Monday Memo (Tuesday)

January 28, 2014

 

Dear Parents,

 

I hope everyone had a nice weekend! This cold weather has been crazy!! I know the kids are tired of inside recess! I guess it is winter in Iowa and we just have to expect anything!

 

In reading this week, we are beginning a new unit entitled “Problem Solvers”. This unit is filled with stories about people who had problems and how they went about solving them. It also is the perfect time to start talking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and other famous African Americans and how they handled their life struggles. We will also read about Helen Keller and how she overcame her struggles as well. Our first story is entitled My Name is Maria Isabel. We will be working on comprehension, vocabulary, and predicting outcomes as our skills with this story this week. We will also talk about symbolism this week. Our test over this story will be on Monday. We will be working on irregular verbs during our grammar time. Our spelling list is attached to this memo and our test will be next Monday. The students book The Secret School is due on Friday to be tested. I will be giving them another book Friday, and they are to have that book read by February 17^th. As always, if they finish the book and pass the test before the two weeks are over, they can get a library book and test over that.

 

In Math, we missed a lot of what was planned last week. So, this week we will be working on some problem solving with 3D x 2D numbers. We will also be doing our diagnostic checkpoint and both of our book chapter test and our chapter test. We are also continuing on our problem solving packets and our daily reviews.

 

With the late starts, early out and no school, we didn’t get to our study guide over chapter one. I am sending the study guide home with the students today, with the test tomorrow. We will be continue with chapter two which introduces us to a Native American tribe (The Hopi), that originated in the Southwestern Region. We will also be comparing this region of the United States to the herders in the Gobi Desert. The influence of the Spanish in this region will be covered this week and we will be discussing how to read time lines.

 

The kids enjoyed the online typing computer program. Unfortunately the computer lab will be in use the next three and half weeks for Map Testing. When that is completed (we do it in two weeks), we will resume going every other day with Successmaker and the typing program.

 

 I appreciate that you sign the planners verifying that they read at least 15 minutes a night! That is one of the best things we can do for the kids! Just a reminder that the Knights of Columbus are holding a spelling bee on Wednesday at 4:00. The students can get their entry forms and spelling lists from me. Parents are welcome to come and watch their children.

 

 

I hope everyone has a great week! As always, please feel free to call me with questions/concerns.

 

Sincerely,

Chris Mallen

Phone:  444-3093 (Home)   444-4300 ext. 336 (School)

Email:  chris.mallen@bkcsd.org