Dear Parents,
    Happy Thursday!  Well, our weather certainly has changed and threw us into winter. I guess we can not complain, I mean it is winter.  We have been kind of lucky so far.  We will have to see what tomorrow brings.  I am really not confident in any weather forecaster these days.  Be sure to send your child with proper winter gear.  We are scheduled to go to the Food Pantry tomorrow.  We will still go if it is snowing but no if it is raining.  We will go if wind chill temp is about 0 degrees F.  So hats and mittens are a necessity.

Language Arts -  This week (kind of ironic) we are reading a story about Antarctica.  The story is a journal written by the author about her personal experience staying in Antarctica for four months.  The short story was a factual piece about Antarctica.  We learned that it is the driest, coldest, windiest place on earth.  It can be -94 degrees there.  We talked about last year when we did not have school when it was to be -30/-40 wind chill.  The kids were amazed.  This was an interesting story about a place we don't learn much about.  We have worked on modal auxiliaries in grammar.  These are words like may, can, should, would, could, must, and might.  They learn the real reason why want them to say "May I use the restroom and not  can I".  They laugh and think it is funny but everyone has been very good as using "May" this week.  We talked about more Latin and Greek word parts for our vocabulary strategy.  This week we learned -spect, -struct, -tele, and vis.  Please be sure they are studying their yellow vocab packet tonight along with their spelling words.  

Math - This week we learned the Area Model strategy of multiplication then moved right into partial product.  They really are the same strategy.  The difference is the area model has a picture to with it and the other does not.  I really like the area box because it is a picture.  Some struggle grasping that idea at first but once you get it, it is great.  There are also students who were seeing this same strategy in their Dreambox work.  Now they know more about what they are doing.  We will finish the week with the partial product strategy.  Honestly, I have been teaching this strategy for 16-17 years.  This is nothing new.  I took a class really found this strategy helpful.  I  knew if I would have learned this process I would have been a better math student so I adopted it long ago. Some might call it common core but it is not new.

You will find the a copy of the score sheet for chapter 2 test.  I had 2 who needed to finish it up so that's why it took me a while.  The highlighted standards are ones I report on.  The two standards are the standards found on the report card, and what I would give your student.  The single one by itself is a standard we covered but it is not on the report card.  I still gave let you know how your child is doing.

Social Studies - We are working on finishing up the last chapter on the Northeast Region.  I have moved them pretty quickly through the last couple of lessons.  This is the pace we will begin keeping the rest of the year.  We will begin putting Southeast States into our notebooks soon.  The last two lessons covered some pretty big topics  and only skimmed the surface. I told them that there is tons of information about these topics and we are only covering a little bit of each.  I also told them we will build on it next year.  I plan to start a study guide tomorrow with them to be checked on Tuesday and then the Test on Wednesday.  If by chance we are not hear tomorrow, then everything will bump a day.

Talent Show -  Some have asked the Talent Show will be held on Tuesday, January 28th.  The show will be divided up into two parts, this way we can include all of the preschool kids.  We will begin in the morning and go from 10-11 AM then we will begin again at 1:00 in the afternoon.  Your child will only perform at one time.  We will have a schedule set to hand out to you so you know which performance your child will be in.  We understand some of you are taking off work so we will try and supply you with information as soon as we can.

Spirit Day -  Tomorrow is a Spirit Day!  Since we are looking at going to Food Pantry it is perfect day for sweats and sweatshirt!!  Bring your dollars!!

Server Training-  This is the last weekend for server training or retraining.  They will be held Saturday night after Mass for 30 minutes, and Sunday 30 minutes before Mass.  I have had 2 students in my room attend. I know there are more catholic children out there. Please sign up as a service to our church.

Trivia Night -  Trivia night is Saturday night a Crestmoor.  We are sold out.  All tables are full.  If there is a change due to weather, the decision will be made Saturday afternoon and we will put it on Facebook, Twitter, email and text.

NO SCHOOL - We do not have school on Monday,  January 20th.  It is a teacher professional development day in Des Moines.  

I hope we all survive the snownado, snowmagedden, whatever your words are for it this weekend.  Stay warm and safe. 

God Bless,
Mrs. Sickels