Dear Parents,
 

Your children are so amazing!  It is a joy to be their teacher.  I have seen many examples of kindness and thoughtfulness this week. 
 

Reminders: 
1. Your child needs to be ready for math class to begin at 8:45.  Please try to arrive at school at 8:35 at the latest.
2. Please read & sign the “Homework Assignment Plan” daily (MWF).  I had two students today who did not do their math homework. 

We have adjusted our morning schedule.  Since Yasmeen is now in 3rd/4th grade math our morning meeting is after math class.  This impacts my plan to invite parents at the beginning of the day on the first Fridays of each month.  I would like to change it to the end of the day.  We would like to invite you to join us at 3:00 on Friday, Oct. 5 for songs and perhaps poetry. 

Here is a summary of our week:

• Math: The children are demonstrating more consistency with basic math skills.  I have begun to integrate some critical thinking & reasoning exercises.  We will begin to move more quickly as they progress.
• Science: “Simple Machines” – we used a wedge today to test our hypothesis about a carrot.  We talked about some famous inventors and what others must have thought of their ideas before they materialized.  Students need to submit at least 2 ideas of what they might invent (on paper) by Wed. for the Invention Fair.
• Language Arts:  worked on proper/common nouns, adjectives, definition of a sentence, and the eight parts of speech via song. Spelling pre-test was today (20-25 words).  Students have 5 spelling words for the quiz Wednesday.  Some of them opted to take home extra credit words. Please have your child read/recite the poem for you daily. Challenge them to recite it from memory.
• Social Studies: We talked about the Constitutional Convention & the three branches of government.  We reviewed the names, locations, and abbreviations for the states on our northern & eastern borders.  We discussed the words & origin of our National Anthem.
• Character: more on respect.  Many children need to work on respecting others by not speaking when someone else is speaking. We are talking about this a lot. Several children “lost their quarters” this week.

Please do not hesitate to share questions or concerns!

Sincerely,

Lorie Ramsey
llramsey@schillingschool.org