January 9-13

A big hello and welcome to our second week in January. This morning the students and I got to hear from Marianne Berkes, a visiting author to Shorecrest. She shared two of her stories, chatted about the writing process, and answered questions. Check out her profile at the following website: www.marianneberkes.com/

Current Events starts this week with Gabby and John presenting on Tuesday; Lucy and Connor sharing on Wednesday; Quentin and Skyler on Thursday; and, Lucile and Ethan on Friday. I am seeing the students confidence grow each time they present. Thanks you for helping them find new articles to present at this time.

Spring Conferences are around the corner (Thursday, Feb. 9th) and today I sent home the times you had originally signed up for both fall and spring conferences. If this time does not work, please email me and I will schedule to meet with you at another time. I can't wait to share your child's progress with you.

Some other Important Dates to Mark on Your Calendar:

* Monday, January 16th - Martin Luther King Day/School Closed
* Pep Rally: Friday, January 20th tentatively at 12:30 in the Athletic Center.
* Grandparents and Special Friends Day - Friday, January 27th (noon dismissal)
* Science Week - February 27-March 8
* Parent Reader - Jamie McElroy (January 13th); Mrs. George (January 20th) and Mrs. Crupi (January 27th)

Here is our week at a glance. Remember to remind your child to complete their reading log as they read, rather then leaving it to the last minute. Reading logs are due each Monday. Thanks for supporting your child.

www.spellingcity is a great website that your child can independently use to help review spelling words. Unless you want the upgraded version, there will be no cost for your child to use this website.

Language Arts
* Phonics - Short Vowel /e/ea; Syllable Pattern V/CV
* Spelling - pleasant, treasure, instead, breath, weather, breakfast, heavenly, feather, meadow, spread, during, you're, worn, seen, wrong
* Reading "Annie's Gifts" by Angela Shelf Medearis (Realistic Fiction); "Sarah Enters a Painting" by Susan Katz (Poetry)
* Fluency - Fluency represents a level of expertise beyond word recognition accuracy, and reading comprehension may be aided by fluency. Skilled readers read words accurately, rapidly and efficiently - National Reading Panel (2000)
* Focus - Intonation - Good readers try to read every sentences with feeling. Feeling can come from changing the tone (low, medium, or high pitch) or your voice when reading aloud.
* Comprehension - The setting is the time and place in which a story happens. A story happens over any length of time. It can happen in one or more places. As you read, look for details that tell the exact time and place of the story. Think about why the setting is important in a story. Ask yourself how the story would be different if its setting were changed
* Robust Vocabulary - trembled, rhythm, except, squirm
* Grammar - Adjectives for Senses
* Writing - Editing and proofreading. One Small Moment
* Handwriting - Continued from last week. Upper and Lower Case Letters

Mathematics -
Unit 4 - Addition and Subtraction
* Review Unit 4 and assessment given on Wednesday

Unit 5 - 3D and 2 D Shapes
* Exploring rules, sharing, and time
* Points and Line Segments

Social Studies
* Exploring Australia
* Aboriginal Art

Science - Changes
* Separating Mixtures of Color:
Students will brainstorm how colors change when mixed; Students use chromatography to separate black and green inks into their component colors