Knowledge is Food for the Brain: Take a Bite

Monday, November 1, 2010

November 1st-5th

I'd like to welcome our newest student but not new to O.E.S., Miss Asia Deramus. She was a former student here who moved to Prattville and is now back where she belongs. Welcome, Asia. So that makes our student count twenty-one. We had lost Tabatha Hurst and Taylor Cox to Coldwater.

So, what's happening this week? First of all, we have finished all five selections in Unit 2. Now it's time for a benchmark test on the computer to see if students have retained the skills previously taught. This is reteach week where we teachers have the opportunity to go back and touch particular skills in language, reading comprehension, and writing that we felt students didn't quite master. Also with each reteach week students are working on a particular genre on writing. This week is "How to Make . . . Students must first brainstorm something that they have made and through conversational writing tell how they made it. Everything from the materials they used and the order in which they made it must be found in their writing without making lists and in paragraph form using time-ordered words like: first, next, then, last.

**There will not be a reading or spelling test this week. We will do a test on singular and plural possessive nouns on Wednesday, though.

Math Homework today, Nov. 1- p. 101 in the textbook (Algebra: 13+n=20; n=7)

**Be prepared for a Math Test on Add/Subtract with regrouping, word problems, with some rounding by Wednesday.

**It's time to have those multiplication math facts down. It might be wise to pick up a pack of addition and subtraction math facts as well. I'm finding a few students that still are not automatic with those. If your child has mastered all three, then go on to division. Find different ways to study. Sometimes saying them orally works, but your child might do best with listening to them on tape, doing fact game on the computer, making a multiplication chart, writing them in shaving cream on the side of the bath tub. Ha! Try to do fun things with them. Math is fun when you don't make it a chore. Use dried beans when you're cooking to do a multiplication or division problem. Have them sort them into groups of __. That's division. Tell them to make six groups of six. That's multiplication.

Tues., Nov. 2-Light Bulb Test-labeling the parts inside a bulb
We are working with the Electrical Unit in AMSTI. All activities are done in the classroom. There will be a science notebook grade taken at the end of the unit and a vocabulary test.

AL History- Wed. Nov. 3- a Quiz on Alabama's state symbols (state tree, nut, fruit, horse, flower, fish, state motto, etc.
Nov. 4-Quiz on Chapter 2-Only the part about the Spanish explorers taken from pp.36-45 in the AL History textbook. I'll be breaking down the test into three segments and then one big test with all three: the Spanish, French, and English.

I know that progress reports will be coming out again real soon. Don't panic if there aren't many grades listed. We haven't had many tests. They are forthcoming as you have read.

All in all, things are going as well as can be expected for this time of the year. Please read daily with your children. The upcoming Winter benchmark is 118 words per minute. By spring your child's benchmark will be 125 words per minute. Again, let me stress not to put pressure on you children in the way that you've become the sergeant at boot camp. Just spend time reading with them. Notice the clock before reading and when a minute has past without letting them know. You can get a ballpark figure if they're in that vicinity or not. Keep it fun, and be consistent.

If you need me, call the school and tell one of the office personnel that you are calling to set up a conference with Mrs. Wade for after school any day; preferable at 3:00 PM. Now is the time to take action to help your child become successful in their academic endeavors. Let's work together.

Thank you for all your support,
Theresa Wade

1 comment:

  1. Feb. 21st, 2011
    For some reason my blogsite has been messed up. I couldn't post anything. So here's trying today.

    ReplyDelete