Jigsaw Puzzles - Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Jigsaw Puzzles - Tuesday, March 31, 2020

During this "stay at home" order, how many of you are spending time working on puzzles?  Ever wonder where jigsaw puzzles originated?

English engraver, John Spilsbury is credited with creating the first jigsaw puzzle around 1760, although at first they were mostly pictures of maps and used as educational tools for geography.  It wasn't until the 1930's that puzzles were mass produced and became a popular pastime.

Like today, puzzles were widely used during another American crisis, the Great Depression, because by that time they were inexpensive (or free) and they provided hours of entertainment and distraction for families.

So, if you have one, grab the box, dump out all the pieces, plan your strategy (outside edges first? organize by color?), and either alone or with family, get lost in a puzzle!


(my current puzzle)

~Ms. McGinty

Mindful Monday - Monday, March 30, 2020

Dear McKelvie Students, Parents, and Staff, 

Welcome to our first edition of Mindful Monday! Mindfulness is an important tool to use each and every day to help us deal with the daily stressors of life. Mindfulness means paying full attention to something. When you are mindful, you are slowing down to really notice everything around you. It is the opposite of rushing; being mindful means taking your time. Mindfulness takes practice because you are literally training your mind to behave in a new way. It is normal if it does not come easy to you at first!

Being mindful has so many benefits! Some of these include:

• Increased focus
• Better able to manage stress
• Increased patience
• Feeling more joy
• Better listening skills

Check out THIS BrainPop video that talks more about what mindfulness is. 

Each Monday, we will be posting a new mindfulness strategy!

This week's activity involves slowing down to notice what's around you. When you feel your mind spinning out of control, press the pause button, take a few deep breaths, and walk yourself through the below exercise.

By focusing on all of our senses and paying attention to the world around us, we become grounded in the present moment. If you tried this exercise and liked it, email your counselor and let them know!

We hope everyone has a happy Monday!

Sincerely, 

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty

Greetings from Nina! Friday, March 27, 2020

Greetings from Nina and Happy Friday!

We made it through Week 1 of remote learning!  Great job everyone!
This week Nina was so happy to get out and play in the snow.  This is a picture of Nina and her neighborhood friend, Lulu.



What did you do this week that made you happy?

Growth Mindset and how it can help during remote learning - Thursday, March 26, 2020

Hi everyone,

You may have heard the term "Growth Mindset" in school.  Growth mindset refers to the belief that you are in control of your own abilities and you can grow and improve with hard work.  Examples of growth mindset thoughts are:

1. I can train my brain through practice.
2. I believe that I can do difficult things.
3. I know failure is an important part of my success.

When you replace "fixed mindset" thoughts (beliefs that your abilities or talents are fixed traits), with "growth mindset" thoughts, you get:

"I can't do this" - - - - - - - - - "I'm going to train my brain in how to do this"
"I'll never get it" - - - - - - - - "Challenges grow my brain, so this will get easier"

Additionally, you may have heard your school counselors talk about "reframing thoughts."  This is when you recognize a negative thought, and you replace it with a positive thought.

When you have negative or scary thoughts during this remote learning time, try to recognize and replace.  For example:

"I'm stuck at home and I can't do anything" - - - - - - "I get to be SAFE in my home and spend time with my family"

"There is too much uncertainly right now" - - - - - - - "While I can't control the situation around me, I can control my actions.  Getting exercise, calling loved ones, getting enough sleep and good nutrition will help me during this time"

Remember, you are all amazing kids, and you got this!
~ Ms. McGinty and Ms. Galluzzo

Feeling Frustrated? - Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Hi McK community, 

It's day three of remote learning. We know that throughout this process, you've probably encountered some frustrating and annoying things. What are some of those frustrating things for you?

Remote learning is challenging. It can be frustrating at times, especially if you don't understand the expectations, you don't understand the material, you miss your friends and teachers, or you feel like you aren't getting the help you need.

Notice what happens to your body when you get frustrated. Do you clench your fists? Do you feel tense? Does your mind start to wander? When these things start to happen, it can help to take a break and start again. Although sometimes we think we need to just "stick with it," doing so can actually get us more frustrated. When we get frustrated, it makes it even harder for us to access our "thinking brain" and complete our work. Take a break. It's okay. It's necessary.

Watch this video to learn more about how to manage your frustrations. It's also a nice way to take a break and move your body so that you can focus back on what you need to do.

We challenge you to think about what "taking a break" means to you. What helps you calm down and refocus? Is it taking a walk, coloring, reading, taking a few deep breaths, or talking to a friend? Find what works for you. We all need to take breaks sometimes. 

Remember, if you are feeling frustrated, reach out! Your teachers, school counselors, and administrators are ALL here to help you! You can push through hard things and come out on top. We are all in this together!

Sincerely,

Ms. Galluzzo and Ms. McGinty

Snowman Contest! - Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Good Morning!

McKelvie is currently holding a contest to see who can build the best snowman!  The contest will begin today, Tuesday, March 24th and will end on Wednesday, March 25th at 5pm.  Here's how to enter the competition:

Go outside and build a snowman. 
Take a picture of your snowman and email it to Mrs. Parsons at (parsonsj@sau25.net)
Voting will be conducted by McK Staff.  We have some McKelvie swag for the winners!

Use McKelvie colors,  be creative with your design. Most importantly, HAVE FUN with this.
Good luck, and may the best snowman win!

.  

Be Kind Online! - Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Tuesday, March 24th, 2020

Hi everyone!  I hope that you have had a positive start to remote learning.  Since we are relying almost entirely on technology for learning and communicating, I thought it was important to think about our online behavior.

We are all being asked to practice social distancing right now.  This can cause us to feel a little isolated!  Some of you may be talking with friends and classmates using various types of social media or technology platforms.  It is important to remember that we are all responsible for creating a positive online community.

As you continue to communicate via Google Classroom with teachers and peers, and stay connected to friends using texting, or social media, think about whether your online-behavior matches your real-life personality, and ways you can stay positive and inclusive online.  Share them with us!

~Ms. McGinty and Ms. Galluzzo