News from Mrs. Drudy's Class
We exist so children can excel.
The Week at a Glance
Reading/Spelling
Due to upcoming mClass testing interruptions and our study trip to Bath State Bank, we will not be introducing a new story next week. The following spelling list is related to our current study of the life cycle of plants.
- plant
- roots
- flower
- seed
- stem
- leaf
- leaves
- rake
- shovel
- gloves
- soil
- dirt
- pollen
- sprout
- garden
16. watering can
17. energy
18. blossom
19. sunlight
20. nutrients
With the shortened week, our schedule for spelling will be as follows:
Monday: Spelling bubble quiz
Tuesday: Pretest
Wednesday: Cloze Sentences
Thursday: TEST
eLearning Day
We will be holding our second eLearning Day on Good Friday, April 19th. Similar to our last eLearning Day in February, materials for this day will be sent via e-mail in this newsletter format. Students will be given 4 school days from the 19th to have lessons returned to school. In order for your child do be counted as in attendance, all eLearning day activities must be turned in by Thursday, April 25th. I will be available from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 via e-mail (tammy.drudy@uc.k12.in.us) should your child have questions about the assignments.
It's About Time!
We have been discussing that a timeline is another way to organize information. In class this week, students made a timeline of ten important events in their school year thus far, so they've had meaningful practice of the following social studies standard:
- "Develop a simple timeline of important events in the history of the school and/or school community."
For this at home project, students have been provided with a banner-style sheet of paper. On this paper (or any other type of paper or poster board you might choose), students are required to develop a simple timeline of important events in their lives. The following factors will be considered:
- Each timeline must have a creative title.
- At least five important events must be recorded.
- A picture (either photograph or illustration) must accompany each event.
- Dates must label each picture and must be written out in full with correct punctuation. (Ex.: August 18, 2011. Not 08/18/11 or Aug. 18, 2011.) If the exact day of the year is unknown, then simply list the month and year.
- Each event must have at least one sentence that explains the importance of the event. (Ex.: I moved to Liberty, Indiana.)
- The events must be in chronological order.
- All words must be spelled correctly. Parents are encouraged to assist. J
- The timeline must be neat and reflect the Lifelong Guideline “Personal Best.”
- The student’s name, if not already listed in the title, must be on the timeline.
Please encourage your child to let me know if (s)he needs
to borrow any supplies from school to complete this at-home project.
The rubric, or scoring system that I’ll be using for this important project, may be found below. Additionally, sample timelines from other academic content are pictured below.
The timelines will be due on Monday, April 29 for all students, regardless of the day of the week they typically share. Of course, finished products may be sent in as soon as they are completed. I am really looking forward to seeing the students’ finished products and hearing them present to their friends.
Math Facts Expectations
A handful of students have still not passed their addition facts, and we are running out of time for them to pass their 2 1/2-minute timing for subtraction. The goal of passing these facts is a second grade expectation and school-wide goal. Similarly, this expectation addresses the following mathematical standard.
- "Add and subtract fluently within 100."
"Why is this important?" you might ask. Through fluent learning of these facts, "students free up their working memory and can devote it to problem solving and learning new concepts and skills (Geary, 1994)." Quite simply, a lack of fluency in basic math facts significantly hinders a child’s subsequent progress with problem-solving, algebra and higher-order math concepts. Additionally, math anxiety starts when children fall behind and can’t keep up. To avoid these anxieties, students’ elementary years should focus on learning the foundation math skills needed for later years – math facts are among those important math skills.
Please devote nightly at-home practice toward this goal!!!!!
John Patrick Green
On Tuesday, the students Skyped with author John Patrick Green, who has worked on comics for DC Comics, Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and Scholastic Graphix. Kitten Construction Company: Meet the House Kittens is John's second graphic novel as writer and artist. As if that's not enough, he was a Disney Imagineer! Students were enthralled as he did draw along drawings with them. Be sure to check out the image below that he sent to us which was drawn according to our students' directions.
Next Week's Share Topic
We’ve been discussing responsibilities. What responsibilities do you have? These might be at home, school, church clubs, sports, etc.
Related Arts Schedule
Monday: Art
Tuesday: P.E.
Wednesday: P.E.* & Computer Lab
Thursday: P.E.
Friday: Music and Library
*Gym shoes required on these days
Coming Up:
Wednesday, April 17: Bath State Bank Study Trip
Friday, April 19: eLearning Day
Monday, April 22: Snow Make Up Day - SCHOOL IN SESSION
Monday, April 29: Timelines Due!!!!
John Patrick Green
21 Elephants
Cooperation!!!!!
It's a Match!
Building Arrays
Trio Reading
Mapping it Out
Patriot Singers
Entertaining Isabella
About Us
Email: tammy.drudy@uc.k12.in.us
Website: http://www.uc.k12.in.us/liberty-elementary/liberty-elementary/
Location: 501 Eaton St, Liberty, IN, United States
Phone: 765-458-5521