Week of February 1, 2010

Happy February!
I look forward to meeting with parents on Parent/Teacher Conference Day this Thursday, February 4.
Please remember that there is NO SCHOOL on Friday, February 5- Teacher Development Day.

This past week was exciting as we celebrated Ben Armour's 8th birthday with delicious cupcakes created by Chef J.C. Happy Birthday Ben!

Monday was an exciting day as Elodie Poussard taught our Geography lesson on London, England. Elodie was born in England, which is an island in Europe, and she and her family lived there for several years. Lauren, Elodie's mom, and Elodie prepared a wonderful slideshow and amazing "British" snacks for Group 2 to enjoy. We learned some very interesting facts about life across the Atlantic:

• Windsor, home of the castle of the King and Queen of England, is owned by the Queen but enjoyed by all British.
• Elodie and her family played and enjoyed picnics along the banks of the famous Thames River.
• Football, which is actually "soccer", is a popular sport in England.
• The temperature is warmer there and daffodils start to bloom right after Christmas!
• Eodie's sister, Zoe, attended kindergarten in England which is called "reception" and uniforms are required.
• Elodies' mom and brother, Freddie, attended the wedding of Prince Charles and Camilla!
• Each time there a changing of the guard at the Queen's castle a parade is held and the "goat" is the mascot!
• There is a grand hot air balloon festival every March!
• After our presentation, we devoured biscuits (plain and chocolate covered), "tea time" sandwiches made of white bread, cheese and pickles and punch. Thank you Lauren for all the preparation!:)
• There are many interesting words substituitons: We use the phone, the British use the "tellie". We wear pants and they wear "trousers". A speed bump is called a "sleeping policeman". We have "yards and they have "gardens", cookies are biscuits and diapers are nappies!

We learned so much and would love to take a field trip to Windsor (if Jeff will approve!)

We had a great time sharing burgers at Fuddrucker's with each other! Thank you for your support!

Let's "Help Haiti":

• Each classroom has a "Haiti Collection Box" and we are collecting monetary donations for Haiti.
• We will continue to do this over the next several months since this will be an ongoing need.
• Any amount will be greatly appreciated by this country in desperate need.

Monday 2/1/10

• Reading: Please read your independent reading book and work in your book reports!
• WW Word List 15: bog, brief, elude, loyal, nimble, novice, prey, raze, reckless, shabby, singe, sole, topple, wander, wee and Dolch Words: kind, laugh, light, long, much. Please review and study each night!

Tuesday 2/2/10

• WW: Pre-test List 15
• WW: Exercises 15 A, C, D
• Reading: Work in book reports for conferences!
• Social Studies: Work on your "Career Day" project which is due February 9!

Wednesday 2/3/10

• LIBRARY DAY: Please bring in your books and fines- if they apply to you!
• WW: Test, List 15
• Reading: Reading Comprehension book- next section is due.

Thursday 2/4/10

• NO SCHOOL: Parent/Teacher Conference Day

Friday 2/5/10

• NO SCHOOL: Teacher Development Day

Week of January 25, 2010- Group 2

We had a short week but a great week!

Reading:
Group 2 visited the library. If you forgot to return your books from last week, please drop them by the library OR bring them in for our next visit on Wednesday, February 3.

The students are making very good progress in their independent reading book reports. Keep up the great work!

Science: We studied the many forms self-defense possessed by vertebrates and made riddle books!

Historic Figures: We read So You Want to Be President? and learned many interesting facts about presidents! Did you know that the White House has a swimming pool, bowling alley and movie theater? Also, the most common president's first name is James with six presidents named James followed by four Johns and four Williams!

Monday 1/25/10

• Fuddrucker's Night Out! We are hoping to meet and dine together as a group around 6:00! Please don't forget your coupon that was sent home and e-mailed which provides Clark School with a donation from Fuddruckers!
• Reading: Please read your independent reading book and work in your book reports.


• WW Word List 14: crop, den, endless, faint, flee, gape, hilarious, horde, prank, prefer, reap, remain, response and Dolch Words: hold, hot, hurt, if, keep. Please study!

Tuesday 1/26/10

• Reading: Work in book reports for a conference!

Wednesday 1/27/10

• Reading: Reading Comprehension book- next section

Thursday 1/28/10

• WW: List 14, Exercises A, C, D


• WW: Pre-test

Friday 1/29/10

• WW: Test- please know definitions and spelling!

Have a great week-

LouAnn

January 18, 2010- Group 2

Enjoy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
Please remember today is a good time to honor the efforts and dreams of Mr. King!

Congratulations to Gracie Leete who was awarded Student of the Month!
Great job Grace, you truly deserve it!

We had a very busy and exciting week!

Mr. Tim Hodgkins, Account Manager from New England Coffee, visited with Group 2 to discuss how the coffee production process takes place. We learned that coffee originates as a bean from a cherry tree that is hand- picked mainly in South America, Central America, Africa and even Hawaii. It takes 4,000 coffee beans to make a pound of coffee. The students learned about the roasting, cupping, manufacturing, grinding, packaging and distribution processes. Hopefully we will have an opportunity in the spring to view this process 1st hand on a tour at the New England Coffee manufacturing plant in Malden! The students were the lucky recipients of a gift package from Tim that included a tee shirt, a baseball cap, a bookmark and an information/activity booklet. It was an enlightening and fun afternoon.

Monday 1/18/10

• No School- ENJOY!

Tuesday 1/19/10

• Reading: 30 minutes over the weekend. Please work in your book reports and we will conference on your work!

Wednesday 1/20/10

• LIBRARY Visit!
• Reading Comprehension Books: Next section needs to be completed- take you time and be NEAT!

Thursday 1/21/10

• WW: Pre-test, List 13 & Dolch words
• WW: List 13 exercises A, C, D

Friday 1/22/10

• WW: Test

Regards-

LouAnn:)

Week of January 11, 2010- Group 2

This week flew by!

We visited the library, welcomed a guest speaker from the High School and enjoyed a "Read In"!

Week Highlights:
Geography: We successfully completed a quiz on the hemispheres, equator and Prime Meridian.
Reading: Students are progressing very nicely in their book reports. Group 2 had a very enjoyable "Read In" with Group 1.
Writing: We completed very thoughtful and well-written "thank- you" letters to Santa/relatives who gave us special Christmas gifts.
Science: Sawyer Updike (student from the Clark High School) gave a presentation to Group 2 on viruses, germs and illness prevention. Two weeks ago Sawyer met with the class and observed Group 2's classroom activities in relation to "the passing of germs". He prepared a presentation which discussed ways to prevent the spreading of germs: sneezing into the crook of our arms rather than our hands, using Kleenex, spraying down desks, door knobs and tables regularly. Hopefully the rest of the season will be a very healthy one!
We reviewed our knowledge on producers, consumers and the food chain, completed a quiz on the material and viewed movies on vertebrates and the food chain.

This week's agenda:

Monday 1/11/10

• Reading: 30 minutes and continue to work in your BookReports in progress.
• Geography: Complete handout on World Map and use as a study guide for a review test on maps, the continents and oceans!
• WW List 12: ability, canal, carve, certain, decay, design, doe, ferry, forbidden, ford, keen, purchase, repair, scatter, truce- please study spelling and definitons!
• Dolch Words: cut, done, draw, drink, eight.

Tuesday 1/12/10

• Reading: Keep making progress in Book Reports!
• Social Studies: Guest speaker, Tim Hodgkins, Account Representative from New England Coffee, will meet with Group 2 and discuss how are goods are made and brought to us. The students will learn how coffee originates as a crop and undergoes numerous processes to arrive in the coffee mug!

Wednesday 1/13/10

• CRAZY HAT DAY! Wear your favorite, silly cap, lid, chapeau, sombrero or fedora and keep it on all day!
• Reading: Reading Comprehension Book, next section.

Thursday 1/14/10

• WW: List 12 Pretest (and Dolch Words)
• WW: Exercises 12 A, C, D

Friday 1/15/10

• WW: Spelling/Definition Test.