Greetings Families,
There are only two more full weeks of the quarter. It is hard to believe that the time has passed by so quickly. As we enter into these last few weeks, it is important that students remain vigilant with respect to their studying and work. It is easy for students to become undisciplined when the winter break is so close.
Below are some notes for you to be aware and the lessons for this week.
Late Homework
There are a number of students who still have a number of missing assignments. Students who are missing work must have it turned in by Friday, December 14, 2018. If students have missing assignments that require a worksheet, they should request these before school or during the morning recess. Parents may also request them via email.
Missing Homework - Recess
Failing to complete homework has become a major issue for many of my students. As a result, starting in the third quarter, two new procedures will take place to help correct this issue. First, students who fail to turn in all of their homework will be required to miss part or all of recess in order to complete the missing assignment. Students will only miss the morning recess for missing assignments. Second, students will be required to call you, their parents, to report that they had assignments that they did not turn in or complete. I'm afraid that some families are unaware of their child's lack of responsibility because they are not checking the weekly grade reports I'm sending home. This will ensure that parents are aware of their child's missing assignments.
Winter Party
Ms. Allgood is in the process of putting the winter party together. Keep a lookout for an email from her with respect to the time and needs.
Snack Time
I don't want to make a change during the first semester, but I will be changing the expectations of snacks going into the third quarter. I've talked to my colleagues in other grades about their snack expectations. My concern is that many of my students are having very unhealthy snacks (candy, cookies, and chips) that are loaded with sugar which increases the likelihood of poor behaviors and a lack of attentiveness. Starting in the third quarter, students will only be allowed to have fresh or dried fruit (no cans or cups), vegetables, cheese, meats, popcorn, or nuts. Though you are in charge of your child's diet, I suggest you consider a sugar free or limited sugar diet for your child. There are many positive benefits of limiting sugar in everyone's diet. Thank you for your understanding with respect to my change in snack time.
Lessons
Grammar/Writing: Students will continue their study of grammar this week. They will begin their week looking at run-on sentences. Run-on sentences are sentences where two independent clauses (clauses that could stand as sentences) are joined with a conjunction only, a comma only (comma splice), or simply run together without an endmark. Here are some examples.
Students will then spend time looking at complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that has both a dependent clause and an independent clause. A dependent clause is a clause that cannot stand as a sentence while an independent clause can. If a sentence starts with a dependent clause, it must have a comma after it before the independent clause. If the dependent clause comes second, no comma is necessary.
Literature: In literature, students will continue read through Robin Hood. Students should have a summary written for each chapter and have completed the setting document and STEAL sheet. If your child has fallen behind in completing this, they should be doing it for homework.
Math: Students have completed their study of fractions of a set and will be tested on Monday. This will complete the third unit, which has been a study of fractions. Following the test on Monday, students will spend the rest of the quarter reviewing what they have learned throughout the year and preparing for the Units1-3 Cumulative test.
Poetry: The current poem, "The Flag Goes By" by Henry Holcomb Bennett, was introduced and discussed last week. Students should work toward memorizing it this week. They will be expected to recite it next week during week nine.
Greek and Latin Roots: Students will take a Greek and Latin roots review check this week on Greek and Latin roots 44-47.
The students also have received the last three roots of the semester. During week nine, students will have their only Greek and Latin roots test, which will be over all fifty. There is a PowerPoint available under resources if needed and I've provided a Quizlet below.
Science: Having taken the meteorology test last week, students will now move into a short unit on the scientific method and another on the impact of humans on the environment over the next two weeks. I am happy with the effort the students gave on the meteorology test last week and in the preparation beforehand. Half the class (15 students) received an A or A-.
Spalding: The Spalding regiment should be normal given that this is a five-day week.
Thank you for all of your support. Please never hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns or questions.
Best,
Michael Naaktgeboren
There are only two more full weeks of the quarter. It is hard to believe that the time has passed by so quickly. As we enter into these last few weeks, it is important that students remain vigilant with respect to their studying and work. It is easy for students to become undisciplined when the winter break is so close.
Below are some notes for you to be aware and the lessons for this week.
Late Homework
There are a number of students who still have a number of missing assignments. Students who are missing work must have it turned in by Friday, December 14, 2018. If students have missing assignments that require a worksheet, they should request these before school or during the morning recess. Parents may also request them via email.
Missing Homework - Recess
Failing to complete homework has become a major issue for many of my students. As a result, starting in the third quarter, two new procedures will take place to help correct this issue. First, students who fail to turn in all of their homework will be required to miss part or all of recess in order to complete the missing assignment. Students will only miss the morning recess for missing assignments. Second, students will be required to call you, their parents, to report that they had assignments that they did not turn in or complete. I'm afraid that some families are unaware of their child's lack of responsibility because they are not checking the weekly grade reports I'm sending home. This will ensure that parents are aware of their child's missing assignments.
Winter Party
Ms. Allgood is in the process of putting the winter party together. Keep a lookout for an email from her with respect to the time and needs.
Snack Time
I don't want to make a change during the first semester, but I will be changing the expectations of snacks going into the third quarter. I've talked to my colleagues in other grades about their snack expectations. My concern is that many of my students are having very unhealthy snacks (candy, cookies, and chips) that are loaded with sugar which increases the likelihood of poor behaviors and a lack of attentiveness. Starting in the third quarter, students will only be allowed to have fresh or dried fruit (no cans or cups), vegetables, cheese, meats, popcorn, or nuts. Though you are in charge of your child's diet, I suggest you consider a sugar free or limited sugar diet for your child. There are many positive benefits of limiting sugar in everyone's diet. Thank you for your understanding with respect to my change in snack time.
Lessons
Grammar/Writing: Students will continue their study of grammar this week. They will begin their week looking at run-on sentences. Run-on sentences are sentences where two independent clauses (clauses that could stand as sentences) are joined with a conjunction only, a comma only (comma splice), or simply run together without an endmark. Here are some examples.
- Tom took the dogs outside and he got them some food. (needs a comma after outside)
- Tom took the dogs outside, he got them some food. (needs a conjunction after the comma)
- Tom took the dogs outside he got them some food. (needs a comma and conjunction, a semicolon, or to be made into two sentences)
Students will then spend time looking at complex sentences. A complex sentence is a sentence that has both a dependent clause and an independent clause. A dependent clause is a clause that cannot stand as a sentence while an independent clause can. If a sentence starts with a dependent clause, it must have a comma after it before the independent clause. If the dependent clause comes second, no comma is necessary.
- After Tom took the dogs outside, he got them some food.
- Tom got the dogs some food after he took them outside.
Students will then look at correlative conjunctions. Correlative conjunctions always come in pairs.
- either, or
- neither, nor
- both, and
- whether, or
- not only, but also
History: In history, students will start the week by studying the role American's played in Arizona. They will then study the Mexican War. They will end the week by studying Arizona's territorial days and how Arizona became the 48th state. Students will start working on the Arizona unit study guide this week. The test is scheduled for Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Here are four YouTube videos that the students will be watching this week if you would like to watch them yourselves.
Literature: In literature, students will continue read through Robin Hood. Students should have a summary written for each chapter and have completed the setting document and STEAL sheet. If your child has fallen behind in completing this, they should be doing it for homework.
Math: Students have completed their study of fractions of a set and will be tested on Monday. This will complete the third unit, which has been a study of fractions. Following the test on Monday, students will spend the rest of the quarter reviewing what they have learned throughout the year and preparing for the Units1-3 Cumulative test.
Poetry: The current poem, "The Flag Goes By" by Henry Holcomb Bennett, was introduced and discussed last week. Students should work toward memorizing it this week. They will be expected to recite it next week during week nine.
Greek and Latin Roots: Students will take a Greek and Latin roots review check this week on Greek and Latin roots 44-47.
Science: Having taken the meteorology test last week, students will now move into a short unit on the scientific method and another on the impact of humans on the environment over the next two weeks. I am happy with the effort the students gave on the meteorology test last week and in the preparation beforehand. Half the class (15 students) received an A or A-.
Spalding: The Spalding regiment should be normal given that this is a five-day week.
Thank you for all of your support. Please never hesitate to reach out to me with any concerns or questions.
Best,
Michael Naaktgeboren