Dear Parents:

     Happy Thursday!!!  I am on my second week back and feel great!!  I am really keeping on top of the kids using their time wisely.  During work time they really want to visit, play with things, or just stare around the room.  I am pushing  for them to work hard so they are not bringing homework home. These students have the capability to work hard if they would focus and work.  A few more weeks and I will have them trained.  I will look forward to conferences to discuss your child's progress and behaviors specifically during that work time.  Remember conference schedule is online, please sign up.  I have first 2 times crossed off so that I can go to the High School and have my own conferences for my older two.  There are still 20 slots to fit all of you in.  Please find a time that works.

Math - This week we reviewed the distributive property.  After students completed the diagnostic checkpoint on Monday, there were students who didn't show their work.  What I found was they didn't understand it enough to show the work.  I retaught the lesson and gave them a few more problems to practice.  We are now starting to work on Division. We used manipulatives to show how to work division problems and today we discussed how multiplication and division are related and practiced fact families.  I feel like these topics are easy for them right now.  It will get harder as we go along.  

Language Arts - This was my first week actually teaching the weekly lessons.  WOW!! It is busy and has  a lot of material to cover.  I covered what I thought was important for he students to learn.  I felt like the week was a success. Reading the story everyday is new to me and hard!!  We read everyday but one.  I read it to them first day, they read with partner second day, third day on their own, and Friday we will read as whole group and discuss.  We have had spelling lessons, grammar lessons, vocabulary lessons and decoding lessons mixed in.  WHEW  Thats a lot.  Your kids are really learning a great deal more now in this new series!  Your child is also writing a Halloween Story.  It is due tomorrow.  

Social Studies - We are learning about the economy of the United States.  Pretty difficult stuff!  We know our economy is called  a free enterprise system and is based on supply and demand.  We learned what producers and consumers are and how to make a profit.  There are a lot of "big" words in this chapter.  We will focus on globalization, and interdependence next week.  Have your kids talk to you about these items.

I am very happy to  be back, and I am enjoying being with the kids everyday.  Thank you for all your patience!!  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns about your child.  I have a prep period from 8:30 - 9;00 everyday but Wed. and  on Tuesday it is 8:30 - 9:30.  I am usually at school til 3:45 every night.  Have a great weekend!!

God Bless,

Melissa Sickels