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Today we focused on our Thanksgiving blessings. We listened to the Shaker song, Simple Gifts, and learned a dance to the song. We then wrote down all of the things we are thankful for (our Thanksgiving blessings). Some students filled a page and started onto the back. I asked students to share some of these blessings at their Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday.

After listing our blessings, students created a wreath to display some of their blessings.

Hope your family has a happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Capitol Field Trip on Tuesday, December 4. Click here for more information or a permission slip. Let me know if you would like to chaperone.
• The Candle fundraiser has started and continues through November 26. This is our biggest fundraiser for our spring Mackinac trip.
• View grades, assignments and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: thanks to responsible and generous families, we have a juice backlog, so no juice volunteers needed for a few weeks!

Spelling: We reviewed the there, their, they’re homophones. We’ll have a spelling test next week.

Cursive: Cursive pages 44-46 are available and due next week. This is the beginning of the upper case cursive letter review.

Reading: No Literature Circles today due to a presentation by McFarlen Library.  Visit the McFarlen Open House tonight for a library card, STAR Award and other goodies!

Writing: We officially started the personal narrative cycle today. We learned that all stories and narratives have three main ingredients: characters, plot and setting. Students also worked on revising their writing. The next piece of writing is due November 28.

Math: We practiced the trade-first method of subtraction. Homework is to finish Journal pages 46-49 by Monday. We’ll have a math test next week over these concepts:

• addition
• subtraction
• data landmarks (maximum, minimum, median, mode, range)
• bar graphs
• reading and writing large numbers (up to millions)
• identifying the value of digits in a number (the 9 in 598 is worth 90)

Science: None today due to an extended social studies time.

Social Studies: We reviewed the branches of government and formed a class government. The Representatives and Senators held townhall meetings to listen to their citizens. The House of Representatives went into session and approved a bill to ban cutting in line, punishable by a loss of recess and a team points fine. The Senate voted down this bill.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Capitol Field Trip on Tuesday, December 4. Click here for more information or a permission slip. Let me know if you would like to chaperone.
• The Candle fundraiser has started and continues through November 26. This is our biggest fundraiser for our spring Mackinac trip.
• View grades, assignments and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: thanks to responsible and generous families, we have a juice backlog, so no juice volunteers needed for a few weeks!

Spelling: We reviewed homophones and digraphs (wh, th, ph, ch, sh).

Cursive: Cursive pages 44-46 are available and due Friday. This is the beginning of the upper case cursive letter review.

Reading: Today was a Literature Circles discussion day. Some groups worked on visualizing and determining main idea.

Writing: None today due to technology. The next piece of writing is due November 28. Students should be revising by now.

Math: We reviewed bar graphs and students completed a bar graph MiniQuiz. The trade-first method of subtraction was also introduced.

Science: We read the science text about conductors and insulators, open and closed circuits, and switches. Homework is to finish Investigation Review p. 86.

Social Studies: We finished learning about the branches of government. Homework is to finish the branches of government flip chart started in class, including listing the name of each branch, the job of each branch, and a picture to represent each branch.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• Capitol Field Trip on Tuesday, December 4. Click here for more information or a permission slip. Let me know if you would like to chaperone.
• The Candle fundraiser has started and continues through November 26. This is our biggest fundraiser for our spring Mackinac trip.
• View grades, assignments and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: thanks to responsible and generous families, we have a juice backlog, so no juice volunteers needed for a few weeks!

Our first field trip is coming soon; here are the details:

• When: Tuesday, December 4
• Time: Meet at McGrath at 7:15 am for 7:30 departure. Back to McGrath at or before 3:00 pm.
• Where: Michigan Capitol Building and Historical Museum in Lansing
• Cost: No cost for students or parents, except for souvenirs
• Lunch: Bring a sack lunch with disposable containers
• Chaperones: We are looking for chaperones for our field trip. We’ll even throw in a free bus ride! Would you or a family member like to chaperone? Just contact me here.

Download the permission slip for this trip here.

Spelling: None today due to the half day schedule.

Cursive: Cursive pages 38-40 were due today.

Reading: Today was a Literature Circles reading day. Some groups worked on synthesizing new information and visualizing.

Writing: Today was a revising and revising conference day. The next piece of writing is due November 28.

Math: We reviewed bar graphs and students submitted their bar graphs today. We will have a MiniQuiz over bar graphs next week.

Science: None today due to the half day schedule.

Social Studies: None today due to the half day schedule.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 2

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• The Candle fundraiser has started and continues through November 26. This is our biggest fundraiser for our spring Mackinac trip.
• View grades, assignments and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: thanks to responsible and generous families, we have a juice backlog, so no juice volunteers needed for a few weeks!