"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." ~Mother Teresa

Hello and happy holidays, everybody--

After tending to some medical needs with my mother on Friday, my husband and I continued on to coastal Maine where my three children and their families gathered for a two-day combination Thanksgiving and Christmas celebration.  It filled my heart with such joy to spend this time with them -- all together, safe and happy.  I am so very blessed  . . .   I would like to take this opportunity to let you know how grateful I am for all of you, too, and for the opportunity you have given me to work with your children.  On this holiday, may you hold them close and share with them all the magic of the season.

Students have been eager to have some kind of gift exchange as part of Thursday's holiday gathering, so, as a reminder:  On Friday, we will celebrate the season with snacks and a small gift exchange.  Girls should purchase a gift for a girl.  Boys should buy something another boy would like.  (Write "For a Girl" or "For a Boy" on the package.)  Please keep the price below $5.00.

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 17--21  

Reading, Mrs. M.'s homeroom:

Monday:  Scholastic News. Read and discuss pages 2-9.  Complete accompanying questions.

Tuesday:  Scholastic News. Readers' Theater (pages 10-13). Complete worksheet

Wednesday:  Craft Extravaganza!

Thursday:  Classroom Holiday Party.

Friday:  No class--Vacation begins !

Social Studies:

Monday (Mrs. M.'s class) and Tuesday (Mrs. D.'s room):  Lesson 3--Babylon and Assyria. Complete Venn Diagram and 5 comprehension questions.

Wednesday:  Craft Extravaganza!

Thursday: Classroom Holiday Party.

Language Arts:

Monday:  Continue work on Christmas carol  parodies.

Tuesday:  Finish parodies and make final corrections on Holiday Persuasive Writing pieces.

Wednesday:  Parody sing-alongs.

Thursday:  No assignment.

Friday:  No assignment.

Spelling, Grade 6:

No assignments this week.

I'll look forward to seeing you all in 2013.  Stay well--

Teri  

 

Wonderful candles image:  http://heathersanimations.com/xmas18/004.gif

Let It Snow image:  http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/8000000/Snowman-Animated-christmas-8020764-448-470.gif

Christmas, children, is not a date. It is a state of mind. - Mary Ellen Chase

Dear Families--

The countdown has started (actually, it started right after Thanksgiving. . .), and with the holidays right around the corner, focus on anything academic is becoming increasingly difficult.  The kids are having trouble with it, too.  

This week there's a lot going on, and academic expectations reflect our busy schedule.  Although we will provide additional quiet study time to complete independent assignments, some additional time at home may be required.  It might be good to help your student prioritize study time at home.  Remember end-of-month expectations. 

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF

DECEMBER 10--14 

SPELLING, GRADE 6

(Remember--5 Task Cards due on Friday)

Monday:  worksheet pages 83--86. Due Tuesday.



Tuesday:  worksheet pages 87--90. Due Wednesday.

Wednesday:  worksheet pages 91--95. Due Thursday.

Thursday:  worksheet pages 96--98. Due Friday.

Friday:  Test -- 5 task cards also due.   

LANGUAGE ARTS, GRADES 5 & 6

Monday: Finish Persuasive Writing piece

Tuesday:  Share Persuasive Writing

Wednesday:  Holiday Carol rewrite *

Thursday: Continue Holiday Carol rewrite

Friday: Finish Holiday Carol rewrite

* Imitating rhythm and rhyme patterns of familiar carols to produce original poetry. You can find a  helpful website for lyrics to popular songs and carols here or here.

SOCIAL STUDIES. GRADES 5 & 6
("Mystery of the Maya" Reading Comprehension/ Constructed Response handouts due Friday.)

Monday (Mrs. M.) and Tuesday (Mrs. D.): Paint Sumerian Carts

Wednesday (Mrs. M.) and Thursday (Mrs. D.): Finish painting Sumerian Carts to put on display

Friday:  "Mystery of the Maya" due today.

READING. MRS. M'S TWO GROUPS:

Thursday: Your final grade will be a book review that you can do online and print off.  Go here and scroll down to the bottom of the page.  Click on the link to download a document that you can use to make writing your book review a lot simpler. (Read between the boxes--you'll find information that is part of the review!)  REMEMBER:  ELABORATE, ELABORATE, ELABORATE!

ALSO -- DUE DECEMBER 20th:

• Independent Book Projects (with accompanying Story Maps) 

• Writers' Notebooks -- at least 4 entries required.

I hope to see you all on Wednesday evening at 6:30 for Addison's annual Holiday Concert! 

Be well--

Teri

Kaelen and Tianna have a birthday on Saturday, December 15th.  

Have a wonderful day, guys!

Christmas lights image:  https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0CrX2XWJuJLrw7JGNpRbQboaqWRXDHSVd5v_Txe_KKILU6T84CiZNE98yj7iy4LYmuyJodK9rNvJSWKsnoQ5a6cQnLv90vcdyBx4ADhjiXUqrV8D35gvRzCtjulVgVxnWrFllBGsXF4/s1600/christmas_lights.png

Happy Birthday image:  http://generationnation.org/images/uploads/happy_birthday1.png 

Christmas heart image:  http://0.tqn.com/d/graphicssoft/1/0/m/A/5/psptubezdotcom_009.png

Gratitude is the best attitude. ~Author Unknown

 

Hello everyone--

It's hard to imagine that we only have two more weeks until the holiday break!  Remember, the Concert is next Wednesday, December 12th, at 6:30, and students get out of school at 11:30 on the 21st. 

ASSIGNMENTS FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 3 -- 7  

5/6 ASSIGNMENTS DUE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 20:

Book projects (including story maps) 

Writers Notebooks (only 4 choices required for this short month)

LANGUAGE ARTS, GRADES 5 & 6

Monday: Progress Test 1

Tuesday: "Personified Vocabulary" activity for Writers' Notebooks.  (Like the notebooks, this is an independent activity, to be done during free time or at home.) Plan it out on a piece of scrap paper before drawing it into your notebook! Center square activities are more polished.  DUE FRIDAY.

Wednesday:  Introduction to Persuasive Writing assignment through Mentor Texts.  Assignment:  Be thinking of a topic to write about!  We'll begin tomorrow.

Thursday:  Discussion about possible holiday topics. Use class time to begin writing first draft of persuasive piece, in either letter or essay format. First draft due tomorrow.

Friday:  Share first drafts.  Begin revision/editing. 

SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5 & 6 

Monday (Mrs. M.) & Tuesday (Mrs. D):  Turn in Lesson 2 assignment from last week.  Cuneiform activity for today (no homework)

Wednesday (Mrs. M.) & Thursday (Mrs. D.):  Discussion of inventions and innovations that helped develop the economy and the culture of Ancient Mesopotamia. Create Sumerian Cart (to be put on display with the cuneiform tablets)

SPELLING, GRADE 6

Tuesday:  Spelling test.  No further assignments for this week.

~

Please continue to check your child's planner each night.  It should be up to date and signed by a teacher.  It would be good if you initialed it, also.  Should your child say they have no homework, have them show you that it's done. Also, every child should read at least 30 minutes each night.  Ask them about what they're reading.

Thanks, everybody, for all you do--

Teri