PHONICS/READING
    In phonics we are working on long vowels a and i, and short vowels  o, u, and e. The children will be reading "Jane's Mistake" and "The Big Surprise" in small guided groups to practice these sounds.
    We are reading "Mrs. Brown Went to Town" in our  anthologies this week.  The children will also be reading leveled readers in guided reading groups that use the same high frequency words and vocabulary words that are listed below for "Mrs. Brown Went to Town".  This week we are discussing the strategy of predict/infer, predicting outcomes, and a comprehension skill review.  High frequency words for this week are:
different   floor   letter   move   poor   word
Vocabulary words for this week are:
commotion   delivered   feathers   released   tire   wearing
    Please continue to work on the Dolch words and phrases.  The Dolch words and phrases are high frequency words that children need to learn to help them read fluently.
SPELLING
Wednesday's test, Lesson  5  "Mrs. Brown Went to Town"
ate   bite   fine   give   have   hide   late   line   made   make   nice   ride   same   side   size  
*shake   *write
    We will have a practice spelling word test on Tuesday, a word test on Wednesday, and a sentence test on Friday.  Children who receive a 100% on the Tuesday practice test (including the challenge words) will not have to take the Wednesday word test.
    Friday's test will be three to four sentences created by the children.  You should receive a copy of these sentences on Wednesday. Please practice for these tests.
MATH
    In math we will solve number stories involving addition; write number stories that involve parts-and-total and change situations; write number models to summarize number stories; discuss +0 and +1 facts shortcuts; use Beat the Calculator to practice facts; identify patterns in addition facts; identify patterns for +0 and +1 facts; use the Addition/Subtraction Fact Table to practice facts; solve facts involving doubles; identify patterns in the Addition/Subtraction Facts Table; identify and use patterns to solve +9 facts; identify and use patterns on a number grid; and explore the turn-around rule for facts. We will have a money test (dimes, nickels and pennies) on Monday, an addition facts test on Tuesday and Thursday, and a clocks test (o'clock, half past, quarter to and quarter past) on Wednesday.  We will also have a review quiz on this week's math skills on Friday.
PRINTING/ENGLISH
    In printing we are working on proper formation, spacing, and neatness. In English we are working on proofreading, action parts of sentences, and correct beginning and ending punctuation. Children are required to use proper punctuation in all of their work.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
    In science we are discussing how earthquakes, landslides, and volcanoes change the Earth. Our science vocabulary is evaporate, water vapor, condense, water cycle, precipitation, erosion, earthquake, landslide, and volcano. In social studies we are discussing changes in neighborhoods, types of communities, and transportation.
CLASSROOM PROJECTS
    A special thank you to the parents who have sent in postcards and stamps for our regular postcard project.  If you would like to donate a postcard of Austinburg or Ohio it would be greatly appreciated.  We will send our first set of postcards on Wednesday. We should start receiving postcards next week.
    We will soon begin working on our "G" tongue twister for our tongue twister project with 25 other classes.  We are going to create and illustrate a "G" tongue twister which we will send  to each of the participants.
COMPUTER PROJECTS
    We will be working on our monarch butterflies this week for the Journey North Symbolic Migration of the Monarch Butterfly to Mexico. Our monarchs will "migrate" to Mexico where they will winter until this spring.  In the spring, twenty-six monarch butterflies will "migrate" back to us.
    At the end of this week we will begin working on Magic School Bus Explores the Earth on our computers. In this program the children explore the Grand Canyon, a fault, an active volcano, caverns, a geode, and an undersea volcano.
SPECIAL DATES AND EVENTS
Tuesday       - Art 1:25 - 2:10
Wednesday- Austinburg Library 2:15 - 2:45 p.m.
Wednesday- School Pictures
Thursday      - Gym 1:45 - 2:20 p.m.
Friday           -  Music  9:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Oct. 10          -  End of First Six Weeks
Oct. 17          -  NEOEA Day - No School
FROM THE TEACHER'S DESK
    The majority of children are generally working at the "C" or better level of behavior. A few children are still talking during worktime and/or not completing their work in class.  This "B" level behavior and not acceptable in our classroom.
    Your child should be reading (orally and/or silently) for at least 75 minutes every week. He/she should be able to answer questions about what he/she has read. Your child should  record what he/she reads each day on his/her reading log.  This log should be returned the first day of each school week.  
    It is very important that your child learn to stay on task and  complete his/her work every day.  If your child is bringing home several papers a day to finish besides his/her Math homelink papers, then he/she is not staying on task in school. If your child stays on task, he/she will have  plenty of time to finish. We will work on work skills all year.    
    Please look at the papers your child brings home in his/her blue weekly work folder.  Praise your child for good marks and help him/her improve any weak areas. Please keep the graded papers, sign the weekly report sheet in the clear pocket, and return the folder and sheet in the clear pocket to school as soon as possible. Papers marked with an I  or Inc. should be corrected and returned.
    In your child's blue weekly work folder there is a Progress Report for this six weeks. It is in the plastic pocket on the other side of the weekly report. This indicates to you how your child is doing so far this six weeks.  All main areas receive an S or I.  An S indicates a grade average of an A, B, or C.  An I indicates a grade average of a D or F.  Any areas checked need improvement.  Please praise your child for good marks and help him/her improve any weak areas.

    If you have any ideas, concerns, questions, etc. please write me a note, call (school -466-4831 ext. 169), or e-mail (school - roberta.gray@neomin.org ). 
            Roberta Gray