Ross / Ellis Weekly Newsletter
October 16, 2015
"What you do today can improve all your tomorrows."
North Carolina Relief Maps
What Will We Be Learning This Week?
The Leader in Me
We have finished our structured block of The Leader in Me Instruction. From here on out we will be incorporating what we have learned over the last eight weeks into the instruction in all of our subjects.
Math
We will be finishing up with Unit 3 next week. The topics will include using mental math to add, using rounding and estimation to check addition/subtraction problems and regrouping across zeros. These are important conceptual math skills for students. Our test will be on Friday. Please look for a practice test to come home Thursday evening to use as a study guide. If a parent signs the practice test, it is worth 5 bonus points on the test!
Science
As an introduction to Magnets and Electricity, students will brainstorm what they already know about magnets, read a science selection titled “Magnus Gets Stuck”, and create a science cartoon telling the sequence of events in the story. Students will read and complete a crossword for the Science Studies Weekly entitled “Magnets and Electricity”.
Language Arts
We will continue reading Because of Winn-Dixie as a class. During this unit we will be incorporating many standards such as sequencing, cause and effect, and theme. We will also be completing several fun activities to help reinforce these standards for the students.
We have also completed our Chatterpix Biographies projects. The students did wonderfully! The videos are organized by class, just click on the link below. I hope that you enjoy them!
Social Studies
This week we will be learning about the Algonquian Tribes that lived in North Carolina's Coastal Plain Region.
We have been completing the last few NC Studies Weekly assignments together in class but they will now be homework given on a weekly basis. On Mondays I will pass out the newspaper and worksheet. We will read the front page and the main article in the middle pages and I will go over the important concepts with the students. The rest is up to the students to complete on their own by Friday. This includes reading the entire newspaper and completing the worksheet. This may either be completed at home or during free time in class such as our Intervention and Enrichment period.
Students must turn in the worksheet by Friday for a grade. They do not need to complete any of the activities on the back of the newspaper unless they want to do them for fun; they will not be graded. Students who do not complete the assignment will receive a 0% for the assignment, but will have the entire rest of the quarter to turn it in late. Once assignments are turned in late, they will be given whatever grade they earned minus 10 points for being late. Assignments that are not turned in at all will be left at 0%. I will help students with missing assignments to complete them before the end of the quarter by sending home reminders and additional copies if necessary.
From now on the worksheets will also look different from what we are used to seeing. I will be creating the worksheet for each week and they should be significantly easier with only about 5 questions. The questions will focus on the most important concepts and will be straight out of the text.
Odds & Ends
Blackburn Blast
The Blackburn Blast is next Friday, October 23rd! We are looking forward to seeing our students and families enjoy themselves at this special event. Thanks so much to those of you who have volunteered to make this a successful evening!
We still need one parent to help run our game at the Blast from 7:00-8:00! Please help us if you are available! Thanks!
Halloween
Students will be allowed to dress for Halloween on Friday, October 30th if they would like. Here are my requirements for costumes:
1. They must come to school dressed in their costume already. Hairspray, makeup, etc should all be taken care of before they enter the school building.
2. Costumes may not have parts that interfere with learning. This means no masks or costumes that restrict movement or vision, cause problems on the bus with sitting or visibility for the driver, prevent sitting at desks, or prevent participation in PE. They must not obstruct movement in the hallways. Students must wear shoes and show not wear a mask.
3. Costumes may not be violent or suggestive. They should not be insulting to a particular ethnicity, religion, or gender.
4. Costumes may not promote violence or have accessories or props that could be used as a weapon.
5. Faculty and staff can use their discretion in modifying costumes or having students change if they feel a particular costume is a distraction to learning or in violation of our Code of Conduct.
A Note From Mrs. Hudson
Dear Parents/Caregivers,
This year we are incorporating a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math)/Maker Space area in our Media Center! We will be using a number of household items in this program. Please look at home to see if you could spare any of the items listed below. We are in need of items that can be used to create, build, explore, and complete assigned STEM challenges!
*Legos/Building Blocks/wooden blocks/Tinker Toys
*Tape Measures
*Aluminum foil and aluminum foil containers
*Rubber Bands
*Cardboard tubes
*Popsicle Sticks
*Dental Floss
*Tape (all kinds and colors)
*Corks
*Tooth Picks
*Fabric samples
*Straws
*Craft Supplies: Feathers, Pom-Poms, Pipe Cleaners, Google Eyes…anything kids can use to create!
*Glass Marbles
*Plastic Cups
*Egg Cartons, Coffee Filters, Bottle Caps
* Paint Sticks
*Paper Clips
*Small Plastic Pails or Buckets
Thank you for your help. Please send any donations to our Media Center!
Cheri Hudson
Media Coordinator (828-466-7065)Upcoming Events
Oct. 23 – BLACKBURN BLAST
Oct. 26 – Teacher Workday - NO SCHOOL
Oct. 28 – Report Cards
Nov. 2 – Nov. 6 – Book Fair
Nov. 6 - Picture Make Ups
Nov. 10 – PDQ Night (5-9pm)
Nov. 11 – Veteran’s Day – NO SCHOOL
Nov. 26-27 Holiday – Happy Thanksgiving
Contact Info
Email: fletcher_ross@catawbaschools.net
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/ccsk12.net/mr-ross-class/
Location: 4377 West Hwy 10 Newton, NC 28658
Phone: (828) 466-7065