dressel

January 27, 2012

Hi All,

What a fun day our 100th day of school was!!!  Everyone was looking at the Dragons wondering if we were dressed for a play or what!!!!  We were 100 years old!!!!  Thank you so much for helping your dragon dress like 100.  They were the best.  Thank you to Mrs. Isakson for taking pictures of all the dragons. We will use those pictures on Monday to write about our life as 100. 

We are enjoying the reading of Mr. Popper's Penguins.  This week we will finish and have a celebration on Friday.  The dragons will each present their favorite scene with the use of puppets.  See paper that came home last week for further explanation, and send in the grading rubric with the puppets on Friday.  Mrs. Winokur and Mrs. Gignilliat will supply us with treats after the show.  We will then make a puppet keepsake to remind us of this classic book and then watch the real Mr. Popper's Penguins movie.  The children are shocked as to how little of the new movie relates to the book!!!!

In science we will study a little about the sun and then use this knowledge to understand shadows and how they are formed and changed.  Great for Groundhog's Day on Thursday. 

There are no book reports this week as the children are busy with their puppets and memorizing their scene for the presentation on Friday.  Thank you for helping with this. 

I do have to give some spelling homework.  We will use 10 of the hardest words in sentences.  After no spelling homework last week, there were way too many 2's on the spelling test.  Grades went way down.  Please encourage your child to use correct spelling in their writings.  Many are doing tremendously well with this, and others will spell a word incorrectly even if it is on the line above. 

Hope that your weekend is fun.

Linda

January 9, 2012

Welcome Back!!!!  I know that you will be glad when tomorrow comes and so will I!!!

This week we will be reading a chapter book called Jake.  I gave the book to the children for Christmas and asked them to leave it at school.  It is a 2.5 chapter book perfect for their reading level.  The book's main theme is the importance of friendship and family.  We will read it during the week and in guided reading too.  We will write about it and use it for contract work too.  This book will also introduce us to similes.  Next week we will do the same with the book, Beryl, A Pig's Tale.  This is the one that you were kind enough to buy 15 copies of during the book fair.  This book fits in perfect with our social studies unit on MLK.  The theme is prejudice and why change is important.

Our writing this quarter is on informational writing.  During the quarter the children will be learning about research and will be asked to do a project on researching of a topic.  More information to follow.

Please remember that each Friday we visit the library, so please make sure that your dragon brings books back to return.  We are also still doing AR lab each Friday. 

In math this week, we will do addition and subtraction with 3 digit numbers.  We will talk about the different ways to represent 3 digit numbers, and our timed tests will be on -8's. 

The cursive letters d and e will be introduced. 

In two weeks we will begin Mr. Popper's Penguins.  If you have the book please send it in.  At the end the children will make puppets and present a short puppet show.  More information later.  We will also make puppets from plastic bottles.  Please send in a small plastic empty throw away water bottle.  Make sure that there are no labels still on the bottle.  We will need white spray paint, black acrylic paint and black foams sheets (23).  If you can volunteer any one of these supplies, please let me know. 

Looking forward to a great third quarter!!!

PS:  Report cards will come home on Friday.  Follow directions on envelop. 

November 28, 2011

Hope that your Thanksgiving holidays were wonderful!!!!!  Now on with the month of December!!!!!

Just a few quick reminders.  As you noticed on our calendar and assignment sheet, reading logs are due on Wednesday.  Prizes will be awarded for the top readers!!!!  Students will also get to cash in their behavior quarters at our auction on Wednesday.

If you are looking to buy some books for your dragon this holiday season, we will be reading Mr. Popper's Penguins, Freckle Juice, How to be Cool in the Third Grade and Gooseberry Park soon. 

Next Tuesday, December 6, the whole second grade will be going on a performing arts field trip to the Nutcracker.  This will take place at the civic center in Marietta.  We will have sack lunches and leave from 10-:45-1:45 that day. 

Our class will be working on a clay project in art next Monday, December 5 from 11:15-11:55.  We need 2-3 parent volunteers to help Mrs. Hopkins.  Please email me, if you can help out.

We have started to step up our reading and writing.  You will notice alot more writing of different sorts and reading of many books taking place.  Our math concepts this week are on counting bills and coins and telling time.  If you, again, are looking for holiday gift suggestions, please purchase your dragon a watch with a standard not digital face.  This would help greatly with telling time. 

Cursive handwriting has started!!!!!  We will learn a new letter each day. 

Our science lesson changes to the energy of motion tomorrow.  Please help your dragon find a place to hang the giant thermometer that came home today.   It is from our heat unit, and I want them to listen each morning for the high temperature forcasted for that day.  They will then look at there giant thermometer and calculate the matching outfit.  This will help with the recognition of a temperature to what it really feels like. 

Have a safe and exciting week.

Linda

  PS...Dragons, read this newsletter. If you find the spelling mistake, write the sentence down and circle the mistake.  Now correct the mistake.  If you bring it in, you will receive a free homework pass. 

 

October 30, 2011

Hi Parents,

This week is again a busy time for the dragons!!!!  On Monday we will have fun centers to review graphing, synonyms and subtraction with regrouping.  Of course, they will all have a Halloween theme!!!!  Thank you to our room mothers for helping me man the centers!!!!  You are the BEST!!!!

We will be working on plurals in grammar this week.  The dragons are at their stage in writing where they are now questioning how to make words plural.  Our spelling sort will be number 11.  In reading we will read The Bears on Hemlock Mountain and learn about literature circles.  On Tuesday we will meet with Mrs. Robinson in the library to learn about biographies.  The dragons will then pick out their own biography and will be assigned a report due on November 11. 

     
                                           In social studies we will study four types of allocations of goods and services.  Bartering is the hardest for them to comprehend, so on Thursday each dragon will be asked to bring in a goods or service to barter.  Whatever they choose, I will ask them to bring 3 of.  They will then rotate around the room and barter with other students to exchange.  I will send an explanation sheet home early in the week.

High Touch High Tech will visit us this week to introduce our unit on forces.  They make learning so fun and easy with their centers of hands on learning.

On Friday we will have our first practice for our Thanksgiving plays.  Please make sure that your dragon is ready.  Remember our plays will be on November 18th at 8:30am.  After the plays the dragons will be working on a service project for Manor Care Nursing Home.  With the help of Mrs. Buyers and Mrs. Winokur the dragons will be tieing blankets for the patients' laps.  If you can stay that day and help, please let me know. 

Have a great weekend and aren't you glad we didn't get that SNOW!!!! 

Linda

October 23, 2011

to the dragons for their extraordinary performances in our plays on Friday!!!!!  Thank you again parents for your help and for attending the plays.  Students will get their Thanksgiving play parts this week.  Hope to see you all again on November 18th at 8:30. 

As you know, we have conferences this week, so dismissal will be at 12:20 each day.  Lunch and specials time will change too.  Our lunch will be at 11:15-11:45 all week. 

In math this week, we are learning about regrouping in subtraction.  This is a little trickier than addition with regrouping, so watch for practice problems to come home.  IXL assignments will help with this too.  Our 100 problem timed tests on addition will be given each day this week.  I sent home a practice test on Friday. 

We are finishing up our health unit on harmful drugs.  We will be making group posts this week to review what we have learned.  Then will start talking about consumers, producers, goods, services, wants and needs.  This will lead us into allocation of goods and services.  Reading this week will connect to this with the reading of Tony's Bread. 

Because of conferences and report cards this week, behavior reports will start next Monday for the new grading period.  These are very important to return, as we build on them each week.  Please return them each Tuesday. 

Have a great week,

Linda

October 16, 2011

Hi Parents,

Just wanted to let you know that there will be no academic/behavior reports coming home tomorrow.  I will be using them to prepare for conferences, which will begin on Monday, October 24th.  During that week students will be dismissed at 12:20, so please mark your calendar.  We have had alot of talking this past week, so in lieu of reports coming home, please remind your dragon about how this interfers with the learning of all students. 

We will work on procedures for behavior in the cafeteria this week.  Our hall behavior is excellent, and I am proud of the dragons when we are in the hall.  Our cafeteria behavior (for all classes) must improve.  Lunch time is a wonderful time to visit with your neighboring friend while you eat, but yelling and throwing food and touching others' food is not OK. 

Looking forward to seeing you this Friday for our plays at 8:30am.  We will start on time, so please be there.  We will have our final practices this week.  Most everyone now knows their parts well, and we are working on expression and who to follow when you speak.  Thanks for all of your help with this. 

See you soon,

Linda                                                    

October 9, 2011

 
Can you believe this is the last week of the grading period???  This week we will be wrapping up most of our studies for this grading period.  In math we are counting coins and dollar bills.  Please practice this at home too.  It is helpful if you empty your coin purse or pocket daily and just have your child count all of the money.  If they then write the amount down, it will help with recognition of the dollar sign and decimal point and their position.  On our timed tests we will work on the +9's.  Partners at lunch have really helped with this drill. 

Our matter unit is almost over.  We will review what we have learned by completing our science workbook.  Recalling the meaning of evaporation, condensation and precipatation seem to be the hardest. 

We will read Stellaluna in reading and work on finishing narrative writing. 

Thank you for helping with the play parts.  This week we will squeeze in practicing twice.  I know that you will enjoy our plays on October 21st at 8:30.

Our room mothers will meet with me on Wednesday.  We will discuss our holiday party scheduled in December and Halloween math and reading centers on the 31st of October (10-11:00).  If you can help with either, please let me know. 

See you during conference week.  Please send back your form by Wednesday.  Linda

Reflections contest

Please look on the Sope Creek website for information on the PTA Reflections contest.  We have such creative students, I would love to see them enter in one of the categories.

Linda

September 25, 2011

Hi All,

Hope that you have the Octoberfest on your calendar.  A huge thank you to Sallie Winoker for the adorable dragon pumpkin that will be auctioned off during the Fest.  She took one plain ordinary, artifical pumpkin added 2 more pumpkins, paint and creative juices, and you should see our pumpkin!!!!!  He even lights up!!!!!  Thank you, Sallie!

For the next few weeks in math, we will be working on graphs and money.  The timed tests will be on the +7's and +8's.  Please work a tiny bit each day on these facts.  Not so much success on the +6's.  We are using partners at lunch to help us learn the facts.

In science we will begin our matter unit.  Gas Blast experiments will be in our room on Tuesday, Oct. 4th.  Please make sure that I have a permission slip from your dragon.

We will learn about antonyms, synonyms, verbs and connections in reading and grammar.  Our book reports are due on Wednesday, October 5th. 

Remember that our first play is Friday, October 21st at 8:30.  Hope to see you all then.  We will practice again this Tuesday. 

Conference time is fast approaching.  During the week of October 24, I will meet with all of you.  A note will be coming this week to ask about your preference for a time.  I can meet Monday- Thursday at 7:00am.  So if you need a morning conference, please let me know on that sheet. 

Have a happy fall weekend!!!!!                 

Linda

 

Chick-Fil-A Nights for Sope Creek

Chik Fil A Sprit Night is tonight!!

5:00- 8:00 at the Woodlawn Commons Chik Fil A

 

A percentage of the profit will go back to support the 5th grade Jekyll Island field trip!

 

Come visit your teachers and Sope Creek staff as they serve up free ice cream to all Sope Creek students and their families!

 

Join us this year on  Chik Fil A Spirit nights!

 

Tuesday October 18th- Writing letters to Soldiers (Bert Show)

Tuesday November 29th- Celebrate your SMARTS night

Tuesday January 17th- Favorite book Night

Tuesday February 21st- Sports Night

Tuesday March 20th- Class Pride Night

Tuesday May 15th- Goodbye 5th grade/ Hello Kindergartners

 

Thanks! Becky