Dr. Shaw's Weekly Newsletter
January 11th - 15th, 2016
Greetings Everyone!
We had a great first "week" back in the classroom! It was awesome seeing everyone return rested and healthy.
In today's Friday Folder, you will find your child's second quarter report card. Also in the report card is a copy of your child's 2014-2015 Georgia Milestone results report. Here is a link to the parent guide to help you understand that report.
http://onmycalendar.com/Files/HB/A5R5913334N_EOGParentGuideforESandMSEnglish.pdf
http://onmycalendar.com/Files/HC/A5R5913249I_EOGparentguideforESandMSSpanish.pdf
Also in today's Friday Folder, you will find a the permission slip for our field trip next month to Fernbank. I would appreciate it if you could fill that out and return it with the payment at your earliest convenience. Permission can be granted and payments can be made through My Payments Plus as well. Just drop me a quick email so I know you chose this route. I can't see those types of payments - only our bookkeeper can.
Projects for the Jackson Science Fair are due two short weeks away on the 21st. Your child needs to bring in his or her science journal for the project for me to check their progress. Students who do that by Tuesday, the 12th, are eligible to receive a free tri-fold board to set their project up on. You must come to the school on either Wednesday or Thursday after dismissal in order to get your free display board. Again, only students who have brought their log in are eligible.
On January 7th, I emailed out the audition information for the Spring Drama Club. Auditions are on the 13th and you do need to return the audition slip to the school by Tuesday. The audition script was included in the email. If you need another set of copies, you can find the information on the Jackson webpage under the student tab.
What's on the docket for academics next week?
Next week in math, we will wrap up the division of fractions by whole numbers and whole numbers by fractions using visual models to prove our thinking as well as the standard algorithms. A daily grade is tentatively planned for Friday.
I am requesting that any student with a tablet or phone download a QR reader app for their device. The app is free for both Apple and android devices. We are using QR codes to check our work in math - another great way to introduce technology!
In science, we will continue to study magnification. The students will complete their "brochure" posters about microscopy in class. We will have a graded lab using microscopes on Wednesday.
In social studies, the students will begin the week learning about the Progressive Movement at the turn of the century. Then we will examine the causes of the Great War, also known as World War I. The class will also study the changes in technology that came with this war followed by the end of the war. Look for a test on chapter six by the 22nd. We will have a daily grade next week on civic responsibilities. Students will use a passage provided and their textbooks to answer the questions.
In reading next week, the students will take a Cold Read Monday, January 11th. The class has been working on reading questions for understanding as well as eliminating answers that are obviously incorrect. Starting Tuesday, the students will have the opportunity to revisit finding and citing the author’s evidence. Mrs. B encourages the students to continue to strive to restate the question, fully answer all parts of the question, and give quality effort to punctuation and spelling when the word is provided.
The Author’s Evidence daily grade will be given the week of January 19th. Students will also resume working with the Front Row reading program as well as Classworks on a nightly (Mon-Thurs) basis. Additionally, Mrs. Blankenship and I will be fusing social studies content into the reader’s workshop rotation. We will use the social studies textbook and the USA Weekly Newspapers in lessons to reiterate reading skills such as location information and comparing texts.
In grammar, the students will continue their study of perfect tense verbs. Depending on their grasp, a daily grade may be given at the end of next week. Ask your child to “show off” their knowledge of how to form each of the tenses in their own “perfect way.”
Citing text in informational writing will be assessed the week of January 19th. Next week, the students will prepare for this assessment by analyzing a prompt in order to ensure that they comprehend what the prompt is asking as well as how to properly cite their text evidence. We will conclude with a prompt about on the stinkbug. One way to support your child at home is to ask them to provide facts when speaking about non-fiction topics.
In Greek/Latin Roots, Mrs. B has a daily grade for the leg/lig/lect roots scheduled for Wednesday, January 13th. The next roots will be sol/mon. All root words for the marking period are available on Quizlet.
Please make sure your child is dressed appropriately for recess in the cold weather and that his or her name is marked clearly on the tag in their coat.
Important Dates
January 18th - School Holiday - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 21st - PTA Bingo Night - more information to come...
January 22nd - 100th Day of School!
January 28th - Chick-Fil-A Night
Have a wonderful week!
Dr. Shaw