Week 21

Learning Update
This week I am pleased to announce that both the 4th and 5th grade students are starting exciting new books in reading. The 4th graders will be reading my favorite childhood book, James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. The 5th grade students will be reading The Bridge to Teribithia. We are well into the 2nd trimester, which will end on March 2nd. Students have been taking their reading quizzes using the Accelerated Reader Program online during school hours. Please look at last week's posting to see the grading scale. The books for this program have a lower point total than Reading Counts (35% lower). The teachers at our school met and came up with fair grading scales in the 4th/5th and 6th grades. 4th Grade=50pts/A...5th Grade=75pts/A...6th Grade=90-100pts/A. If you have any questions about this new program, please let me know. The last day to take a Reading Quiz will be on Friday, March 2nd.

This week the 4th grade students will be learning about Biomes in Science and the Mexican Ranchos in California History. In the 5th grade we will be learning about Weather in Science and the first colonies in American History. I have never taught both Science and Social Studies simultaneously, so this will be interesting, especially with two grade levels!
This Friday I will be going with the 5th grade students to the Weather Station in Monterey. Please have your child bring $5 for lunch at a fast food restaurant. We will be eating at Dennis the Menace Park. The 4th graders will be split into three groups on Friday and will be in the other 4th grade classes. Next Monday the 4th grade students will be going to San Juan Bautista Mission while the 5th grade students will stay with me at Rio.

I will be sending e-mails and making calls to confirm drivers for these trips. PLEASE UPDATE YOUR CAR INSURANCE PAPERWORK!

Weekly Quote
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather." ~John Ruskin

Weekly Riddle
Weekly Joke

Homework

Monday
Reading-4th Grade...Ch 2 and 3 of James...+ Summary
5th Grade...Read Ch. 2 of Bridge...
Math - L84 + Enrichment Sheet
Spelling-Activity due Friday
Social Studies- 5th Grade...L3 Q&A
Other-5th Grade Finish Newsgroups + Bring $5 for field trip

Tuesday
Reading-4th Grade-James Ch. 5&6 20/4/1
5th Grade-Ch. 4 + 20/4/1
Math - L85 + Enrichment Sheet
Social Studies-4th Grade-Diseno, 5th Grade-L4 + Vocab/Q&A

Wednesday
Reading-4th Grade-James Ch. 7&8 20/4/1
5th Grade-Read ch. 5 of Bridge...
Math - L87 odds + Pre-Test
Spelling- Finish Activities...Due Friday
Science/Social Studies- Tests next Tuesday and Thursday