ReplyDeleteAfter a private tutorial with Mrs. Yollis, I am finally getting the hang of how to blog, and it is fun! Since this is "family blogging month," I will tell you a little about our family. Reese's Dad, John, and I met on December 1, 2001 at the Farmer's Market at Fairfax and 3rd in Los Angeles. It was karaoke night, and although neither of us was brave enough to sing, we both enjoyed the entertainment. Have you ever sung karaoke? What is your favorite song to sing? We got married in October, 2004, the week before Halloween. There were only 16 people at our wedding, but we had a huge Halloween party the next week and everyone came in marriage-themed costumes. Of course, John and I dressed as a bride and groom. Can you guess what some of the other costumes were?
We expected to welcome Reese and her twin brother Holden into the world in March of 2008, but they couldn't wait to join our family, so they burst (quite literally) onto the scene in January. They were tiny babies (less than 3 pounds each), but, in the last eight years, they have more than made up for it! How much did you weigh when you were born? I know this is getting to be a long post, so I will leave the rest for another time. Thank you, Mrs. Yollis, for your help, and I look forward to continuing the dialogue.
Best,
Jo
Dear Jo,
DeleteWow, I really enjoyed learning more about your family! I have been getting to know you since we are both third grade room parents this year and we both have kids in Mrs. Yollis' class, but I still learned more about you from this post than from when we have spent time together in person! Blogging is funny that way: you can learn so much from writing and reading. Maybe when we are together we are just too busy talking about our kids and their classes or talking to our kids! Did you notice how I just made a word bold there? I only learned how to do that when my older son was in Mrs. Yollis' class two years ago. As you can see, I learn a lot from Mrs. Yollis' class blog.
Speaking of that, I noticed while reading the comments in the States post that both you and Enzo's mom were born in the Washington, D.C. area. You really do learn new things and make new connections on the blog every day!
I think your idea for a wedding celebration sounds very fun. I love to go to dress-up parties that have a theme, but I don't get invited to too many of those. If you could have another dress-up party today, what would the theme be? I was just looking at pictures from a party where people dressed up as people from another time period, and that looked like fun to me.
I am glad you got a lesson in blogging from Mrs. Yollis and have joined us. I hope you enjoy blogging!
Best,
Lisa (Nolan's Mom)
Hello class,
ReplyDeleteThe map exploration you had in October looked like lots of fun!
I come from Switzerland, in Europe. I wonder how much bigger the map would have to be to show the distance between California and Switzerland? Do you think the map would still fit in the room where it was displayed or would you have to put it on the school parking lot?
I was wondering what other fun exploration you would have in November, and then I read Mrs. Yollis' email on family blogging month. Now that is a fun challenge! I can't wait to read all the many blogs this month.
Best,
Dayana (Amanda's mom)
Mitch (Lola's dad)
ReplyDeleteMrs. Yollis and class,
I'm really excited to participate in your class blog. It is just a sign of the times that it is now so easy to communicate electronically. When I was growing up in New Jersey, I used to wait by the mailbox every day to see if I had received any letters from friends or family. In addition, before the days in text messaging or email, I used to rely on classmates passing notes to me in between classes.
As I'm sure many of you have relatives who originally came from the east coast as I did, so I'd be interested in hearing about where they all came from. It may even be possible that some of your family members may have grown up in the same area that I did (northern New Jersey).
I would love to hear about some of those east coast connections.
All the best,
Mitch
Hi Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteWow! I can't believe how much activity there is on the blog already for Family Blogging Month! It is so fun to hear everyone's stories and to learn more about the immediate and extended families of Hayden's classmates.
Dayana, I had no idea you were from Switzerland! Which part? Switzerland is one of my very favorite countries. While it is beautiful, I think it holds a special place in my heart, not just because of its beauty, but because I worked there for a little while and had some very special and wonderful experiences there. I think often it is the experiences you have in a place, as much as or perhaps more than the place itself, that make a particular place so special or a favorite. I have only the best memories of Switzerland. I worked in St. Moritz for a winter and into spring. It was so fun to experience another country by living, working and, of course, playing in it. I was born and raised right here in Southern California so living in a ski resort for a season was a very different experience for me. I loved it!
Has anyone else, other than those who have immigrated here, lived and worked in a different country? Did you have to learn another language? I did but, admittedly, not very well.
I really respect those who have moved here from another country and really admire those who have had to learn English in order to do so. Learning another language and the cultures of another country are not always so easy!
Are there any countries in particular that you kids would like to see? I wonder how many kids in the class know a language other than English?
I'm looking forward to reading all the comments this month.
Warmly,
Gayle (Hayden’s mom)
Dear Mrs. Yollis and class,
ReplyDeleteI am Elie's older sister, and I am a former student of Mrs. Yollis'. I had her in 2nd grade, but her class was a split of 2nd and 3rd. This let me choose to have her in 3rd grade also, letting me have Mrs. Yollis for two years. I have learned so much from Mrs. Yollis, and continue to use her helpful tips. Since I'm in middle school, I type a lot in class. In fact, most of my homework and essays are done on the computer! I can now type without looking at the keyboard, which lets me look at what I'm typing and type at the same time. I also remember not to post my address or phone number on any social media. Also, when I was in 2nd grade, I got my very own blog! It was called Chloe's Colorful Corner and I could post anything that I wanted. (with the help of a parent, of course)
Do you want a blog? What would you name it?
Sincerely,
Chloe
Hi Mrs. Yollis and class!
ReplyDeleteI'm Elowyn, Cora's Aunt from Colorado and I am so excited to be a part of your family blogging month! You are so very lucky to have your own classroom blog to share all of your ideas and all that you are learning. I am a former 2nd grade teacher and I always wanted to have a classroom blog. It looks like you all are learning all about the different parts of our country and I would love to tell you a little about where I am from in Colorado. I live in Boulder which lies right against the mountains and the plains. When you look east you see lots of flat grass land and when you look west, you see the grand Rocky Mountains. It is very dry here and we are experiencing a drought. It's also unseasonably warm right now. We usually have had a snow by now but I am still able to wear my flip flops!
What is your favorite season? In the fall here, people love to go up to the mountains to see the changing leaves of the Aspen trees and in the winter, people from all over the world come to ski and snowboard.
I look forward to hearing from some of you.
Best,
Elowyn
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving break has been wonderful for me!
My family and I go to my neighbor's house for Thanksgiving dinner. My favorite food is pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce. We play with my neighbor's son, who is also a 3rd grade student at Chaparral, until dinner is ready to eat.
My mom makes the stuffing and cranberry sauce, and my dad brings the wine.
When I was younger my family and I would go to New Jersey for Thanksgiving dinner with my cousins and my aunt and uncle
What is your favorite food to eat on Thanksgiving
Do either go to someone's house for dinner, or do you have people come to your house?
Your blogging friend
Lola
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
ReplyDeletePhew! What a month! It flew by like that.
Just to throw a message out there, I give good luck to everyone who is participating in this fun contest and encourage them to blog on!
The FBM all-in-all, is a tremendous idea that would be passed along to future generations.
What's your favorite part about The FBM?
Your friend,
Elie
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteIt has been so wonderful reading your comments and getting to know you more.
I got a new device and didn't realize that you need Chrome to be able to make comments for awhile, though have been happy to read yours.
I want to wish you all a great end of Family Blogging Month and hope to have conversations with you beyond. To those who win the challenge, congratulations. To all others, you are all winners for participating! Each and every one of you that participated really added to this blogging community and special month.
What were some of your favorite parts of Family Blogging Month? Did anyone else have any family members join who have never blogged before?
Your Blogging Grandma,
Shula (Elie's Safta)
@ Elie,
ReplyDeleteI love your style of writing! It feels like you're in front of me and we are having a conversation.
I also love that you are wishing all good luck and encouraging us to blog on. :)
To answer your question, my favorite part about FBM was getting to know all of your classmates and their participating families and friends from all over the country and even the world.
Like you, I think this is a great idea to be passes along to future generations.
What was your favorite topic of discussion? What was your favorite part of FBM?
Love,
Mom
Dear Mrs. Yollis and Class,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Shira and I am Elie's family friend from Israel.
I am visiting here and love to see that you have a class blog.
I saw your blog about the 50 states and how many states you have visited. In my short stay here I have been to California, New York, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and Texas. I hope to visit many more while I am here.
Have any of you travelled to other countries? if yes, how many and which countries did you visit?
Thank you,
Shira (Elie's Family Friend)