* Thank you to all of the parent who drove for our fieldtrip on Thursday! And a huge Thank You to Stacey for making it all happen!
* Report Cards were sent home Friday... please send back the envelope with your signature Monday!
* This Friday brings the first "Big Spin!", a super fun celebration for the upper grades honoring students for their achievements!
* This Friday is also a school-wide spirit day: "Backwards Day!"
* Reminder: School will be closed all of next week, November 23rd - 27th. Happy Thanksgiving!
* Mission Projects: As an extra-credit opportunity, students may build a model of the California mission that they are researching. Check the Downloads section for more details. 
* Biography Book Reports: Most students have picked a biography to read, but some still need to find a book and check it in with me. I want to emphasize that this is a Book Report, so students MUST find and read a biography (or autobiography) about a person, not just research on the internet. Students will complete a variety of projects AT HOME (due December 14th). Check the Downloads section for the details. 
* If you haven't already done so, please return the Trimester Goals and the new AR goal sheet. 
* Encourage students visit the Student Links section to study for their upcoming math and social studies tests! 


This week we will...
...continue working on our Mission Brochures.

...complete a District Writing Assessment on Wednesday.

...take a math test (ch. 9) on Wednesday.

...take a social studies test (ch. 3) on Thursday. 
 
 
* We are officially starting the 2nd trimester of the school year... this year is flying by! Students will be given their new AR goals this week. Keep an eye out for their goal sheet, and please sign and return them. 
* Report Cards will be sent home this Friday the 13th. Please sign and return the envelope.
* Wednesday is a holiday! 
* Thursday brings our fieldtrip to see the Kids on Broadway performance at the Louden Nelson center in Santa Cruz. We will leave at 8:00 so please make sure students arrive to school on time. We'll return by 12:30. Students need to bring a lunch. 
* Students will begin their next big project this week: Biography Book Report. We'll be going over the guidelines on Monday. Students will choose a biography to read, and will complete a variety of projects/activities to show what they've learned, culminating in a "Wax Museum" presentation. 
* In social studies we are learning about Spanish exploration and the mission system. In class on Monday, students will be assigned a mission to learn about and will create a brochure to show what they've learned. At home, they have the option to create a model of their mission for extra-credit. Check the Downloads section for the details.
* Reminder: Tiffany Mitchener is providing homework help Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings in the library (7:30-7:49).
* If you haven't already done so, please review the Trimester Goals sheet with your child and fill out the parent portion. 

This week we will...
...start our next Writer's Workshop project focusing on a turkey's Thanksgiving experience, told in first-person.

...continue learning about Spanish exploration in California and the mission system. 

...see a performance by the Shoreline Middle School piano group on Friday morning. 
 
 
* Thank you to all of the parents who helped make our Halloween festivities so much fun! I just love seeing all of the kids in their costumes, and they all really enjoyed the food, activities, and especially the magician! I'd love to see some of the pictures you all took. 
* Reminder: Monday mornings we will meet out on the playground for the Monday Morning Assembly at 7:49!
* The end of the 1st trimester is coming up this Friday, November 6th. All late work for this trimester is due by Thursday, November 5th (late work will be marked down). Report cards will be sent home the following Friday, November 13th. 
* Scholastic Book Orders are due this Wednesday, November 4th. You can send in orders the traditional way (make checks out to Scholastic) or place your orders online at www.scholastic.com/bookorders using the log-in: mrsdavisrm9 and the password: scholastic. This will be the last book order before winter break, so now is the time to start your holiday shopping!
* School Picture Re-takes will be this Tuesday the 3rd. If you need an order form, let me know. 
* If you haven't already done so, please return the permission slip for our upcoming fieldtrip to the Kids on Broadway performance on November 12th. I'll be contacting parents soon who requested to drive.
* Students have an optional extra-credit opportunity (toward their Social Studies grade).  In the Downloads section there is a short handout that goes with the CA Weekly newspaper that they brought home last week. Students can turn these in by Thursday to receive credit.

This week we will...
...start a "Word of the Week" to improve our vocabulary and practice using new words. 

...finish reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, a true story about a young girl affected by the atom bomb in Japan. 

...complete our unit on Biomes and begin our next Social Studies unit covering the explorers and Spanish rule in California.

...take a Language Arts District Assessment on Tuesday morning.

...start learning sign language!

...reflect on the 1st trimester and discuss goals for the upcoming trimester.
 
 
* The Animal Reports were so impressive - I can tell the kids learned a lot - and they all did such a great job presenting to the class! 
* This week we'll be starting Monday morning assemblies as a whole school. At 7:49 we'll meet out on the lower playground and participate in a flag salute and singing, and learn about different character traits, starting with "pride". 
* This Friday brings the annual school-wide Halloween parade, as well as our class party that Stacey Ely has organized. The parade will begin at 8:15 and our party will follow, ending at recess. After recess we'll be spending time with our reading buddies (if anyone can donate small pumpkins, please email me!) and then watching a movie in the afternoon. 
* The end of the 1st trimester is coming up next Friday, November 6th. All late work for this trimester is due by Thursday, November 5th (late work will be marked down). Report cards will be sent home the following Friday, November 13th. 

This week we will...

...continue learning about biomes and creating our biome books.

...begin reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. 

...have our last session of ceramics with Jenni. 
 
 
* Good News! The Book Fair has been extended for two more days, Monday and Tuesday of this week! Thank you for all of the books you've donated to the classroom!
* Animal Reports are due this Thursday and will not be accepted late. Presentations will be given Thursday and Friday. Check the Downloads section for the more detailed report guidelines. 
* This Friday is a school-wide spirit day: "Hat Day!"
* We are looking for donations of small pumpkins by the 30th for an activity with our Kindergarten buddies. Please email me if you are interested in helping out with donations. 
* Keep an eye out for a fieldtrip permission slip for a trip to a Kids on Broadway performance!
This week we will...
...learn more about ecosystems and biomes! We may be watching episodes of Planet Earth to support this unit.

...have a wonderful substitute, Mrs. Abelar, on Wednesday while I'm away at a training. 

...see a performance by the Shoreline Middle School band on Friday morning!
 
 
Check out the Downloads section and click on Karana's Letter. This is an optional extra-credit assignment for students to work on. It can be turned in between now and Monday. 

Please view the previous post for this week's information, and post before that for the conference schedule. 
 
 
* Thank you to all of the parents who drove and chaperoned for our Aquarium fieldtrip! The whole day went so smoothly, and the kids really had a great time!  Thank you to Jane Silberstein for giving us a great introduction to the Aquarium!
* This week is Parent/Teacher Conference Week! Please check the previous post for the schedule. Email me ASAP if you are unable to make your scheduled time. 
* The annual Scholastic Book Fair is happening this week in the library! We'll be visiting it as a class on Tuesday morning. Students are welcome to make purchases at that time. The Fair will be running Monday-Friday, 8:30-4:00. Stop in and check it out when you're on campus for your conference! If you're interested in volunteering your time, contact Renee Tallman at KTallman@comcast.net. 
* Animal Reports are due next week, Thursday, October 22nd. They will not be accepted late. Presentations will be given Thursday and Friday. Please help your child work on their report this week. If you have any questions about the assignment, please let me know. 

This week we will...
...begin our next Writer's Workshop project: "That's Amazing!"

...help our reading buddies make their Book Fair wishlists. 

...finish reading Island of the Blue Dolphins. There will be a quiz on Thursday covering chapters 21-29.
 
 
(Please check the previous post for this week's information)

Monday 10/12
12:40 Kyle H.
1:00 Ethan A.
1:20 Elliot L.
1:40 Caitlin H.
2:00 Shahrazad A.
2:20 Molly M.
2:40 Greggory G.

Tuesday 10/13
12:40 Cody W.
1:20 Mary M.
1:40 Tucker P.
2:00 Kieran H.
2:20 Edgar R.
2:40 Olivia E.

Thursday 10/15 
1:00 Aly E.
1:20 Eve R.
1:40 Olivia B.
2:20 Ian S.
2:40 Reef T.
3:00 Skylar S.
3:15 Arielle S.

Friday 10/16 
12:40 Amanda C.
1:00 Amy R.
1:20 Sara S.
2:00 Masen V.
2:20 Noah H.
2:40 Tommy C.

Monday 10/19
2:40 Christian R.
3:00 Hannah B.
 
 
* I cannot believe it is already October! This year is flying by! There are many important events coming up this month, so please remember to check back here often. 
* Reminder: Monterey Bay Aquarium Fieldtrip is this Wednesday, October 7th. Parent drivers need to be in the classroom at 8:45am, and please make sure your insurance information is on file with the school office. We will return to school by 2:00. Students (and parents) need to bring a lunch. 
* Animal Reports: Check the Downloads section of this site for details. The animal reports are due Thursday, October 22nd. At home, students can be working on their "Special Addition" and their cover/illustration.
* Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming up next week! Keep an eye out for a notice with your scheduled conference time. Remember: Every day next week will be a minimum day (12:05 release time). 

This week we will...
...have a math test Thursday covering chapters 5 and 6.
...continue working on the different types of nouns (proper, common, possessive, plural).
...work on our Endangered Animal Reports and continue learning about animal habitats and ecosystems.
 
 
* Monterey Bay Aquarium Fieldtrip (Wednesday, October 7th): The 8 parents who will be driving are: Stacey Ely, Laura Bennett, Cindy Evans, Roy Pollock, Jayne Lovell, R.J. Roberson, Gioni Pasquenelli, and Monika Corey. We can take more parents if they have memberships to the Aquarium, or if they are willing to pay the admission fee. There is not a fee for students. If you have a membership and would like to join us, please let me know.
* Students have begun research on their chosen endangered animal. Thankfully we have the computer lab to utilize for this project. Students are welcome to research at home as well. Go to the Downloads section of thsi site for the details. The animal reports are due Thursday, October 22nd. 
* This Wednesday we'll have our first SPECTRA art lesson with Jenni. We'll be learning about ceramics over the next several weeks.
* The Harvest Festival is this Friday, October 2nd, from 5-9pm. 
* Rio Restaurant Night: Wednesday, September 30th, 5-8pm at Cafe Rio.

This week we will...
...continue reading Island of the Blue Dolphins. 
...have a science test Friday covering Unit 2 (animals - predator/prey, food chains, etc.)
...have a math test Tuesday covering Chapter 5.
 
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