Happy Thanksgiving!

We had a fun morning!  Students in Block 2 (Danforth's homeroom) earned a classroom movie, so we enjoyed Rio 2.  We also worked on some Thanksgiving activities and have our Friday newsletter in our take home folders.  I am looking forward to meeting with many of you next week.  I am so grateful to have such a great group of students, and I appreciate all of the parent support and involvement that has made this first trimester a success.

Turkey Talk

Our day was all about turkeys.  We read and researched these birds, and we learned that wild turkeys can fly up to 50 miles per hour, and they do sleep in trees.  Their head coloration can even be red, white, and blue.  

We also finished learning about the judicial branch of government and are in the process of completing our expository essays.

Report cards were sent home today.  I'm looking forward to meeting with many of you at conferences next week.  Please send me a message if you are unable to come during our scheduled time.  

Story Test and Government

Today we took our vocabulary and comprehension test over "Mimicry and Camouflage."  We also are working hard to write our essay about the Three Branches of Government.  Block 2 students went to the Book Fair today.  Students who forgot money today will be allowed to shop tomorrow or Friday morning.

There's no spelling test this week.

Friday will be a reward day!  We are looking forward to watching Rio 2.

Mimicry and Camouflage

Here's our link to the eBook version of today's reading story:

eBook

Today we read the story "Mimicry and Camouflage" on pages 287-299 and completed Robust Vocabulary Practice workbook page 61.  We will have a story test tomorrow and the green story homework sheet is due tomorrow.  HOWEVER, I did tell the class that parent verification that you were at Nelson Ridge Family Night between 6:00-7:30 tonight would work as an "excused" for the assignment.

There is no spelling test this week.

Singular and Plural Nouns

Our review skill in grammar was to identify singular and plural nouns.  We also reviewed unusual nouns, such as goose to geese, and foot to feet.

We will NOT have a spelling unit this week.

Our homerooms (Block 2) took a Geography Bee "test" to find a class winner to participate in the grade level Geography Bee in December.

We also worked on "I am Thankful" paragraphs.

Nouns

Today we reviewed common and proper nouns, and we also reviewed abbreviations.

We took our spelling Unit 12 test and will not have another spelling test until the Friday after Thanksgiving (December 5).

Have a great weekend!

Conference Forms

Parent Teacher Conference forms are being sent home today.  Please check your child's folder and return the form to your child's homeroom teacher.  Unless otherwise specified, the conference is with your child's Block 2 (homeroom) teacher.  If you did not request a conference with me for Block 1, please know that you can call or email at any time and I will give you an update of your child's academic growth.   All grades are updated on Web Grader, so you should be able to see your child's report card grades as they currently stand.

Tomorrow is our Unit 12 spelling test.  We worked on workbook pages 49-50 in class today to practice our spelling words.

In Grammar, we are working on common/proper nouns (Grammar workbook 37) , as well as reviewing clauses (dependent and independent), phrases, and complex sentences.  Your child did receive a handout page with examples of each of these kinds of sentences.

In Social Studies we are learning about our Government, and we read pages 78-83 in our red book.   After each section in Social Studies we take a short review quiz with 5 questions.  Students are strongly encouraged to use their books to help them find the answers to these quizzes.

We also read a Time for Kids magazine article called "Whale Watching,"  and we finished our sea turtles informational display board.

Story Test and Sea Turtles

Today students took their story test over Emerald's Eggs, and we completed further research about sea turtles.  We are learning how to read non-fiction, expository test to learn facts and information.

Our spelling test will be on Friday.  We are currently on Spelling Unit 12.

Spelling List

Please continue to read together at home, even if your child is not completing Book-it.  Reading every night is very import and and helps to build vocabulary skills.

Here are some sea turtle videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFDBtVupyqY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0kXtmXuj8

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/north-america/videos/sea-turtles-run-the-gauntlet.htm

Emerald's Eggs

Here's a link to tonight's reading story, Emerald's Eggs:
eBook

Students should read this story tonight for homework.  The green homework sheet has the vocabulary definitions on the back.  Comprehension and vocabulary are both on tomorrow's story test.

We are working on making research display boards about sea turtles.  These display boards will be ready for parents to view at the Family Reading Night on Tuesday.  They will also be on display at Parent Teacher Conferences as well.

Spelling test on Friday!

Spelling Unit 12

Today we worked to learn our Unit 12 spelling words.  These words contain the prefixes un, re, and non.   We completed workbook pages 70-71 in spelling.
Click here for our spelling lists:
Spelling Lists

We completed Grammar workbook pages 31 and 32 today as we learned about clauses and phrases.

In social studies we are beginning to learn about the three branches of government.  Last week's social studies tests have been graded and returned.  Check Power School if you are unsure of your child's final grades in any subject.  The first trimester ended Friday.

Sea Turtles

We are continuing to learn about sea turtles, and today we read a Time For Kids magazine about invasive animals.  We also took our Unit 11 spelling test.  Newsletters have been sent home with Unit 12 word lists.

Please continue reading at home.  The goal for Book-it (which is optional) is 300 minutes.  Even if your child is not participating in Book-it, they are expected to be reading on a regular basis.

Social Studies tests were OUTSTANDING, as this was a very lengthy chapter BRIEFLY covering almost every historical event in our nation's history.  The students asked so many educated questions, and I did my best to research and share the answers (Cuban Missile Crisis, Cold War, Communism...).  It was a learning experience for me as well!


Sea Turtle Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFDBtVupyqY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0kXtmXuj8
http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/north-america/videos/sea-turtles-run-the-gauntlet.htm

Social Studies and Sea Turtles

Today we took our Social Studies test.  Students were allowed to use their books, but they were not able to use their study guides.  I'm looking forward to great grades to end the first trimester!

We also read about sea turtles.  We are creating a classroom research project about sea turtles.   Here are some interesting videos about sea turtles:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFDBtVupyqY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0kXtmXuj8

http://www.discovery.com/tv-shows/north-america/videos/sea-turtles-run-the-gauntlet.htm

We will be taking our Unit 11 spelling test tomorrow.

Test TOMORROW -- Social Studies Unit 2

Today we worked very hard to prepare for our Chapter 2 social studies test TOMORROW.  Students CAN use their books to look up answers during the test, but study guides will NOT be allowed.  Study guides were sent home on Monday, and a review page was completed in class today.  All students should be going home with the correct answers on today's social studies review page, as we did correct all of the answers together in preparation for tomorrow's test.  Tomorrow's test will be the last social studies grade of the first trimester. This was an action-packed unit that covered hundreds of years of history.

We also are starting a unit on sea turtles which we will continue next week in reading.  Today we read a National Geographic Explorer magazine article about sea turtles, and next week we will be reading "Emerald's Eggs" in our Storytown book.  We are also creating a sea turtle display board to show visitors during the Family Reading Night.

Our spelling test will be on Friday.  We are currently on unit 11.  Here's a link to the word lists:
Spelling Lists

Please return Parent Teacher Conference request forms as soon as possible.  You will be meeting with your child's HOMEROOM teacher, unless you request a separate conference or additional teacher to attend.  Evening time slots fill up quickly and are provided on a "first come" basis.

Our classroom read aloud books are:
Block 1 -  Little House on the Prairie
Block 2 - Mrs. PiggleWiggle

Social Studies Test THURSDAY - Unit 2

Today we practiced our Unit 11 Spelling words and completed workbook pages 43-44.  We will have a spelling test on Friday.

Spelling List

We are preparing for our Unit 2 Social Studies test on THURSDAY.  A yellow study guide is being sent home today, and it is stapled to a packet of graded review quizzes.  Please help your child to use these materials to prepare for the test.  I WILL be allowing the students to use their books during the test, but they can NOT use their study guide during the test.

Parent Teacher Conference Notes were sent home today.  Please return them as soon as possible for your best selection.  The evening time slots fill very quickly.  You will be meeting with your child's homeroom teacher (Block 2 -- math & science) unless you specifically request a conference with additional teachers.

Enjoy the day off tomorrow for Voting Day!