Here we are on another Thursday already! Here are some pieces of general information for your reading pleasure. Enjoy!
Riggs and Cursive Italics
We have finished reviewing the 26 single-letter phonograms, and today we began the multi-letter phonograms. Today we reviewed the "ers"- er the er of her, ir the ir of first, ur the ur of nurse, ear the ear of early, and wor the wor of works.
For a more detailed explanation of the cursive italics, please visit this blog post from last Spring.
The main difference this fall is the order we'll be learning the cursive in. Because we are combining the handwriting with our phonograms review, we will be learning the joinings while we practice the multi-letter phonograms. Joining also helps reinforce that the sequences stick together. After we get through all 71 phonograms, we will cover the capital letters before moving into our regular Riggs spelling words. You can anticipate this process taking another 3 weeks or so.
Math
This week we began using the text book for our nightly homework. In an effort to help students transition from the worksheets they are familiar with, we were using similar pages. This was really more of a headache than it was helpful, I think- and am glad that we are ready to move on to the 'Lesson Recording Forms'. We'll stay on these for awhile before we transition to the graphing paper.
Things to note:
<- at the top, it should list the lesson number AND the pages in the book for that lesson.<- each problem has its own box. We are working on putting just one number or letter in each little square. This helps with neatness/readability and helps line up numbers and place value.
<- the first step for every problem is to copy it exactly as it is in the book. If it's a word problem, they do not need to rewrite the problem, but they should write out the arithmetic and show all their work in how it was solved. We are not just solving problems, we are also working on building good math habits that will make life easier for years to come! As a former 8th grade math teacher, I can tell you that establishing good habits early is mega important. Did I emphasize that enough yet? Ok, good ;)
Also, for those families new to Saxon text books, under each problem number, you will see a smaller italicized number in parenthesis. This tells you which lesson that concept was covered in. So, if your student (or you) need a refresher on something, you know exactly where to go in the book to re-read and review. Pretty handy!
This week, rather than assigning all 30 problems, students were asked to set a 30 min. timer and go as far as they could. The vast majority of students were able to complete all 30 problems in the 30 minutes (or less). We will continue with this system, and I will keep track and adjust on my end if there are any significant changes as we progress. I do not want 8 and 9 year olds spending hours on homework each night. If you have any concerns with your child's homework completion or study habits, please let me know so that we can work together to find a solution to the problem.
Alice in Wonderland Character Study
Today your child should come home with a pink paper explaining this week's "Alice" project. Please keep these things in mind as you prepare to begin this task:
- There is a $0 budget for this project. ALL pieces need to be found/reused/recycled items from the home. If your child needs help with this, please let me know and I can help round up some misc. materials.
- The writing component should be short and sweet- no more than 4-5 sentences. Each student has a leveled copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which they can refer to for information on the characters. You can also look up info online, but please refrain from using the Disney movie as a reference. (hint- Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum are not in the book!)
- This project should not take more than an hour, including the writing. The model-building should be fun and creative. I can't wait to see what this group comes up with!!
- Both the model and the paragraph are due next Wednesday, so that we can have everything set up and ready for our VIPs to view during the Mad Tea Party!
Parents and VIPs are invited to the Party on Thursday (9/25) from 8:30-10:00. Please see that pink sheet for more details about the party!
Guided Reading begins next week!
Thank you to the parents who have volunteered! If you would like to help out, please check out the Sign-ups! tab at the top of this page.
Labor in Ancient Rome
Mr. Vierra and I have something tentatively planned for October 8th and 9th. If you enjoy helping with landscaping/construction type projects and are interested in overseeing some Roman slaves, let me know. ;)
Jog-a-thon 2014
The 8th Annual CHPCS Jog-a-thon will be held on Thursday, October 9th. This event is the PTA's primary fundraiser and we hope to have every family participate! On Jog-a-thon day, students have an opportunity to run, walk, or skip as many laps as they can complete in 30 minutes. 3rd-5th grades will run their laps from 10:00-10:30am, followed by a refreshing snack (Popsicles) furnished by PTA. Students need to have a water bottle that day, and jugs will be on hand for refilling.
Your child brought home the pledge sheet last week, in order to obtain pledges for the laps they will complete. Even one pledge makes a difference in the success of Jog-a-thon. Family members friends, and co-workers are great sources for pledges. Donors may choose to make a "per lap" or a flat donation. We ask that each child try to collect a minimum of $50 in pledges and donations.
The class that collects the most money will have a special class party and the top earner from each class will receive an invitation for a special lunch with Mrs. Denman!
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to help that day, please contact Cathy Stores at volunteer@chpcs.org
Harvest Festival is coming!
The Harvest Festival is a chance for CHPCS families and friends to get together and celebrate the turning of the season with music, games, and a baking contest. Hayrides, pumpkin decorating, tug o war, and needle in a haystack will keep the young and old entertained for hours. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m. and ends at dusk or 7:30 p.m., whichever is first!
Information about the baking contest will come out the first week of October! Stay tuned!
Carline Safety! with Mr. Currey
Please take a moment to review Mr. Currey's blog post on carline safety. Thank you!
Have a Wonderlandful weekend!
Mrs. Gausman
p.s. I am camping this weekend and will be off the grid from Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. Please check with another family if you have burning questions, or be patient and wait for me to reply when I return. Thank you!
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