Classroom News for the Week of August 25

News and Upcoming Events:

* 8/26 Tuesday is a minimum day (not early dismissal as I previously posted. Sorry for the confusion). Students will be dismissed at 12:50 p.m. not 1:30 p.m. Regular early dismissal will begin 9/2.

*8/26 Back to School Night - This is an important evening which I hope you will all attend. A general PTA meeting will be held in the MPR at 5:30. Classroom presentations will be at 6:00 and 6:30 p.m. I look forward to seeing you!

*8/27 Items to decorate your child's Writer's Notebook are due Wednesday (8/27). Please keep in mind these items will taped over with clear plastic tape to your child's notebook. Precious, one of a kind photos, should not be submitted. More detailed instructions are coming home Monday.

* 8/29 Admissions Day (California admitted to the U.S.). School Closed.

Reminders:

Please check your child's Homework Log nightly and sign or initial after the work has been completed. Remind your child that completed homework and the HW log are due in class daily. We had many students receive "0"s last week for missing assignments.

What's Going On This Week In Class:

Class-building:

This week we will continue to learn the routines and procedures of room 17. We will think about our goals for the year and come up with a name for our class.

Learning Truths:

• Everyone need time to think and learn.

• We can do more and learn more when we are willing to take a risk.

• It's intelligent to ask for help.

• It's okay to make mistakes, that's one of the best ways we learn.

Math: 

Differentiated Instruction for Place Value; Rounding Numbers; Problem-solving Strategy: Make an Organized List

Multiplication Madness (Fact Practice) 

Reading: 

Continued Review of Comprehension Strategies: Predicting, Visualizing, Summarizing, Asking Questions, Rereading

We will continue reading Scott O'Dell's Newbery-Award winning classic, Island of the Blue Dolphins. This week we will use Kaplan's Depth and Complexity Icons to help us dig deeper into the text. 

Identifying Characteristics of Personal Narratives

Writing:

This week we will begin Writer's Workshop. Our first unit of study will be Personal Narratives. Students will have brief assignment Monday evening to prepare of for the launch of Workshop.

Greek and Latin Roots:

Prefixes: re= again;  cir, circum = around

Please study the meanings and spellings of these ten words. You will have a quiz on Friday. This week's quiz will be on Thursday due to the Admissions Day holiday.

1. circulate
2. circulatory
3. circumference
4. circumstance
5. circumscribe
6. restrict
7. reimburse
8. reassure
9. regain
10. recede

Theater class with Ms. Beret Malmgren. Our class will have theater each week for the first semester

How to Donate to Upcoming Projects:
DONE!

Wow! I am so pleased that both of the posted projects were funded so quickly. A HUGE thank you to all the families who chipped in to get our Donor's Choose grant funded AND who purchased copies of Bridge to Terabithia for the class. I am very grateful and touched by your commitment to all of our students.