Dear Parents,
 Happy Thursday!!  Next week we have conferences!! I only have one family not signed up.  Please be sure to sign up and double check your times.  I apologize that my schedule has changed a couple of times.  I have been trying to set up my own at the High School and that takes some work.  I look forward to seeing all of you and discussing how your children are doing.  See you all next week.

Math - We have been discussing division in math.  We have used manipulatives to show what division looks like, we talked about multiplication and division being related using fact families,  we have also spent some time writing multiplication and division story problems.  We will be working our way towards a test very soon.

Language Arts -  This week we read a story called Me and Uncle Romie, it was a good story.  The story was around centered on art and so the vocabulary words were also related to the artist world.  We discussed syllables in words and how some sounds are stressed and others are not.  We have been working on the sounds /ou/ and /o^/ in spelling.  We talked today about figurative language.  This is one of my favorites.  We compared if you took the words literally what they would look like and what they look like as figurative language.  Some of the phrases used were familiar and some were not.  Tomorrow we will read the story the last time, hold discussion then take the end of the week test.  I think I am seeing these scores get better.  I will share them at conferences.

Social Studies - In social studies we are finishing up the chapter on economy.  The students will be testing tomorrow.  We went over the study guide today and they have the answers they need to study for tomorrow.  Next week we begin Unit 2 which starts talking about one specific region which is the Northeast.  We will also begin practicing our states and capitals song.  This is one way to learn all the states and their capitals. It is a fun song. You can find it on youtube.  It is sung by Macho Nacho and is called the States and Capitals song.  Please get it so they can practice at home.  Projects for social studies will also begin soon.  I will hand out a packet and discuss at conferences.

Thank you for all you do for your kids at home to help them be better students.  I am seeing some improvements in their use of study hall and working hard to get things done.  I am also seeing some getting into a routine and being organized.  Those who are still struggling, we will get there.  I have no doubt about that.  Have a great weekend.

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels