Hi All,
I hope you enjoyed a joyous Thanksgiving, with lots of time for friends and family!

This week, the children's Homework Packet will not contain a spelling list, but poems to memorize instead.  Encourage your child to practice the poems, and also focus on clear speech, excellent posture, and appropriate eye contact.  The packet also contains multiplication, and we are still learning Rhymes 'n Times sayings and reviewing old rhymes daily. Your child should be reviewing multiplication facts at home a few minutes each day.

In Math, we move on to Geometry.  There are a lot of vocabulary words in this unit, so discussing various concepts and observations using the terms will be great reinforcement. For example, they will be studying parallel lines, and right angles on Monday.   In RTI, we will be reading about Native Americans (Social Studies text and anthology story Dancing Rainbows).  The strategy for the next 2 weeks is Summarize and the skill is Topic, Main Idea, and Details.  We will also be researching the Ohlone during our Social Studies block.

In addition, we have a field trip to the Aptos History Museum scheduled for this Thursday.  All parents who have volunteered to drive are welcome; this is an interesting opportunity to learn a little local history. However, several kids have not returned their permission slips, so if your child is one of them, please send it in on Monday!

I am also missing a few report card envelopes.  Please return your child's ASAP, as they are reused next term.

Finally, please no Santa hats during these first few weeks of December.  The kids get very excited as the holidays near, so the hats just add fuel to the fire.  In the past I've allowed them the last week before break, and as long as this remains okay with Mrs. Dorney, that will be my policy.

Take care,
Carroll Mayer