Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday!!! What a GREAT day!! We got off to a great start with Muffins with Mom.  What a great turn out!  Thank you to all the moms who were able to come and enjoy breakfast with your child.  I think the kids are all ready looking forward to a day with Dad in February!  Tomorrow is the end of the trimester!  That means late slips get wiped away and we start over!!  On Monday everyone will come with a clean slate!  I hope this trimester is better for some!  This also means the report cared will be coming out.  They will be out the week after Thanksgiving.  If you are unsure how to find them on Power School be sure to stop in or contact the office so you get help.  

Language Arts -  This week has been a Unit 2 test week.  We have focused on DEAR time for about 20 minutes a day, then we have spent 30-40 minutes working on a section of the test.  After all students were finished we would share book reports.  We are almost done sharing book reports.  We will definitely finish them tomorrow.  You will see test results for Unit 2 the week after we return from Thanksgiving.
     Book Report #2 - I will be assigning the next report to kids tomorrow.  They will be             given a sheet with instructions then 2 sheets of things they need.  They will be                 putting together a cereal box book report. On the two sheets are the things that go on       the top and sides of the box.  They first need to finish the whole book before they             begin.  I will be talking to them about book size.  We will discuss books that are best        for them.  They will have a couple weeks to choose a book and let me know what it is.      If I feel they need to challenge themselves more, than I will have that discussion with        them.  We don't want them to just do the minimum. This report will not be due until        January.  They will have plenty of time to do the work.  We need to be more helpful        with them managing their time or pacing their reading so it ensures they finish the            book and the box on time.


We will have a "Cuddle Up and Read" Day on Tuesday, Nov. 24th.  This is where the students are allowed to bring blankets, pillows, pillow pets, and stuffed animals to school to cuddle up on the floor and read with.  We will spend our entire language arts class reading to ourselves or I will be reading to them.  It is a day devoted to reading.  All the minutes can be included on the book it calendar too!!  I do not start a story next week, we have a fun week in Language Arts.  

Math - We had a great lesson today.  They learned to multiply using expanded form.  The best part is this strategy pulls together several of the things they have all ready learned and I stressed the importance of learning.  Now, they are seeing the benefits of mastering one skill before we move on to the next.  Chapter 3 will be easy because it just adds to everything we learned in chapter 2!  I had them excited about Math today.  I feel like they got a good grasp on the skill.  We will review it tomorrow, spend some more time on the problems then do the worksheet.  I was even told I was the best teacher ever! (Only because I had them excited and pointing out the things they learned before coming together).  You could see the light bulbs appear about their little heads!  That for me is the best!!!  I love my job!

Social Studies -  We are beginning a whole new unit this week.  We will be studying the Northeast Region of the United States.  There will be a total of 15 vocabulary words for this chapter.  Today we began going over Social Studies projects.  We will finish going over them on Friday and the packets will come home.  Next week they will pick their first state and the project they want to do.  Please go over packet with your child and let them know if there are any you would prefer them to stay away from. (food projects).  The students will be introduced to the States and Capitals song by Macho Nacho next week.  This is free on itunes so everyone can have it at home to memorize.  We will sing it a couple times a week so they memorize the words.  The words ARE the states and capitals of the United States.  There is also a fun couple videos on youtube videos that sing the song and place the states on a map which helps learn location. 

Geography Bee - On Wednesday, Nov. 25th, your student will be participating in the school wide Geography Bee.  This includes 4-8 graders at St. Malachy.  They are divided up into 3 rooms.  There will be students from 4-8 grade in all three rooms.  They will be put through 7 rounds of geography questions.  I will go over a "mock" geography bee with them Tuesday during Social Studies.  From these 7 rounds we will narrow it down to 10 finalists, that will participate in the Geography Bee Finals in December.

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend.  I will be working hard on report cards to have them done by Thanksgiving.  I go to Chicago every year and return on Sunday so I want them done! I want a stress free vacation.  I will say we are not heading downtown Chicago this year.  We do some shopping in the northern suburbs where my family lives.  I want to wish all of you a very happy and safe Thanksgiving Break!!  Enjoy family!

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels