January 26, 2023

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! I feel like Thursdays come quickly anymore. It is a busy day! I have to write this blog and start trying to make plans for next week. Normally the plans don't happen until Friday. Next week is Catholic Schools Week so things will be a little crazy. Temps don't look to be favorable either. Usually every year we either have a snow day or the temps are super cold this week. It is becoming normal. We have been doing a lot of work this month, and I plan to continue that through Spring Break.

Language Arts

This week was a Unit Test week for Unit 3. We focused on the test Mon - Wed. We also started talking about writing an Opinion Paragraph. They watched a video that uses the acronym OREO to set up an outline for the paragraph. O= Opinion statement, R= Reason, E= examples of reason and O= Opinion statement again. The best paragraph would be a double or triple stuffed oreo having 2 to 3 reasons and examples. The first day the students wrote an outline of what they wanted to write about. Wednesday they began putting their paragraph together. Today they will begin typing their paragraphs. Friday I hope to print them out and share with the class. Next week will go back to a normal week. They will have a spelling test and the end of the week test like normal.

Math

We took the Topic 4 assessment this week. They corrected yesterday. I will get those back to them today or tomorrow to bring home to be signed. We have begun learning the standard algorithm for Multiplication. They are not fans of it at all. This strategy does not help with "why" we do what we do when we multiply. We think it is super easy and only way to work the problems. It is definitely not the only way and these students tend to like the partial product version much better. I told them they can choose to use whatever strategy they want to use. This is why we teach them a variety of strategies. They need to use whatever works for them and their way of thinking. After we have spent a few days on this we will move into division. We will only learn partial quotient in division. They do not learn the way we leamed until 5th grade. After The division chapter we will head into fractions for mostly the rest of the year. I told the kids when I am planning I am always looking at the rest of the year.

Social Studies

We took a test over Chapter 6. We have begun chapter 7. We begin talking about the Cherokee in Tennessee. They are the only Native American tribe to have a written alphabet for their language. The kids found this very interesting. Today we finished the first lesson and they will be doing a sequence worksheet. I am showing them how to find order of events using post it notes in their textbooks. They hate this because it is a lot of work but they have a better chance of getting the worksheet correct the first time by doing it. They find all the statements on the worksheet in the book and mark it with a post it note. When all statements are found, tah dah you have the order they are in by going to the first post it note, then the 2nd and so on.

Weather

I am just giving all a heads up about the temperatures next week. They are looking to be extremely cold. If the feels like is 0 degrees or below we will not go outside for recess or be outside in the mornings. We are to base this off of Channel 8's Creston Temperature so that we are all on the same page. Please make sure your child is prepared with warm clothes, hats, mittens and boots! I would even wear a face mask if I had one. We want them to be protected.

Catholic Schools Week

Sunday: Kick off Mass at Holy Spirit 9:00AM

Some kids have parts in the mass, they would have received in their folders.

Monday: Faculty/Staff Appreciation day

Students Bring a sack lunch (milk is provided) eat with Advent Angel

Dress up in St. Malachy Gear

Tuesday: Vocation Appreciation Day

Father Patrick Culture Concert

Build a Snowman with Angels (weather permitting)

Dress up in favorite Saint of Bible figure

Wednesday: Student Appreciation Day

Talent Show 8:45 - 11:00

Dress up in pajamas

Thursday: Nation Appreciation Day

Veterans Day Cards with Angels

Dress up as a Hero or Patriotic

Friday: Grandparents/Special Guest Day

Mass at 1:30 at the Church

Students dismissed at 1:00

Students will be released from school at church

Bus and Trolley provided at Church

Dress up in your Sunday Best

What a busy week next week will be. You had a paper copy of the list of events for Catholic Schools week, that came home with the youngest child in the household. In case you threw it out here is another view of what is happening. I will also remind students daily. Again dress warm next week. I would even be sure everyone has a sweatshirt in the classroom. Our temperature is hard to keep regulated when it is so cold outside. As for the dress up days I will go over all of them tomorrow with the class. I will also remind them daily next week what the next day will be. They do not have to participate it is a choice but I will only be taking pictures to put on Facebook of those that do participate. Enjoy the weekend! My only plans this weekend are to relax, enjoy a book and maybe start a new puzzle.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels