September 28, 2023

Dear Parents,

Happy Thursday! I feel like the week goes quickly from one blog to another. Today has not been a good day. So far I have given out 14 late slips before 10:00AM. In Social Studies many did not do the last question on the page. I went over the directions for this question in full. This class struggles listening to directions. They are all wanting to be piddling in their desk or with pencils or crayons. They also had 2 days to complete the work. The other thing they didn't complete today was practicing their spelling words 5 times. Some said they forgot their notebooks at school. If this happens again, I told them to come to school early. They can come to the room and complete them so they do not get a late slip. This will show responsibility on their part also. This goes for any homework they forget or don't complete. The room is open at 7:50 for students to come in. They just need permission from the teacher on duty to enter the building. Many learned lesson's today.

Language Arts

This week we are still talking about our senses and focusing on eyesight. The story was called The Blind Ambition. This story is about a blind boy named Matthew Cooper and his guide dog Twyla. it talked about the dog being his superhero. It also shares how they are best friends. He stresses how he wants to fit in like everyone else and the dog helps him to do that. That is so others don't need to help him because he has Twyla. Our grammar this week was over Proper Nouns. We focused on capitalizing Historic Events and Documents, Titles of books, stories, and essays, Names, Languages, and Nationalities. That is alot in the week. They had worksheets they completed over all of this. Our decoding skills this week focused on words with the patterns VCCV, VCV, and VV. We also learned how to separate these words into syllables based on their pattern. Spelling words this week were over Homophones. Words that sound the same but are spelled differently. They will take their post test tomorrow. Don't forget to study!

Book Report

I assigned the students their first book report. It is due Wednesday, Nov. 8th. That gives them 6 weeks to read the book and complete the project. Their project is a Cereal Box. They have the directions in their Homework Folders. They were also given a rubric. The rubric will be what I use to grade the project. They can use it to create their project the best they can. I gave them some advice on how to cover the cereal box. I told them to wrap it like a gift with white or brown craft paper. If you try to cut and glue construction paper it ends up curling or peeling off and that docks points in neatness. Someone asked about painting the box. I have had that done also. the only thing was the glued construction paper items on it and it also curled which counted against them for neatness. They need to first read the book in full. Then they may come to me to get the other pieces they need for the report. They will need to list characters, setting, and write a summary. They will also create a cereal based on their book, decorate the front of the box and then also the back with a game. They will need to also come up with a prize that would be directly related to the book. They do not have to actually have the prize they just have to create one on the front of the box. I have helped some of them find books. I have given them a page number amount. I have talked to them about challenging themselves. I also pointed out that when they read their book for the report they can count the minutes for Book It. So it is killing two birds with one stone.

Book It

October is already upon us. This is the month we start Book It. This is where the kids have a calendar and a reading goal. They are to write on the calendar all the minutes they read in a day. If they free read at school they can't count those times. They can not count when reading for an assignment in a book. They also count extra reading done at home. They can only count minutes they are doing the reading. This does not include when the adult is reading to them. The student is not doing the reading so they can't count those minutes. They also cannot count reading if it being read to them electronically. They can read off of a tablet or kindle but they need to be doing the reading. I ask that the students turn in their calendar every month even if they do not meet the goal. I will keep track of all minutes read. I will reward those who turn in all 6 months of calendars and meet the goal. I will also reward the top 3 readers. The other challenge is I will reward anyone who can read more than me in 6 months time. I will keep track of my reading also and the kids will be able to see how much I read at home. I have a chart on the wall that will show all the minutes read by each student and sticker for the month if they meet the goal. The goals are as follows:

October 350 min. 12 min a day

November 400 min. 14 min a day

December 450 min. 15 min a day

January 500 min. 16 min. a day

February 550 min. 19 min. a day

March 600 min 20 min. a day

Math

We have finished up Topic One in our book. We are working on the review. They took the review Tuesday and Wednesday. We began checking and going over the review in full today. We did not get finished. We will finsih that tomorrow and then take the test on Monday. When they do the review I call it a "Dress Rehearsal". This is when they take the review and can ask me any questions they want. I will help them by reading it to them and if they still don't get it I will help figure out how to do it. I will then go over all the problems thoroughly when I check it with them. They need to follow along and make any corrections needed in their review. The test is just like the review. You will do the same things to solve the problems they just change the numbers around. It is very beneficial to pay attention to my going over the review. The day of the test they can ask me to read the problem but that is all I will do. They will need to make sure they study their review so they know how to work the problems. I will not help them on how to work the problem. So reminder... the test will most likely be on Monday.

Social Studies

We are going to start a review in this subject also. They will do the review with a partner. We will check the review together as a whole class. When we are done they will have a study guide to study for their test. The test will not take place until next week. Probably not until Thursday. They will need to study their vocab notecards they have made also. They will have a matching activity on the test over just vocabulary words. Then they will have multiple choice questions and essay questions. Those questions will be pointed out in the study guide so they know to study that differently.

It is hard to believe that this is the last week of September! When we return next week we will be in October. Crazy to think we are already 6 weeks in. This weekend looks to be a warm one. I was hoping to do some yard work. I will say I have no plans and I am totally looking forward to that. I have not had a lazy weekend at home in a while! I plan to take advantage of that. Enjoy whatever you do this weekend.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels