November 30, 2023

Happy Thursday! Can you believe today is the last day of November? Is it a good thing or a bad thing that we are beginning December in a Winter Weather Advisory? I guess only time will tell. I am all about a snowy winter. Winter is my favorite season. It's Iowa we are going to have snow so I am embracing it. My mom would say, " You always find the positive in things!" As a kid we snowmobiled as a family and took a trip each February to Wyoming or Colorado to ride for a week. It was my absolute favorite thing to do. I don't do that anymore but I still love the beauty of snow. Please be sure your child has their boots tomorrow since we may have snow. I will tell you, I never ask for ice only snow.

Language Arts

We are reading a story called Smokejumpers this week. We have worked on comparing firefighters to smokejumpers. They have different jobs. Their purpose is the same (putting out the fire) but the way they do it is very different. They learned about some tools that are used by Smokejumpers also. Our spelling list is over Homophones, which the students found very difficult. In grammar we are also talking about Homophones that are easily confused. I told them adults need to have these lessons again. I see mistakes in usage on Facebook all the time. We have worked on to, too, and two. Tomorrow we will work on there, their, and they're. This is the one that people really mess up. The decoding skill is about plural nouns. It was a lot of information in a short lesson. I plan to do more with decoding tomorrow or Monday for sure.

On Monday of this week we had some pretty meaningful Professional Development. This needed to happen at the beginning of the year instead of now, BUT I am very grateful to have had it at all. I learned a lot about this language arts program and how I need to be teaching it. So life is changing in the world of language arts in my room. The biggest change is that it will not longer be a Monday through Friday routine. I have taught this way for so long it has just been the normal thing to do. I am now thinkiing of it as lessons and days. It will sometimes take more than 5 days to complete a story depending on how long it is and what the learning objectives are. This week has 2 stories, we spent 3 days on the first story now. N we will be moving onto the next story which is longer than the first one. Please pay attention to the assignment book and the blog on when pretest and post test days are. We took a pretest this Wednesday, and I told the kids I am shooting for a post test on next Tuesday. It will no longer be a Monday through Friday routine.

Math

I hope the kids talked to you avout their day at BizTown. They learned a lot of lessons that day. One was there is not enough time in a lunch hour to eat and run errands. Some didn't find the time to shop because they were so busy.

We have now started back to our regular work. We have started Topic 3 which is over multiplication. We have covered one lesson on multiplying 10's, 100's and 1,000's. I taught them the simple way of doing it. They loved it because it was so easy, but they still need to know their basic facts!! I plan on adding multiplication basic facts next week. This paper will be blue. I have warned them it is coming.

Social Studies

We are starting lesson 4. This means that a test will be coming next week. We may not actually take the test next week but we will be working on the study guide for sure. They will also take a 2nd Map Test over the Northeast Region next Friday. This is the same thing as the first one. They will need to label the states in the Northeast on a map. The difference this time is they have to add the capital. I have talked to them about this also. I have made practice tests available in the classroom for those who want to practice.

Spirit Day

Tomorrow is a Spirit Day! Pay $1.00 to wear sweats. Sounds like the weather will be perfect for wearing sweats! I hope to see lots of $$.

Christmas Program

Next Wednesday is our Christmas program. It is at the High School in the auditorium at 6:00 PM. You will find a permission form for us to travel to the high school to practice the program during school that day. Please sign it and return it ASAP. Thank you. This class does an awesome job or returning forms in a timely manner. Keep up the great work.

Mass

Next week is the 4th grade Mass. It is NOT on Wednesday like it normally is. Friday is a Holy Day of obligation for Catholics. So our Mass will be on Thursday and we are celebrating the Immaculate Conception of Blessed Virgin Mary. I have told the kids what their parts are for this Mass. I plan to give them their readings tomorrow. There is just too much coming home in today's folders. Plus I need to get the readings ready. That is an after school task for me today.

Advent Angel Activities

Advent officially begins December 3rd. That means Advent Activities will begin at school. Our fist activity will happen on Friday, December 8th. The kids will be making Christmas Ornaments to decorate the tree in the Lobby of the building. We will meet with our Angels each week before Christmas. The last day to meet is the 22nd. We will do caroling and dinner that day with our Angels.

I feel like I had to cover a lot of different things this week! The folder is pretty stuffed too. 'Tis the Season I guess. I hope all your decorating is done and your shopping is under way. My decorating is finished and I have a good jump on my shopping. This weekend is the Afton Craft Show and Merry Marketplace in downtown Creston. We can't forget tonight is the lighted parade and the lighting of the community tree by the Depot. I know some of the kids were excited about attending. Have a great weekend. My daughter Jami is coming to spend the weekend. I am looking forward to it.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels