Oakview South Newsletter
December
Time for Giving!
12 Days of Giving
We are excited this holiday season to announce we are again ringing in the holidays with the 12 Days of Giving. For 12 days, students and staff will collect items to support the Beacon of Hope Family Care Center here in St. Johns. Families are invited to send in the requested item with their students. While each day has a specific theme, all items are welcome any day!! Items do not need to be high end, brand name products. Store brand and dollar store items will maximize our giving power. Here is a list for the last 7 days.
12/11 Canned Carrots
12/12 Spaghetti Sauce
12/13 Cans of Fruit
12/14 Sloppy Joe Sauce
12/15 Ketchup
12/18 Canned Chicken
12/19 Liquid Hand Soap
This is a voluntary project. Your family is free to participate as many days as you would like, or not participate at all. If you know of any families who could benefit from the help provided by the Beacon of Hope Family Care Center, you can contact them at 989-224-0328.
Important Dates
12/23 Winter Break Begins
1/7 Winter Break Ends
1/15 No School for Students
1/26 No School
Family Game Night
Our next family event will be on December 11, 2023 (upcoming Monday) and will be our 2nd annual family game night! Families will be able to join their students after school to play a variety of strategy and learning games together. We hope to see you there! You will need to sign up to attend, so please do so on this link.
Capturing Kids' Hearts Family Survey
If you have a moment, please fill out this survey to give us feedback on Capturing Kids' Hearts. It might help to talk to your child while you fill out the survey. Thank you!
Title One Resources
If you get a chance, check out the resources we have for families on our Title page.
Suggestion Box
If you have any feedback or suggestions for Oakview, click the box below. Thank you!
Holiday Parties
3rd Grade
Third-graders have been working hard this last month to end the first trimester on a strong note! In science we’ve been working on balanced and unbalanced forces, as well as learning about magnetic force. We’ve had the chance to do many hands-on investigations that have helped to deepen our understanding of the concepts.
In math we have been using different strategies to add two- and three-digit numbers. These strategies include adding one number in parts and adding by place. Also, we’ve been rounding numbers to estimate solutions in order to make sure our answers are reasonable. Soon we will be practicing subtraction.
Report cards have been shared with families, so be sure to check your child's Friday folder for the first report card!
It’s time for mid-year i-Ready assessments, as well as 1:1 reading assessments to gather data to continue to support your child's progress. We have all been working hard together at school and your support at home is very helpful. Please remember to keep reading over winter break!
Each teacher will be reaching out about Christmas parties soon, so be on the lookout for that information to come!
Happy Holidays!
4th Grade
In reading we are learning about different structural elements based on genres and our mid-year testing. Any extra reading at home is appreciated!
For writing, we are working on our editing skills as we publish drafts, while focusing on the structure of our work to match the genre. We are focusing on adding details to make our work the best it can be!
5th Grade
Science
Our next lesson focuses on how we brainstorm what animals need to survive and read about how nurse logs help animals meet those needs. We learn about animals that eat the nurse log as food. We then calculate and mathematically model how the matter from the nurse log moves to a bark beetle larva as it eats the wood. We explain how the larva uses the matter to grow and develop, and that the matter moves around but does not disappear from the nurse log system.
What we figure out:
Nurse logs provide animals with important things that they need to survive. When animals eat the nurse log, the matter moves from the nurse log to the animal. Matter does not disappear from the system. Animals use the matter from food to grow and develop.
Social Studies
In social studies, we are continuing our unit “Three Worlds Meet” by studying the three ancient empires of Africa that existed in West Africa between 700 AD - 1600 AD. Ghana, Mali and Songay were empires that rose to power mainly through the development of the gold and salt trade and fell due to the loss of that trade system. Students are enjoying learning about a place and culture from the other side of the globe. Next, we will begin a unit of study on Vikings.
ELA
Students have been meeting regularly with their literature groups to discuss assigned readings. These gatherings are not just about covering the material but also about fostering a deeper understanding of the texts. Students are encouraged to express their thoughts, ask questions, and engage in open dialogues to enhance their comprehension of the material.
P.E.
We just finished up our basketball unit, which included skill instruction of dribbling, passing, shooting, and teamwork drills. I have heard from several students that they now want to join basketball. How wonderful! Our next unit is gymnastics, which will encompass stretching; as well as traveling, flexibility, and jumping. At the end of the unit students will create their own routine to demonstrate all of the skills they have learned.