September 23, 2016

Dear Families,   
The All School Hike has been postponed until next Friday, weather permitting.  Students were given their hike assignment this week.  If you signed up to chaperone but cannot make the new date, please email Mike Sherwin, msherwin@u32.org.  Also, if you can now chaperone on September 30th, please email Mike to let him know.  We ask that on the hike, or any field trip, that you only take photos of your own child(ren).  Thanks so much.
Students have been taking the DRA2 Developmental Reading Assessment this week.  Congratulations to all the kids for doing their best on this lengthy test.  There was quite a bit of writing on their part!  Next week students will take the computerized math assessment called  STAR360.  All students in grades 5 and 6 will take the test during their math class on Tuesday.  
Students looked at their narrative pre-assessment writing piece to see how they could improve it.  The first order of business was to be sure everything was spelled correctly and that proper punctuation was used.  We are now looking at how to elaborate some parts of the story and how to use adjectives to make their writing more interesting and to keep the reader reading.  
In a few weeks, students will begin work on an independent book project.  We have talked in class about how everyone needs to have read a book by the first or second week in October.  Many students have already read more than one book.  Please ask your child what they are reading and if they have finished reading a book since the start of school.
In social studies, we looked at a map of Europe to see how many countries kids could locate.  Students will have a quiz on this soon.  I will have a list of countries students must locate and many blank maps.  When students feel they are ready, they can take the test, and they can take it as many times as they need to.  It is important that students understand where countries in Europe are located, especially once we begin our study of ancient civilizations.  
The cooler weather has arrived.  We are keeping track of the sunrise and the sunset on a weekly chart.  Over the past 2 weeks we have lost 42 minutes of daylight.  Yikes!  We were all surprised.  
Have a great weekend.  All the best, Ellen