~ November News 2 ~

Upcoming Dates:
• 11/17: PTO Meeting @ 7:00 p.m. – Library Media Center
• 11/23: End of Trimester
• 11/24: Teacher Institute day – NO School
• 11/25-11/26: NO School – Thanksgiving Holiday Observed
• 12/10: Report Cards sent home

Reminders/Notes:
• Custom Typing: We have begun our formal keyboarding lessons and students will routinely go to the computer lab for Custom Typing. This offers the opportunity for your child to become familiar with “home row” and allows for an increase in words per minute. This program can also be accessed at home through our school’s homepage. In order to access a child’s particular screen, that can be accomplished by typing “d97username” (i.e. = d97melsmith). The password is your child’s student ID #. Students should be familiar with this process and can access the program at home for more practice.
• Take Home Folder/Assignment Books: Your child should be bringing home their assignment book and a take home (homework) folder everyday. Please check both for assignments, notes, and other information.
• Digital Backpack: Access the school’s digital backpack, to get papers from the school and district. If you need paper copies, please let us know. You can simply go to the district’s website and access it that way.
• PBIS: PBIS program is accepting donations from families and community partners. You can visit the PBIS blog at http://longfellowpbis.blogspot.com/ for a wish list on the right side menu; it is titled “Bears’s Den Wish List.”

Curriculum Notes:

Reading: This week we are reading our second story, “Henry Wells and William G. Fargo” in our unit: Dollars and Sense. This story is a great example of how to make a successful business. Two comprehension strategies we will be working on during this story include monitoring and clarifying, and summarizing. When reading independently, your child should use these strategies. Monitoring and clarifying means to stop reading when confused and look back to understand the meanings of words or difficult ideas. Periodically ask your child to summarize what he/she just read. This helps readers keep track of what they are reading.

Writing: In writer’s workshop our authors are starting a new genre of writing – the mystery. After studying many published mysteries in class, students have become familiar with a wide range of vocabulary words including: sleuth, detective, evidence, suspect, alibi, and witness. Writers are currently organizing their individual plots based on their creative ideas. The writing traits that will be focused on in these lessons are sentence fluency, organization, and word choice. Parents and family members are encouraged to participate in writer’s workshop at any time. Please contact Ms. Carter if you would like to join us!

Math: Students have started working in Unit 4, Decimals and Their Uses, this week. This unit summarizes the concepts that underlie decimal notation and focuses on some special uses of the notation. Throughout the unit, students will solve a variety of problems involving addition and subtraction of decimals using estimation, mental arithmetic, algorithms, and a calculator. After reviewing place value for whole numbers, place value concepts will be extended to decimal numbers.

Social Studies: In social studies, this upcoming Friday, (11/19) students will be taking their test on the state capitals. Each student has a study guide/mock test in hand so they know what to expect on Friday. This will count worth four grades in reference to their trimester assessment. The final test, Chapter 2, will be given next Monday, and students will also have a study guide in hand to prepare for the test. This will account for three grades in reference to the overall trimester performance. Please make sure your child is bringing these guides home in order to prepare for each assessment. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Mr. Weber.

Homework: Homework is either work that is not finished in school or practice of material that was taught in class. If your child has a busy evening, and homework cannot be completed, remember that the Sunrise Study Hall is open every morning from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. in the library media center. Passes are available at the front office. Students may also go to the library media center at lunchtime to complete homework.

Contact Info: As communication is very important, please contact me with a note or an email if you have any questions, concerns, or information to share.

Regards,
Mel Smith