Dear Parents,
     Happy Thursday! This means it is almost Friday! YAY!  I want to let you know that I have family back from Florida and Texas so I am planning on taking tomorrow afternoon off to try and get some extra time in.  It has been 2 years since I have seen them.  Also, on Monday and Tuesday next week Miss Surma and I are gone to a PLC conference in Des Moines.  PLC stands for Professional Learning Communities.  We have been learning about them for a year now but this conference is suppose to be one of the best.  It is actually Monday-Wednesday but 3-5 has Mass on Wednesday so we are only attending the first 2 days.  We are both looking forward to it.  I leave very detailed plans for the substitute so she will complete everything I would normally do with them.  Things shouldn't be too different except  a different body in the room.  Please remind your students about respecting the sub.  I will also talk to them.  Thank you

Language Arts-  This week we have been taking a Unit 1 Benchmark test.  This test is very hard.  Their scores are not going to be fabulous.  They never are for any class.  I break it up into 3 parts so they are not bombarded one whole day with 2 hours of testing. I hope that this makes a difference for them.  I required them to go back in the stories and look up their answers and highlight them.  This slowed them down a little bit.  The results for this test will come home next week after I have had the time to gather all the data and fill out the forms for them.  I do want you to know this test does not make me worry about your child academically, if they do not improve their scores on the next Unit test then I might begin to worry.  Most students do much better on the following unit tests.  So take this one with a grain of salt please.  Next week we will be back to a regular week with a spelling test.

Math -  We have begun chapter 2!!!  The first couple of lessons are a little difficult.  I told the students if they didn't pay attention they would be lost.  It was their job to focus and learn.  We are learning about multiplication problems being a comparison.  They learned to convert statements to problems and problems back to statements.  Now they are also learning how to draw a picture to go along with it.  It is important they learn this because lesson 2 is using this skill to work word problems.  I can always have the students understanding this skill and using it but then we have 12 more lessons to do and they forget how to do them when it is time to take the test.   This chapter is about 6 lessons longer than the last one. I spend a lot of time working on this chapter.  Multiplication is very important to learn.  This is the biggest thing I teach until Division in the Spring.  Please help your student by  maybe working on flashcard with them on the basic facts.  The quicker these facts are to them the easier learning the processes will be.

Social Studies -  We learned how to put things in our interactive notebook this week.  If they bring it home to show you they have put in information about the United States.  We will begin putting in actual states soon. They learned how to make a book and another foldable to put in it.  This is exciting.  We will also be learning our states and capitals song soon.  A former student just tagged me in a facebook post about who still sings the states and capitals song from 4th grade.  The number of people that answered was great!  So they will use it forever.  I apologize now because it will drive you crazy.  It can be downloaded and is on youtube.  The song is called "States and Capitals Song" by Macho Nacho.

Spirit Day! Tomorrow is a Spirit Day!  I am having trouble with students wearing sweats and not bringing money on Friday.  Please be sure if your child wears sweats they are bringing a $1.00 with them.  What a great day to wear them.  Tomorrow looks to be a high in the 60"s. Still a good day for sweats!

I hope all you of you have a great weekend.  We have planned a little trip to the Junk Zombie and spending time with family.

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels