Updates Week of October 28-Nov. 1, 2013

We have now officially ended the first nine weeks.  I can't believe how it flew by.  The students finished reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians-The Lightning Thief last Wednesday and took and end of the book test on Thursday.  I am very pleased with the test scores.  I think the students really enjoyed the book.  There are 5 more in the series.  I would encourage students to continue reading the series as it is a great level for students to learn new vocabulary. 

Reading
Since we have finished our first nine week novel study you will start seeing the reading textbook coming home throughout this nine weeks.  We will continue with the reading logs nightly, however we will begin focusing on content in Social Studies to build background knowledge for The American Revolution which will be the theme we begin reading in the textbook-Voices of the Revolution.  Just as we have to build background knowledge for The Lightning Thief in Greek Mythology, students will need to understand how North America was discovered, explored and then settled.  Ask your child what they have learned each day about the beginning of our continent and country.

Writing
This nine weeks students will write a report on a person they want to know more about.  Students will read about many people through time and decide who they would like to learn more about.  I will send home a rubric or guidelines for the report when it is closer to the time it is due. Ask your child who they would like to learn more about.

Spelling
Students have received their study guide for the classroom Spelling Bee.  They should be studying at home and we will have practice bees in the classroom.  Ultimately I will call out 25 random words from their list and they will write the words down on paper.  From that spelling test the top 2 scoring students will move on to the school spelling bee.  The dates for the classroom and school bee will be announced when they have been set.  The students have until the end of November to study for the classroom test and the school bee will be in January of 2014.

Dates to remember
Oct. 28-Nov.1.......................Red Ribbon Week
          (M-Crazy Socks, T-Wear Red, W-Hat, Th-book character, F-Team shirts or jersey)
Oct. 30..................................Drama Club Meeting
Nov. 6 & 20..........................Early Dismissal
Nov. 11.................................Veteran's Day-No School
Nov. 13.................................Drama Club Meeting
Nov. 27-Dec. 2......................Thanksgiving Holiday-No School

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Week of October 14-18, 2013

This week students will show what they have learned thus far in the first nine weeks.  All week students will take the quarterly CGA's (curriculum guide assessment).  These tests will assess what the students have mastered in the first nine weeks.  These are an assessment only and will not be used toward their 1st nine weeks grade on their report card.  Students will continue to complete assignments and tests towards their report card grade over the next 2 weeks.

After a 70 minute testing block and break, students will continue to work in class on reading and writing.

Reading
This week students will continue to read The Lightning Thief.  We will begin chapter 15 on Monday.  Students are tracking important story elements on a story map in their reading journal as well as tracking Percy's quest across the United States on a map in their reading journal.  Ask your child what is happening in the story and where the characters are on the map.

Writing
Students are continuing to work on their Camp-Half Blood newspaper article.  They will have until the end of the week to complete their section.

Spelling
Crystal Springs will participate again in the Scripts Spelling Bee.  Students will receive a list of words to study.  A date will be forth coming when a classroom test will be given.  From the classroom test the two top scoring spellers in each class will go on to the school spelling bee in January.  Then, the school winner will go to the county level.  You should see the spelling list coming home this week.

Important Dates
October 14....................Reading CGA
October 15....................Math CGA
October 16...................States and Capitals test
October 17...................Science CGA part 1
October 18...................Science CGA part 2

Until next time,
R. O'Steen