Newsletter December 11 - December 15

It's our last full week of December before we dismiss for the Christmas break.  Remember that we have school through Wednesday, December 20 (dismiss at 1:30) and that school will resume on Tuesday, January 2.  The end of the second quarter is December 20.  I really planned on getting a Power School print out sent home last Friday, but alas that hasn't happened.  Give me until this Friday and watch for it in your child's backpack. 

We took our middle-of-the-year DIBELS test on Monday morning.  I will send those results home as soon as they become available.  If I have a specific concern about your child's results I will send you an e-mail.  If you have questions about those results please don't hesitate to contact me.  I am happy to e-mail or meet in person to discuss your child's progress.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Spelling words were sent home on Monday. The test will be this Friday, December 15.  Remember that we do not have a traditional schedule for spelling words where we would have a test every Friday.  The tests are five days after they are given out and that varies with the curriculum.  I will always tell you here in the blog when the tests are and when the words have been sent home.  We will not have another list of words until after the break.
• I have started receiving supplies for our Gingerbread House activity.  THANK YOU!  Please help by having those supplies delivered by Monday, Dec. 18.   We will decorate our houses on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at 10:15.  I have two parents that have volunteered to help.  I need 2 more to help on that day.  If you can help please let me know so that I can make plans.  
• The afternoon of December 19 will be our Polar Express movie with Mrs. Carter's class.  Students can wear pajamas that day--come to school dressed in them :). Please make sure your child wears appropriate shoes as we will have PE that morning before the Gingerbread houses and movie. 
• Thanks also for helping your child earn $1.00 for a secret gift.  We will use this week to work on those.  I will send this fragile secret gift home with your child on Friday.  It gets a bit hectic the last few days so feel that sending it home a bit earlier will be best. 
• Our learning in reading these past few lessons as centered around "r-controlled" vowels (ar, er, or).  We have reviewed the sounds and the spellings for those sounds. Our book "The Green Fern Zoo" is filled with words with those spellings.  
• In our Early American Civilizations unit we have started learning about the Mayan people.  We have learned about their farming and cities (maize and Bakaal) and the importance of family to the Mayan people.  Today Elizabeth and Reese excitedly told me at break; "We are playing like the Mayans". 
• In math we are still working on related facts or Fact Families.  I think most of my students are starting or have already grasped that important relationship between addition and subtraction.  (ex. 9 + 6 = 15, 6 + 9 = 15, 15 - 6 = 9, and 15 - 9 = 6)
• If your child has an over due library book notices will sent home this week.  
• The PTA reading awards will be presented this Thursday (Dec. 14) at 3:00 in our classroom.  I sent home slips yesterday if you child will be receiving an award that day. 

One last Christmas idea--students in my class can have markers (this was an optional school supply from the beginning of the year).  Most students have them to access in their desk, but I could honestly say I think that ALL students would like them.  We use them for birthday writing, sometimes with other writing, and they especially use them during "free time" in the morning before the bell rings.  If you need another gift idea, maybe a package of markers for school would be a nice idea :). Just an idea, not a requirement.

With a short week next week, I don't think that I will post a newsletter so here's wishing you a wonderful Christmas break. Take-home books will not be sent home over the break.  We'll be back January 2 for the first day of our third quarter! 

Happy Holidays and Happy Reading!!

Newsletter December 4 - December 8

December weather is here!  It was quite cold today.  Please make sure that your child is dressed for the weather.  They go outside for lunch break unless snow or rain is coming down.  Today many just came in a hoodie and that didn't seem keep the cold out well enough.  You can send gloves and hats and boots if needed.  I have some control over our first two breaks (today we stayed in for the last break because the wind had kicked up and it was still quite cold), but for lunch I take my lunch and don't have the option of keeping students in at that time. 

Here are this week's happenings:

• Our middle of the year (MOY) DIBELS test will actually be next week instead of in January as it has been in years past.  Our class will be tested on Monday, December 11 at 9:00 am.  Please help by giving your child a nice breakfast and a good nights sleep.  I will send those results home as soon as they become available.  
• December 20 is the last day of our second quarter.  I will send a Power School print out home by this Friday so you can see how your child is doing and then send out a final second quarter printout when we return to school in January.  December 20 is also the day school dismisses for Winter break.  That is a Wednesday and school will dismiss at 1:30 and resume on Tuesday, January 2. 
• With our learning that will still continue throughout December we will be doing some Christmas activities and project.  One of those projects will be a "secret gift" that my students will be making.  I talked to them today about earning $1.00 for this gift.  We talked about ways that they could earn $1.00 to help pay for this "secret gift" (doing dishes, chores, folding laundry etc.).  If you could help your child with this and then send the $1.00 to school with your child by December 18 (that's that last Monday before the break).  I would appreciate it and I think my students will, as Phoenix said today, understand the "Christmas rule" by earning and giving something this Christmas.  
• Another activity that we will do is making Gingerbread houses out of graham crackers.  I have planned to do this on Tuesday, December 19 at 10:15.  I will be sending out a letter about both of these projects/activities and ask for a donation for the gingerbread houses.  I also NEED help with this activity.  Please send me an e-mail if you can help.  I will use as many of you that can help, but NEED about 4 volunteers. 
• Tomorrow I will give the Chapter 4 test in math and then we will start Chapter 5 on Thursday.  That chapter will continue throughout December and into January.  The next chapter deals with addition and subtraction relationships.  We will also start timed addition and subtraction tests in class.  Students will start with +0 and move through +9 then onto subtraction.  I sent home Xtra math log in information last week again for those who didn't sign up already.  This is a math fact practice computer program that is free and that the students already do here at school.  It can help with math fact automaticity.  
• Last Friday I sent home December Scholastic books fliers.  These orders will be due this Thursday, December 7.  That way the orders will be back in time for Christmas gifts.  I am happy to "save" any books that will be used for gifts.  Just let me know and we can arrange a time or a way for me to get them to you.  
• November Reading calendars are now due!  December reading calendars were sent home on Friday, December 1.  I will count reading minutes through December 19 for December.  Students will not bring home take-home books over the break. Our next PTA reading awards will be Thursday, December 14 in our classroom at 3:00.  Remember to mark those also as your child is reading.  They need to be signed by a parent/guardian to be counted so make sure that you monitor this as some students are just coloring them in and turning them in without getting a signature. 
• In reading we just started a new Unit and learned about the /er/ sound and how to spelling it.  This is the sound in "teacher" not the /r/ sound as in 'red'.  We talked about the difference between those two sounds and how to spell it.  Today so many of my kids noticed the 'er' spelling as we read and wrote and noticed it around the room.  I love my little phonics detectives! We will start a new non-fiction book with this Unit called "The Green Fern Zoo".  It will follow Vern a zookeeper and his journey through The Green Fern Zoo.  We will learn about many different animals and make comparisons and connections along the way. We do not have spelling words this week. 
• Simon joined our class today.  He comes to us from Ecuador where his father is employed.  Tomorrow we will also have Colt join our classroom.  We are getting some "gifts" for Christmas in the way of new students.  We now have 20 students in our class.

Watch for the note to come home about the Gingerbread houses and "secret gift" donations tomorrow.  Don't forget we have PE on Tuesday and Thursday so have your child wear appropriate shoes those days. Library is always on Wednesday.  Find any lost books before the holiday :)  Sight Word Soldiers pass off will be Wednesday morning. 

Happy Reading!!