February 10, 2022

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! Well what a week. Seems short for me. I was absent half the day Monday due to a follow-up appointment for Molly. She is out of her sling!! Then Tuesday was my last day of Behavior Class. All homework completed and turned in so I am officially done! YAY! So being gone so much makes me feel like this was a short week because here I am all ready writing my blog. February is moving pretty quickly. Maybe Spring will be here before we know it.

Language Arts

This week we are back in the book reading a story called Riding Freedom. This story reminds me of the Disney movie Mulan. It is a story of a female wanting to do a male's job so she disguises herself as a man. A lot of the class had not seen Mulan or some acted like they had never heard of it. I may have to slip that in sometime so they can see it. This story is about Charlotte Parkhurst, a female stagecoach driver. Not only did she fool them into thinking she was a guy, she had a bad accident and lost one eye. She worked long and hard to prove to them that she could still drive just as well even with one eye. You can google her and there is a drawing of her and they called her One-eyed Charley. I think it is a fun story. I have the whole book Riding Freedom in my room for any student who would like to read the whole book on her. Grammar this week was learning about adjectives. Vocabulary Strategy was over Figurative Language. They were reviewing similes, metaphors, adages and proverbs. Please remember to have them study their yellow vocabulary packets and spelling words for tomorrow.

Math

This week we are still working on double-digit multiplication and the area model strategy. I have slowed down to be sure everyone is understanding what we are doing. Wednesday we worked on corrections and reviewed what I taught on Monday. Today I plan to go over their work and move on from their. We will still be working with the area model strategy this week. If you do not understand this strategy please send you child to school early to come to the room and ask for help. Many do not ask at school and I need to see their work. If they show no work I know they are not using the correct strategy. I am at school by 7:50 every morning, willing to answer questions.

Social Studies

We are continuing to learn about the Southeast states. You will find the results of the Map Test in their folders this week. Some did an excellent job and some have a long way to go. We are working on learning about the first colonies in the U.S. and how they were in the Southeast Region. St. Augustine, Florida was the first Spanish settlement, Roanoke Island (North Carolina) first English Colony but was lost, and Jamestown, Virginia, the first successful English Colony. We have also talked 3 major explorers of the area. Juan Ponce de Leon, Hernando de Soto, and Robert LaSalle. Students have found this interesting and have had some great questions that have led to good discussion.

Spirit Day

Tomorrow is a Spirit day! Pay $1.00 to wear sweats. Just to let you know some Pay it Forward money has gone to Mayflower School for the loss of their 3rd-4th grade teacher Sue Maitlen and to the Wicks Family for their loss of their infant Ariana. Ariana has a sibling that attends St. Malachy so we helped to support their loss. Please continue to bring in those dollars so we may continue to support people in need from the St. Malachy Students, staff and faculty.

Auction Basket

I had a few more donations trickle in this week. Thank you very much for your help. If anyone else would like to donate they are still accepting cash donations.

Valentine's Day

Monday is Valentine's Day. We will celebrate in our classroom towards the end of the day. I have the homeroom mom's bringing in a snack and drink for the students. They will pass out their Valentine's to each other and enjoy the snacks provided. I do not allow them to eat any candy from the Valentines. That is for you to decide how much of that they eat. They created a bag yesterday for their Valentine's to go in, so they will bring them home Monday night. Here is a list of students that are in the class:

Kylin Sam Hayden Kalvin Breckyn Kinsley

Ayari Jacob Taelyn Karsi Indie Landen

Brock Gabe Connor Vada Mallory

Again hard to believe this week is almost over. It was super quick for me. I hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoys the weather. I see snow in the forecast for next Thursday. I hope to enjoy my weekend by reading and relaxing. Wait, that is my plan every weekend! Have fun at your Super Bowl parties. If I have one we focus on commercials and halftime and do not watch the game!

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels