Week of December 8th

**Please respond to the poll to the right if you haven't already**

Notes/Reminders:

* Biography Book Report packets are due December 17th. They will not be accepted late. On Thursday the 18th we'll be putting on a "Living Wax Museum". Students need to dress up as the person they read about and memorize a first-person speech. We'll start the speeches in class this week. Check the link in the Downloads section for more information. 

* The optional California mission extra-credit assignments are due this Friday, December 12th. They will not be accepted late. 

* Keep an eye out for information regarding our next fieldtrip (January 16th - Tech Museum), as well as information about our upcoming holiday class party, December 19th. 

This week we will...

...continue working on our Mission Brochures. They are turning out really nice - the kids have been putting a lot of energy and time into this project. 

...start the art portion of the Super Hero picture books for reading buddies. We'll have a guest art teacher come in Tuesday to teach the class the basics of cartooning. 

...read James and the Giant Peach. There will be a quiz Friday. Students need to be sure to take the book home to catch up on any missed chapters if they've been absent. 

...have a math test Tuesday covering Chapter 11. Please help your child practice the multiplication facts!!!

...watch the 2nd grade play Wednesday morning. 

Week of December 1st (can you believe it?)

**Parents: Please respond to the poll to the right!!**

Notes/Reminders:

* Please return any social studies textbooks that may be floating around your child's bedroom somewhere! We are missing a few, and need them all for in-class lessons. They will only be sent home to use with occasional homework assignments or for make-up work. Students do have access to a CD-Rom version so they do not have to deal with the textbook at home.

* If you haven't already done so, please return your child's report card envelope with a parent signature. Also, a few students still need to return their AR charts and old work folders with parent signatures. 

* Biography Book Report packets were sent home last week. Several students have not yet picked a biography. All books need to be cleared by me. These packets are due December 17th. More information regarding the presentation portion of the project will be sent home later this week. Check the Downloads section for information. 

This week we will...

...begin reading James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. We do have a class set, but students are welcome to bring their own copies if they wish. 

...continue work on the mission brochures. Information was sent home last week regarding the optional extra-credit portion of this activity. 

...begin work on our picture books for our reading buddies in Ms. Sillavo's kindergarten class. 

...learn double-digit multiplication! Please spend at least five minutes a day practicing the multiplication facts with your child. 

Week of November 24th

**Parents: Please respond to the poll to the right!!**

Notes/Reminders:

* Wednesday - Friday: No School. Happy Thanksgiving! 

* If you haven't already done so, please return your child's report card envelope with a parent signature. Also, a few students still need to return their AR charts and old work folders with parent signatures. 

* Biography Book Report packets were sent home last week. Several students have not yet picked a biography. All books need to be cleared by me. 

This week we will...

...share some of our Writer's Workshop pieces from the first trimester with the rest of the class.

...go to the Big Spin  Tuesday afternoon! This is a super fun and energetic assembly for the 4th-6th grade students. All students (with the exception of those with a pink slip during the 1st trimester) have the chance of having their name drawn to spin the wheel to win a variety of prizes, like movie passes or a pizza party. This is also an opportunity to celebrate the 5th and 6th grade students who made honor roll. 

...have a math test Tuesday covering Chapter 10. 

...begin our in-class Mission Projects on Tuesday. Students will be creating brochures for the California missions. There will be an optional extra-credit opportunity that students may choose to complete at home. More information will be sent home Tuesday. 

Week of November 17th

**Tuesday Update: The class has one small additional social studies homework assignment tonight that was not completed in class today. Also, the Biography Book Report packets were sent home today. Students need to choose a book by Thursday, and they must be approved by me.**

Notes/Reminders:

* Report Cards were sent home Friday the 14th. Please sign and return the envelopes as soon as possible. 

* We are in the second trimester now! Just as in the first trimester, I will accept late work (unless otherwise noted), but it will be marked down a full letter grade. 

* Check the Links section on the right side of the page. There are new links to helpful and fun sites that your kids can use at home to practice their math facts, language skills, and typing skills.

This week we will...

...begin the next unit in our social studies curriculum. We'll be learning all about the explorers and early settlers in California, as well as the mission system. February 3rd we'll be taking a fieldtrip to the San Juan Bautista mission. 

...start a Biography Book Report. Students will choose a biography to read and will complete an accompanying book report packet with a variety of activities. This will be done at home, and is due December 17th. Look for the packet Tuesday of this week. 

...learn about compound words and verbs in language arts, and multi-digit multiplication in math. 

...write a Thanksgiving story from the point-of-view of the turkey! 

Week of November 10th

Notes/Reminders:

* Monday and Tuesday are holidays.

* Wednesday and Thursday students will be taking the Language Arts district assessment. 

* The Current Events and Reading Log links have been moved further down the right side of the page. 

* Check the Links section on the right side of the page. There are new links to helpful and fun sites that your kids can use at home to practice their math facts and language skills.

* This week we begin the second trimester. Report Cards will be sent home this Friday. Please return the envelopes with a parent signature. Students will have new AR goals for the trimester. They will bring home their goal sheet for you to review, sign, and return. 

* Jogging for the Arts is this Friday the 14th. Our class is scheduled to jog at 9:30. Parents are welcome to cheer on students. If you would like to help with this event, please contact one of our room parents - Michelle Chapa or Jeaneen Clayton. 

Week of November 3rd

A huge thank you to Jeaneen and Michelle for organizing such a great Halloween party, and thank you to all of the parents who donated food and supplies, and who helped out during the day. 

** Animal Reports are due Wednesday!! Again, they WILL NOT be accepted late. 

Animal Report Presentation Schedule:

Wednesday, Nov. 5^th: Desiree, Joshua, Justin, Kyrsta, Luke, Marie, Mary A., Morgan

Thursday, Nov. 6^th:  Ben, Christopher, Daniel, Grace, Kassandra, Katie, Macie, Tessa, Tyler, Timmy

Friday, Nov. 7^th:  Alex, Dakota, Elizabeth, Jessica, Mary C., Matthew, Max, Sam, Calvin, Lauren

** This Friday, November 7th, is the last day of the first trimester. Any late work must be turned in by Friday. Report Cards will be sent home the following Friday, November 14th. 

** The annual Jogging for the Arts fundraiser will be held on Friday, November 14th. Forms will be sent home with students this Monday. 

This week we will...

...review/study for the district assessments. There will be a math assessment later this week (most likely Thursday), and a language arts assessment next week. 

...study for a science test. We'll be combining Units 2 and 3 (Energy of Living Things and Ecosystems) for a test this Friday. Because of the animal reports, the test will be pretty mellow, nothing to stress about! 

...elect our classroom representatives for Student Leadership on Tuesday.

...give our animal report presentations Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. 

...complete The City of Ember by Thurday. All students will take the AR test by the end of the trimester. The next book we'll be reading is James and the Giant Peach, and we do have a full class set, so students do not need to bring their own copy unless they want to.