December 12, 2024

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! Here we are, it's Thursday AGAIN. They come so quickly for me. It is definitely a busy time of year. I am almost done with my shopping. I get closer and closer all the time. I can tell Christmas is getting closer, because so is the excitement. We are working hard to still learn lots here at school. I pray next week is as good as this week has been.

Language Arts

We have started a new story today. They took a spelling pretest and read a play. The post test will be next Thursday. I planned it out so we were finished before break. This is a week where we are to have two stories. I am only working on one. I wanted them to experience the play and not worry about a nonfiction piece which they will have more of. I hope to just read the nonfiction piece with them so they hear it and for those who love nonfiction. In grammar they will be working on present progressive, past progressive, and future progressive verbs. We have 2 new strategies we will be focusing on during this story: elements of a drama and idioms, adages and proverbs. We talked about them today and I pointed some things out as we read the story today.

Math

We started the standard algorithm for multiplication today. They seemed to catch on pretty well. We will see when we check their work tomorrow. This is the last of the new stuff before Christmas. We will practice this for a few days then we will do some Christmas math. It is just some fun math where they create a Christmas picture. We will color and listen to Christmas Music during this math time. My intent is that it is relaxing, but some may struggle with it.

Social Studies

We have begun work in the next Unit in the Southeast States. They have made a list of the states in their notebooks and we have begun vocabulary words. In the first lesson we will focus on the make-up of the land. They will learn about the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, and Appalachian Mountains. We will also talk about the beaches and waterfalls. They will learn about the Fall Line.

Spirit day

Tomorrow is a Spirit Day! It is a perfect day for sweats! Cold weather and sweats go together. It is also Grinch Day! I can't wait to see the Grinch stuff. I love the Grinch.

Dress-Up days for week of 16th

Monday, the 16th Snowman Day wear white

Tuesday, the 17th Smooth as Velvet or Mad for Plaid wear either

Wednesday, the 18th Holiday Glow - Dress to impress with shiny and bright.

Thursday, the 19th Mele Kalikimaki - Wear a Hawaiian shirt

Friday, the 20th Holiday Sweater - wear your festive sweater that day

Friday, December 20th

This day is usually a day of fun. We spend an hour in the morning finishing up any loose ends with classwork in any subject. Now, the rest will depend on behavior next week. At some point in the day we watch a Christmas Movie, and we have a Christmas Party where we play games with each other, enjoy a snack and a drink. The students have lunch with their Advent Angels that day, which needs to be a sack lunch ( milk will be provided), and we do our annual Christmas Caroling in the gym. This is my favorite activity!! I remember doing it at my school as a kid. The students are welcome to bring a board game from home to share with friends. Keep in mind if many bring a game not all games will get played. Also, it has to be a board game, no electronics. Unless it is an electronic battleship that two people can and it still involves a game board. Most likely the movie will be in the morning and the games in the afternoon. Again all this depends on their behavior. I would like them to earn the fun not just expect it to happen. I will discuss this with them first things next Monday.

I look forward to next Friday. I want to be able to enjoy the kids before I send them off for a long break. I sometimes just have to survive Monday - Thursday first. I hope I am not in survival mode. My youngest daughter found out she is student teaching in Winterset and instead of living with my best friend she is going to live with me. I am just over the moon with excitement. She will then get to share with me each night the things she encounters. Plus is just feels good to have her back home for a while. She may be in and out of the classroom next week. I think the kids like seeing her. I hope you all have a great weekend! Be careful with the weather potential coming.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels