In reading today we will work on our novels.  Homework is to work on book projects (if not done already) and record time on the blue logs.

Writing will see us finishing our final copies of our mystery box narratives.  No spelling  test this week due to our all day write yesterday.

There is also no math homework test this week.  However, all math homework is due tomorrow since there is no school on Friday.  We will continue to work on fractions, introducing the concept of improper fractions today.

We will continue to work on social studies chapter  7:  pioneers and settlers.  We will also write back to our penpals from China today.

Thanks again to all of you that have quickly responded so I could set up our conference schedule.  I really appreciate it.  I look forward to seeing you soon.

Homework is to be working on the book projects due next Wednesday, March 17th, and recording time on the blue reading logs.  There is also math homework .

Reminder:  There is no school this Friday. 

Thanks to all of you who returned your conference preference slips.  I will be assigning times starting today to those who returned slips.  If you can confirm that the assigned time works for you as soon as possible, I would really appreciate it.  Have a great day!

We worked on the first half of our novels today.  Discussion groups will be Wed or Thurs of this week.  Homework is to keep working on our book projects (due next Wednesday) and read and record on the blue reading logs.

In writing we will be continuing to edit and work on our final drafts of the box narratives. No spelling words this week.  Homework is instead  to use the ‘there’ homophones in sentences.

We will continue to work on fractions in math.  Homework is the two sheets (plus some practice multiplication problems on the back of the pink sheet.  There will be no homework test this week due to the short week.

We will be talking about pioneers and settlers in social studies.  We will also be watching a dramatization of a girl who suffers disfiguring burns in a fire and how she copes with looking different.  Somehow, with our practicing for our program, we didn’t end up with time to see this during our unit.  It is powerful without being gruesome.

I am sending home preference sheets for conferences that are March 24 and 25.  Please indicate times that will work best for you.  I will do my very best to work everyone in at a time that is convenient.  However, the evening conference times fill up fast, so if there is a way to come at another time as well, please indicate that.  I look forward to meeting with you again.

We will start new novels in reading today.  Homework is just to complete the reading log for the week and get it signed.  Students can continue to work on their book projects due March 17th.

Students will begin to edit their stories today.  We will take the usual homework tests and then play fraction kit games in math.

After our cast party this afternoon we have a special treat.  A real NASA scientist will be speaking at our school.  What an awesome day.

We will also be saying a sad farewell to Miss Simmons, our student teacher.  We have thoroughly enjoyed her being with us.  She is a great teacher and added a lot to our classroom.  We will miss her!  She will still be in our building however, as she is completing her special education experience.

In reading today we finished reading about climbing Mt. Everest.  We paid attention to text features, and took notes.  We finished writing a summary.  Homework is reading for the book projects and recording our time.

In writing we practiced our spelling words.  Don’t forget our spelling test is tomorrow.  We then worked on revising our narrative stories.

In math we will work with geoboards and fractions.  Homework is the usual sheets.  Superkids problems are on the back of the purple sheet rather than on a separate orange  sheet.

Students will take their immigrant test today in social studies.  We will also be having our last practice for our program.

See you all tomorrow!

In reading today we worked on using text features in non-fiction as well as taking notes to answer questions.  We also wrote our summaries using our notes.  We used a book about Mount Everest as our non-fiction text. Reading homework is the usual reading/recording and working on the book project due March 17th!

We took a Scholastic Reading Inventory in computer lab today.  Almost everyone’s scores improved.  It’s nice to see all this reading we are doing paying off.  Students should practice their spelling words at home tonight.

We will be playing some fraction kit games today with the fraction kits we made yesterday.  Homework is the purple and white sheet.  Don’t forget the “superkids” problems on the back of the purple sheet.

We will do some current events in science by reading some Time for Kids.

Students will review for our immigrants social studies test that is tomorrow.  Reviewing at home tonight would be a great idea.

Reminder:  Our program is Thursday!  We are currently gleefully accepting donations of cookies or 7-up type pop.  We want to be able to serve you wonderful refreshments after our performance (and have left overs for our cast party the next day)!  Thank you so very much.

Today in reading we will be working with some short passages: both a non-fiction and fiction piece about quicksand.  Students will work independently on these and answer questions about the passages.  You will see the results at conferences.  Homework is to work on the non-fiction book project due March 17th, and be reading and recording on the blue reading log.

Students will get their new spelling words today.  They have the usual Monday homework over these words.  The test will be on Thursday, as usual.  Students will be finishing up their rough drafts of their mystery box narratives.

We will start fractions in math today.  We will be making fraction kits, which we will use to explore fractions.  Homework is two sheets this week, plus a few problems on the back of the colored sheet (instead of an orange Superkids sheet).

Students will be reviewing  for their immigrant test that they will take on Wednesday.  Practicing at home is a great idea.

In reading we finished our novels that we have been working on for three weeks.  Homework is to be working on our reading for our book projects and recording reading on our blue reading logs.

In writing we will list our misspelled words in our spelling notebooks, then continue to work on our narratives of the mystery box.

We will practice for the last time on the stage today after lunch.  (The music room, aka the stage, is usually in use the rest of the week.)  Our Celebrating Differences program is less than a week away.  I think the students will do a great job!  Cookies or lemon/lime pop will be accepted any time next week.  Thank you again for supporting us.  We will be serving refreshments to families and friends that night and leftovers will be used the next day for our cast party.

All PTCA chocolate orders are due next Tuesday.  They make great Easter gifts, and help fund our field trips.  Thanks for your support.

Next week is Miss Simmons’s last week in our class.  After that she will be working with Mrs. Whitney.  We have really enjoyed having her with us and will really miss her.

Some students are in discussion groups over the last section of their novel today.  The rest will discuss the last section tomorrow.  All novel work is due tomorrow.  If students need to complete any novel work at home, that is fine.  Additional homework is just the usual reading and recording and working on the Feb/March book project due March 17th.

Writing will see us taking our spelling test and continuing to work on our new narratives.

In math we will be taking unit tests over multiplication and measurement conversions.  Homework is to finish all homework sheets and study for their homework tests tomorrow.

In social studies we are finishing our immigrant unit. Today we are talking about our state’s population and how it has increased over the years. Then we are talking about how our state is a melting pot to celebrate diversity. Traditionally our state has been called a melting pot, but recently we are switching our thinking to a tossed salad. This allows all ethnicities to be different and practice their cultures (tossed salad) instead of all melting together to be American in the melting pot theme. We will review for the test next week, as our final test in on Wednesday.

In science, students will be taking a unit test over magnetism and electricity.  Wow…lots of tests today!

We will be continuing work for our novels in reading.  Homework is to continue to read and record on the blue logs.  Remember reading for your non-fiction book project counts!

In writing we will continue to work on planning our new narratives about finding a box at our front door.  We will also practice our spelling words for our test tomorrow.

Principal Pride winners for February are: Jenessa, Halle, and Tate.  Congratulations!

Please continue to study your social studies notes.  Today we will be talking about race.  We will add to our notes.

We are down to our last few practices for next week’s Celebrating Differencs Program.  Reminder:  It is a week from tomorrow, Thursday, March 4th.  There is a rehearsal program for the school at 2:00, and a performance for family and friends that night at 7:00.  We look forward to seeing you there!