Week of December 18-20

Reading

It is that time of year when I look back and realize how fast this school year is flying by...it is such a bittersweet feeling!  I look at our students and notice how much they have grown physically as well as academically.  It is also a time when I often realize, I will soon have to say goodbye and how hard that will be. 

I have cherished all the memories I have shared with your child thus far and look forward to the second semester with them!

This is a short week filled with many special events, curriculum based, and full of learning opportunities.  On Wednesday, December 20th, is our LC Read, Snuggle, and Snack day!! Your child can bring EITHER a blanket OR a pillow along with a NON-MESSY snack.  We will have a variety of different Read-in experiences for your child to participate in.

I pray everyone has a blessed Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday break.  Please be safe and have a Happy New Year!! See you in 2018!!

Homework

Read Works: Excerpt from: A Christmas Carol: read article and answer questions: due Wednesday, December 20th @ 8am

Writing

Students have finished up their persuasive papers and should have them turned in.  When we return from the holiday break, we will begin a unit on Fictional Narrative writing.  

Social Studies

We have wrapped up our unit on South America just in time for the holiday break.  We look forward to starting a new unit on Europe when we return in January.  We will start with the geography of Europe and the Roots of Democracy and Ancient Greece.  

Week of December 11-15

Reading

This week, we will continue to work with Persuasive text.  The students will focus on vocabulary words that are specific with this unit of study as well as complete several activities to display their understanding of this topic.  Wednesday is our Library day so please send all books in that are due.  We have several students with late/overdue books.  On Friday, our students will present their advertisement that they created with their partner.  I can't wait to see all their creative creations! 

Homework for Reading and Social Studies

Vocabulary: Unit 7: Read pgs. 88 & 89: Draw pictures for words, Complete pgs. 93-96: due Friday, December 15th

Read Works: Read article and answer questions: Wrapping Up a Little Bit of Trouble

Congratulations: Spelling Bee Winners for Round 1

Jaxon C, Paige B, Nicholas W, Jared H, & Stephanie M

TPSP students ONLY: Pursuit of Passion & Culture Shock News

I gave out an outline and folder to all students who selected either Pursuit of Passion or Culture Shock for their task on Tuesday, December 5th. Please have your child share this with you and discuss the outline together.  During Enrichment time on Thursdays and Fridays, the students will work on completing these activities, but they will also need to work at home to complete assignments and meet deadlines. 

Social Studies and Writing

Last week, week we finished our South America unit with the students' South America presentations.  I was so amazed with all the interesting things the students shared about the countries they researched.  I learned a lot of new information that I had not previously known.  We will be taking a short district checkpoint test on Thursday.  We will begin our unit on Europe when we return from the holiday break.  In the meantime, students will be working on a persuasive essay in which they will either choose to persuade the reader to visit one of the countries they researched or they will persuade the reader to buy the product they created an ad for in reading.  Students will be given handouts that show them exactly how to organize a persuasive essay and a list of "Powerful Words" that they can choose to use in their writing to make their essays more appealing to the reader.  I look forward to reading their final drafts!