What's the News in Room 19?: March 2015

Dear Room 19 Families,

One week left! We are winding down before a week of break! This week homework will be light. We are all exhausted and in need of a break. Reading Log should still be initialed nightly for 30 minutes of reading. In addition, in place of math homework, students can make a math choice to practice for 15 minutes and record on Link Logs with a parent signature/initial.

Happenings this week:

• Wednesday: Dress for Danny $1

• Thursday: Tropical Day-earned from Pennies for Patients

• Thursday: Panera restaurant night-on 86^th

• Friday: Freaky Friday college basketball team

Our learning this week continues with:

• Reading-Unit 5 Review with Test on Friday

◦ Skills: Main Idea and Details, Sequence of Events, Cause and Effect, Theme, Text and Graphic Features

◦ Word Work: analogies, commonly missed homophones, figurative language

◦ Fluency skill: Accuracy and Speed

◦ New Novel Project (NOT GAME BOARD): Due Friday March 27

• Social Science- “Fakebook” page final due Thursday. We will continue with American history and the founding of our government system. This week: 3 Branches of government, preamble and The Bill of Rights. Quiz on Friday

• Writing-Our persuasive writing is coming together. We should finish our persuasive drafts by the end of the week.

• Math-Review of angles and measuring, circumference and area of circles.

Assessments this Friday consist of:

• DMR Quiz

• Unit 5 Reading TEST

• Government Quiz

Many students are continuing to pass out of Lexia! Room 19 students are hoping our class can be the first for everyone to complete the Lexia program! Very ambitious and possible if students work hard at school and home!

Online Resources for Students:

https://www.ixl.com/signin/crookedcreek

http://www.mobymax.com

http://www.lexiacore5.com

http://www.myon.com

Username: Student ID #

Password: Last name

Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns. Have a wonderful week!

srahrig@msdwt.k12.in.us

Dear Room 19 Families,

The weather has been terrific! We have really enjoyed having out door recess. Please still send your student with some type of jacket. (It does not need to be a winter coat.) The wind can be chilly, and you never know what the weather might actually do!

Today, we had a new student join our class and I was so impressed with how caring, inviting, and helpful the students were. It is so fun to not only see academic growth of students, but social and emotional maturity as well. I am so proud to be apart of such a wonderful learning community in Room 19! Thank you for supporting the work we do and encouraging your child to do his/her best everyday!

Finally, as we continue end of the year testing and round two of ISTEP in April, I want to let each of you know that your child is more than data or a set of numbers. I know this year with the new ISTEP + there has been controversy around the testing process, as there probably always will be. Standardized tests do not measure so much of who your child is. They do not tell you that he/she plays basketball everyday at recess, they do not tell you that he/she is an excellent leader with compassion and empathy, or that he/she has a witty sense of humor. Standardized tests do not show big bright smiles that make my day, they do not show that he/she can double-dutch or do five back handsprings in a row. They do not measure the hugs, the laughs, the memories we have made this year. Although we always want our students do push for excellence, they are not data. They are what makes my job worth it every single day! Before I cry J…

Happenings this week:

Tuesday Westlane Open-House 7-8:30
Acuity Testing
Friday Spring Fling Dance

Our learning this week continues with:

• Reading-Unit 5, Lesson 25 in Journey's-Lewis and Clark (Narrative Non-Fiction)

◦ Skill: Main Idea and Details

◦ Strategy: Monitor/Clarify

◦ Word Work: Analogies

◦ Fluency skill: Accuracy and Speed

◦ New Novel Project (NOT GAME BOARD): Due March 27

• Social Science- American Revolution Tests were fantastic! Great note-taking and studying! This week, we will finish up by studying one hero of the Revolutionary War and creating a “Fakebook” Page. We will continue with American history and the founding of our government system. Ask your historian about The Articles of Confederation and interdependence.

• Writing-Our persuasive writing is coming together. Today, we typed out introduction. Tomorrow, we will be working on drafting our first paragraph. In preparation for the next round of ISTEP testing we will also be incorporation grammar review. I would recommend, if you can, getting a grammar work book to have your student review.

• Math-Unit 7: Quarter 3 Tests were taken last Friday. (I cannot believe we are in the last quarter!!) This week we will be reviewing some concepts that students struggled with and working on area and circumference of circles.

Assessments this Friday consist of: