The Week of October 29th

Finally!  MEAP is done and now things can get back to normal!  Thank you to all of you who helped out and/ or donated items for our "Bring a Hero for a Hero Sandwich Party".  I know the kids put a lot of effort in their letters and introductions for their heroes, and it was a privilege being able to read about the positive role models in their lives.  Coming up next week, we will have a half day on October 31st.  The students will attend for the afternoon only, so please make arrangements if necessary.  Please do not let your children come to school on this day dressed for Halloween or have any Halloween items.  Next week is the final week of the first marking period.  I know I have called many of you concerning your child's scores, please have any late materials turned in by Thursday, November 1st.  I need to have report cards completed by the following Monday before the grade book window closes.  You all will receive a progress report on Monday concerning your child's scores and any new missing/ late assignments.    Please sign these and leave a note if you want any missing work.  Conference notes will come home on Friday, October 26th.  Those of you who have signed up for a time at the Parent Night in August, will get a confirmation notice that you will need to sign stating the time still works for you.  Others will get a note asking what time would work for you.  Please also indicate if any siblings are in the school so we can schedule the times close together to reduce your wait time.  Please sign these documents and return them to me by Monday, October 29th.  Conferences will occur on Wednesday, November 14th from 4-7:00 p.m., Thursday, November15th from 5-8:00 p.m., and Friday, November 16th from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  There will be no school for students on Friday November 16th due to conferences.  October Book It sheets are due by next Friday, November 2nd. 

Science News
Congratulations to those who scored 80% or higher on the Scientific Method and Measurement Unit Test!  These students will receive a certificate of achievement for their efforts.  The next unit will be on soil formation and changes in the Earth's surface.  During this unit, students will be doing experiments on erosion and creating soil, studying glaciers and beach erosion in Michigan, and watching a documentary on the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930's. 

S. Studies News
We will be wrapping up our unit on studying social studies, geography, and types of maps this week.  Look for a test next Tuesday or Wednesday.  The next unit will be on the United States, and then soon after in late November, we will look at Canada.  Since both countries were founded and heavily influenced by immigration, the students will be doing an immigration/ citizenship simulation.  This will be followed up with a party the Friday before Holiday Break where we will be celebrating our cultural pasts.  We will be asking parents to create a dish used in celebrations or is traditional to the child's relative's native culture.  This will not have to be a holiday dish, but should be authentic.  Students will also create the flags of their cultural identities to hang up for this party.  More information to come on this in November!   Also during this unit, students will be creating two wiki sites, one for what they learned about the United States, and the second on what they learned about Canada.

Writing News
We have spent the past week working on Hero Letters and Introductions.  Next week we will continue working on using dialogue correctly in our stories, and completing our personal narratives.  There will be a spelling/ vocabulary test on Monday for the list that was handed out last Monday.  The new list for next week will come out on Friday, October 26th for the next test on Friday, November 2nd.  The test on November 2nd will be the first test for the second marking period.

Reading News
This week, we began our unit on Schema and Making Connections.  Students defined what schema is and began working on making connections from the text to themselves.  A new Reading Log will out on Friday, October 26th, and will be due by Friday, November 2nd.  This reading log will be the first grade for the second marking period.

Math News
This past week, the students worked on finding Mode, Median, and Mean, and how to make line plot graphs.  Next week, they will make stem and leaf plot graphs and continue to calculate the mode, median, and mean.

Have a warm weekend and Go Tigers and Irish!