Week of 12/08

This week we will begin reading Charlotte's Web together. Every child will have their own copy to follow along with and take turns reading. We will stop every few chapters and complete comprehension checks. I am sure many of the children have seen the movie, but most probably have not read the story. It is a children's classic and written beautifully. I hope they enjoy it! This is the last week for multiplication speed tests. We will also begin large number multiplication tomorrow. I will not let the children use "multiplication fact cheat sheets". I use to let my students use the "cheat sheets", but I discovered they used them as a crutch and never practiced anymore. There are a few of the children who do not know their facts still. If your child is one that doesn't know, please continue to practice daily with him/her. I know it is hard to find the time, but I can't stress enough the importance of it. Please ask your child to show you how to use a deck of cards. We have been using cards for 3 weeks, and some light bulbs are going on! You will see the progress if you continue to practice every day! For science, we will finish up our owl unit this week. We will make a fact book on Monday for your child to take home and study. We will have a test over that info on Wednesday. We will also do some owl research, disect owl pellets (oooo gross, but oh so interesting!), and do an owl craft. In spelling, we will work on contractions. Northeast Region posters are due on Wednesday. In English, we will get to the adverbs we didn't get to 2 weeks ago!

Don't forget to send supplies for the gingerbread houses and Polar PJ day by Wednesday of this week. Thanks to all who have volunteered to help. I have enough helpers now! Yeah! I will have to alter the time of Polar PJ day due to PE and Music schedule changes that are out of my control. I hope that it will not cause a problem. Please let me know if it does. We will now begin at 8:15 and end around 10:30. Gingerbread house time remains the same. (This Friday from 1:00 to 1:45 or so)

The pictures below are of our 1000 Hits to the blog celebration! We celebrated by doing 3 activities related to the number 1000. First, we made a 1000 piece mosaic out of beans, small gravel, and popcorn kernels. We decided 25 of us times 40 equaled 1000, so everyone got 40 pieces to make a mosaic. We also ate 1000 pieces of food! We ate cereal, red hots, cheese crackers, and oyster crackers. Last, but not least, we tried to spend $1000! We learned how to write a check. They learned why we have to do math! It is a life skill! Below the pics, you will find the spelling words for the week!

didn't

that's

they're

you're

couldn't

haven't

o'clock

we're

isn't

I'm

it's

who's

they'd

could've

they've

you'll

don't

aren't

humble

radiant