News for the Week of January 11, 2016

Life Skill:  Friendship

Quote:  Of all the blessings that time and earth bestow, there is none so precious as one true friend.

Captian's Table of "STAR" Students

(STAR = Stop, Think, Act Responsibly)

                                                   Student                     Life Skill                           

1st Grade Math                           Dante                         Caring 
                             

2nd Grade LA                              Bailey                      Curiosity
2nd Grade Math                           Nate                          Caring

3rd Grade LA                              Amadeo                    Friendship
3rd Grade Math                          Natalie                    Perseverance

4th Grade LA                               Logan                          Effort
4th Grade Math                          Olivia V.                  Perseverance    

This Week In HA...

1st Grade LA

First grade students learned about acronyms as we revisited the book, E-mergency, by Ezra Fields-Meyer and Tom Lichtenheld.  We learned that acronyms are abbreviations for words or phrases and discussed the following acronyms:

ASAP - as soon as possible
ER - emergency room
TLC - tender loving care
EMT - emergency medical technician.

Ask your child to tell you other acronyms we discussed.

After discussing acronyms, we compared and contrasted acronyms with "wumbers" from the book, Wumbers, by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld.  Then, we discussed the similarities between acronyms and "wumbers" with text messages.  Following this discussion, the students used a hamburger graphic organizer to prepare for writing a paragraph answering the question, "Do you think parents should buy first graders cell phones?"  After completing the graphic organizer, the students wrote out their paragraphs.  Ask your child to explain her/his opinion on this subject and have her/him provide you the supporting arguments for her/his position. 

2nd Grade LA

In second grade this week,  the students continued reading The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.  At this point, we have learned that Edward remained on the bottom of the ocean for 297 days.  During a storm with high seas, the churning of the waves brought Edward close to the surface of the ocean, where he was hauled aboard a fishing boat inside a fishing net.  An old fisherman took to Edward and cleaned him up with plans to give Edward to his wife, Nellie.  The fisherman was named Lawrence.  When he took Edward home to his wife, Nellie, she mistook Edward for a girl, calling him Susanna.  She cleaned Edward up and dressed him in new clothes made for a girl.  Edward was initially offended but realized this was better than being at the bottom of the ocean.  In residing with Lawrence and Nellie, Edward especially enjoyed looking at the constellations in the night sky with Lawrence.  After a time with Lawrence and Nellie, the couples daughter, Lolly, came to visit and took a disliking to Edward.  As a result, she threw Edward in the garbage dump.  He remained there for several months until he was unearthed by a dog.  Ask your child to retell what we have read so far and to predict what will happen next in the story.  Also, ask your child to tell you how she/he is feeling about Edward's current situation.

3rd Grade LA

This week,, third grade students worked in groups to present a summary of the tall tale they read to the rest of their classmates.  It was fun to listen to the many different tall tales.  We laughed at some of the exaggerations from the tall tales that were shared.  Ask your child to retell the tall tale she/he read to you.  

4th Grade LA

Fourth grade students continued to work on completing their time lines this week.  The students were able to finish assembling their time lines and began working on their monologues.  Check the Google Drive file to see how your child is progressing with our biography project and make sure she/he has her/his costume and props planned out in preparation for presenting near the end of the month.
                                                                  

Building Vocabulary

The "Words of the Day" for this week were amicable and zenith.  Ask your child to define these words.  If he/she is unable to define them, have him/her look them up in the dictionary and read the definition to you.

   

1st Grade Math

This week in first grade, the students continued working on logic puzzles.  We started a puzzle titled, Mystery at the Third Strike Sports Store.  Ask your child to explain the puzzle to you and tell you what we have determined so far.

2nd Grade Math

Second grade students continued working on solving problems involving the binary sequence.  Ask your child to write a binary sequence for you.

3rd Grade Math

In third grade, the students completed another timed multiplication test.  Please continue to encourage your child to practice her/his multiplication facts.  After completing our multiplication test, we continued working on the Ed Zaccaro unit titled, "The Magic of Multiplication".  Ask your child to complete the following word problems:

Twelve people each bought 12 dozen donuts.  If each donut cost $.12, what was the total cost of all of the donuts?

There are 4 cups in a quart and 4 quarts in a gallon.  How many cups are there in 4 gallons?

4th Grade Math

Fourth grade students were introduced to a wonderful website called Sumdog.  It presents math problems in game format.  The students loved working on Sumdog this week.  You should have received a letter from me about this website and your child's login and password information.  Ask your child to show you this website and how to play Cake Monster, which was one of the classes favorites.

It has been a very "chilly" week and I hope everyone has a warm weekend.  Best wishes to you all as I leave this position.  I hope everyone has a terrific finish to the school year.  I leave you with the following final quote:

Melissa Valtierra
High Ability Aide
Bailly Elementary School