February 27 - March 3

Brr.... it was cold and windy today and I had several students without a coat or jacket.  Please remember to send your little ones with a coat on these cold days.

Here are this week's happenings:

• I sent home a little note about Dr. Seuss' birthday this Thursday, March 2.  Students are welcome to wear their pajamas that day, but please no slippers.  The PTA is providing cupcakes for all of the students and a Dr. Seuss story.  I usually make green eggs and ham too, but I may rethink that as I just remembered about the cupcake. Reading Dr. Seuss books this month would be a great way to reach the 100 book challenge and celebrate the beloved author's life through reading.
• Tonight is the PTA sponsored Talent Show at 6:00 p.m.--there will be food available.  I didn't have any students return a talent show form (that I was aware of) so to my knowledge we won't have any performing tonight from our class, but you can still come and watch our talented kids at East Elementary with your families.
• The spelling test will be tomorrow.  The list is on the sidebar of this blog and I sent home words last week.  We will practice them a bit before the test, but studying at home is always helpful as the lists of words can be difficult for many students.
• Spring pictures are this Friday, March 3. Only those students that send back money in the provided envelope will get their pictures taken.  This is not like the Fall pictures where all children get their pictures taken regardless of purchase. 
• Today we finally moved onto the Inca civilization. We learned about how the Inca's conquered many villages to grow their empire and how many had to move from their homes.  We also learned the the Incas built many roads, some of which are still "intact" today.  We concentrated on the vocabulary word "possessions" and learned that those that had to move used llamas to carry their possessions. We have a few more lessons about the Inca Civilization--we will learn about how they sent messages across their vast empire (Inca Runners) and will conclude with "visiting' Machu Picchu. Our next topic of discovery is Astronomy.  
• We are almost finished with Unit 5 in reading.  We have delved into opinion writing.  This week my students will write an opinion paragraph about oreos vs. chocolate chip cookies.  We also learned about alternative spellings for familiar sounds (example: /j/--spellings are 'j', 'g,', and 'ge')  
• In math we moved from measurement to telling time.  Today we concentrated on the hour hand and telling time to the hour.  We whizzed through our section today as we have been "telling time" during our math wall time for months now.  
• Thank you for supporting me with the behavior issues that we are having in our classroom.  I hope that you all took the time to look at your child's behavior chart and discuss it with them.  I didn't get a chance to comment on  those last week, but will try to do that so that you can help your child identify specific behaviors and talk about ways they can improve.  I always emphasize that it was their choices that caused the change, not Mrs. Armstrong's choice. We started a new one today and they will be sent home every Friday. 

Happy Reading!

Newsletter February 22 - February 24

I hope that you all had a nice three day weekend.  We are concluding the third quarter of school.  The quarter ends on Wednesday, March 8 and then we have a two day break (March 9 and 10) before starting the fourth quarter.

I sent home a note today (purple paper) outlining my behavior concerns.  I feel that it's so important that you see that and understand it that I have asked you to sign the bottom portion and return it to school with your child.  Working together as a team is not only valuable for a child's academic success, but also for their behavioral success also.  I appreciate your support on this issue and ask that you talk with your child daily about how they are doing in school.

We didn't get to our spelling test today because we spent a big portion of the morning concentrating on the tweaks with our behavior plan.  We again reviewed rules, why they are important, natural consequences and what the students could do to keep their cards green all day.  We will take the spelling test first thing in the morning.  New spelling words will also come home tomorrow and that test will be next Tuesday, February 28.  The words are also on this blog to refer to if you lose the list.

In math, we will continue  measuring objects with non-standard units.  Yesterday, we used color tiles and we will then measure real-life objects around our room using paper clip measuring tools that we make.  We will then move to telling time to the hour and half-hour.

We are continuing to learn about  and write paragraphs.  Today I introduced an opinion paragraph.  As a class we will compose an opinion paragraph about a "favorite class trip", then the students will write an individual paragraph based on the book that we are reading in class called "Kate's Book"--they will state their opinion, give reasons to support that opinion using the linking word "because" and then "end with a zinger" (writer tries to convince the reader to take the same stand as the author).

The February Scholastic books orders are due tomorrow, Wednesday, February 22.  Again, the easiest way to order is to use the online code.

Yay! to those that are heading towards the 100 book goal by May 17.  Caim was so excited today to pass the 25 book mark (he's read 30) and receive his first free book and treat.  I am excited that many students are reading at home in order to get that goal.

Sight words will again be passed off on Friday.  Several slips came back today--that will keep Mary's mom busy, but she'd (I'm speaking for her) be happy to pass off everyone in our class.  Remind your student that those pass off slips are in their folders or backpacks.  Last week, I found a couple of slips in folders after Mary's mom had already left and I was stuffing folders.  I remind students to put their folders in their mailboxes in the mornings, but don't remind them to take their homework out.

If you have any questions about their behavior note I sent home please send me an e-mail and I would be happy to discuss questions or concerns with you.

Happy Reading!

Newsletter February 13 - February 17

We managed to get our Valentine's bags decorated today.  Our behavior in our class has been off the last couple of weeks.  This slows things down like getting to "art" type projects on time.  I would appreciate you talking to your child about respectful, appropriate behavior in school. Thank you to those that helped send in stickers or other items to help decorate those bags. Thanks also for contributing a dollar.  I hope that decorating those in class helped you out, as that was my intention.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tomorrow our Valentine's Party will be at 2:00.  Students will deliver their Valentine cards at that time and decorate a cookie.  I would love some extra hands for that activity.  If you could help please let me know.
• New spelling words will come home tomorrow.  They will have the "g" spelling that we have learned for the /j/ sound.  The test will be the following Tuesday, after we return from President's Day Holiday. Watch for today's spelling test to come home in the next couple of days.
• The February Scholastic book order will come home tomorrow too.  It will be due on Wednesday, February 22.  
• We still haven't started our unit 9 in Math--we will do so on Wednesday.  This unit deals with as I stated last week time and measurement.  I will still work on math facts in class and reinforce the last units concepts of place value, comparing numbers and adding tens and ones (23 + 6 or 50 + 30 = for example). 
• I know you have a lot of little things to fill out with reading every night (blue notes, 100 book challenge, PTA book marks, reading calendar)--that was not meant to be burdensome, but with all of those little things I'm afraid it might seem overwhelming.  I am though happy as many are participating in the 100 book challenge and earning prizes from the PTA for their reading incentive program.  Remember too that practicing sight words nightly counts towards the 10 minutes of reading and that Mary's mom will be here on Fridays to pass those lists off. 

Remember that next Monday we will not have school due to the President's Day Holiday.  Have a great three day weekend and Happy Valentine's Day.  I sure love these "kids" of mine!

Newsletter February 6 - February 10

Thank you to all of you for coming to SEP conferences last week.  Every student had a parent or parents come and visit with me.  I appreciate you taking time out of your schedule to make time for that.  If you have any further concerns or questions please don't hesitate to ask. 

Here are this week's happenings:

• We won the classroom party for the most BoxTops!!! Yay!!! I think you might have heard the cheers from our class this morning around 9:00 a.m. :)  Thanks for sending those in.  The PTA representative said she didn't even tell the school by how much we won because it was so much more than any other class and didn't want others to feel badly.  We will have our root beer float party tomorrow at 3:00. 
• Our 100-book challenge is in full swing.  Caim, Deni, Khloe, Mary, Mia, Owen and Tenley are already on the board!  Remember that reading the take-home books count and it's easy to achieve if you read those every night with your child!  The challenge will end May 17.
• Spelling words will come home tomorrow and the next spelling test will be Monday, February 13.  
• We are finishing up with Chapter 8 in math and will have the test this Thursday.  Chapter 9 deals with time to the hour and half hour.  
• In reading we are also in a new Unit--we have learned about doubling consonants before adding suffixes (stop becomes stopping), have learned about statements vs. questions, have learned the "tch" spelling for the /ch/ sound and have started a new reader about Kate and her adventures with her Nan.  This unit will delve into more alternative spellings for sounds especially the double consonant sounds and we will finish up with opinion paragraphs.  
• Today we learned about the Aztec Chinampas or Floating Gardens.  We will move onto Aztec leaders and then conclude this unit learning about the Incas.  
• Lately we have been having"kindness moments" in our classroom--trying to think of others before ourselves.  I  remind my kids almost everyday that the most important thing (my opinion) in life is to "be nice".  Since it is Valentines Day soon, we will be talking about and writing about "What Fills our Hearts" and continue with the kindness theme.  I will send home a Valentine's Day note tomorrow, Tuesday, February 7.   It will outline my plans for that day--making bags in class, Valentine cards, and a little "party" in class.  Watch for that tomorrow.
• Please help your child remember to turn in their January reading calendar.  Tomorrow will be the last day that I give a treat and certificate for January's calendar.  I will still give credit for those after that date, but it will not include a treat and certificate. I sent home the February Reading calendar last week.  
• This week we have a couple of different learning activities.  Tomorrow the Orchestra of Southern Utah and the SUU Chemistry department will come and present an assembly and on Thursday, we will have a dental health presentation by our wonderful nurse Mrs. Baumgartner. That should be a nice little change of pace.  

Thanks for all you do and Happy Reading!!