Updates and announcements

What a fantastic quarter! Our students have learned so much, from the Age of Exploration to botany. We had a wonderful discussion in our class about what it means to be a self-advocate. Students are working hard to set goals, ask questions, and show perseverance and integrity.

Be on the lookout for an email regarding our Secret Garden Celebration next week.

Our field trip is coming up next Tuesday.

Our week in learning

This week, students will compose their own five-paragraph essay based on the outlines and texts used in class. They will compose the outline in class on Monday for their entire essay and add one or two paragraphs each night. On Thursday, students will be given time in class to write their final draft, which is due on Friday morning. In order to respect our homework time each night, please do not have your student write the entire essay in one sitting--instead, students will be assigned 1-2 paragraphs of writing each night, part of which should be completed in class.

In literature, students will continue reading up to chapter 26 of the Secret Garden. Next week, students will complete the book and write a short three-paragraph essay about the most dynamic character in the story, comparing and contrasting their character at the beginning and end.

Students will recite “I like to see it lap the miles” on 3/7.

Students should be preparing for their quarterly roots test next week. This will be over the last 25 roots.

In science this week, students will play a review game on Monday to prepare for the unit test on Tuesday. The unit test will be a combination of multiple choice and short answer questions, similar to the study guide. On Thursday, students will take notes on plant anatomy and take a short quiz on Friday. Science notebooks will be collected for participation points on Friday. All notes taken in class during the plant unit must be present in the notebook to receive full credit. If your child is missing any of the notes, they may ask me for a copy and glue them in.

This week in history, students will continue learning about the Civil War. Students will be learning about the life of a slave, the Missouri Compromise, growth of anti-slavery feelings, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and growing differences between the North and South. We will learn about Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Students will finish learning about pre-Civil War material before break and have a short quiz over the notes in their foldables. We will do an activity where students create quizzes and turn them in. I will then create a quiz using some of their questions. Their very short quiz will take place on Friday, 3/9. Please note that there is sensitive material regarding slavery throughout the unit, particularly during the lesson Monday, 2/26.

In math this week, we will start their unit on percentages. This week, students will practice converting between fractions, percentages, and decimals by creating a foldable for their math notebooks. There will be no math groups for the rest of the quarter. We will begin with math groups again in quarter 4.

Updates and announcements

I hope everyone had a wonderful 3-day weekend. I enjoyed having my in-laws in town for my husband’s second doctoral trombone recital. If you want to see some great trombone music, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbZJJyeGpl8

We have an exciting week ahead of us with MAP testing, spirit wear day, and a movie night, all happening on Friday. Please make sure students come to school after a good night’s sleep and balanced breakfast on Friday.

Our uniform tip of the week is to make sure girls’ nail polish is either light pink or clear coated.

Our week in learning

This week, students will compose their own five-paragraph essay based on the outlines and texts used in class.

In literature, students will continue reading up to chapter 23 of the Secret Garden.

The weekly roots quiz will be on Wednesday.

This week in science, students will receive the study guide for the plant unit test, which will take place on Tuesday, February 27. The study guide is due Monday, February 26. We will play a review game in class before the test. Students will begin wrapping up their plant unit by studying the two different types of seed plants, monocots and dicots.

This week in history, students will finish learning about Westward Expansion before the Civil War. Study guides are due Wednesday and the test will be on Wednesday. Students will participate in a socratic discussion on Thursday and begin learning about the Civil War on Friday. Please note that there is sensitive material regarding slavery throughout the unit, particularly during the lessons on Friday, 2/23 and Monday, 2/26.

In math this week, we will finish learning about measures and volumes. We will work on solving word problems that involve converting units and finding the volume of a rectangular prism. The test for this unit will be on Thursday and we will do a short lesson on composite volumes on Friday. Math groups will take place this week on Wednesday, 8:00-9:15.

Updates and announcements

Thank you so much for signing up to bring supplies for Great Hearts day! We are excited to celebrate the virtue of friendship. In keeping with the philosophy of our school, we are celebrating the virtue of friendship, so please, do not send store-bought valentines to school. Some students have spoken to me about bringing handmade valentines and treats for their classmates, and that is ok. We want to be sure we are sincere in our honor of this virtue.

Our week in learning

This week, students will practice creating outlines from short essays. They will focus on identifying the main idea and supporting details of each paragraph. Next week, they will practice writing from outlines.

In literature, students will continue reading up to chapter 21 of the Secret Garden.

Students will recite their poem, “The Arrow and the Song” this Wednesday.

Students will have their weekly roots quiz this Wednesday.

In science this week, students will continue to explore angiosperms, or flowering plants, by studying pollination, dissecting a flower, and watching a video about pollinators. There is a short quiz on parts of a flower on Tuesday.

This week in history, students will continue learning about Westward Expansion before the Civil War. Students will learn about the idea of Manifest Destiny, the additions of Texas and Oregon, the War with Mexico, and settling the far west, such as the movement of the Mormons to Utah. The study guide will go home on Monday, February 12th and is due on the day of their test, Wednesday, February 21st. While there is an R&R weekend before the test, students will still have 5 non-R&R days to complete the study guide and prepare for the test.

In math this week, we will start learning about measures and volumes. We will begin with converting units and work towards finding the volume of a rectangular prism. This is a short unit, so there will be a test next week. There will be no math groups this week, as we are just starting a new unit.

Updates and announcements

We are the champions of Athletic Field Day! Our scholars worked hard in training and persevered through our events! Thank you to the parents who volunteered.

Be on the lookout for a sign-up genius from our marvelous classroom parents for our Great Hearts Day celebration. PLEASE NOTE that students are not to bring store bought valentines on this day. 

The “Wish List” is updated. We are in desperate need of index cards as our students have taken to drawing on them. The few we have left are not out for students to take at-will.

There is no school on Friday and it is not an R&R weekend. Next weekend, February 16-19 will be an R&R weekend.

Our week in learning

This week, students will present their explorer reports in history on Monday and Tuesday mornings. Posters should be brought to class on Monday.

Students will review past grammar skills and add a new skill to their notebooks: predicate adjectives! Predicate adjectives are adjectives occuring in the sentence predicate that describe the subject of the sentence. They follow a linking verb.

Ex: Betty is nice. “Nice” is a predicate adjective. Students will have a brief quiz over this skill on Wednesday morning.

In literature, students will continue reading up to chapter 19 of the Secret Garden.

The roots quiz will be on Wednesday.

In science this week, students will learn about gymnosperms, which are seeds that are commonly found in pine cones, and their pollination and fertilization. They will have the opportunity to read about gymnosperms in two articles and answer questions about them.

This week in history, students will continue learning about Westward Expansion before the Civil War. Students will learn about Tecumseh and what he did for Native Americans in the early 1800’s, and improvements in transportation.

In math this week, we will continue learning about decimals. Students will divide decimals by another decimal and review for their unit test on Thursday. Graph paper is very helpful to line up decimals and keep their work organized. We will be using some in class, but it might be useful to have some at home to use with homework. Math groups will be this Wednesday, 8:00-9:15.

Updates and announcements

Students have a couple busy weeks ahead of them! Please take a look at the updated “Important Dates” section. The “Wish List” has also been updated.

We are still in need of one or two parents who would be willing to volunteer their time on Friday for Athletic Field day. It is a wonderful opportunity to watch your children compete. The even till last from noon until about 2:30.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR WRITING WORKSHOP! We are looking for volunteers on Wednesday afternoon to run editing and revision stations for the students’ research paper. Students will spend 7-10 minutes at each station with their essays, editing or revising a particular aspect of it. The parent volunteer or teacher at each station will assist students with reading or revising their essays. Red pens will be provided! J We need help with spell checking, grammar, voice/perspective, and organization. Please email me if you are available Wednesday after 1:20pm!

Our week in learning

This week, students will compose their introductions and conclusions, and spend Wednesday editing their rough drafts. On Thursday, students will sit down to write out their full final draft, and on Friday, they will have the opportunity to type it in class. Students should have a full final draft completed by Thursday in order to type on Friday.

Presentations will be on Monday and Tuesday of next week--students should prepare a simple poster board with relevant pictures and facts about their explorer. This should be completed at home.

Roots quiz will be this Wednesday as usual.

Students will read through chapter 17 of the Secret Garden and continue making journal entries.

In science this week, students will learn about two different types of seeds - angiosperms and gymnosperms - and how those seeds are dispersed. They will compare the structure of vascular plants to nonvascular plants and label vascular tissues. On Thursday, students will watch a video about seed dispersal and complete an activity that will challenge them to remember the different dispersal method.

This week in history, students will finish the unit on the Age of Exploration. Study guides are due Monday, January 29th and the Age of Exploration test will be on Tuesday, January 31st. We will begin our unit on Westward Expansion before the Civil War, starting with Daniel Boone, the Louisiana Territory, and the resistance of the Native Americans.

In math this week, we will continue learning about decimals. Students will multiply and divide decimals by 2-digit whole numbers, multiply a decimal by 0.1 and 0.01, and multiply a decimal by another decimal. Graph paper is very helpful to line up decimals and keep their work organized. We will be using some in class, but it might be useful to have some at home to use with homework. Math groups will be this Wednesday, 8:00-9:00.

Help our classroom win the “Royalty for a Day” contest!

I am sure you’ve heard from your child by now that there is a “Royalty for a Day” contest underway, and your help is needed!  We still need $22,000 in tax credits to meet our $75,000 goal and here is how your child’s class wins, and what they will receive:

• The classroom that brings in the most Tax Credit dollars by Great Hearts Day (2/14/18) will be Royalty for a day!
• The teachers will be crowned royalty and receive gift cards.
• The class will wear spirit shirts and receive a treat on the royal day to celebrate.

The top classes will be posted on the white board each Friday at pick-up and the winning classroom will be announced at the end of the day on Feb. 14th .  Leave no one out!  Ask grandparents, aunts, neighbors, coaches, and friends to give their Tax Credit to Archway Arete!  Here is the GIVING LINK:  https://archwayarete.configio.com/moneyrequest?id=5

Let’s make this happen for our class!

Athletic Field Day

Athletic Field Day is Friday, February 2nd from 8:30-11:00 for K-2 classes and from 12:00-2:30 for grades 3-5!  Each year classes are assigned a Greek City State for their team.  This year, your child’s team is Corinth, and our team color is red.  There will be no school lunch offered on Athletic Field Day.  Please send your child to school with a lunch.

Volunteers for Athletic Field Day

In order to have Athletic Field Day run smoothly, we need your help!  Coach Gethings & Coach Warren need volunteers setting up and running the event.  Please sign up at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0d4aaeae2fa0ff2-athletic to help with the events.  We need a few volunteers for our class to help with donating a cooler and snacks.  Please email Mrs. Lynch if you are interested in providing a snack or cooler. We are also in need of one or two parents to volunteer with just our class for the day, keeping track of our 29 scholars and their water and snacks. It is a great opportunity to watch your child compete!