Our holiday party begins at 10:30 tomorrow.  Many thanks to all parents who have planned and contributed to this celebration. Our socks bag is bulging! Thanks to Brandi Manchester for organizing this.

Thank you all too for the terrific support you have given your children this first half of the year.  It's been a pleasure getting to know you.

Have a wonderful winter break.   Enjoy time with family and friends, get some rest, and have lots of fun!

***Reminder to my students:  Continue your daily reading over the break.  I will be assigning a "book talk" on one of the books you read when we return in January.

Homework

Read: 30  min.
National Park Report:  Both the written and oral reports are due tomorrow!
Social Studies Lesson:  If you still need to, finish the final draft of your facts sheet.

Here is the order of your report:

Cover
Title page: Name of park, your name, your grade, and date
Table of contents
Written Report
Map (this can be placed anywhere within your written report or after the written part)
Chart/graph/diagram (this can be placed anywhere within your written report as well)
Glossary
Bibliography

Please put your report in a folder, clear cover or regular, to keep it neat and organized. Thank you!

I talked to the kids today about their reports and decided to give everyone an extra day.  Both the written report and the oral presentation will be due on Thursday.  
Keep reading...and that's it for tonight!

*I sent home corrected work today.

Excitement is definitely in the air as we enter the final week of 2015!  The only homework this week is reading, a little bit of math and the National Park Report, the written due on Wed. and the oral report due on Thursday.  The kids are also working on a social studies group presentation in class and I may have to assign a bit of this for homework as well.

We will have a holiday class party this Friday.  One of our parents suggested that the kids bring in new socks (and we added gloves and knit hats!) by Friday.  She will then drop off our gifts at a homeless shelter.  Thanks for your support.

Have a great week!

Homework

Read: 30 min.
Math: Review Sheet
National Park Report: Continue to finish final drafts of paragraphs and the map and chart/diagram.
Begin writing notes for your oral report.

Here is the order of your report:

Cover
Title page: Name of park, your name, your grade, and date
Table of contents
Written Report
Map (this can be placed anywhere within your written report or after the written part)
Chart/graph/diagram (this can be placed anywhere within your written report as well)
Glossary
Bibliography

 

I'm sorry I'm posting late -  I had a meeting right after school!

Everyone did a terrific job today during Poetry Cafe.  What a treat it was for me to listen to so many wonderful poems by such a diverse group of poets!  So much fun!

Homework


Read: 30 min.
Math: Homework #15, problems 1 and 4.
Park Report:  Final draft of "Interesting Facts" and "Conservation Efforts"
Vocabulary: Finish homework and study for quiz.

Homework

Read: 30 min.
Poetry Cafe:  Finish your worksheet and practice your presentation for tomorrow. We will begin right away!
National Park Report: Write the final draft of the "Activities" paragraph.
Vocabulary: Homework due on Friday. Use your homework sheet to study for the quiz on Friday.

Our Poetry Cafe is happening first thing this Thursday morning.  Please stop by to hear some groovy poems if you can!

I sent home information about the national park oral report today.  This short presentation is due on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Homework

Read:  30 min.
Math: Homework #12, problem 1 (a, c, e, & g)
Root Words: Homework due on Friday.  Know the root meanings and words containing each root for a quiz on Friday.
Poetry Cafe: Thursday.
National Park Report: Written due on 12/16. Oral due on 12/17.

Homework

Read: 30 min.
Math: Homework #11, problems 2 and 3.
National Park Report: Final draft of "Climate" paragraph.
Social Studies: Study for tomorrow's test.  Finish your "Then and Now" poster.

Homework

Read: 30 min.
National Park Report: Final draft of "General Statistics" paragraph.
Social Studies: "Then and Now" poster due on Friday.  Study for Friday's test.

*Poetry Cafe: Thursday, 12/10.
*National Park Report: Wednesday, 12/16.
 *Class Spelling Bee: Wed., 12/9.

Sample Elementary Word List 

I have begun to assign final draft sections of the national park report.  These do not, of course, have to be turned in as they are completed.   My goal is to keep my students on track and to help them avoid a barrage of last-minute work!  I will give them time on Thursday and Friday to begin their maps and diagrams.

The county spelling bee will be coming up early next year and it's time for our school-wide spelling bee.  We will have a class spelling bee next Wed., 12/9, to determine which students will participate in the school contest.  I've attached a list of sample words below for all my students who would like to participate.

Sample Elementary Word List

Homework

Read: 30 min.
Math: Review Sheet
National Park Report: Write the final draft of the "History" paragraph.  Remember to refer to your final draft checklist.
Social Studies:  "Then and Now" poster due on Friday. Study for Friday's test.