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Dear Parents,

We are working very hard in our classroom on a large number of things!  I am proud of the students for the work they do.  As we get closer to the end of the year, I am stressing more and more the importance of asking questions when they have them and staying focused during instruction so they can complete assignments at home and in class with more independence. This will be very important in school from fourth grade on up.

Please have your child practice typing at home using home key position.  This will assist them when it is time to take the SBAC tests on the chrome books toward the end of the year.  Also, please have them continue to practice multiplication facts at home regularly.

Important dates:

March 3rd – 6th – Minimum days for teacher/parent conferences.  Dismissal time for grades 1st – 6th is 12:30.
March 6th – Report Cards go home

Here is a look at what we are doing in class this week:

Math – This week we are completing our second chapter on fractions.  There will be a test on Wednesday.

Reading – We are reading a class novel, Charlotte’s Web.  We are learning about descriptive writing, point of view and how to answer comprehension questions using the text for evidence.  We will also be reading two different non-fiction articles about Nelson Mandela and Rosa Parks.  Afterward, we will compare the articles, answer questions about them and write a paragraph answer to a question using evidence from both articles.

Writing – We are writing an informational report on a famous woman in history.  We are also learning different types of figurative language and how to use it in our writing to make our writing stronger.

It is a shorter week due to minimum days!

P.E. –  Tuesday and Thursday
Library – We will not be visiting the library this week.
Computer Lab – We will go on Tuesday.

Dear Parents,

Important Dates:

Minimum Days – March 3rd through March 6th are minimum days for parent/teacher conferences.  Dismissal time for grades 1-6 is 12:30 on each of those days.

Conferences –  Conference notes will be sent home this week in Cougar folders.  Conferences will only be requested for those I feel are needed at this time.  If I have recently met with you, I did not request one either.  If you would like to conference with me but do not receive a request, please let me know.

Spring Break – There will be no school from April 6th through the 10th for Spring Break.

Cougar Kiosk this Friday, February 28th after school.

Jeans for Teens – Please send any jeans to our classroom that you do not want or wear anymore.  Donated jeans will be given to homeless teens.  We will take any size or color – pants only please.  Send by February 27th.

Here is a look at what we are doing in class during this week:

Math –
We are investigating fractions.  Some of the main concepts we are learning are that the denominator tells us how many pieces one whole is divided into.  It also helps us determine the size of the pieces.  The numerator tells us how many pieces we we are counting to solve the problem.  In the denominator, the bigger the number is, the small the pieces are.  We are using manipulatives to see this and drawing pictures as well.  There will be a mid chapter quiz on Tuesday.

Reading –
We are reading Charlotte’s Web as a class.  E.B. white is a master of descriptive writing!  We take not of that as we read and we are learning about figurative language used as well.  There will be a comprehension test on Tuesday or Wednesday that covers the last 3 chapters we have read.

Writing –
We are writing an informational report on a famous woman in history.  Each student will choose the woman they would like to research.

Science –
We are learning about why plants grow fruit this week.

P.E. – We have P.E. on Tuesday and Thursday
Library – We have library on Tuesday
Computer Lab – We have computer lab on Thursday

Dear Parents,

We have officially ended the second trimester!  Expectations have continued to rise as the year has progressed.  This third trimester, the goal is to see more independence on the part of the students in regards to organization, remembering homework, writing with appropriate mechanics, sentence structure and variety, and reading with fluency and comprehension.  Many students still need to practice multiplication facts at home regularly!  All of these things are very important for students to master before fourth grade.

Report cards will be sent home with second trimester grades on March 6th unless given during a conference prior to that.

Upcoming Minimum Days – This Friday, February 21st is a minimum day.  March 3rd – March 6th will also be a week of minimum days for conferencing.

February 24th – February 28th – The school will be celebrating Dr. Seuss this week by dressing up each day.

Here is a peek of what we are doing in class this week:

Math – We are beginning a new chapter on fractions.  In this chapter we will be comparing fractions.

Reading – We are reading Charlotte’s Web as a class.  We are also reading “Finding Lincoln” in our Wonders anthology.  While reading, we are identifying cause and effect relationships as well as figurative language such as idioms and similes.

Social Studies – Groups are giving presentations about their chosen person for black history month.

Writing – Students are receiving mini lessons on writing informative reports.

Science – We are learning about why plants grow flowers and how bees help.  There will be a test on Thursday this week.

PE – Tuesdays and Thursdays
Library – Tuesday
Computer lab – Thursdays

Dear Parents,

Here we are in the middle of February already!  Enjoy each minute every day with the people you care about as much as possible because those minutes fly by quickly!

Mark your calendars:

Fundraiser – Eat at Leatherby’s this Thursday between 5:00 and 11:00.  Show them the flyer sent home in Cougar folders last week or mention the Castello fundraiser before paying.

Friendship Day – On Friday, February 14th, we will celebrate Friendship Day in class.  Students will be allowed to hand out special cards to their classmates.

No school – Next Monday, February 17th for President’s Day!

Minimum Day – February 21st; school is dismissed for grades 1-6 at 12:30.
Movie Day for kids with tickets – February 21st right after dismissal

Family Glow Dance – February 21st

Cougar Kiosk – Friday, February 28th

Here is a peek at what we are doing in class this week:

Math – We are finishing chapter 8 on fractions this week.  There will be a test on Friday.

Reading – We are still enjoying Charlotte’s Web together as a class.  Along with this book, we are analyzing characters, learning about author’s point of view, taking a deeper look at descriptive writing and using text evidence to answer questions.  We are also reading a story in our Wonders anthology book.  The story is called “Finding Lincoln”.  It is an example of historical fiction.  We are identifying cause and effect relationships as well as character and setting as part of the story.

Social Studies – We will be reading about George Washington.  In addition, students will read a short article about Abraham Lincoln and answer questions.

Science – This week we will be starting Mystery Science #1:  Why Do  Plants Grow Flowers?  There will be a quiz on Friday.

Writing – Mini lessons are being taught about how to write an informational report. Students are practicing each step along the way.

Spelling – We will be studying words that have r-controlled vowels such as firm, burn, germ and earn this week.

P.E. – Tuesdays and Thursdays
Library – Tuesdays
Computer Lab – no computer lab this week

Dear Parents,

February has only just begun and has already been very busy!  We are learning about fractions (difficult concept), working on group research projects for black history month, learning about point of view and cause and effect, and writing informational reports.

Important Dates:

No School – There will not be school on Monday, February 10th and February 17th in honor of President’s Day.

Report cards and Conferences – Conferences will take place March 3rd-6th.  Report cards will go home to parents on March 6th.

Friendship Day – February 14th – Friendship Day! Cards can be exchanged at the end of the day. Send in a treat that day if you would like to (do not send anything that has nuts in it).

Minimum Day – February 21st; students dismissed at 12:30 in grades 1-6

Here is a brief look at what we will be doing in class this week:

Math –
We are working through the second half of chapter 8 on fractions.  Please continue to have your child review their multiplication facts at home.  Those facts need to be memorized.

Reading –
We are reading Charlotte’s Web as a class. We are learning about E.B. White’s point of view and how to compare that to our own point of view.
We are also reading a story in our Wonder’s anthology called “Jane’s Discovery”.  With this story, we are learning about the genre of  historical fiction as well as cause and effect.

Writing –
We are learning how to write informational reports.

Grammar –
We are reviewing common and proper nouns.

Social Studies –
Students are researching a famous African American of their choice, writing paragraphs and preparing a poster with pictures, fun facts and quotes to present to the class.  We are also reading in another issue of Scholastic News about the need to protect all animals that are endangered even if they are not cute.

P.E. on Tuesdays and Thursdays
Library on Tuesdays
Computer Lab on Thursdays

Dear Parents,

The new year, 2020, is off to a roaring start!  We’re working hard in our classroom and learning lots of new things!

Mrs. Le’s Academic Notes:   It is very important to make sure your child reads for their 20 minutes of reading homework each night.  In addition, it is crucial that your child learn their multiplication facts with automaticity.  Please have them practice their facts at home with flashcards, multiplication games, and practice quizzes.

Important Dates:
January 31st – Cougar Kiosk
February 4th – Box tops due
February 10th – No school (president’s day)
February 17th – No school (president’s day)

Math – We have just begun chapter 8.  In this chapter, students have begun learning about fractions.  It is imperative that students continue to practice their multiplication.  They will continue to use their facts with fractions.  Students will need to know their multiplication facts more automatically as the year continues.  This week, students are specifically learning about equal groups, unit fractions, numerators, denominators and fractions on a number line.  There will be a mid chapter quiz the beginning of next week.

Reading – We are reading a class novel together called Charlotte’s Web.  We are learning new vocabulary and answering questions using the text for evidence.  We are also reading a story in our Wonders anthology this week.  Students will be learning characteristics of the historical fiction genre as well as cause and effect and the figurative language of using idioms.

Writing – Students will have a mini lesson each day about informative writing.  They will begin to write their own informational report slowly as we progress through the mini lessons.

Social Studies –  Students are working on a research project about a famous African American person.

Spelling – We are practicing with words that have digraphs this week.  Digraphs are a combination of two or more letters that work together to make the same sound such as sh, ch, tch and mb.

PE – Tuesdays and Thursdays
Library – Tuesdays
Computer Lab – Thursdays

Dear Parents,

Please mark your calendars:

January 17th – Donuts with Dad 7:30 – 8:15 a.m.

January 22nd – Dine-out Blaze Pizza 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

January 22nd – students present their MLK poem to the class

January 31st – Cougar Kiosk 2:30 p.m.

Here is a look at what we will be working on in class this week:

Math – We are continuing to learn about division and a variety of strategies that we can use when dividing including equal groups, repeated subtraction, number line, bar models, arrays, related multiplication facts and skip counting.  There will be a mid chapter quiz on Monday.  The chapter 7 test will be next week on Wednesday.

Reading –  Small groups are meeting with the teacher for lessons in comprehension and story elements as well as identification of the folktale genre.  The whole class is reading Martina the Beautiful Cockroach in the Wonders anthology.  We will be practicing the reading skill of visualizing as well as identifying the story elements of character, setting, problem and solution.

Vocabulary – Students are learning 5 new vocabulary words this week: emphasize, gullible, isolated, alter and novice.

Writing – Students are writing a stoplight patterned paragraph about their favorite fruit.

Social Studies – Students listened to several read aloud books about Martin Luther King, Jr. last week.  They also read to articles about him together as a class and then compared and contrasted those articles.  This week, students are reading an article in Scholastic News about MLK.  On Tuesday the article will be re-read and students will answer several questions.  On Wednesday, there will be a quiz and a separate written assignment about MLK’s words.

Spelling – The spelling pattern this week is three letter blends such as thr- or scr-.

Grammar – We will be identifying nouns.

P.E. – Tuesdays and Thursdays

Library – Tuesday

Computer Lab – Thursdays

Dear Parents,

I truly hope that you all had a wonderful holiday season and that you were able to find some quality time with your kids while they were home on vacation.  I so loved seeing all of their faces again!

Mark Your Calendars!

– There will be no school on Monday, January 20th for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Here is a look at what we’ll be doing in our classroom this week:

Math –  We are continuing our discussion about division.  We are starting chapter 7 and learning strategies for division.  Of course, as you know, division is closely related to multiplication.  Without a firm grasp of multiplication facts, division can be a struggle.  Please have your child practice their facts at home!

Reading – We are reading a short stories from our Wonders anthology.  Students will be reviewing visualization, story elements and main idea and details.

Writing –  Students are learning about the stoplight paragraph model for informative/expository writing.

Social Studies – We will be reading about Martin Luther King, Jr., identifying main idea and details and comparing/contrasting two different articles about him.

Grammar – Students will be reviewing and identifying nouns.

P.E. – We have P.E. every Tuesday and Thursday.

Library – We do not have library this week.

Computers – We have computers every Thursday morning.

Dear Parents,

Time is moving along so quickly!!  We have one week left in school before our winter vacation.  See below for a reminder about winter vacation dates and also for a breakdown of our activities for the week.

Winter Vacation – There will be no school from December 23rd through January 6th.  School resumes for students on January 7th.

Cookies, Cocoa, and Compliments – On Friday, December 20th, we will enjoy coming with crazy hair and taking part in some STEM activities in the morning.  We will also do a simple craft.  For the rest of the day we will be wrapping a gift for you, sharing compliment cards, watching a short movie, and enjoying cookies and cocoa.

See below for an idea of what we will be doing in class this week:

Math –  We are reviewing chapter 6 and taking a test on Tuesday this week.  For the rest of the week, we will continue to review with some fun math games.

Reading/Social Studies – We are reading and learning about Christmas traditions in the Philippines and in Australia.  We are also reading a story in Scholastic News about African Penguins.  Students will take a short quiz on the article.  We will also be reviewing the last two weeks’ worth of vocabulary words.  Students should have their two vocabulary lists and keep studying them at home.

Writing – We are writing an opinion paragraph based on a Would You Rather question.  Students will also be completing the final draft of their personal narrative.

Science – We have completed 8 lessons about Animals Through Time.  We will review and discuss in class and students will take a short unit test on Tuesday or Wednesday this week.

P.E. – We will have PE on Tuesday and Thursday.
Library – Students will be asked to return their library books on Tuesday.  They will not be checking out new books until after the Winter Break.
Computers – Students will have computers on Thursday morning.