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Spelling: Today we practiced adding the ful suffix to words. We noticed that a silent e is not dropped for this suffix, and also that the suffix has only one l. We also practiced removing suffixes from words. We will have a spelling test tomorrow and the skill test will be about suffixes.

With our school spelling bee coming up on Friday, here are a few online spelling bees and games:

• BigIQBee Online Spelling Bee (this one is for kids)
• Scripps National Spelling word practice (look at the bottom right to pick the words)
• VisualThesaurus Online Spelling Bee (it’s hard)
• Dateline Scripps Howard National Bee Interactive Spelling Bee (these are real spelling bee words, and they are hard)

Cursive: Cursive pp. 62 and 64 are available and Friday.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles.

Writing: Mrs. Houser presented a lesson on writing details about character action. Today was scheduled to be a publishing day for the students’ next piece of fiction, due tomorrow, January 23.

Math: We reviewed logic problems and practiced for tomorrow’s test, which is about these concepts:

• Multiplication and division facts;
• Number stories;
• Number sentences (true/false, with parentheses, solve for the missing number); and,
• Logic problems.

Here is a practice test to use as a study guide.
Science: None due to a double session of Social Studies; we’ll have an extended time with Science tomorrow.

Social Studies: We talked about Michigan’s two very different regions, the Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Students also began a project in which they will work as a team to write a “tour guide script” about a given topic of Michigan’s regions. They will also draw some window scenes that match their topic. Later, we will have a “field trip” in which students guide us through Michigan and point out significant sights.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 5
• Hours with no yellow magnets (record: 31): 1
• Days with no orange magnets (record: 39): 12

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

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: Alyssa and Riley

Spelling: Today we reviewed the idea that some words have silent letters. We also noticed that a silent e changes the vowel sound: pin/pine, cut/cute, hop/hope.

With our school spelling bee coming up on Friday, here are a few online spelling bees and games:

• BigIQBee Online Spelling Bee (this one is for kids)
• Scripps National Spelling word practice (look at the bottom right to pick the words)
• VisualThesaurus Online Spelling Bee (it’s hard)
• Dateline Scripps Howard National Bee Interactive Spelling Bee (these are real spelling bee words, and they are hard)

Cursive: Cursive pp. 62 and 64 are available and Friday.

Reading: None today due to Career Fair.

Writing: None today due to Career Fair.

Today was scheduled to be an editing day for the students’ next piece of fiction, due January 23.

Math: None today due to Career Fair.

We’ll have a math test Friday over these concepts:

• Multiplication and division facts;
• Number stories;
• Number sentences (true/false, with parentheses, solve for the missing number); and,
• Logic problems.

Science: None due to library.

Social Studies: Students completed a social studies test today.

Career Fair: Today was our annual Career Fair. We heard about the following careers:

• Detroit Pistons coach
• Attorney
• Yacht Steward
• Nurse
• Pastor/Author

Students also explored careers using the Career Cruising website. Students can access this site at home and see what careers are match up with their interests, or explore careers they are curious about. I emailed students log in information.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 1
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 3
• Hours with no yellow magnets (record: 31): 3
• Days with no orange magnets (record: 39): 11

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

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: Alyssa and Riley

Spelling: Today was our class spelling bee. It went 16 rounds, with our final winners being Alexis and Abigail. I told students that this year I would factor in their spelling grades to create a final ranking. With the spelling bee and spelling grades counted together, here are our top five spelling students:

1. Abigail
2. Alexis
3. Jennifer and Joshua
5. Chloe

Great work, everyone! Abigail and Alexis will represent our class in the McGrath spelling bee this Friday.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 62 and 64 are available and Friday. Today was also a cursive quiz.

Reading: Today was the final reading day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on determining importance as a reading strategy.

Writing: We read Girl Wonder today, a story organized into nine innings. We talked about looking for ways to organize writing, such as into creative chapters or breaks, so the reader can better understand what is happening.

Today was scheduled to be an editing day for the students’ next piece of fiction, due January 23.

Math: We solved logic problems today. Homework is to finish Journal pp. 73, 74, 75 and 77. We’ll have a math test Friday over these concepts:

• Multiplication and division facts;
• Number stories;
• Number sentences (true/false, with parentheses, solve for the missing number); and,
• Logic problems.

Science: None due to watching the Inaugural ceremonies.

Social Studies: None due to watching the Inaugural ceremonies. We will have a geography test tomorrow over these concepts:

• Michigan’s geography
• Climate and weather
• Michigan’s natural resources

We will also grade the previous homework: Review worksheet pp. 1 and 3.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2
• Hours with no yellow magnets (record: 31): 0
• Days with no orange magnets (record: 39): 11

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

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: Alyssa and Riley

Spelling: We shuffled letter cards around to create new words.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 60, 61, and 63 are available and Friday.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on questioning as a reading strategy.

Writing: None today due to technology. In technology, we began writing a Choose Your Own Adventure story. Here’s the one we started, and students are continuing to work on it.

Today was scheduled to be a revising day for the students’ next piece of fiction,  due January 23.

Math: None today due to art.

Science: We reviewed induced magnetism and read about how ancient Egyptians and Romans used magnets to make “dancing” sculptures and statues that “floated.” We made models using magnets to show how sculptures could dance by repelling magnets, and statues could float by attracting magnets.

Social Studies: We played a game to review for a geography test tomorrow over these concepts:

• Michigan’s geography
• Climate and weather
• Michigan’s natural resources

Homework is to complete Review worksheet pp. 1 and 3.
Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 7
• Hours with no yellow magnets (record: 31): 0
• Days with no orange magnets (record: 39): 10

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

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: Mackenzie and Emma

Spelling: We reviewed the two famous spelling patterns for the /ou/ sound: ou, ow.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 60, 61, and 63 are available and Friday.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on inferring as a reading strategy.

Writing: Mrs. Houser presented a lesson today on understanding the purpose of writing, and developing the setting using details.

Today was a revising day for the students’ next piece of fiction,  due January 23.

Math: We reviewed open sentences. Homework is to complete StudyLink 3.10, which is a review of number sentences and open sentences.

Science: We reviewed our experiment from yesterday about induced magnetism, temporary magnets, and how a magnet’s for can go through thin materials.

Social Studies: None due to library.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 1
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 4
• Hours with no yellow magnets (record: 31): 2
• Days with no orange magnets (record: 39): 9

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

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• This week’s juice volunteers: Mackenzie and Emma