Your child is bringing home their math test that they took this week.  I would like you to compare the two tests that have been sent home. The test on white paper is the pretest. It does not count for a grade. The students take this test and then I grade it. After I grade it, I look it over to see what the children have already mastered and what they still need to learn. Then, I sit down and plan my lessons that I will be teaching. You should always see an improvement from the white test to the pink test. Therefore, the test on pink paper is a post test. It does count for a grade because we have been working on these concepts in class. Please sign the test and send it back to school tomorrow with your child.  I am happy to report that everyone did improve….yeah!

Thanks!

If you would like to wear a hat tomorrow (Wednesday), please bring $1.00 to donate to a charity.  Once the money has been collected, the Student Council will decide on a charity to donate the money, too.  I can’t wait to see all the cool hats!

We will be taking our first math test tomorrow. To help your child prepare for it, I will send home a review sheet for your child to practice the concepts we have been learning in class.  Please have your child complete the review sheet first and then check it with the answers provided.  If they are having some difficulties, please take a few to review with them how to do a problem.  Thanks:)

Spelling Pattern-CVC 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, student, present, agreement (the part underlined is the short e)

We have been practicing a reading strategy called “making mental images or visualization” in class this week.  This means that students should be able to make a picture in their mind about what they are reading.  When students can make a picture in their mind, it helps them comprehend (understand) the story better.

In addition, in writing we are using this same strategy.  When author’s write, they write using lots of details, descriptive words, and feelings.  This makes a story interesting.  This weekend your child will have a homework assignment to see how well they can visualize or make a mental image.  Please have your child complete this and bring it back on Monday.  Also, please have your child do their best work!  I can’t wait to see their mental images!

Have a fantastic weekend!

It is that time!  We will be going to the library tomorrow to get new books.  Please have your child bring their library books back to school tomorrow if they are at home.  Unfortunately, if they do not return their books, they will not be able to enjoy new ones.  So…..please return them:)

Happy Monday!  I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend after the rainy days last week!  I know that I took advantage of the sunshine by doing some yard work, watching my niece play softball, and taking a walk on the nature trails.

I just wanted to let you know that an important spelling letter that explains the spelling program is in your child’s homework folder along with the reading calendar that I forgot to send home on Friday (sorry), and the new behavior chart.   We are no longer practicing on the behavior chart! Students had the whole month of September to practice and they should know the expectations.   This month your child must earn the proper colors to attend reward parties (see previous letter sent home) and  homework does count.  If for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, I put an “X” by their name on a sheet of paper for my records only.  I feel that I am more than fair because whenever your child brings the missing homework assignment to me, I will cross if off.  If your child does not turn in 3 homework assignments, then I will contact you so you are aware.   After that, every time they do not turn in a homework assignment, they will have to clip down.

Back to spelling:)  Below you will find the spelling words for this week.  Your child has circled the group that contains the spelling words that they are currently in.  Please remember that your child took a test that placed them in this group.  I have included the spelling words for the week here, too.  After this week, this will be the only place the spelling words will be listed.  Thanks for helping the environment and to save on the cost of printing.  If you ever have any questions, you can contact me by email.  My email address is picardL@dearbornschools.org or you can call and leave a message and I will return the call after school hours.  My school phone number is (313) 827-7920.  Looking forward to an awesome week!

Spelling Pattern-CVC

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

If your child ordered a book from the Scholastic book order, they will be bringing them home today.  The kids were so excited this morning when they walked into class and saw their books on their desk!  Thank you so much for motivating your child to read!

I am so excited because we are able to use the Kids A-Z Reading program again!  Please check out your child’s homework folder today.  I have sent a note home explaining how your child can use this program at home to become a better reader and have taped the information inside of their homework folder, too.  It is important to note that the sign in is lpicardal0.  The first letter is really the letter L and the 0 is a zero.    I love this program because they have books at your child’s level.  I have chosen a level that is 1 or 2 levels below your child’s reading level.  I did this so that your child can practice their fluency.  Fluency is being able to read all the words without having to stop and figure them out, change their voices according to the characters and the punctuation, and understand what they are reading.  Some students can read the words very well but they do not understand the story.  After they read a book, their will be a quiz to check for understanding if they are at a high enough level.  When your child completes the quizzes correctly and have read all the books in that level, the program will automatically put them at the next level.

I will be sending home a reading calendar tomorrow for the month of October.  Your child should be reading for at least 20 minutes every night.  Please record how long they have read each day.  At the end of each week, I will be checking the reading program to see how much your child has read.  Please encourage them to read.  They may also use MyOn.  They should know how to log into this.  I will check this program, too.  It doesn’t matter which one they are reading from.

Thanks and happy reading!

I hope you had a great weekend!  The weather was absolutely beautiful and I hope you had some time to enjoy it!

I just wanted to remind you that we are still practicing the classroom expectations.  Starting next Monday, October 3, we will continue to circle the date with the color we are on at the end of the day, but it will count now.  This means that practice time is finished.  If your child makes great choices, they will stay on green or clip up, yeah!  I know there is not a single child or adult that is perfect so that is for the color blue. I understand that a children can make a mistake.  If they make one mistake, they will clip down to blue.  They can clip down to blue every single day and still go to the party.  However, if your child chooses to make a bad choice or several mistakes they will clip down every time they make a mistake and their behavior will go towards the party at the end of the month.  If your child chooses to clip down to yellow 4 times, has one orange, or one red in the month, they will not be able to attend the school-wide party at the end of the month.    Instead of going to the party, we will review the classroom expectations.

As a parent, a great way to see how your child is behaving in class is to check their behavior chart every night.  At the end of every day, I ask them to circle the date with the color they are on.  If they were not paying attention and they did not circle it, ask them what color they were on and have them circle it with you.  I do record the colors at the end of the day so I have a record, too.

Also, at the end of each week, please sign the box provided.  I will check the behavior charts on Monday to see if they have shown you their chart and that you have signed it.  If you did not sign, your child will clip down to blue because they were not being responsible.  They know they must show you their behavior chart every day and get it signed.  

Looking forward to a great week!