News From Mrs. Denny's Class December 11, 2009
I have just completed the 3rd round of curriculum based measurements with your child in reading and writing. I have definitely seen some growth.
In order not to lose any of the skills students are learning, please encourage your child to do something academic each day over the holidays. I would like for them to continue to read over the holidays. Bookman’s has generously donated some books to our classroom. It is my hope that each child will be able to bring one book home over the break. Visiting the public library is another great way to motivate your child to read.
I gave students the option to earn some extra credit over the break by completing some supplemental math assignments from their textbook. They may choose any of the supplemental lessons on pp. 529-537 to be completed by Jan. 4th.
Students can also go onto to some of the math web sites I have suggested in past newsletters to play math games and practice their math facts. If you google “math games”, a plethora of sites become available.
Holiday Party: Just a reminder that we will be having a small holiday party next Wed, Dec. 16th. We will play games and have a voluntary book exchange. Your child may bring a new or used (in good condition) wrapped book to participate in the book exchange. It must be labeled “girl, boy or boy/girl” on the book.
The students have also volunteered to bring snacks for the party. If you could provide snacks such as chips, salsa, cheese, crackers, fruit, vegetables, drinks, cups etc., we would be very grateful.
Markers/colored pencils needed: We are still in need of some classroom markers and colored pencils for our many projects we do in class. If you can provide us any, we would truly appreciate it.
End of Quarter: The last day of the quarter is Dec. 11th. Report cards will be coming Wednesday, Dec. 16th with your child.
Communicating: Please feel free to email me at any time with questions or concerns you have about your child. I usually check my email once per day. My email address can be found at the top of every newsletter, as well as on the LPA web site.
I wish you all a peaceful, restful and happy holiday!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
December Happenings
December 4, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy News
December:
4-Pancake Breakfast with Principal
4-Character Lunch
4-PTO Bingo Night 6:00-7:30
7-10-Holiday Shop
9-Holiday Music Program at Grace Church. 9:15-11:00 a.m.
12-Downtown Christmas Parade
*Two students from our class will be walking in the parade!
16-Report Cards: No lunch or after school
17-1/3- Holiday Break
Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser: Cow calendars will sell for $6.00. Please help LPA by selling some of these wonderful calendars. An order form was sent home with your child this week.
WHAT WE'RE LEARNING:
Spelling/S.S: Students are to be studying the 50 states and where they are located on a US map. They will have a test on all states on Monday, Dec. 7th. They have been practicing the spelling of the states for the last 4 weeks, so spelling will be assessed as well.
A website to help students practice the states is: www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm
We are still studying the geography of the United States and learning about mapping skills.
The vocabulary words we have focused on the last 2 weeks have come from our social studies unit:
geography, plain, plateau, cartographer, region, latitude, longitude, axis and equator.
Students have their vocabulary test this Friday.
Math: The students are continuing with fractional concepts as well as division. This week they were introduced to short division, dividing remainders, adding & subtracting whole numbers, fractions and mixed numbers. Students will also begin working with measurement.
Reading: We are well into our literature book, Shiloh. Students have been making connections to the story’s theme and writing about it.
Writing: Students are learning about the different purposes for writing. This week we focused on informational writing. Your child should have given you an invitation he/she created for our holiday music program on Wed., Dec. 9th at Grace Church.
Many thanks to the families of Nolyn Shanks, Joe Doherty, and Marlene Cabrera for providing turkeys for our Thanksgiving Feast! The food was great and we had a grand time!
NOTES FOR PARENTS:
Holiday Music Program: Please join us on Wed. 12/9 from 9:15-11:00 at Grace to the Nations Church to hear LPA students sing wonderful seasonal music.
*Please remind your child to dress nicely that day. Our class is to wear green and red for the performance.
Holiday Shop: On Monday, Dec. 7th, students will have the opportunity to preview gifts for family or friends at our holiday shop. Your child will bring home a list with gifts and prices of the things they would like to purchase. Tuesday, Dec. 8th, will be our buying day. Students may bring money to purchase gifts for family or friends for the holidays on this day.
Markers/colored pencils needed: We are still in need of some classroom markers and colored pencils for our many projects we do in class. If you can provide us any, we would truly appreciate it.
End of Quarter: The last day of the quarter is Dec. 11th. Students must have all assignments completed in order to count for this quarter’s grades. Please encourage your child to make up any late assignments.
Can Food Drive: LPA is having a can food drive for families in need. If you can send in any cans with your child it would be greatly appreciated.
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy News
December:
4-Pancake Breakfast with Principal
4-Character Lunch
4-PTO Bingo Night 6:00-7:30
7-10-Holiday Shop
9-Holiday Music Program at Grace Church. 9:15-11:00 a.m.
12-Downtown Christmas Parade
*Two students from our class will be walking in the parade!
16-Report Cards: No lunch or after school
17-1/3- Holiday Break
Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser: Cow calendars will sell for $6.00. Please help LPA by selling some of these wonderful calendars. An order form was sent home with your child this week.
WHAT WE'RE LEARNING:
Spelling/S.S: Students are to be studying the 50 states and where they are located on a US map. They will have a test on all states on Monday, Dec. 7th. They have been practicing the spelling of the states for the last 4 weeks, so spelling will be assessed as well.
A website to help students practice the states is: www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm
We are still studying the geography of the United States and learning about mapping skills.
The vocabulary words we have focused on the last 2 weeks have come from our social studies unit:
geography, plain, plateau, cartographer, region, latitude, longitude, axis and equator.
Students have their vocabulary test this Friday.
Math: The students are continuing with fractional concepts as well as division. This week they were introduced to short division, dividing remainders, adding & subtracting whole numbers, fractions and mixed numbers. Students will also begin working with measurement.
Reading: We are well into our literature book, Shiloh. Students have been making connections to the story’s theme and writing about it.
Writing: Students are learning about the different purposes for writing. This week we focused on informational writing. Your child should have given you an invitation he/she created for our holiday music program on Wed., Dec. 9th at Grace Church.
Many thanks to the families of Nolyn Shanks, Joe Doherty, and Marlene Cabrera for providing turkeys for our Thanksgiving Feast! The food was great and we had a grand time!
NOTES FOR PARENTS:
Holiday Music Program: Please join us on Wed. 12/9 from 9:15-11:00 at Grace to the Nations Church to hear LPA students sing wonderful seasonal music.
*Please remind your child to dress nicely that day. Our class is to wear green and red for the performance.
Holiday Shop: On Monday, Dec. 7th, students will have the opportunity to preview gifts for family or friends at our holiday shop. Your child will bring home a list with gifts and prices of the things they would like to purchase. Tuesday, Dec. 8th, will be our buying day. Students may bring money to purchase gifts for family or friends for the holidays on this day.
Markers/colored pencils needed: We are still in need of some classroom markers and colored pencils for our many projects we do in class. If you can provide us any, we would truly appreciate it.
End of Quarter: The last day of the quarter is Dec. 11th. Students must have all assignments completed in order to count for this quarter’s grades. Please encourage your child to make up any late assignments.
Can Food Drive: LPA is having a can food drive for families in need. If you can send in any cans with your child it would be greatly appreciated.
Monday, November 16, 2009
November 13, 2000 Newsletter
from Mrs. Denny's Class
Newsworthy News
November:
9-Gold Canyon Candle Sale
11-Veteran’s Day – No School
13- Boston Market Fundraiser 4-8 pm.
13-5th and 6th Grade Dance
16- Dentist
17- Skate Night 6-8 pm.
24- Thanksgiving Feast
25-27 No School. Thanksgiving Break
30- Chick-Fil-A Calendar Fundraiser
December:
2- $1.00 dress down day
3- PTO meeting 6:30-7:30
4- Pancake breakfast with the principal
4- Bingo night 6 -7:30
7-11 Holiday Shop
10- Cookies with Santa
Business Expo
16 – Report Cards ( ½ day-
No after school)
What We're Learning:
Math: Geometry, long division, fractions and percents.
Reading: Our new literature book is Shiloh by Phylis Reynolds Naylor.
Writing: The persuasive essays arguing for or against a longer school day/year are interesting to read! Our writing for the next 2 weeks will correlate with our literature book, Shiloh.
Science: Skeletal system and human body bones. Students will take their unit exam on Monday. This test will cover vocabulary, bone names and content knowledge. Students should be studying their notes at home.
*Students can practice naming the human body bones on this fun web site: http://www.gamequarium.com/humanbody.html
S.S./Spelling: Geography and the United States continued. This week students have focused on spelling and locating the Southern states.
*Students can practice locating particular states at this fun web site: http://scottbryce.com/
(Once at the site, click on US Geography).
Music: Students continued to practice their song for the Holiday Program which will be on December 9th. We definitely have a musically talented class!
Parent Notes:
Thanksgiving Feast: We will be having our Thanksgiving Feast on November 24th. We can only do this with YOUR help.
The 3rd, 5th and 6th grade classes are responsible for providing cooked turkeys for the feast. Our class needs to provide at least 2 cooked turkeys. If you can provide a cooked, whole turkey (15 + lbs.) by 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 24th, we would be most thankful! Please let me know by Friday, Nov. 20th if you can help.
Colored Markers/Pencils Needed: If you can help provide our class with some new Crayola markers or colored pencils, we could surely use some new ones.
Sketch Books: Just a reminder that some students still need to bring in a sketch book for art class.
Dress Code Reminder: Soon the weather will be cooler, so please remind your child of the school dress code policy.
*Sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets must be of solid color (red, white or navy) without any emblems or writing.
*Undershirts may be worn under the polo shirt, but must adhere to the school colors and cannot be larger than the polo shirt.
Absent Work: If your child is going to be absent due to illness for a few days, I would be happy to put their work up at the front desk for you to pick up. That way your child can start on the make-up work if he/she is still recovering but feeling better.
Progress Reports: We are mid- way through the 2nd quarter. Please look for your child’s progress report, sign it and return it with your child next week.
from Mrs. Denny's Class
Newsworthy News
November:
9-Gold Canyon Candle Sale
11-Veteran’s Day – No School
13- Boston Market Fundraiser 4-8 pm.
13-5th and 6th Grade Dance
16- Dentist
17- Skate Night 6-8 pm.
24- Thanksgiving Feast
25-27 No School. Thanksgiving Break
30- Chick-Fil-A Calendar Fundraiser
December:
2- $1.00 dress down day
3- PTO meeting 6:30-7:30
4- Pancake breakfast with the principal
4- Bingo night 6 -7:30
7-11 Holiday Shop
10- Cookies with Santa
Business Expo
16 – Report Cards ( ½ day-
No after school)
What We're Learning:
Math: Geometry, long division, fractions and percents.
Reading: Our new literature book is Shiloh by Phylis Reynolds Naylor.
Writing: The persuasive essays arguing for or against a longer school day/year are interesting to read! Our writing for the next 2 weeks will correlate with our literature book, Shiloh.
Science: Skeletal system and human body bones. Students will take their unit exam on Monday. This test will cover vocabulary, bone names and content knowledge. Students should be studying their notes at home.
*Students can practice naming the human body bones on this fun web site: http://www.gamequarium.com/humanbody.html
S.S./Spelling: Geography and the United States continued. This week students have focused on spelling and locating the Southern states.
*Students can practice locating particular states at this fun web site: http://scottbryce.com/
(Once at the site, click on US Geography).
Music: Students continued to practice their song for the Holiday Program which will be on December 9th. We definitely have a musically talented class!
Parent Notes:
Thanksgiving Feast: We will be having our Thanksgiving Feast on November 24th. We can only do this with YOUR help.
The 3rd, 5th and 6th grade classes are responsible for providing cooked turkeys for the feast. Our class needs to provide at least 2 cooked turkeys. If you can provide a cooked, whole turkey (15 + lbs.) by 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 24th, we would be most thankful! Please let me know by Friday, Nov. 20th if you can help.
Colored Markers/Pencils Needed: If you can help provide our class with some new Crayola markers or colored pencils, we could surely use some new ones.
Sketch Books: Just a reminder that some students still need to bring in a sketch book for art class.
Dress Code Reminder: Soon the weather will be cooler, so please remind your child of the school dress code policy.
*Sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets must be of solid color (red, white or navy) without any emblems or writing.
*Undershirts may be worn under the polo shirt, but must adhere to the school colors and cannot be larger than the polo shirt.
Absent Work: If your child is going to be absent due to illness for a few days, I would be happy to put their work up at the front desk for you to pick up. That way your child can start on the make-up work if he/she is still recovering but feeling better.
Progress Reports: We are mid- way through the 2nd quarter. Please look for your child’s progress report, sign it and return it with your child next week.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Oct. 30 Newsletter
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
October 30, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy News
October:
30- Harvest Fest at Lakeside 6-9 pm.
November:
4- Dress down day for $1.00
5- PTO meeting 6:30-7:30 pm.
6- Character Lunch for respect
6- Movie Night 6:00-7:30 pm.
11-Veteran’s Day – No School
13- Boston Market Fundraiser 4-8 pm.
16- Dentist
17- Skate Night 6-8 pm.
24- Thanksgiving Feast
25-27 No School. Thanksgiving Break
30- Chick-Fil-A Calendar Fundraiser
Congratulations to Faith Cosby, Jorge Hernandez and Marlene Cabrera for making Honor Roll for the 1st Quarter!
Welcome to our new student Nolyn Shanks! We’re glad you’re here.
Curriculum News:
Math: We have just finished unit 5 in Saxon Math. Students have been working on geometry, fractions, division and problem solving most recently. Please continue to encourage your child to practice his/her math facts at home.
Reading/Science: Last week we read a short story entitled “The Midnight Fox.” Students practiced their comprehension skills while reading this story.
This week we are spending a lot of time reading about the human body. We have learned about cells, tissues, organs, and bodily systems. We will be concentrating on the skeletal system for these next 2 weeks.
Writing: Our zoo trip was amazing! Thank you to Mrs. Scrimshaw for organizing it for us. The students wrote descriptive paragraphs about their experience, edited their paper with a peer, and wrote a final copy with an illustration to match.
S.S: We are still engaged in geography. We have learned about the themes of geography and will be concentrating on the regions of the U.S. next week.
Spelling: The spelling units will focus on our 50 states for the next few weeks. Students are to learn how to spell the states and be able to locate them on a map. Each week will culminate with a test on the particular region they have studied for the week (both spelling and location of the states).
Mr. Diaz has been working hard with students are their citizenship skills and will also be doing some team building activities.
Harvest Fest this Friday: Thank you to those who donated candy to use for our Pumpkin Patch booth. We are still in need of volunteers, so if you’re at the Harvest Fest and want to come by to help, please join us!
Notes For Parents:
Tardiness and Leaving Early: Students’ morning tardies have improved somewhat, but leaving school early has become a bit of a problem. On any given day, starting at 2:30, the office begins calling for students to be dismissed. We are still engaged in lessons at that time, and it is disruptive to the learning process when students are packing up to leave. It is also difficult for me to get together things your child may need to take home while I’m in the middle of a lesson with the class. Also, your child may not have written down the assignments for the day if they leave early, nor will they receive their full participation points for the lesson they are missing.
I do understand that early dismissal is sometimes necessary, but I am asking that you refrain from making any appointments for your child until after the school day ends if possible. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Mid-Quarter: On November 13th, we will be midway through the 2nd quarter. Progress reports will be going home with students at this time.
Dress Code: Now that the weather is turning cooler, please remind your child of the school dress code policy.
*Sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets must be of solid color (red, white or navy) without any emblems or writing.
*Undershirts may be worn under the polo shirt, but must adhere to the school colors and cannot be larger than the polo shirt.
October 30, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy News
October:
30- Harvest Fest at Lakeside 6-9 pm.
November:
4- Dress down day for $1.00
5- PTO meeting 6:30-7:30 pm.
6- Character Lunch for respect
6- Movie Night 6:00-7:30 pm.
11-Veteran’s Day – No School
13- Boston Market Fundraiser 4-8 pm.
16- Dentist
17- Skate Night 6-8 pm.
24- Thanksgiving Feast
25-27 No School. Thanksgiving Break
30- Chick-Fil-A Calendar Fundraiser
Congratulations to Faith Cosby, Jorge Hernandez and Marlene Cabrera for making Honor Roll for the 1st Quarter!
Welcome to our new student Nolyn Shanks! We’re glad you’re here.
Curriculum News:
Math: We have just finished unit 5 in Saxon Math. Students have been working on geometry, fractions, division and problem solving most recently. Please continue to encourage your child to practice his/her math facts at home.
Reading/Science: Last week we read a short story entitled “The Midnight Fox.” Students practiced their comprehension skills while reading this story.
This week we are spending a lot of time reading about the human body. We have learned about cells, tissues, organs, and bodily systems. We will be concentrating on the skeletal system for these next 2 weeks.
Writing: Our zoo trip was amazing! Thank you to Mrs. Scrimshaw for organizing it for us. The students wrote descriptive paragraphs about their experience, edited their paper with a peer, and wrote a final copy with an illustration to match.
S.S: We are still engaged in geography. We have learned about the themes of geography and will be concentrating on the regions of the U.S. next week.
Spelling: The spelling units will focus on our 50 states for the next few weeks. Students are to learn how to spell the states and be able to locate them on a map. Each week will culminate with a test on the particular region they have studied for the week (both spelling and location of the states).
Mr. Diaz has been working hard with students are their citizenship skills and will also be doing some team building activities.
Harvest Fest this Friday: Thank you to those who donated candy to use for our Pumpkin Patch booth. We are still in need of volunteers, so if you’re at the Harvest Fest and want to come by to help, please join us!
Notes For Parents:
Tardiness and Leaving Early: Students’ morning tardies have improved somewhat, but leaving school early has become a bit of a problem. On any given day, starting at 2:30, the office begins calling for students to be dismissed. We are still engaged in lessons at that time, and it is disruptive to the learning process when students are packing up to leave. It is also difficult for me to get together things your child may need to take home while I’m in the middle of a lesson with the class. Also, your child may not have written down the assignments for the day if they leave early, nor will they receive their full participation points for the lesson they are missing.
I do understand that early dismissal is sometimes necessary, but I am asking that you refrain from making any appointments for your child until after the school day ends if possible. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Mid-Quarter: On November 13th, we will be midway through the 2nd quarter. Progress reports will be going home with students at this time.
Dress Code: Now that the weather is turning cooler, please remind your child of the school dress code policy.
*Sweaters, sweatshirts and jackets must be of solid color (red, white or navy) without any emblems or writing.
*Undershirts may be worn under the polo shirt, but must adhere to the school colors and cannot be larger than the polo shirt.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
October 16, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
October Character Trait is Respect!
Newsworthy News
OCTOBER:
20- Field trip to the zoo
9:00-1:30 pm.
22-Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser 4-8 pm
26-Dentist
26-29- Drug Awareness Week
30-Harvest Fest @ Lakeside
6-9pm
Curriculum News:
We have just completed the 1st week of the 2nd Quarter! Students have some new academic goals for this quarter. I asked them to share those with you..
Reading: We have finished reading
The City of Ember and final assess-ments are completed. We will be watching the movie on Friday as a marble jar reward!
Spelling: No spelling unit this week due to the short week.
S.S: Our next unit of study will be geography, mapping and states.
Science: Students are presenting their inventor reports in class. They have learned quite about these famous inventors!
We will begin studying the human body next week.
Math: We are into our 5th math unit in our Saxon math book. We continue to work on word problems and math facts. Our new vocabulary words are centered on math: algorithm, parallel, perpendicular, composite number and prime number. Students will be tested on these words next week. They should be bringing home their vocabulary spiral notebook to study.
We have been discussing ways to be respectful to others. Each day we have “a little respect” reminder in class.
Mr. Diaz, our school counselor, is working on a behavior goal graphs with the students.
Notes to Parents:
Field trip: Please turn in the permission slip and entrance fee ($3.00) for our fieldtrip to the zoo by Monday, Oct 19. Our trip will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 20th. I will not have time to do paperwork, etc. on Tuesday before the trip, so your timeliness is appreciated! Don’t forget to send your child with a lunch and a drink, as we will be having a picnic lunch at Reid Park after our zoo visit. Students may dress down for the day; however, close-toed shoes are appropriate for the day.
Harvest Fest: Attached you will find information about our Harvest Fest on Oct. 30th. You can purchase tickets ahead of time by filling out the attached form. ‘
We are in need of volunteers to help run our booth from 6 pm-9 pm. on the evening of Oct. 30th. Each shift is ½ hour. We will be collaborating with Mrs. Premovich’s class on a pumpkin patch booth. You may sign up for as many shifts as you would like. Please sign up using the attached form. We are also in need of lollipops to stock our booth.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for getting your child to school on time! We have also had fewer school absences. Every day that we have perfect attendance, we put a marble in our marble jar. This jar is our incentive jar also used for good behavior.
Health Note: As we are now into cold and flu season, please remind your child about respectful coughing and sneezing. I ask them to cough or sneeze into their sleeve. Please also remind them about hand washing. In the classroom, we use sanitizer quite often and desks are disinfected on a regular basis.
Tissues: Thank you again to Mrs. Wainwright for the extra boxes of tissue. We sure could use more. Please consider donating more tissue to our classroom.
October 16, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
October Character Trait is Respect!
Newsworthy News
OCTOBER:
20- Field trip to the zoo
9:00-1:30 pm.
22-Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser 4-8 pm
26-Dentist
26-29- Drug Awareness Week
30-Harvest Fest @ Lakeside
6-9pm
Curriculum News:
We have just completed the 1st week of the 2nd Quarter! Students have some new academic goals for this quarter. I asked them to share those with you..
Reading: We have finished reading
The City of Ember and final assess-ments are completed. We will be watching the movie on Friday as a marble jar reward!
Spelling: No spelling unit this week due to the short week.
S.S: Our next unit of study will be geography, mapping and states.
Science: Students are presenting their inventor reports in class. They have learned quite about these famous inventors!
We will begin studying the human body next week.
Math: We are into our 5th math unit in our Saxon math book. We continue to work on word problems and math facts. Our new vocabulary words are centered on math: algorithm, parallel, perpendicular, composite number and prime number. Students will be tested on these words next week. They should be bringing home their vocabulary spiral notebook to study.
We have been discussing ways to be respectful to others. Each day we have “a little respect” reminder in class.
Mr. Diaz, our school counselor, is working on a behavior goal graphs with the students.
Notes to Parents:
Field trip: Please turn in the permission slip and entrance fee ($3.00) for our fieldtrip to the zoo by Monday, Oct 19. Our trip will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 20th. I will not have time to do paperwork, etc. on Tuesday before the trip, so your timeliness is appreciated! Don’t forget to send your child with a lunch and a drink, as we will be having a picnic lunch at Reid Park after our zoo visit. Students may dress down for the day; however, close-toed shoes are appropriate for the day.
Harvest Fest: Attached you will find information about our Harvest Fest on Oct. 30th. You can purchase tickets ahead of time by filling out the attached form. ‘
We are in need of volunteers to help run our booth from 6 pm-9 pm. on the evening of Oct. 30th. Each shift is ½ hour. We will be collaborating with Mrs. Premovich’s class on a pumpkin patch booth. You may sign up for as many shifts as you would like. Please sign up using the attached form. We are also in need of lollipops to stock our booth.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for getting your child to school on time! We have also had fewer school absences. Every day that we have perfect attendance, we put a marble in our marble jar. This jar is our incentive jar also used for good behavior.
Health Note: As we are now into cold and flu season, please remind your child about respectful coughing and sneezing. I ask them to cough or sneeze into their sleeve. Please also remind them about hand washing. In the classroom, we use sanitizer quite often and desks are disinfected on a regular basis.
Tissues: Thank you again to Mrs. Wainwright for the extra boxes of tissue. We sure could use more. Please consider donating more tissue to our classroom.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sept 18, 2009
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
September 18, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy News
September
25- Boston Market Fundraiser
4 p.m. to close
October
2- Pancake breakfast with the principal
2- Character Lunch
2- Bingo Night
7- Dress Down Day for $1.00
8- 40th Day of School
9- Report cards home. Half day with no lunch or after-school activities.
12 &13- Harvest Break. No School.
13- Skate Country Night
22- Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser
30- Harvest Carnival at Lakeside
Curriculum News
Students should have been studying their subtraction facts this week. They were tested on those facts on Friday.
We continue to work on our math concepts. Subtracting larger numbers with borrowing continues to be a focus. We are also working on solving mathematical story problems.
We continue to write about the City of Ember. Students are working on including specific details when they write their reactions to the reading.
In social studies, students are working on “painting a picture” for their reader in their immigrant story. They will complete their final copy in the next few days.
We have continued discussing the scientific method in science. We will investigate different inventions as well as inventors. Students were assigned a specific inventor to research and will write a research report to share with the class.
We also conducted our first experiment on Friday using chewing gum!
We’ve been playing some spelling games in class to help students master their weekly spelling words before the Friday test. Please encourage your child to study at home as well.
Mr Diaz, our counselor, visited again on Thursday. He worked with the students on citizenship.
News For Parents
Conferences: Thank you to all who returned the signature page of your child’s progress report! I am still waiting for a few more. For those requesting a conference, I will make appointments on Oct. 7, 9 and 14th. I will send home a notice the first week in October for you to select your day and time.
Independent Reading: Please help your child remember to read each evening (at least 20 minutes) and get their independent reading calendar signed by an adult. This assignment is a nightly homework assignment. Students will be counting up how many minutes they read each month and graphing their progress at the end of every month. Students know that any adult who saw them read for the day can sign their reading calendar.
September 18, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy News
September
25- Boston Market Fundraiser
4 p.m. to close
October
2- Pancake breakfast with the principal
2- Character Lunch
2- Bingo Night
7- Dress Down Day for $1.00
8- 40th Day of School
9- Report cards home. Half day with no lunch or after-school activities.
12 &13- Harvest Break. No School.
13- Skate Country Night
22- Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser
30- Harvest Carnival at Lakeside
Curriculum News
Students should have been studying their subtraction facts this week. They were tested on those facts on Friday.
We continue to work on our math concepts. Subtracting larger numbers with borrowing continues to be a focus. We are also working on solving mathematical story problems.
We continue to write about the City of Ember. Students are working on including specific details when they write their reactions to the reading.
In social studies, students are working on “painting a picture” for their reader in their immigrant story. They will complete their final copy in the next few days.
We have continued discussing the scientific method in science. We will investigate different inventions as well as inventors. Students were assigned a specific inventor to research and will write a research report to share with the class.
We also conducted our first experiment on Friday using chewing gum!
We’ve been playing some spelling games in class to help students master their weekly spelling words before the Friday test. Please encourage your child to study at home as well.
Mr Diaz, our counselor, visited again on Thursday. He worked with the students on citizenship.
News For Parents
Conferences: Thank you to all who returned the signature page of your child’s progress report! I am still waiting for a few more. For those requesting a conference, I will make appointments on Oct. 7, 9 and 14th. I will send home a notice the first week in October for you to select your day and time.
Independent Reading: Please help your child remember to read each evening (at least 20 minutes) and get their independent reading calendar signed by an adult. This assignment is a nightly homework assignment. Students will be counting up how many minutes they read each month and graphing their progress at the end of every month. Students know that any adult who saw them read for the day can sign their reading calendar.
Monday, September 14, 2009
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
September 11, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
NEWSWORTHY NEWS
September
11-Mid-quarter ends
11-Hero Night at Lakeside
14-Dentist on Campus
October
2-Pancake breakfast with principal
2-Bingo Night
7-Dress Down Day
8- 40th Day of School!
9- ½ day. No lunch or after school
report cards home
12&13- Harvest Break
13- Skate Country Night 6-8 pm
CONGRATULATIONS to Reanna Ruiz and Joel Gonzalez for being selected to represent our class in student council!
CURRICULUM NEWS
Students took their 2nd unit test in Math. We are still practicing multiplication facts and will focus on subtraction facts as well.
Students also had a vocabulary quiz and social studies test this Friday. Students will always be given advanced notice of a quiz or test. This week they were to be studying from their vocabulary and social studies spiral notebooks in preparation for the tests.
In writing, we are learning how to write descriptive paragraphs. Students are being guided in “painting a picture” for their reader.
Mr. Diaz came to our room this Thursday. He focused on trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility
Students are excited about science! We are learning about the scientific method and have started creating a science flip book complete with definitions and illustrations to demonstrate their understanding of the scientific method.
On Thursday we had a wonderful and informative demonstration from the S.W.A.T. team. Ask your child to tell you what we learned about.
PARENT INFORMATION
Progress Reports: Today your child is bringing home his/her progress report. Please sign the attached form and return it with your child on Monday.
Please keep in mind that we have only been in school for one month, and I am still getting to know your child’s strengths and weaknesses. The progress report reflects any areas that your child could improve upon before the end of the quarter (Oct. 9). I did not mark any subject areas if your child is making adequate progress in that area.
*Due to late work and the numerous absences requiring make up work, many students need to only turn in their work for improvement to be shown.
*Progress reports will take the place of the weekly student report for this week.
Responsibility: Now that the students are in 5th grade, I have been talking with them about being responsible for their work. Many students will finish an in- class assignment and never hand it in, or will complete an assignment in the wrong notebook or never bring back a homework assignment. They know that this greatly impacts their grade. Receiving an “F” in a subject due to missing assignments or not following instructions is definitely avoidable.
I have told the students that school is their job- just like we as adults have jobs. They need to take responsibility for their own work.
Absences: We have had a lot of absences in our room. I am encouraging hand washing and sanitizing in the classroom. If your child is healthy, please send them to school each day. Learning can be very disjointed for students when they continually miss school days.
Students have one day for every day they are absence to make up work. I will not continually ask them for their work. It is their job to complete the missed assignments and turn them into me in a timely manner. I would appreciate your encouragement at home.
This & That: Please take time to read the school newspaper “The Link,” which should come home every Monday. Look for it in your child’s homework folder.
Also please don’t forget to ask your child for our classroom newsletter which comes home every Friday during the 1st Quarter.
Health regulations prevent us from distributing any snacks or birthday treats that are NOT store bought. If you want to send in a treat for a special celebration, please adhere to this regulation. Thank you!
September 11, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
NEWSWORTHY NEWS
September
11-Mid-quarter ends
11-Hero Night at Lakeside
14-Dentist on Campus
October
2-Pancake breakfast with principal
2-Bingo Night
7-Dress Down Day
8- 40th Day of School!
9- ½ day. No lunch or after school
report cards home
12&13- Harvest Break
13- Skate Country Night 6-8 pm
CONGRATULATIONS to Reanna Ruiz and Joel Gonzalez for being selected to represent our class in student council!
CURRICULUM NEWS
Students took their 2nd unit test in Math. We are still practicing multiplication facts and will focus on subtraction facts as well.
Students also had a vocabulary quiz and social studies test this Friday. Students will always be given advanced notice of a quiz or test. This week they were to be studying from their vocabulary and social studies spiral notebooks in preparation for the tests.
In writing, we are learning how to write descriptive paragraphs. Students are being guided in “painting a picture” for their reader.
Mr. Diaz came to our room this Thursday. He focused on trustworthiness, fairness, and responsibility
Students are excited about science! We are learning about the scientific method and have started creating a science flip book complete with definitions and illustrations to demonstrate their understanding of the scientific method.
On Thursday we had a wonderful and informative demonstration from the S.W.A.T. team. Ask your child to tell you what we learned about.
PARENT INFORMATION
Progress Reports: Today your child is bringing home his/her progress report. Please sign the attached form and return it with your child on Monday.
Please keep in mind that we have only been in school for one month, and I am still getting to know your child’s strengths and weaknesses. The progress report reflects any areas that your child could improve upon before the end of the quarter (Oct. 9). I did not mark any subject areas if your child is making adequate progress in that area.
*Due to late work and the numerous absences requiring make up work, many students need to only turn in their work for improvement to be shown.
*Progress reports will take the place of the weekly student report for this week.
Responsibility: Now that the students are in 5th grade, I have been talking with them about being responsible for their work. Many students will finish an in- class assignment and never hand it in, or will complete an assignment in the wrong notebook or never bring back a homework assignment. They know that this greatly impacts their grade. Receiving an “F” in a subject due to missing assignments or not following instructions is definitely avoidable.
I have told the students that school is their job- just like we as adults have jobs. They need to take responsibility for their own work.
Absences: We have had a lot of absences in our room. I am encouraging hand washing and sanitizing in the classroom. If your child is healthy, please send them to school each day. Learning can be very disjointed for students when they continually miss school days.
Students have one day for every day they are absence to make up work. I will not continually ask them for their work. It is their job to complete the missed assignments and turn them into me in a timely manner. I would appreciate your encouragement at home.
This & That: Please take time to read the school newspaper “The Link,” which should come home every Monday. Look for it in your child’s homework folder.
Also please don’t forget to ask your child for our classroom newsletter which comes home every Friday during the 1st Quarter.
Health regulations prevent us from distributing any snacks or birthday treats that are NOT store bought. If you want to send in a treat for a special celebration, please adhere to this regulation. Thank you!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
September 4, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
NEWSWORTHY NOTES
September
2- Dress Down Day for $1.00
4- Movie Night “Coraline”
7- No School. Labor Day
9- Entertainment Book Sale Ends
11- Hero’s Night at LPA Lakeside
Homework: As I mentioned previously, students will have math, a spelling packet (due at the end of the week) and independent reading for homework each evening. Occasionally students will need to complete something we started in class for homework as well.
This week we had an in-class spelling assignment that was to be finished at home Tuesday evening. Many students did not return the spelling assignment on Wednesday.
We discussed the importance of using their planners to record assignments and then checking that planner each night to remind them of what to do. Please allow your child at least an hour each evening to complete their homework in a quiet place. They know that when an assignment is late, points are taken off which results in a lower grade.
CURRICULUM NOTES:
Students are working on memorizing their multiplication facts (0-12s). They had their first test on Friday. We will also begin working on division facts. I will mix in subtraction facts along the way as most students do not have those mastered yet.
Students should be practicing their spelling words at home by completing their spelling packet. I have also asked them to have someone at home quiz them on their words so they will “ace” their spelling test on Fridays. They can also use the computer to practice their words. A great web site is www.spellingcity.com. Students type in their words and then can play word games or can be quizzed on their words.
There will be no spelling list next week due to a shortened week. We will however focus on our new vocabulary words: prejudice, ethnic custom, equation, geometry, and scientific method.
We are really enjoying the City of Ember. We are continuing to learn reading and writing strategies using this literature book. This week we have written literature responses and discussed character traits and setting.
In Social Studies, we discussed immigration and learned about what it was like to be an immigrant coming to America long ago.
Mr. Diaz, our school counselor, visited us on Thursday. His lesson focused on respect, responsibility and caring.
We surveyed our Science text this week and we will discuss the scientific method next week. Students will write out the scientific steps and draw pictures to illustrate the scientific method. We are looking forward to some upcoming experiments.
NOTES TO PARENTS:
Blog: I am pleased to announce that you can now read our classroom newsletter electronically. Each week I will place the newsletter on my teacher blog. You will find the blog by visiting the La Paloma Academy web site at (www.lpatucson.org). Click on “Mrs. Denny 5th Grade.” From my teacher home page, you will find a link to the blog. I will continue to send home a hard copy as well.
School Policy: Please familiarize yourself with the school policy on intentional and non-accidental injuries. As a school, we are required by law to report any injuries occurring from physical contact to the authorities (Tucson Police). If the injuries occur between siblings, we are required by law to report the incident to CPS. Mr. Rubasch will be elaborating on this policy in the LPA Link that comes home on Mondays.
Incentives: For those of you who volunteered to send in treats for incentives, I would love for you to send in anything store bought. Packages of gummy bears, candy, or small treat bags are some ideas. We are also in need of fun little prizes to add to the prize box that students can purchase with Denny Bucks that they have earned. Many prizes can come from the dollar store. Some ideas might be fun pens or pencils, small games or puzzles, stickers, small supplies to use in the classroom, etc.
Parent Volunteers: Thank you for getting your fingerprints done at Open House. So far, we have one parent that has been cleared to volunteer. If you plan to volunteer at the school, all you need to do is fill out the paperwork and sign up to get fingerprinted. If you plan to chaperone on field trips, you will need to get a fingerprint clearance card through the Tucson Police Dept. The police department does their own fingerprinting and background checks for a fee. Thank you for all you do to be involved.
Student Weekly Report: On Fridays, students will fill out a weekly report to let you know how their week was in school. Listed on this report will be any assignments turned in late for the week, as well as any assignments that were not turned in at all. Please discuss the report with your child, sign it and have your child return it on Monday. There is a place for you to add any comments if you wish. Thank you for taking the time to read and discuss the Weekly Report.
September 4, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
NEWSWORTHY NOTES
September
2- Dress Down Day for $1.00
4- Movie Night “Coraline”
7- No School. Labor Day
9- Entertainment Book Sale Ends
11- Hero’s Night at LPA Lakeside
Homework: As I mentioned previously, students will have math, a spelling packet (due at the end of the week) and independent reading for homework each evening. Occasionally students will need to complete something we started in class for homework as well.
This week we had an in-class spelling assignment that was to be finished at home Tuesday evening. Many students did not return the spelling assignment on Wednesday.
We discussed the importance of using their planners to record assignments and then checking that planner each night to remind them of what to do. Please allow your child at least an hour each evening to complete their homework in a quiet place. They know that when an assignment is late, points are taken off which results in a lower grade.
CURRICULUM NOTES:
Students are working on memorizing their multiplication facts (0-12s). They had their first test on Friday. We will also begin working on division facts. I will mix in subtraction facts along the way as most students do not have those mastered yet.
Students should be practicing their spelling words at home by completing their spelling packet. I have also asked them to have someone at home quiz them on their words so they will “ace” their spelling test on Fridays. They can also use the computer to practice their words. A great web site is www.spellingcity.com. Students type in their words and then can play word games or can be quizzed on their words.
There will be no spelling list next week due to a shortened week. We will however focus on our new vocabulary words: prejudice, ethnic custom, equation, geometry, and scientific method.
We are really enjoying the City of Ember. We are continuing to learn reading and writing strategies using this literature book. This week we have written literature responses and discussed character traits and setting.
In Social Studies, we discussed immigration and learned about what it was like to be an immigrant coming to America long ago.
Mr. Diaz, our school counselor, visited us on Thursday. His lesson focused on respect, responsibility and caring.
We surveyed our Science text this week and we will discuss the scientific method next week. Students will write out the scientific steps and draw pictures to illustrate the scientific method. We are looking forward to some upcoming experiments.
NOTES TO PARENTS:
Blog: I am pleased to announce that you can now read our classroom newsletter electronically. Each week I will place the newsletter on my teacher blog. You will find the blog by visiting the La Paloma Academy web site at (www.lpatucson.org). Click on “Mrs. Denny 5th Grade.” From my teacher home page, you will find a link to the blog. I will continue to send home a hard copy as well.
School Policy: Please familiarize yourself with the school policy on intentional and non-accidental injuries. As a school, we are required by law to report any injuries occurring from physical contact to the authorities (Tucson Police). If the injuries occur between siblings, we are required by law to report the incident to CPS. Mr. Rubasch will be elaborating on this policy in the LPA Link that comes home on Mondays.
Incentives: For those of you who volunteered to send in treats for incentives, I would love for you to send in anything store bought. Packages of gummy bears, candy, or small treat bags are some ideas. We are also in need of fun little prizes to add to the prize box that students can purchase with Denny Bucks that they have earned. Many prizes can come from the dollar store. Some ideas might be fun pens or pencils, small games or puzzles, stickers, small supplies to use in the classroom, etc.
Parent Volunteers: Thank you for getting your fingerprints done at Open House. So far, we have one parent that has been cleared to volunteer. If you plan to volunteer at the school, all you need to do is fill out the paperwork and sign up to get fingerprinted. If you plan to chaperone on field trips, you will need to get a fingerprint clearance card through the Tucson Police Dept. The police department does their own fingerprinting and background checks for a fee. Thank you for all you do to be involved.
Student Weekly Report: On Fridays, students will fill out a weekly report to let you know how their week was in school. Listed on this report will be any assignments turned in late for the week, as well as any assignments that were not turned in at all. Please discuss the report with your child, sign it and have your child return it on Monday. There is a place for you to add any comments if you wish. Thank you for taking the time to read and discuss the Weekly Report.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
August 28, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy Notes
8/24-9/9 Entertainment book sales. All profits will be used for new computers!
8/31 Picture Day
9/2 Dress Down Day for $1.00
9/4 Movie Night
9/7 Labor Day. No School
9/11 Hero Night at Lakeside
Homework: Most students are bringing back their homework each day…Yeah! Some are still having trouble getting their independent reading calendar signed. Once your child has read for the evening, please sign their calendar indicating they have read. Any adult can verify their reading calendar. Thank you for your help in this matter.
VIP: One student will be selected every other week to be our classroom VIP. They will be chosen on Friday and must fill out the VIP sheet to share with the class the following Friday. They should also bring pictures depicting their life such as special events, trips, family, pets etc. sometime during the week of their VIP. They can display the pictures on poster board, bring them in a photo album or find another creative way to show off the pictures. This is a fun time to learn more about each other.
Curriculum News:
Students are working hard in math. We have completed up through lesson 8. Students took their first test on lessons 1-5 on Thursday. They should be studying their multiplication facts 0-12s at home.
Next week students will be tested on the multiplication facts. We will also focus on subtraction facts with a test the following week.
Spelling words will be introduced on most Mondays with a test to follow on Friday. Students receive their spelling homework packet on Mondays and have the option of pacing themselves throughout the week or completing it all in one evening. I did suggest, however, it is probably better to do one page each night so they are practicing the new words a little each day. We also work with the words during class.
Students took their first vocabulary quiz this week. The words we focused on were miscellaneous, dismissal, sequence, pluralism, immigrant, and descendant.
We continue to read The City of Ember. We are also doing some writing related to the book.
In Social Studies we have been learning about pluralism. Our nation is made up of many different ethnic, religious, and social groups. We are truly a melting pot.
Our Character Counts lesson this week focused on trustworthiness and honesty.
Mr. Baker and I have been assessing students’ reading and writing abilities all week. This has taken a lot of class time, therefore, we have not delved into our science text as of yet. We will begin learning about the scientific method next week.
Parent Notes:
Thank you for attending Open House. We had a great turn out. The students were very proud to show their guests around!
If you were unable to attend, would you please send me your email address so I may communicate with you about your child if necessary. You can send me a note via email (see address above), or you may jot down your email address and send it in with your child.
Thank you for helping your child get to school on time each day. It truly makes a difference in how their day goes!
Absent Students: Students have been notified that it is their responsibility to make up work when absent. I will not continually ask them to turn in specific assignments that were assigned while they were out. Students are given one day to make up work for every day that they are absent. Upon their return, students receive a list of assignments that they missed while they were absent. Students MUST be responsible for completing the assignments on their own.
If assignments are not turned in to me in a timely manner, they will not receive any credit for those assignments. Please ask your child about his/her make-up work and encourage them to be responsible.
Volunteers: Don’t forget to sign up to be fingerprinted if you wish to volunteer in the classroom, on fieldtrips, or around the school. You can pick up the paperwork at the front office.
August 28, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy Notes
8/24-9/9 Entertainment book sales. All profits will be used for new computers!
8/31 Picture Day
9/2 Dress Down Day for $1.00
9/4 Movie Night
9/7 Labor Day. No School
9/11 Hero Night at Lakeside
Homework: Most students are bringing back their homework each day…Yeah! Some are still having trouble getting their independent reading calendar signed. Once your child has read for the evening, please sign their calendar indicating they have read. Any adult can verify their reading calendar. Thank you for your help in this matter.
VIP: One student will be selected every other week to be our classroom VIP. They will be chosen on Friday and must fill out the VIP sheet to share with the class the following Friday. They should also bring pictures depicting their life such as special events, trips, family, pets etc. sometime during the week of their VIP. They can display the pictures on poster board, bring them in a photo album or find another creative way to show off the pictures. This is a fun time to learn more about each other.
Curriculum News:
Students are working hard in math. We have completed up through lesson 8. Students took their first test on lessons 1-5 on Thursday. They should be studying their multiplication facts 0-12s at home.
Next week students will be tested on the multiplication facts. We will also focus on subtraction facts with a test the following week.
Spelling words will be introduced on most Mondays with a test to follow on Friday. Students receive their spelling homework packet on Mondays and have the option of pacing themselves throughout the week or completing it all in one evening. I did suggest, however, it is probably better to do one page each night so they are practicing the new words a little each day. We also work with the words during class.
Students took their first vocabulary quiz this week. The words we focused on were miscellaneous, dismissal, sequence, pluralism, immigrant, and descendant.
We continue to read The City of Ember. We are also doing some writing related to the book.
In Social Studies we have been learning about pluralism. Our nation is made up of many different ethnic, religious, and social groups. We are truly a melting pot.
Our Character Counts lesson this week focused on trustworthiness and honesty.
Mr. Baker and I have been assessing students’ reading and writing abilities all week. This has taken a lot of class time, therefore, we have not delved into our science text as of yet. We will begin learning about the scientific method next week.
Parent Notes:
Thank you for attending Open House. We had a great turn out. The students were very proud to show their guests around!
If you were unable to attend, would you please send me your email address so I may communicate with you about your child if necessary. You can send me a note via email (see address above), or you may jot down your email address and send it in with your child.
Thank you for helping your child get to school on time each day. It truly makes a difference in how their day goes!
Absent Students: Students have been notified that it is their responsibility to make up work when absent. I will not continually ask them to turn in specific assignments that were assigned while they were out. Students are given one day to make up work for every day that they are absent. Upon their return, students receive a list of assignments that they missed while they were absent. Students MUST be responsible for completing the assignments on their own.
If assignments are not turned in to me in a timely manner, they will not receive any credit for those assignments. Please ask your child about his/her make-up work and encourage them to be responsible.
Volunteers: Don’t forget to sign up to be fingerprinted if you wish to volunteer in the classroom, on fieldtrips, or around the school. You can pick up the paperwork at the front office.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
8/21 class newsletter
News From Mrs. Denny’s Class
August 21, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy Notes
8/24-9/9: Entertainment Book Sale Begins. Our class can win great prizes if we are the first class to turn in our orders.
8/24-8/28: The Book Fair will be set up in the cafeteria all next week. It will be open after school from 3:15-4:30 Tuesday through Thursday.
The book fair will also be open during open house.
8/26: 6-8 p.m - Open House.
8/31: Picture Day. Please come dressed in the school uniform.
9/2: 1st Dress down day. Your choice if you bring one dollar. (Remember…no spaghetti straps, short skirts or flip flops.)
9/7: Labor Day. No School!
Homework: Your child will have independent reading, math and spelling every night. On some nights, students may have unfinished work or a study guide for an upcoming test.
I have asked the students to get their reading calendar signed off each night after they have read 20+ minutes. They know that any adult who sees them read may sign their calendar. We will do this for at least the 1st and 2nd quarter until the students have developed a nightly reading habit.
Please help your child complete their homework by providing a quiet place to work each night and a reminder to bring their work to school each day.
Curriculum Notes:
Students have been taking beginning of the year assessments. It has been noted that many are still weak in their math facts (especially subtraction, multiplication and division).
I have asked students to make it a goal to practice on their own. Once they know a fact, they should be able to answer it in under 3 seconds. We discussed some fun web sites that offer excellent ways to practice. Please encourage your child to practice:
www.funbrain.com
www.playkidsgame.com
www.freerice.com
www.math.com
We kicked off our Saxon Math program this week. We completed lessons 2 & 3 which focus on numbers and numeration.
We have started our Character Counts lessons. We reviewed the 6 pillars of character and will be working on a separate pillar each month. We will begin with Trustworthiness and move on to Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
We have begun to read The City of Ember. What a great story to start the year. Students are learning “good reader” strategies, and we are integrating writing into our story time.
If your child still does not have his/her copy of the book, please try Borders, Barnes & Noble, Bookman’s or the public library to secure a copy.
We will take our 1st spelling test this Friday. Unit one included 2 spelling dictation sentences; however, I will not be testing the students on dictation until later in the year. We will continue to practice dictation with each new unit introduced.
Students will also be responsible for knowing the definitions of 5 vocabulary words every 2 weeks. We are in the process of learning: miscellaneous, dismissal, sequence, expanded form, and pluralism.
We began Social Studies this week with an expository text scavenger hunt. Students will be learning strategies that will help them read expository text with greater ease this year.
Parent Information:
I wanted to let you know what a joy your children are to work with. They each have their own talents and special personalities.
A little about me…
I have been involved in education for over 20 years. I have my master’s degree in education and am currently working on my reading endorsement.
I have a husband, Steve, as well as two boys in Jr. High and High School. We spend a lot of time at football fields and in basketball gyms.
If you need to contact me for any reason, please email me at denny@lpatucson.org or call the school office at 721-4205. I will check my email once a day, so I may not get back to you until the next day. Thank you.
PLEASE help your child to arrive at school on time. When he/she is late, it impacts their entire day. They miss out on the morning routine and instructions for the day and feel flustered about trying to catch up. I am hoping you will make it a top priority.
IMPORTANT
Volunteers: Please note that in order to volunteer at school (including field trips), you need to fill out a form and be finger-printed. You can pick up the paperwork at the front desk. Dates to be fingerprinted will be posted at the front office. Once you are cleared, you can begin to volunteer. I’ll let you know when we can begin.
For those who mentioned they would like to help with some fine arts resources, we now have a music and art teacher this year who will be taking over that role. The students are very excited about this!
August 21, 2009
denny@lpatucson.org
Newsworthy Notes
8/24-9/9: Entertainment Book Sale Begins. Our class can win great prizes if we are the first class to turn in our orders.
8/24-8/28: The Book Fair will be set up in the cafeteria all next week. It will be open after school from 3:15-4:30 Tuesday through Thursday.
The book fair will also be open during open house.
8/26: 6-8 p.m - Open House.
8/31: Picture Day. Please come dressed in the school uniform.
9/2: 1st Dress down day. Your choice if you bring one dollar. (Remember…no spaghetti straps, short skirts or flip flops.)
9/7: Labor Day. No School!
Homework: Your child will have independent reading, math and spelling every night. On some nights, students may have unfinished work or a study guide for an upcoming test.
I have asked the students to get their reading calendar signed off each night after they have read 20+ minutes. They know that any adult who sees them read may sign their calendar. We will do this for at least the 1st and 2nd quarter until the students have developed a nightly reading habit.
Please help your child complete their homework by providing a quiet place to work each night and a reminder to bring their work to school each day.
Curriculum Notes:
Students have been taking beginning of the year assessments. It has been noted that many are still weak in their math facts (especially subtraction, multiplication and division).
I have asked students to make it a goal to practice on their own. Once they know a fact, they should be able to answer it in under 3 seconds. We discussed some fun web sites that offer excellent ways to practice. Please encourage your child to practice:
www.funbrain.com
www.playkidsgame.com
www.freerice.com
www.math.com
We kicked off our Saxon Math program this week. We completed lessons 2 & 3 which focus on numbers and numeration.
We have started our Character Counts lessons. We reviewed the 6 pillars of character and will be working on a separate pillar each month. We will begin with Trustworthiness and move on to Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring and Citizenship.
We have begun to read The City of Ember. What a great story to start the year. Students are learning “good reader” strategies, and we are integrating writing into our story time.
If your child still does not have his/her copy of the book, please try Borders, Barnes & Noble, Bookman’s or the public library to secure a copy.
We will take our 1st spelling test this Friday. Unit one included 2 spelling dictation sentences; however, I will not be testing the students on dictation until later in the year. We will continue to practice dictation with each new unit introduced.
Students will also be responsible for knowing the definitions of 5 vocabulary words every 2 weeks. We are in the process of learning: miscellaneous, dismissal, sequence, expanded form, and pluralism.
We began Social Studies this week with an expository text scavenger hunt. Students will be learning strategies that will help them read expository text with greater ease this year.
Parent Information:
I wanted to let you know what a joy your children are to work with. They each have their own talents and special personalities.
A little about me…
I have been involved in education for over 20 years. I have my master’s degree in education and am currently working on my reading endorsement.
I have a husband, Steve, as well as two boys in Jr. High and High School. We spend a lot of time at football fields and in basketball gyms.
If you need to contact me for any reason, please email me at denny@lpatucson.org or call the school office at 721-4205. I will check my email once a day, so I may not get back to you until the next day. Thank you.
PLEASE help your child to arrive at school on time. When he/she is late, it impacts their entire day. They miss out on the morning routine and instructions for the day and feel flustered about trying to catch up. I am hoping you will make it a top priority.
IMPORTANT
Volunteers: Please note that in order to volunteer at school (including field trips), you need to fill out a form and be finger-printed. You can pick up the paperwork at the front desk. Dates to be fingerprinted will be posted at the front office. Once you are cleared, you can begin to volunteer. I’ll let you know when we can begin.
For those who mentioned they would like to help with some fine arts resources, we now have a music and art teacher this year who will be taking over that role. The students are very excited about this!
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