Newsletter

Happy New Year!  We are beginning a new unit with the theme of interactions in nature and culture this month.  In this unit, students will be focusing on how themes in literary texts can be interpreted from dialogue and descriptions.  We will look closely at how dialogue and description reveal character traits and story themes in writing.  

Throughout this unit, students will read several tall tales that align with the above objectives.  At the end of the unit, students will have a performance based assessment in class where they will be required to write their own tall tale.  Their tale must include an element of nature and display larger than life characters, a problem that is solved in a humorous way, and exaggeration.  As we read mentor texts throughout the unit, students will be encouraged to think about elements of their own tall tale for their PBA at the end of the unit.  

Upcoming Tests:

Wednesday, January 15: Why the Sea is Salty vocabulary Quiz; Try Quizlet vocabulary games at: https://quizlet.com/251088104/why-the-sea-is-salty-flash-cards/

Friday, January 17: List 11 Spelling Test; Try Spelling City to study (under student links tab on the right of my website).

Important Dates:

January 20: No school due to MLK Day

January 21-24: Terra Nova Testing

**If school closes due to an emergency weather day, e-learning packets are available under my "assignments" tab on the right of this website.**

Yearbook Orders for the 2019-2020 school year were passed out last week.  Please see the flyer for order information and deadlines. 

Six Flags Reading Logs are due on March 20.  This a great way to encourage your child to read at home, as well as earn a free pass to Six Flags!

Fine Arts (with my block 1/2 class) will be 10:35-11:05 a.m. daily.

Blue days= P.E.

Silver days= Art or Music

We begin each trimester with Art and end with Music.  

Click to see the fine arts schedule.  blue-silver_calendar_2019-2020.pdf

Both of my ELA blocks will have library class on Thursdays each week. 

Block 1&2 at 9:00-9:30 a.m. 

Block 3&4 at 12:40-1:10 p.m.

Parents: Please email our librarian, Ms. Vanderwall, @avanderwall.nlsd122.org  if you would like to volunteer to help at library.  We'd love to have you!