Just a friendly reminder tomorrow is a 1/2 day!  Dismissal will be at 11:10.  Enjoy your afternoon with your kids:)

This year the elementary classes will only be checking out library books every other Thursday.  I wish we could go ever week like we have in the past, but the middle school classes also need time to check out books.

So….please have your child bring their library books back to school tomorrow so that they can check out new ones. Thank you:)

 

Raz-Kids is a program that McCollough Elementary has to pay for but it is money well spent!  It is money well spent because your child has books available to them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!  I sent home letters on Friday about how to go on Raz-Kids at home.  Also, I have taped the information inside of your child’s homework folder.  Please have your child read 20 minutes from Raz-Kids every night and then color in the piece on their reading calendar.  The time can include the comprehension quizzes they are required to take at the end of each book.  I have started your child 2 levels below what they actually are working on in school so that they can practice their fluency and comprehension skills.  As they pass the comprehension questions, the program will automatically move them to the next level.  If your child has completed all the books in that level but it doesn’t move them, that means they have not passed the comprehension quizzes and need to redo those books.

This is an awesome program to use because it will help improve your child’s reading.  Students who advance in reading levels are the ones who practice daily at school and at home.  You can activate the program on a computer, ipad, iphone, or an android phone.  If you don’t have any of these devices available, maybe you could take a trip to the public library once or twice a week to use the computers there.  Thank you so much for being an active parent in your child’s education.  With both of us helping your child, they will succeed!

Happy Reading:)

The spelling test will be on Friday of this week.

Spelling Pattern-Long a and short a

 

Sharks-et family

bet, get, jet, let, met, pet, set, vet

 

Dolphins-CVC a-e and CVC a

cap, cape, mad, made, back, ham, bake, tape, ate, late

 

Penguins-CVC a-e and CVC a

care, lake, awake, pancake, homemade, snowflake, late, pan

Academic Words:  reading, math

The spelling test will be on Thursday of this week due to the fact that we will be having a math test on Friday.  Please remember that the test will only have some of these words on it and I will be giving them similar words to spell on the test.  Example:  If you can spell went then you can spell tent.

Focus:  Sharks-short a

Dolphins and Penguins Short e, o and u

Sharks-an family

an, ban, can, fan, man, pan, ran, tan, van

Dolphins

dog, pet, hut, tub, jet, went, bun, job, tell, rub

Penguins

shot,  drop, lock, much, rush, trunk, just, agreement, student, present

 

Congratulation to Nour, Youssef, Ali, and Aya for answering the bonus question on the homework last night!  I wish more students would have at least tried to answer it because that is how you become better at math.  If you tried last night but did not quite get it right, that is fine.  Thanks for trying your best and never giving up!

The bonus question was-What number is larger 492 or 385.  Explain your answer.

Here is the correct answer:  The number 492 is greater than 385 because I looked in the hundreds place and 400 is bigger than 300.  Therefore, 492 is larger than 385.   Anything that is close would be acceptable but students must tell me that they looked in the hundreds place and what number is bigger.

Look for the next challenge question in the future and have a fantastic weekend!

I sent home the spelling words on Monday and your child circled the group that they have been placed in based on the test they took in class last week.  Please remember that the students will not be getting the exact same words that are typed on the spelling sheet.  Some of the words will be the same, but I will be changing them a little bit to see if they understand the spelling pattern.  Once again, I believe that any child can memorize a word but that they truly know how to spell it if they can spell words that are similar.  An example is  I gave them the word way, if they know how to spell way then they should be able to spell sway because all they had to do is add an “s” in front of the word.

Students will have spelling homework on Thursday evening and a test on Friday.  If they have misplaced the spelling words, they will still be able to complete their homework and study for their test because I have posted them right under here:)  Your child is only responsible for the words in their group.  Happy Spelling!

Focus:  Short a and i

SHARKS

at, bat, cat, fat, hat, mat, pat, rat, sat

Dolphins

has, sat, will, fix, him, bad, if, six, way, had

Penguins

mash, pack, tack, plan, gram, lick,  middle, milk, limp, kick

 

Students love new books!  They become excited and eager to read!  If you would like your child to order books, please return the form and money by Tuesday, September 22.  Don’t miss out on a great way to improve your child’s reading!

I have changed a few of the directions on the homework tonight.  Instead of writing each word 2 times, your child will write each word once and then a word that rhymes with it.  After they have finished that, they will write 3 sentences on the back using 3 of the words they wrote.  Homework due tomorrow!

Open House is on Wednesday from 3:30-5:00.  This is a great time for you to visit our classroom and the other classes that your child attends each week.  Your child will be so excited to show you around.  I hope you can make it!