Sunday, January 30, 2011

The Week of February 1, 2011

LIFESKILL OF THE WEEK:

The lifeskill that we are working on this week is Problem Solving.

READING
This week we will be reading the 17th story in our reading book, "Blame It on the Wolf" (U4S2). The skill we will be focusing on is Compare and Contrast. To compare is to tell how two or more things are alike. To contrast is to tell how two or more things are different. Clue words such as like or as show comparisons. Clue words such as but, instead, and unlike show contrasts. Other clue words are words of comparison, such as smaller and more slender. We will also continue working on adjectives. An adjective is a word that describes a person, place, or thing. For instance: an adjective that tells what kind-The wolf went to the brick house. An adjective that tells how many-Three pigs met up with a wolf. An adjective that tells which one- That pig misunderstood the wolf. Adjectives are used to give more information and to make sentences more colorful.

SPELLING
The spelling words will be taken from there and are all contractions.
They are: we'll, you'd, it's, doesn't, they'll, would've, shouldn't I'm, that's, he'll, they'd, could've, let's, I'd, we've, what's, she'll, he'd, wouldn't . Spelling homework is to use the words in sentences. The students should underline each spelling word. The Tuesday night homework is due on Wednesday. The vocabulary for this week is: character, courtroom, evidence, guilty, and rescued. The challenge vocabulary is: appalling, defendant, verdict, witness, and wolf-like.

AAI means “ALL ASSIGNMENTS IN.” If students are focused in class they have time to finish all of their assignments except for Spelling and Math homework. Each Monday I will send home a sheet that will tell you if your child is missing any work in each subject area. Please review it with them Monday night, sign it, and have them return it to class on Tuesday. Anything that shows up missing on that sheet is work that was to be completed in the previous weeks. The students need to complete the work and turn it in to me as soon as possible. The Life Skill of responsibility is very important to learn at a young age. The following students were responsible about all of their work in class this term, and are on AAI:
Sydney
Tyler
Jazmin
Anthony
Jorgie
Juan
Trinity
Teeona
NICE WORK!

BOOK REPORT
The book report for February is "Fantasy". Fantasy stories include folktales, fairy tales, tall tales, fables, and science fiction. We have discussed the book report and all the terms. I have asked each student to put the book report form in their Home Folder so they can review the types of questions and the assignment for the book report with you. Part of the book report is making a board game. They have written the criteria in their Agenda. The book report and board game is due Monday, February 28th.

VALENTINE’S DAY
Our party will be this Friday, February 11th. If you would like to join us in, please let me know. We do ask that no siblings come to the party as it does tend to get crowded in our room. The students will need to make a container for valentines at home. They should bring it to school on Monday, February 7th. Below is a list of names for the valentines cards:
Sydney A.,Robert, Tristen, Eddie, Dawna, Tyler, Jazmin, Evert, Anthony, Elizabeth, Jorgie, Juan, Andrea, Grace, Trinity, Teeona, Steve, Apolonia, Simone, Sydney W. Layla, Rebecca, Mrs. Fairley, and Mrs. Weisser.
If you would like to send items in for the party, please fill out the section below. You may send them anytime the week of February 7. Thank you.
**************
___cups ___plates ___napkins
___candy ___cookies ___juice
(no cupcakes, please)

Sunday, January 23, 2011

WEEK OF JANUARY 24, 2011

LIFESKILL OF THE WEEK:

The lifeskill that we are working on this week is Common Sense. It means “to use good judgment”.

READING
This week we will be reading the 16th story in our reading book, “Half Chicken” (U4S1). He was born with only one wing, one leg, one eye, and half the feathers of other chickens, Half-Chicken soon became the center of attention-and very vain! He decided to leave the ranch and pay a visit to the viceroy in Mexico City. Along the way, Half-Chicken found time to be helpful to others. When he himself needed help, his kindness was repaid.

The students will be learning about paraphrasing which means to explain something in your own words. A paraphrase should include only the author’s ideas, not the student’s opinions. Paraphrasing can help students understand what they have read.

We will discuss adjectives, words that describe people, places, and things. They will learn that some adjectives tell what kind (describe color, shape, size, sound, taste, touch, or smell. Other adjectives tell how many.

SPELLING
The spelling words will be taken from there. They are: shown, short, punish, shelter, flashlight, trash, March, chapter, chocolate, church, watch, kitchen, pitcher, catcher, whatever, anywhere, whenever, wheat, awhile, and somewhere. Spelling homework is to use the words in sentences. The students should underline each spelling word. The Tuesday night homework is due on Wednesday. The vocabulary this week is farewell, flung, suggested, tangled, uniforms, and vain.

BOOK REPORT
This month’s report is on a nature book. There is a list of possible books in the classroom, but your child can check with the librarian as well and find many books in our library that would be appropriate for this report. Please review this month’s book report form with your child and discuss with them which book they would like to read. As part of the book report this month you child will need to create a crossword puzzle with words from their book. They may use the Crossword Puzzle website found in Portaportal (or on our BLOG) to accomplish that. They will need between 10 and 15 words from their book as well as definitions. They can access Portaportal at school or from home. The password is ‘Weddle’.

AAI means “ALL ASSIGNMENTS IN.” If students are focused in class they have time to finish all of their assignments except for Spelling homework. Each Monday I will send home a sheet that will tell you if your child is missing any work in each subject area. Please review it with them Monday night, sign it, and have them return it to class on Tuesday. Anything that shows up missing on that sheet is work that was to be completed in the previous weeks. The students need to complete the work and turn it in to me as soon as possible. If students have work listed on their Missing Assignment sheet, I will ask them to stay in at recess to finish that work, but mostly they should work on it at home. The Life Skill of responsibility is very important to learn at a young age. The following students were responsible about all of their work in class this term. They are on AAI:

AAI:
Tyler, Jazmin, Anthony, Jorgie, Juan, Grace, Trinity, Teeona, Rebecca, and Sydney W.

WEEK OF JANUARY 18, 2011

LIFESKILL OF THE WEEK:


The lifeskill that we are working on this week is Common Sense. It means “to use good judgment".

SPELLING
This week we will be focusing on the words from the fifteenth reading story (Unit3-Story5), “Rikki-tikki-tavi.” We will be learning about vowels in the final syllables. The spelling words we are studying are:
other, another, motor, angle, barrel, sudden, gallon, number, color, people, title, angel, oven, button, October, doctor, simple, model, broken, common. The students pretest on Monday. Their list will be in their Home Folder on Tuesday. Spelling homework is always Tuesday night (due Wednesday morning). I would like them to keep the Spelling sheet in their Home Folder so it can be used at home and at school. This week the homework is to write each word in a sentence. They should number the sentences and underline the spelling word. Please remind your child to review the words each night to be ready for the spelling test on Friday.

The vocabulary works that we are learning this week are cobra, coiled lame, plunged, and triumph. The extra credit vocabulary words are:
mongoose, scornfully, thunderclap, and valiant.

READING
The skill we will be focusing on is:
Drawing Conclusions. A conclusion is a decision you reach that makes sense after you think about details or facts in what you read. When you read, you draw conclusions by looking at the details and making decisions about the characters and what happens in the story.

Book Reports
I have handed out the book report form for January. This month’s report is on a nature book. There is a list of possible books in the classroom, but your child can check with the librarian as well and find many books in our library that would be appropriate for this report. Please review this month’s book report form with your child and discuss with them which book they would like to read. As part of the book report this month you child will need to create a crossword puzzle with words from their book. Students may use the Crossword Puzzle website found on our classroom BLOG to accomplish that. They will need between 10 and 15 words from their book as well as definitions.

READING RESPONSES
Please remind your student that their reading response needs to have their name, the book name, the author, the starting and ending pages for that night’s reading, and either a character description or a summary (paragraph) about what they read that night. It needs to be turned in each morning. Please talk with your child about the best time to complete this assignment and review their work before signing their agenda. If you have any questions, please give me a call or write a note in the agenda.

AAI means “ALL ASSIGNMENTS IN.” If students are focused in class they have time to finish all of their assignments except for Spelling homework. Each Monday I will send home a sheet that will tell you if your child is missing any work in each subject area. Please review it with them Monday night, sign it, and have them return it to class on Tuesday. Anything that shows up missing on that sheet is work that was to be completed in the previous weeks. The students need to complete the work and turn it in to me as soon as possible. If students have work listed on their Missing Assignment sheet, I will ask them to stay in at recess to finish that work, but mostly they should work on it at home. The Life Skill of responsibility is very important to learn at a young age. The following students were responsible about all of their work in class this term. They are on AAI:
AAI:
Eddie, Tyler, Jazmin, Anthony, Jorgie, Juan, Trinity,Teeona, Sydney W.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

The Week of January 10, 2011

SPELLING

This week we will be focusing on the words from the thirteenth reading story (Unit3-Story4), “The Storm.” We will be learning about words with /j/, /ks/, and /kw/. The spelling words we are studying are:

change, except, expect, equal, fudge, extra, liquid, village, excited, Texas, charge, excellent, queen, quilt, edge, explain, quick, bridge, relax, and quart. The students pretest on Monday. Their list will be in their Home Folder on Tuesday . Spelling homework is always Tuesday night (due Wednesday morning). I would like them to keep the Spelling sheet in their Homework Folder so it can be used at home and at school. This week the homework is to write each word in a sentence. They should number the sentences and underline the spelling word. The vocabulary words that we are learning this week are accident, coaxed, nuzzled, soothing, tornado, and wail. The extra credit vocabulary words are:

advisory, flashbacks, scythe, and therapists.

The skill we will be focusing on is predicting. To predict means to tell what you think might happen next in a story, based on what has already happened. Your prediction is what you say will happen. As a family, an activity you could do would be to watch a TV show or movie. During commercial breaks, have each family member make a prediction of what will happen next in the show. Check everyone's predictions at the next break.

Book Report
I have handed out the book report form for January. This month’s report is on a nature book. There are books in the classroom that the students can use, but your child can also find many books in our library that would be appropriate for this report. Please review this month’s book report form with your child and discuss with them which book they would like to read.

BOOK REPORT
December’s book report were due today, January 3rd. I have handed out the book report form for January. This month’s report is on a nature book. Please review this month’s book report form with your child and discuss with them which book they would like to read. The January book report is due January 28th.

READING RESPONSES
Please remind your student that their reading response needs to have their name, the book name, the author, the starting and ending pages for that night’s reading, and either a character description or a summary (paragraph) about what they read that night. It needs to be turned in each morning. Please talk with your child about the best time to complete this assignment and review their work before signing their agenda. If you have any questions, please give me a call or write a note in the agenda.

AAI means “ALL ASSIGNMENTS IN.” If students are focused in class they have time to finish all of their assignments except for Spelling homework. Each Monday I will send home a sheet that will tell you if your child is missing any work in each subject area. Please review it with them Monday night, sign it, and have them return it to class on Tuesday. Anything that shows up missing on that sheet is work that was to be completed in the previous weeks. The students need to complete the work and turn it in to me as soon as possible. If students have work listed on their Missing Assignment sheet, I will ask them to stay in at recess to finish that work, but mostly they should work on it at home. The Life Skill of responsibility is very important to learn at a young age. The following students were responsible about all of their work in class this term. They are on AAI:
Tyler, Jazmin, Anthony, Juan, Grace, Trinity, Sydney W.