Room 2’s Weekly Update

November 6, 2009

Highlights:

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween filled with delicious treats!  I am beginning to think ahead to Parent-Teacher Conference Week: November 30^th– December 4^th.  Please return the conference sheet as soon as possible so that I can do my best to accommodate everyone’s requests.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Looking Ahead…

Math- Next Friday will be our final multiplication test – the big doozy.  This test is not timed.  Rather, this test focuses on the concept of multiplication as well as the basic facts.  The children will have to apply their knowledge to several types of multiplication problems.  We have officially finished our quizzes this week, and next week we will take any “re-dos.”  We will continue to concentrate on word problems/story problems involving multiplication.  Next week, we will start the Saxon math curriculum.  There will be nightly Saxon problems sets Monday-Thursday.  On Friday, November 20^th, we will celebrate our accomplishments in multiplication with a Sundae Soiree. 

Literature- This past week we have been focusing on the final steps in the writing process scary stories.  We have been peer editing, revising, and typing final drafts using Microsoft Word (we’re becoming such tech-savvy wizards!) We were inspired by Chris Van Allsburg’s imagination-grabbing illustrations in The Mystery of Harris Burdick.  These creative stories are chockfull of spine-tingling details!  We talked about how to build suspension by using detailed plot diagrams.  Our classroom authors are learning to “Show, Don’t Tell!”  On Monday, we will embark on a new book, Midnight on the Moon.  We love these mysteries!  This book will be a quick read for us.  It ties directly to our Science unit on space. 

Science- We have spent the week “exploring” the moon.  We now know why kids (mistakenly) think the moon lights up, why kids believe the moon is made of cheese, and what we mean when we hear the song about a blue moon.  The kids are quite knowledgeable about the sophisticated dance between the Earth and the moon.  We also began discussing the inner planets.  Do you know why Mercury is so crater-filled?  Do you know why Venus isn’t so “pretty?”  On Wednesday, our resident wacky science expert, Ms. Whitt, made a “fiery” ball of ice and dust with us- our very own comet!

I encourage all of you to check out one of the last two Star Parties at the Griffith Observatory (free!) on November 21 & December 19: http://www.griffithobs.org/pstarparties.html  Madrona Marsh in Torrance also has a Star Party on November 21^st: http://www.ci.torrance.ca.us/Parks/6640.htm

Notes & Reminders:    

v     Mrs. Nelson’s Book Fair is coming from November 30^th.

v     Attached you will find a sign-up sheet for Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Please note at least two time blocks that work best for you.  I will do my best to accommodate everyone.  I look forward to sitting down and have some time to speak with all of you.

v     There are Star Parties at both the Griffith Observatory and Madrona Marsh on November 21^st.

v     No school on WEDNESDAY!

v     Any lingering Saxon questions?  There are nightly problem sets in addition to the weekly packet this coming week.