News from Mrs. Denny’s Class
April 9, 2010
denny@lpatucson.org

Academics

Reading/Writing: We are reading short stories and identifying story structure such as: exposition, setting, characters, plot, conflict, theme, climax and resolution. Students also learned how the point of view in a story (1st person, 3rd person-limited and omniscient) changes the perspective of the story.

A concept introduced in writing this week was persuasion. Persuasive techniques discussed included peer pressure, loaded words, repetition, and band wagon.
Next week students will begin brainstorming their own creative story (including all of the story elements) using their mixed up animals from art class as their motivation.

Extra Credit: No one has memorized the preposition song yet!

Spelling: No spelling test this week due to the shortened week.

Vocabulary: Students took their vocabulary quiz on story structure. We will continue to review these terms.

Math:
Saxon Math concepts this week: Finding the greatest common factor in order to reduce fractions, finding the least common multiple in order to add and subtract fractions, multiplying fractions, converting fractions, decimals and percents, and area and perimeter. Students also learned about integers in every day situations.

AIMS Prep: We have been reviewing concepts each day in preparation for the Aims test in next week.

S.S./Counseling: Mrs. Russell played a game with students this week about testing strategies. Next week she will begin working with the students on academic and behavioral goals.

Notes to Parents:

AIMS Testing: Students will take the AIMS test next week. Please make sure your child is at school every day and on time. We will begin testing first thing in the morning. In order to be successful, students need to get enough sleep during testing week, and they should eat healthy food to keep their brains fueled .
There will be no homework during testing week except for missing, late or absent make-up work.

Reminder: Students with late work must attend detention. Our new rule for the quarter is that if a student attends detention more than once in a week, they will need to complete a responsibility essay as well. I remind them weekly that late and missing work negatively impacts their overall grade. We should all strive to be the best we can be! Homework is due the day after it is assigned unless it is a weekly assignment or a long-term assignment. Students are still required to read each evening and get their reading calendar signed.

If students do not read or get their calendar signed, they must miss their break that day.

Thank you to Sam for bringing in extra supplies.
We are still in desperate need of Kleenex, hand sanitizer, markers and colored pencils.

Reminder: Students need to come to school each day in the proper attire. Some students are wearing alternative colors under their red, white or blue shirt. Only the aforementioned colors are allowed. As the year has progressed, many students have grown and hence, outgrown their uniform clothes. Please make sure your child’s shirts and shorts/pants still fit. Girls shirts must be long enough to be tucked in and shorts and pants need to be loose enough for the shirts to be tucked in. Boys shirts should not be so long that it is difficult to tuck them in.

Important Dates:
April:
9- Character Lunch
9- Bingo Night
12-16- Aims Testing
19-23- Penny War Week
21- Jump Rope for Heart
23- Mother/Son Dance
26- Dentist

May:
3-7 Teacher Appreciation
12 Field Day
10-14 Book Fair
14 Breakfast with principal
26 Yearbook Signing
28 Last Day of School