Yeah, writing testing is done.  There will be no spelling this week, just the spelling bee on Friday.  Homework is just UTIP comp-mixed 7 and reading.  Thank you for all your help and support during our testing.  I am proud of how hard they worked.

Next week, March 24-28, we are doing end of year testing in writing.  Your students have been working so hard, and I am so proud of them.  Please make sure to have them eat a good breakfast, if they bring cold lunch, have a good cold lunch, and that they get a good night sleep.  I told them they had to go to bed early!  There will be no spelling, or other homework, except reading.  Their homework is to play after school.  After testing is done for the day, we will be doing art.  Your child can bring markers if they would like.  I do have plenty if they don't want to though.  Thank you for all your help and support.  I know they will do great!

Once again, no UTIPS this week.  A writing prompt will be sent home on Monday so look for that and then you have until the next Monday to return it.  Thanks for all your help.  Remember, writing testing is March 24 and 25 so make sure your student is there.

Spelling for March 17-21: Dishes Stitches Places Classes Dresses Houses Flashes Badges Lunches Plants Inches Bushes Boxes Girls Glasses Pages Taxes Months Pieces wishes Words are on spellingcity.com Under List 16 if you want to practice there. Words will also be written in their planners.

UTIPS Homework: Writing instead.  It will be sent home on Monday, March 17 and should be returned Monday, March 21.

Keyboarding Help: The school has used a free internet program called Dance Mat typing. bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

Reading Days: Remember to record your reading days!!! Your child needs to read 20 minutes or more to count as a day.

Once again, no UTIPS this week.  I promise we will get back to it.  I just want to practice writing for a few more weeks.  A prompt will be sent home on Monday so look for that and then you have until the next Monday to return it.  Thanks for all your help.  Remember, writing testing is March 24 and 25 so make sure your student is there.

Spelling for March 10-14: Couldn’t Who’s They’ll Wouldn’t There’s would’ve That’ll Aren’t Here’s should’ve this’ll Weren’t Where’s Might’ve She’ll Doesn’t He’ll Hasn’t You’ll What’s Words are on spellingcity.com Under List 15 if you want to practice there. Words will also be written in their planners.

UTIPS Homework: Writing instead.  It will be sent home on Monday, March 10 and should be returned Monday, March 17.

Keyboarding Help: The school has used a free internet program called Dance Mat typing. bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

Reading Days: Remember to record your reading days!!! Your child needs to read 20 minutes or more to count as a day.

For homework for the next few weeks I thought I would do something different.  We will go back to UTIPS after the writing assessment on March 24 and 25, but in order to prepare for the assessment, I thought we should do some writing.  We will be doing it in class as well, but some support from home would be nice.  For this first week, I would like your students to think of something they know a lot about.  It could be a sport, a game, an animal, or something in science.  Anything your child is interested in and can write about would be great.  Then have them write about it.  Tell them they are “informing” the reader about the topic.  Have them do an introduction and a conclusion.  There is no requirement of length, but I would love for them to type them if a computer is available to them.  When they bring them back to class I will find a time for them to read them aloud to each other.  I won’t have these due until Monday, March 10, but you can bring them in earlier if it is done.  Thank you for your help and support with this.

Spelling for March 3-March 7: Badge Stage Charge Range Ridge Rage Cage Bulge Lodge Fudge Huge Change Judge Bridge Ledge Sponge Dodge Hedge Plunge Pledge Words are on spellingcity.com Under List 13 if you want to practice there. Words will also be written in their planners.

UTIPS Homework: See above note

Keyboarding Help: The school has used a free internet program called Dance Mat typing. bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

Reading Days: Remember to record your reading days!!! Your child needs to read 20 minutes or more to count as a day.

The week of February 3-7 is so busy with Chinese New Year that we will not have a spelling test.  I am still looking for one more volunteer on the 7^th from 8:45-11.  If you can come join us for the party we would love to have you.  Let me know so I can put your child in your group.

Also, we only have one more week in the computer lab before we go off track.  When we come back on track the school will be in the midst of testing.  We will need to “practice” our test before going off track.   I think it would be helpful for you to realize and understand how testing will be done this year.  If possible, I would love to invite you to come on Wednesday (9:30-10:00 for the Red Class, and 1:30-2:00 for the Yellow Class).  You can sit with your child and go through the practice test with them.  You will be able to see the “tools” that will be available for them to use and be able to help them understand how to use them.  Please consider coming for this little while.  There is a small problem.  We can’t have younger siblings come since we will be in the computer lab.  If you have a friend in the other class, I would love for you to offer to babysit for them for this ½ hour.  I would like as many parents as possible here to be with their children.   

I appreciate you taking the time to come to school.  I am hoping this will help your children have a successful testing experience.  Our first test is writing and it is currently scheduled for March 24 and 25.  The rest of our testing is currently scheduled for the week of June 2-6.  Please try to schedule vacations around this time so your child does not miss those days.

I am posting this early this week since I will be out of town on Friday and worry I won’t get it done.  This week we will be working on completing our third Performance Task for language arts.  Keep having your children read during the week and recording it on the Road to Success website.  Chinese New Year is coming up so make sure you complete your lion masks.

Spelling for January 27-31: Prince Tease Leave Glove Choose Dance Fence Shove Loose Glance Piece Cheese Peace Wise Solve Bounce Prove Sense Twelve Pounce Words are on spellingcity.com Under list 12 if you want to practice there. Words will also be written in their planners.

UTIPS Homework: Comp-Mixed 6

Keyboarding Help: The school has used a free internet program called Dance Mat typing. bbc.co.uk/schools/typing

Reading Days: Remember to record your reading days!!! Your child needs to read 20 minutes or more to count as a day.