Welcome Back!

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and enjoyed a few extra days off!  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. I can't believe it is already December this week!

Don't forget our Holiday Music Program is on December 18 at 9:30.  I hope you can make it.

We are starting to run low on snack.  We have enough to make it through Christmas.  If you are able to donate a box or two of snack we would be very grateful.

This week we will be doing a close read with the book "An Orange in January."  We will continue to gather more ideas on how out world changes and try to answer the question, "How does nature affect the way we move and change?"

Our spelling focus this week is r-blends.  Please help your child study.  We will be having a test on Friday.

 We will continue to work on our how-to writing this week.  We will be putting it in a book, using transition words, revise/edit, and learn how to use detailed pictures to teach.

In math, we will focus on missing addend and counting on and back from any number between 0-120.

Gobble, Gobble

We have a short week coming up, but just a few reminders.

We have school on Monday and half-day Tuesday. If you are going to pull kids for early holiday travel, please call and let Mrs. Zimmerman know.

Make sure that your kids are dressed appropriately for the weather. With Montana weather, you never know what is going to happen! When it is snowing, kids will not be allowed to play anywhere but the blacktop unless they have snow boots, snow pants, gloves (not cotton mittens), and an appropriate coat. They will be sent outside no matter what, but it's not very much fun playing on the blacktop all day!

We had such a blast with our Disguise a Turkey project!

Also, we are running low on snack. We have about enough to make it until Christmas, but we will be cutting it out if we don't get any donations.

There will not be any spelling this week!

Check out the slideshow with all the fabulously disguised turkeys!

A few reminders...

How to Disguise a Turkey project was due November 16th.  If you have not returned this in yet, please due so as soon as possible

The peanut butter and jelly drive goes until November 20.  Please help out by sending jars of peanut butter and jelly.

Friday, November 20 is PTA's Health and Fitness Night in the gym from 6-7.

Tuesday, November 24 is a noon dismissal day.  There is no school Wednesday-Friday.  School resumes Monday, November 30.

Here's whats happening this week...

In reading we are focusing on character traits and reviewing how to retell a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

We had our personal narrative writing celebration on Friday.  It was tons of fun.  We went to Mrs. Hugh's class and we shared our personal narratives with them.  Then we got to have ice cream with whip cream and chocolate sauce!  This week we will begin our "how-to" unit.

In math, we are working on subtraction strategies, missing addends, and word problems.

We will have a spelling test this week but not the short Thanksgiving week.

Have a great week!

Thank you!

Thank you to those who attended conferences.  I enjoyed sharing about the great things your child has done so far this year.

Your child will have 2 homework assignments this week.  There will be a math paper and also a turkey to disguise.  Please HELP your child disguise their turkey, but don't do it for them.  Only use supplies around your house-- do not spend money on supplies.  Some disguises used in the past include:  robot, peacock, police officer, farmer, football player.  Be creative and have fun!  We will be using these turkeys for a writing project.  Please make sure your child has their completed and back to school by Monday, November 16.

Schools around town are participating in a PB & J drive to help Family Services feed those in need.  Family Services feeds over 7,000 people each month.  If you would like to participate please send jars of peanut butter and/or jelly to school between November 9-November 20.  The goal is to raise 1,000 jars.  1,000 jars would last Family Services 1 month.  The classroom with the most jars donated will win a pizza party.

Next week we will be wrapping up our personal narrative unit and will have a writing celebration on Friday.  We have some great stories to share!

We also will be moving on to our next unit in Lead 21.  This unit focuses on science.  We start off by learning about the desert.

We will be having a spelling test this week.

In math, we are continuing to work on subtraction strategies and missing addends.

Have a great weekend

Pumpkin Bars!

The kids loved making these and thought they were delicious!  I buy the cream cheese frosting.  I hope you get a chance to make them!

Conference Week!

Happy November!

I hope you and your child had a fun and safe Halloween!  Please make sure they keep their candy at home.

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are noon dismissal days due to Parent Teacher Conferences.  Please call the office if you need to switch your conference time.  I am looking forward to sharing all the great things your child has accomplished so far!

Report cards go home on Tuesday.  Please remember report cards are not like they used to be.  They are now a standards based progress report.  This means we look at the full year expectations and report where your child is currently.  However, in the reading categories we look at the current quarter's reading level expectations and report based on those reading levels.  There will be many 1s and 2s on your child's report card.  This is perfectly normal.  A 3 is our goal for the end of the year.  A 1 does not necessarily mean your child is not where they should be academically.  It could also mean that we have not taught all parts of the standard.  We will go over your child's report card during conferences and visit more on how your child was assessed.  Be proud of their accomplishments!

A quick peek at our week...

We will be wrapping up unit 1 in reading groups this week.  

Our reading comprehension focus is identifying the beginning, middle, and end of a story.

In writing, we will be working to stay on topic, writing a good beginning and ending, and writing different sentence beginnings.

We will be starting subtraction in math.  We will learn many different strategies such as, using a number line to count back, using doubles, and draw a picture.

We will practice more high frequency words during spelling this week, but we will not be having a spelling test.  With the noon dismissal days we will not be getting to spelling each day and do not have time on Friday for a test.  The words we will be practicing this week are still listed if you would like to help your child practice at home.

We might have snow!  Make sure and label all snow gear- hats, mittens, boots, snow pants, coats, etc.  It is amazing how many kids shop at the same place.  Also, kids are not allowed to go off the blacktop unless they have their snow gear.  In the mean time, I will be wishing for sun and warm weather.

Have a great week!