Dear Parents,

     Happy Thursday!  Our 2nd week is almost complete!  This week we are learning routines's in the subjects.  They are learning how things work and getting used to transitions.  It is frustrating that we are trying to get them used to routines and then they throw Labor Day at us.  This messes our routines up a little early. I am doing a lot of their homework on Google Classroom.  This is easiest if we have to transition online for a period of time for any reason.  Your child is doing a fabulous job wearing their masks.  I have them 6 feet apart at their desks so they can remove their masks at their desks.  Anytime they get up and move around they need to wear their masks.  They do a better job of remembering than I do.  They have to all remind me to put it back on.  Thank goodness it is hanging from my neck on a lanyard.

Language Arts - We are working on the week one story in our books.  The story is called Because of Winn-Dixie.  This story is realistic fiction.  It is just an excerpt from the book.  The section we read is a silly one about a bear entering a library.  In grammar we are talking about subjects and predicates.  We have learned how to find the simple subject and simple predicate and also complete subject and predicates.  Today we will focus on Compound subjects and predicates.  Our vocabulary strategy this week had us working with the prefixes re-, un-, and dis-.  The spelling list was on the short a and long a vowel sounds.  I do not give the students a list to study for the week.  They take the pretest on Mondays, at this time they may write down their spelling list in their assignment books in the spot provided.  On Tuesdays the students will have a worksheet to complete over the words and the worksheet will have the spelling list on it.  On Wednesdays the students will be practicing their missed words in their notebooks.  These notebooks can come home but they need to be returned the next day.  On Thursday they will have another worksheet to do and the list will be on that sheet also.  Friday is Post test day.  If the students miss more than 10 on the pretest I will give them a list of 10 words to study for Friday.  Spelling is a subject you are either good at or your not.  I do not want to stress those that do not find spelling easy.  Each week is a different list so the students may do well one week and then not so well the next week.  That is why I use the pretest each week to decide whether to shorten the list for a student.   Tomorrow the students will take their spelling post test and their end of the week test.  On the end of  the week test they are tested over the 5 vocabulary you did this week, 5 vocab strategy questions, 10 comprehension questions over the story and 10 grammar questions over subjects and predicates.  This test is completed online.  The routine is the same for  each week. 

Math - We have started to talk about chapter 1.  We have not covered too much so far.  We have had some need for flexibility in our schedule yet this week.  In the beginning getting used to routines can be lengthy to learn.  So I will say I have not had a full 45 minutes of Math  some days so I do not do much.  Next week we will for sure be able to focus on getting Math completed.  The first chapter is over Place Value.  We will be focusing on place value positions up through the millions.  We will work on knowing the value of each digit in a number.  We will learn to write numbers in standard, expanded and written form.  It is important for us to start with place value before we get into anything else.  

Social Studies-  We only covered lesson 1 in chapter 1.  This was to review the 5 regions of the United States.  We are now moving on to Chapter 2.  We will be doing all of chapter 2.  This chapter is all about living in the United States.  The students have worked on a vocabulary preview worksheet.  This is to make them familiar with the words they will be seeing throughout the chapter.  As we go through the chapter we will focus on certain vocabulary words.  The chapter is made up of 3 lesson.  After each lesson we will complete a worksheet that summarizing the important facts from the lesson.  This subject is routine but not based on days of the week like language arts.  We just work through the lessons.  Some lessons are longer than others.  

Online learning -  I just want to let all of you know about online learning.  In the world we live in right now, I know it is hard to even want to send your child to school if they are sniffling, coughing or sneezing at all, even if it is due to allergies.  When you decide to keep your child home sick, you have the online option.  Your child will get online when we have specific classes and will not be counted absent from school.  Now if your child is so sick they need to just sleep, we get it.  They will not want to be online.  I just want you to know that if you are uncomfortable due to a cough then keep them home and have them get online. They will not be missing a thing.  So far two students have used this  option.  It went very well.  This is why most of my things have been online.  I can't give out paper copies to people when they are not here so I am getting into the habit of doing most of homework online.  If you know the night before that you may go with the online option the next day due to sniffles or allergies, shoot me a test so that I can be better prepared that day.  Again, if your child so really very sick do NOT think they have to be online.  

REMINDER:  NO SCHOOL MONDAY, SEPT. 7th   LABOR DAY

I have really enjoyed getting to know your students this last two weeks!  I look forward to a great year with them.  I feel like sometimes we never know what the next day will bring in this world.  I think as adults we know that but the kids just love being here and don't have a worry in the world.  They are still living life to the fullest with a little adjustment of a mask on their face.   I really do feel they are doing better with this than the adults.  I have to keep telling myself it is a small price to pay to get to see these kids everyday.  I will happily wear my mask/shield to get to do that.  

I hope all of you have a great extended weekend! My kids are coming home. I will have a full house again which makes my heart so happy.  We have a wedding to attend in Clarinda on Saturday then Sunday will be spent outside with my family.  I look forward to it.  I may have to fit some laundry and work in there at some point also.

God Bless,

Mrs. Sickels