Happy Weekend!

It was a whirlwind of a week, a lot was accomplished, but very busy! I hope all students have a fabulous weekend! Stay warm!

No Homework!

Taking a trip....

We went on a mini-tour of Europe today....interesting things! Ask you student what they learned?

HOMEWORK:

L/A: Study for Vocab & Story Assessment

MATH: Study Order of Operation paper Quiz Friday

Europe and Beyond...

The students were entertaining today, as they often are. We were learning about Europe, in our Social Studies Seminar more specifically, Germany. I recently finished reading the book "Number the Stars", to the class and today I read them a book about the Berlin Wall. They were disturbed by the way that people have been treated over the course of history. In fact, they just did not think it was possible or right to actually miss treat people that way! It brought on a great deal of discussion.

Parent Thought:
Ask your child how they felt when we read the books? What emotions did they experience for the characters?

HOMEWORK:
Language Arts:
Re-Read story "Chimpanzees"
Study Vocabulary
Study Spelling (If you did not pass the pretest with a score of 20 or higher)

Math:
Studylink 6.2 (1-10 Only)

Monday, Monday....

As the week begins, the students had a great day from my point of view!
Learning this week:

Study into Animal Rights....as we read "Chimpanzees...The story of Jane Goodall"

Skills: Understanding Author's purpose, Pronouns and Antecedents, Spelling with Prefixes, Writing Narratives (ISTEP Practice), Math: Multiplication & Division of Fractions, Add/Sub. Negative and Positive Numbers, Order of Operations.

***Just a reminder spelling tests are moved to Thursday with a pretest on Wednesdays

HOMEWORK:
Language Arts: Study Spelling words and complete spelling pages 67 & 68
Vocabulary Usage sheet - Due Wednesday

Math: Studylink 6.1 (All)

Parent Thought: Ask your child how they felt when the read about the treatment of some captive chimpanzees????

Have a great evening!

Busy Day....

The students had a very ....very busy day! We studied the Arctic, they shared their park models as well as completing the curriculum goals for the day....Ahh!, I can breath now! We had many things to celebrate as well! MANY students showed major growth on their progress reports! I am so proud of them! I remind them often that personal best and personal growth is the goal....it is not about comparing your progress to others. I am so pleased with this group of students....While they are a chatty group, they are an awesome group of students and I could not be more pleased with their personalities and how they work together! I hope they are having as much fun, or close to as much fun, as I am having this school year!

As I mentioned in the letter sent home. PLEASE feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or comments that you have regard your student. I would love the opportunity to conference with you via phone, email or in person. Just contact me.

No Homework....Enjoy the weekend!
Little League sign ups start tomorrow, info. was sent home today.

Report Cards

Report cards will be going home tomorrow. There are both term grades and semester grades on the report card.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions regrading the report cards. Many student have improved in areas, some have not! I reminded them to stay focused on their goals!

Homework:
There is no written homework Wed. or Thurs. night because the students reached a homework point goal! They need to continue to study their vocab. and spelling then I encourage them to re-read the story on Thursday night.

Have a great evening!

Grading Period #4

As we being the 4th grading period, I am encouraging the students to work toward their next level of learning! We will be setting goals and communicating on where their goals should be focused!

Report Cards go Home Thursday!

HOMEWORK:
Language Arts:
Complete Spelling pages 61 & 62
Vocabulary Usage Sheet (take home your reading book)

Math:
Take home & Share Unit 6 Family Letter

Unit 3 Celebration

Today we finished many grading period assessments for the week! The students had some time to celebrate with the choice of reading time, writing time, art time, computer learning time or watching Snow Dogs

(a movie based on the unit theme of Facing Challenges & Obstacles)!

Well Done students! Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy having Monday off!

Upcoming: Tuesday we will begin Curriculum Unit 4!

Computer ....Yikes

Well, We are back online, My Class computer crashed, luckily, all material was saved on the server!

Review week is going well, the students are doing well and many of them took great effort to prepare for the assessments. Report cards will be going home next week.

HOMEWORK:
NONE...Celebrate assessments

UPCOMING:
No school Monday January 18th - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Girls Basketball Camp....Starts Next Tuesday January 19th

Parent Thought:
Ask your child how they did on the assessments...Did they bring their graded work home???

Working on the Progress...

This week as the students are preparing and assessing for the grading period we discussed grades. I took time to explain to the students, again, the breakdown of their grades. Each subject are is put into three separate categories.....Each subject has the following breakdown:

Homework / Classwork 20% Practice
Weekly Quizzes 30% Practice & Reteach
6 Week Assessments 50% "Game Time"

I pointed this out to emphasis the importance of practicing for the assessments. During the weeks of the 6 weeks, we have daily practice of skills (a time for help and reteaching), Weekly skill checks (a time for reteaching and asking questions!) then, a six week assessment of retention of skills (Game time)!

HOMEWORK:

Language Arts:
Study vocabulary definitions with someone at home (Vocab. Sheet Provided)
Study spelling words (pg. 125 in the spelling book) Assessment will be 25 words (5 from each list)
Tomorrow is the ....Spelling Assessment & one portion of the Grammar Assessment

Math: None


Parent Thought: Ask your child what they are doing to prepare for the assessments????
We have taken time to learn how to prepare and study (a huge skill for now and the future!)

Review and Assessment Week

This is the review and assessment week for the Third Grading Period. I have spoke with the students about responsibility and preparations. The learning activities and assessments this week have a major impact on the grading period.

I have given the students an outline for the week and I instructed them to keep it in their take home folder, it is plan for the week, an assessment schedule and homework for the week.

Parent Thought....Ask your child what they are doing at school and at home to prepare for the assessments.

HOMEWORK:
Language Arts:
Study Unit Spelling and Vocabulary List

Math: Math Journal page 195 - Take home and use SRB for help

Week 5 of 6....

We just completed week 5 of the six week grading period....What does this mean? It means that next week is a review and assessment week. The students will have the opportunity to review and be re-taught as needed the main language arts skills for the Unit! This includes areas of reading comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, writing skills and grammar skills. We will also be assessing Unit 5 Math at the end of next week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Snowy Day....

I am really looking forward to a day when we can have outdoor recess...the temperatures have just been a bit below the 15 degree mark...(windchill) The students would really benefit from some fresh air! Be sure that they are always prepared to go out in terms of dressing properly for the weather!

Preparing for Friday:
There will the the usual Reading (comprehension and vocabulary) Assessment on Friday as well as the Grammar assessment. I recommend to the students to practice their vocabulary with someone at home. It is also int heir best interest to re-read the story!

HOMEWORK:
Language Arts:
Reread the story Juan Verdades - Read over and try the reader response questions following the story.

Practice Vocabulary - Use your copy of the Family Times


Math:
Math Journal pg. 182 ***Take home Template!!!

Parent Thought....Ask your child what they have been learning about Geometry....

A Folktale of a week....

This week the class is reading folktales. We are focusing on the passing of stories from one generation to the next. We read Juan Verdades the story of the man who could not tell a lie. The story was originally tough to comprehend but as we worked through it the students understood it much better.

Math: Some students are in different math classes for this unit, their homework is assigned by their Unit 5 math teacher. I focused on the use of planners with the class. If you child has misplaced their planner please send in a note and we can replace their planner!


HOMEWORK:
Language Arts:
Complete Grammar pg. 55 - Use page 53 for help
Study spelling and vocabulary (I have moved spelling tests to Thursdays)


Math:Math Journal Pg. 181 #8,9,10 (90 degree adn 180 degree sections only)


Parent thought ....are their any "family" stories that you have that have been passed down through generations? If so share them with your child.

Sports Programs

Today the students received information regarding Junior High Wrestling and JIS Girls Basketball. Please look this over and return the forms to school as soon as possible.


HOMEWORK:
Language arts:
Practice Spelling Words ----Try spellingcity.com
Vocabulary Practice-Due Wed.
Practice Book pg. 133


Parent Thought....Ask your child if they clean out their mailbox daily, they should be :)
Have a great day!

Happy New Year....2010

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope all of your families had a wonderful holiday! It sure went by quickly! The students were tired this morning....no surprise! They woke up some this afternoon....

Learning This Week:
Language Arts: Make generalizations, dealing with tough words, spelling compound words and comprehending by thinking while reading

Math: Coordinate graphs, geometric figures, congruent figures


HOMEWORK: Monday Jan. 4th

Language Arts:
Family Times
Study Spelling and complete spelling pages 54&55
Vocabulary Usage Sheet-DUE Wed.

Math: None Assigned

Parent Thought: Please speak to your child about safety of snowboarding and sledding....There were many students who came to school today with bumps, bruises, and stitches from sledding ....