Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!!!  Wow, another cold one today.  Let's hope this is one of the last ones.  We have had a lot of inside recesses lately due to the cold.  Our rule is if it is 0 or below we stay in so we are not putting the children at risk. We consider the wind chill if there is one.  As much as we try to get our kids to remember all their winter items (gloves, hat, scarves, and boots) some of them forget.  Try to make them double check everything before they leave in the morning to be sure they are prepared.

Language Arts - This week we are reading a fun story called Hercules' Quest.   Everyone is enjoying this story because they can relate to the disney movie.  The pictures in the book look like the same characters on the movie.  I may see about showing the movie sometime next week just as a fun way to end out story.  The story has a nice theme to it about using your strengths to do kind things instead of bad.  This story is a myth and so a lot of things in it are impossible to happen in real life.  We have picked out those things.  I am so glad we have a nice "light" story after the two we just had which were nonfiction stories with a lot of information.  The spelling list this week was a good one for the students over the prefixes -dis, -re, and -un.  They did really well on the pretest.  In grammar we are focusing on prepositions and prepositional phrases.  This is a hard topic to teach and get them to understand.  We just keep practicing!!

Math - We have covered 4 lessons in the multiplication chapter.  We have learned to multiply by 10, 100, and 1,000's, we have learned to estimate products using rounding and compatible numbers, we have learned mental math strategies of breaking apart and compatible numbers, and we learned to use arrays to multiply which is called partial product.  I know you didn't learn this strategy of multiplication because I didn't, plus the SOS Student in our room also commented that he had no clue what I was doing.  I know it can be frustrating to try and help your child when you are unsure of what we are doing.  I promise you partial product is one of the best strategies out there that helps them understand what multiplication is actually doing.  It leads right into the standard algorithm which is what you and I learned.  Let your child teach you what they are doing and explain the process. This will also be great practice for them and help them master the skill.  Please continue to work on those flash cards if you have them.  They had an opportunity this week to do that here at school with partners.  Bigger and better things are yet to come in Math!!!

Social Studies - We are taking a test today!!  This is over Chapter 6.  We will begin Chapter 7 next week.  This will be the last chapter in the Southeast Region and we will talk about people from the area.  I hope everyone is working on their projects. They are excited to see the new ones.

Catholic Schools Week:  We kick of Catholic Schools Week this Sunday at mass. Some of your students have parts in this mass please check today's folder for those. Don't forget brunch will follow!  Monday is hat day.  We know I have a million of those to choose from!!  I am not sure I even want to wear one since I spend 6-10 weeks in them!  Also your child needs to bring a sack lunch that day.  They will eat with their advent angel and then they go back to the rooms and watch a movie, while the enjoy a luncheon provided by the PTO.  Tuesday is "Come as you are" day or pajama day.  Wednesday is class theme day.  The 4th and 5th grade wanted go with a "Nate and T.J." day, so we are being auctioneers, cowboys, or cowgirls.  Those boys loved the Sale Barn and all the people in it, so we all are going to enjoy our day being who those boys loved.  Thursday is "Blue and Gold" day or St. Malachy gear.  We have our field trip to Des Moines to go bowling.  This will be a fun day for all. Your child will be eating a sack lunch provided by the school that day.  We will eat our lunches at Christ the King School.  We will get to meet the teaches and student there also.  What a great day for meeting new friends!!  Friday is our BEST day the Grandparent/special friend day!!!  This is held at the church starting at 1:30.  We will bus kids over there, you will meet them there and find a seat.  What a great way to end our week in celebration with God. I hope all the students enjoy the week and participate in all the fun things planned.  Oh, remember, learning will also still take place next week!!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels