Monday Memo
September 17, 2011
Dear Parents,
I hope everyone had a great weekend! Just a reminder that the book orders are due today but I will place the order tomorrow if you are still wanting to order a book. We had a great time at the care center and I appreciate how very kind and caring the students were while we were there. They always treat us so well and they won prizes when they won bingo. Again, I was so proud of the students!!
This week in reading we are reading a chapter from a Laura Ingalls Wilder book entitled “By the Shores of Silver Lake”. I will be having the students read a Laura Ingalls Wilder book once they have passed their quiz over the Judy Blume book. I am so impressed that so many of the students have read over 4 Judy Blume books! That is so impressive!! The Laura Ingalls Wilder books are a little bit lengthy, but I like for them to have read and quizzed over at least one of them. Some of the skills we will be working on this week include: Noting details, comprehension, vocabulary, taking notes, and guide words. Our grammar lessons this week are over proper nouns. We have enjoyed watching excerpts from the old “Grammar Rocks” series. During spelling we will be working on words that are homophones. Their listening skills will be very important as it will depend on how the sentence uses the word as to how to spell the word. The list is attached to this memo. For centers this week, we will be doing a vocabulary center, writing a friendly letter, keyboarding, a language “bucket”, and computer lab for Successmaker. Our guided reading groups have us reading about the orphan train, talking about prairie dangers, and racing on the Mississippi River.
For Math this week, we will be working on counting money and the most important skill, counting back change. They will be working on a daily multiplication sheet as well as a daily math review. Thank-you for working with your child at home on this important skill and when possible, have your child make purchases with money and work on giving the correct change… Please keep working on the multiplication facts at home as so many are struggling on their facts. It really will help them out so greatly, having those memorized, especially in the coming months!
We are finishing up on our social studies handbook this week. It seems that the students are enjoying the DOGS we do before social studies. They go right along with the lesson for the week. The students will be testing this week in Science. We are going to try to do the test on the prometheon board as a practice. The actual test will be tomorrow (Tuesday). A study guide will go home with the students tonight. The first test is the most difficult with a lot of vocabulary terms. We thought maybe having it on the board, would help prepare them for the actual test.
Just a reminder that the early out is on Wednesday.
As always, call with any concerns!
Have a great week!
Chris Mallen
Phone: 444-3093 (Home) 444-4300 ext. 336 (School)
Email: chris.mallen@belmond-klemme.k12.ia.us
