Hawker-Shipley Newsletter
October 16th, 2015
Important Dates and Information
- Senator Hansen will be visiting Forest Glen on Monday! We are so excited!
Parent-Teacher Conferences Fast Approaching!
Conferences are scheduled using the online system TEESO. The registration window is Monday, October 12 through midnight Wednesday, October 21. Parents schedule a 20 minute time slot with their classroom teacher. Art, Music and PE staff members are also available for a separate 20 minute time slot if desired. Click here for instructions on how to schedule!
Conferences are set for the dates and times listed below.
Thursday, October 22 4:00pm-7:30pm
Tuesday, October 27 4:00pm-7:30pm
Thursday, October 29 8:00am-11:30am
November 13, at 6:00 p.m. Parent Night Out- Save the Date
Parent Night Out, This event will be held at The Rock Garden. $20.00 per person supports the Library Renovation!
What's Up In The Classroom
We're continuing multiplication processes. Your child will be expected to solve problems using the area model on the test as well as use whatever "other" method he/she has determined as efficient! Please help your child study multiplication facts! This is crucial to his/her efficiency and success in this unit and is essential to keep up in our classes.
Social Studies-
This week we introduced the Bill to Law process at the state level of government. Your child has been given resources to help him/her learn the process in Schoology. The assessment for this concept is that the students will generate an "idea" in groups and have to take their idea through a simulation of our state legislature. (This is fun!).They have to know ALL of the different things that can happen throughout the process in order to be successful in their groups!
Reading-
We have started book club groups. Make sure your son/daughter checks their planner every night for the assignments! This week we discussed the plot and setting of the stories we are reading as well as the characters and the traits they have.
Writing-
This week in writing class we're taking the picture in our mind and writing as storytellers. We have practice using vivid verbs and adjectives. Ask your child to share what they are writing about and how they are using vivid verbs and adjectives to be better writers today than they were yesterday!
Spelling-
Every two weeks we have a spelling word sort. Word sort activities are available in Schoology and fun games are on spelling city.
Scootpad
SCOOTPAD
I thought you might like a bit of information regarding Scootpad. The kids LOVE doing Scootpad (o.k. not really, but I try to make it motivating by offering rewards for coins)! Scootpad is aligned to our common core curriculum. Students work through the program by doing one reading and one math each day. Some days, the concepts may be review while other days, they may be brand new. We are encouraging students to "get outside of their comfort zone" by trying to pick up concepts they've not been exposed to yet. There are Scootorials for help on every problem. So, if the students don't know what to do, they watch the Scootorial for help. If they still don't know what to do, they can look on the internet for help. I allow my students to use calculators on math problems that they have not been exposed to yet such as $4.12 x 819. If they can figure this out on their own, super, but I am realistic and know that this is too hard for many students.
The students have time in the morning to work on their Scootpad (8:30-8:45). They also have 20 minutes during math intervention to complete their tasks if they are not needed by their math teacher. Finally, they have roughly 20 minutes at the end of the day while I'm doing reading groups. So, if they are not needed for their reading group, they can get their Scootpad done. Math has 20 problems and reading has 10. There is really no reason for students to have any of this for h.w. unless they either choose to do it at home or they are not using their time efficiently. If your child is doing it at home, you are more than welcome to help them.
I do not count this as part of their grade however, I do look at the data to see if there are areas of weakness that I can work on throughout the year. I also assign a 2nd Scootpad if they haven't taken their time (I can see how long they spent) or if they've only gotten a couple of questions right. Those 2 factors are red flags for me that the students are not putting forth enough effort. I always tell them when I'm giving them a second assignment and we go through their data together so they know why.
Just thought you might like to know a little bit more about this program
Please contact us with any questions or concerns!
Twitter: @hawkershipley