Mrs. Loppnow's News & Notes
Week of December 4, 2017
College Sweatshirt Day: Representing the Minnesota GOPHERS!
A Note from Mrs. Loppnow:
Hello Parents!
Happy Friday! I hope this was a great week for you all! It sure was here at Red Rock. I am very impressed with the students' continued hard work and dedication to assignments. This is a crazy time of year with a lot of extra "stimulus" for our little ones. So far, they are doing an incredible job sticking to business here in the classroom! In fact, they are only a few "PAWS" away from earning their next classroom celebration based on compliments received during transition times in and out of the classroom. Way to go!
I hope you have time tomorrow to stop by Barnes and Noble in Woodbury to support Red Rock. Mrs. Larsen, our Media Specialist, does a great job organizing this every year. There will be musical entertainment by Red Rock 4th and 5th graders, gift wrapping by the PTO, read-aloud's by special teacher guests, and ROCKY may even surprise us with a visit! I hope to see you there!
Enjoy your weekend!
Mrs. Loppnow
651-425-5667
A Peek into this week and next!
Next week we will complete activities on measurement. Please be watching for an at-home measurement assignment...get your tape measures ready!
Writer's Workshop: The students have been working hard to make their "seed stories" grow. They practiced telling their stories over and over again to add more details and excitement. Next week, students will learn how to properly punctuate dialogue and will work on editing and revising their stories to get ready to PUBLISH!
Content: Doug (from Mystery Science) taught us about vibrations and echoes this week. We will continue to practice with this idea over the next week. Students will be asked to create their own MUSICAL INSTRUMENT using "found" objects at home. This can include anything from your recycling bin (or any other place) to create something that makes a VIBRATION. Think SIMPLE!!! Students will use these instruments for sound effects when reciting a holiday poem...don't worry...more information will be coming home next week! In the meantime, don't send that recycling to the curb!
Reader's Workshop: This week we practiced identifying character traits. Students learned that a character's traits help determine his/her motivation in how they respond to a situation. For example, our character, Izzy is warm-hearted. When she wakes up one more to find a possum in her room, she ooo's and aahh's over how cute it is and she makes a decision to protect the possum instead of telling her parents who may want to call the exterminator! We discussed how Izzy might have reacted if she was COLD-hearted instead. We agreed the outcome may have been much different!
This is hard stuff! I encourage you to have conversations with your child about their at-home reading books. Ask them to describe the characters and their traits. Have them show you evidence to support their ideas!
Favorite Sport? Why, football, OF COURSE! Wait...SOCCER?!?!?
Favorite Electronics
Favorite Breed of Dog
Favorite Month
MATH SPOTLIGHT STRATEGY
This week's SPOTLIGHT STRATEGY is...Creating Graphs!
REMINDERS & REQUESTS:
- CRAFT DAY DONATIONS: We are respectfully requesting $5.00, cash, to purchase supplies for CRAFT DAY on December 19th. You may send donations directly to Mrs. Loppnow. Thank you for your support!
- CRAFT DAY VOLUNTEERS: I do have enough volunteers for CRAFT DAY which will be from 8:15-9:15 on the 19th. The following parents have signed up: Sandra Dickie, Kathleen Downie, Amelia Turnblom, and Julie Falconbury. Thank you for your help!
- CRAFT PREP: Thank you to Kory Neises for stopping in today to help out! I am still in need of a few parents to help with CUTTING OUT a craft project. This involves fleece and you need a great pair of cutting sheers! Let me know if you have any time next week to help out for a bit! THANK YOU!
BATTLE OF THE BOOKS: It is exciting to see so many students participating in the Battle of the Books reading challenge! Some groups started meeting already this week! Please remember to meet our class back in the LUNCHROOM for dismissal to the classroom. Students should not be waiting in the classroom or pod areas. Thanks!
- BOOK LOGS: Rocky's Reading and Writing Club sheets are due on MONDAY! Please make sure you have recorded your minutes AND received a parent signature. Thank you! Writing notebooks should be returned each Monday for an opportunity to SHARE.
Upcoming Events:
- 12-6: College t-shirt/sweatshirt day
- 12-9: Red Rock Day at Barnes & Noble
- 12-19: Third Grade CRAFT DAY
- 12-21 to 1-2: NO SCHOOL: Winter Break