Teacher's note January 19, 2015

I hope the students have a better understanding of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. since we have been reading his biography and watched the movie Ruby Bridges.  We will continue to read about him. 

It looks like a beautiful day for a field trip  tomorrow!  Parent drivers please come to our room by 8:30.  We will need to finalize copies of driver's license and proof of insurance before we embark on our day.  The goal is to be at the picnic area at Saguaro National Park a little before 9:30.  We will do four different activities, eat lunch, go for a hike and return to Soleng Tom.  I know I am excited! 

Once we return from this field trip, I will send home the permission form for our next field trip to Sweetwater.  This field trip is connected to the third grade water unit in science.  Mrs. Hall's, Mrs. Gregory's and Mrs. Figueroa's classes will go on the same day and share busses.  Each class is asked to have two extra adults chaperone the students.  Please indicate on the permission form if you are interested in attending the next field trip. 

I made the decision to not read a selection  from our reading anthology this week.  Instead we will read The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, study our spell-a-thon words and read from the science readers. 

I posted the spell-a-thon words for the kids to study.  Each grade has a contest to see which class can get the highest percentage correct in order to win a pizza party.  Therefore, each grade needs to be consistent in giving the test.  Third grade will practice the twenty words for two weeks, have a practice test on Friday, January 23 and  the real test of all twenty words on Thursday, January 29.  Fourth grade will test words 1-15 on Friday, January 23 and words 16-30 on Thursday, January 29.  I will encourage the students to do their best studying the words and locating sponsors.

Please save the date of January 27 for our annual Night at the Museum.  You will have a "museum ticket" in the Dragon Folder inviting you to spend that evening with us.  I hope you can attend. 

Let me briefly inform you what will be covered in our math curriculum this week.  Third grade will be working on two dimensional geometry and the attributes of triangles and quadrilaterals.  Plus we will learn more about right, acute and obtuse angles.  Fourth grade will  be placing fractions in order and in the right location on a  fraction number line.  Next they learn about decimals and how to compare them.  Both of the fourth grade topics are super important. 

Thanks for reading this lengthy note and I hope we all have a wonderful week full of learning opportunities. 

Take care,
Mrs. Figueroa