Today was our first lesson for First Move. The lesson was so engaging and the Rock Stars LOVED the Chess Lady. We learned how to find cordinates on the chess board. We learned what the words rank, file, diagonal, vertical and horizontal mean. Additionally, we learned how these words apply in the game of chess.
Please check a little later and I will post pictures from today!
Reminders:
1. Spelling pre-test tomorrow.
2. Math unit 1 test (the pre-test came home today).
3. Recitation and "Where am I?" test tomorrow.
4. Progress Reports will come home Friday.
Rock on,
Mrs. Cowan
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
First Move Chess!
After our pre-test tomorrow, your students will be learning chess! We are very fortunate to have the First Move chess program here at Mitchell. This a wonderful program, to find out more information about First Move check out their website at: http://www.af4c.org/
Hopefully by next Thursday, your students will receive their log on i.d. cards so they can play chess online. That website is: Play Chess Online link. Your students password will be
What's wonderful about the online play feature is that it won't let your student make an illegal move. Also, First Move has multiple contests throughout the year which center around online play.
I hope you check out the website
Have a great evening!
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cowan
Updated 9/19/2012 1631
Monday, September 17, 2012
Spelling Words Sept. 17-21
Spelling
Groups 1 & 2
1. pet
2. nut
3. help
4. mud
5. bell
6. jump
7. test
8. hug
9. yes
10. sun
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
Group 3
1. cap
2. sale
3. lake
4. last
5. nail
6. wave
7. wait
8. laugh
9. maze
10. sail
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
Group 4
1. dish
2. hike
3. chip
4. ride
5. give
6. king
7. white
8. rich
9. whip
10. dime
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
Group 5
1. crude
2. suit
3. knew
4. bruise
5. fuel
6. threw
7. flute
8. juice
9. screw
10. chew
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
**Remember to practice correct capitalization with your child. We have been practicing in class, but sometimes they still get confused. Starting last week, if your child uses incorrect capitalization on their spelling words, the word will be wrong.
**Only proper nouns receive a capital letter.
Math--Easy as 1-2-3
Wednesday, we will have our place value test. Watch for the review that will come home on Monday. On Thursday and Friday, we will begin our money unit.
Social Studies--Constitution Week
We are learning some basic geography facts about ourselves. Your child will need to know his/her address, city, state, country and other state general knowledge. Additionally, your child has been working on reciting a portion of the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. The social studies test will be on Thursday. Please watch for the study sheet to come home on Monday.
Reading
We are learning about Fairy Tales. Last week, we learned that a traditional fairy tale has certain elements.
We will have a reading test on Friday. This will be a blind selection. Students will need to go back and prove their answers. Proving (a.k.a. underlining and referencing the question) will count as one point. Correctly answering the question will count as another point.
If you have any questions, please give me a call. For those of you that called this weekend, I will call you after school on Monday after 4:00 p.m. I was under the weather this weekend...I don't think it helped that my family volunteered for Race for the Cure at 6:00 in the morning on Saturday. If it hadn't been for my daughter's insistence, I would have stayed in bed!
Groups 1 & 2
1. pet
2. nut
3. help
4. mud
5. bell
6. jump
7. test
8. hug
9. yes
10. sun
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
Group 3
1. cap
2. sale
3. lake
4. last
5. nail
6. wave
7. wait
8. laugh
9. maze
10. sail
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
Group 4
1. dish
2. hike
3. chip
4. ride
5. give
6. king
7. white
8. rich
9. whip
10. dime
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
Group 5
1. crude
2. suit
3. knew
4. bruise
5. fuel
6. threw
7. flute
8. juice
9. screw
10. chew
11. life
12. always
13. those
14. both
15. paper
16. together
17. got
18. group
19. often
20. run
21. thousand
22. hundred
23. million
24. billion
25. Constitution
**Remember to practice correct capitalization with your child. We have been practicing in class, but sometimes they still get confused. Starting last week, if your child uses incorrect capitalization on their spelling words, the word will be wrong.
**Only proper nouns receive a capital letter.
Math--Easy as 1-2-3
Wednesday, we will have our place value test. Watch for the review that will come home on Monday. On Thursday and Friday, we will begin our money unit.
Social Studies--Constitution Week
We are learning some basic geography facts about ourselves. Your child will need to know his/her address, city, state, country and other state general knowledge. Additionally, your child has been working on reciting a portion of the first paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. The social studies test will be on Thursday. Please watch for the study sheet to come home on Monday.
Reading
We are learning about Fairy Tales. Last week, we learned that a traditional fairy tale has certain elements.
- magic
- royalty (sometimes involved)
- flat characters (good stay good and bad stay bad)
- Sometimes begin, "Once upon a time..." and end "And they lived happily ever after."
We will have a reading test on Friday. This will be a blind selection. Students will need to go back and prove their answers. Proving (a.k.a. underlining and referencing the question) will count as one point. Correctly answering the question will count as another point.
If you have any questions, please give me a call. For those of you that called this weekend, I will call you after school on Monday after 4:00 p.m. I was under the weather this weekend...I don't think it helped that my family volunteered for Race for the Cure at 6:00 in the morning on Saturday. If it hadn't been for my daughter's insistence, I would have stayed in bed!
*Progress reports will go home on Friday. Please check your child's STAR folder.*
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Children's Museum Visitor
Hello~we had Ms. Meadows from the Children's Museum come to visit Room 8 today!
She talked to us about reducing, reusing and recycling. We used some of her recycled materials and reused the waste. The waste became tiny little foreign dolls.
Reminder:
1. Homework packets are due tomorrow
2. Practice spelling test tomorrow
3. I need Home Language Surveys from 3 families, please return those by Friday.
4. The weekend is almost here :)
She talked to us about reducing, reusing and recycling. We used some of her recycled materials and reused the waste. The waste became tiny little foreign dolls.
 |
| This was what greeted me after a long day! What could be better than this? |
Reminder:
1. Homework packets are due tomorrow
2. Practice spelling test tomorrow
3. I need Home Language Surveys from 3 families, please return those by Friday.
4. The weekend is almost here :)
Monday, September 10, 2012
Questions on Spelling Words
I've had some questions on how to study for spelling words. I'd like to clarify the lists to make it a little easier to study.
Groups 1 & 2
1. bag
2. job
3. mad
4. stop
5. pan
6. fox
7. pat
8. lock
9. cat
10. lock
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open
19. example
20. beginning
Group 3
1. hat
2. name
3. jack
4. date
5. ask
6. race
7. slap
8. plane
9. fast
10. cape
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open
19. example
20. beginning
Group 4
1. fern
2. clear
3. bear
4. germ
5. dear
6. swear
7. jerk
8. deer
9. sneer
10. wear
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open
19. example
20. beginning
Group 5
1. crust
2. huge
3. blue
4. lump
5. tune
6. due
7. luck
8. cube
9. true
10. clue
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open19. example
20. beginning
I hope that clears up any questions you may have!
Sorry for the late post, but I left early to go have a birthday dinner! :-)
Groups 1 & 2
1. bag
2. job
3. mad
4. stop
5. pan
6. fox
7. pat
8. lock
9. cat
10. lock
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open
19. example
20. beginning
Group 3
1. hat
2. name
3. jack
4. date
5. ask
6. race
7. slap
8. plane
9. fast
10. cape
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open
19. example
20. beginning
Group 4
1. fern
2. clear
3. bear
4. germ
5. dear
6. swear
7. jerk
8. deer
9. sneer
10. wear
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open
19. example
20. beginning
Group 5
1. crust
2. huge
3. blue
4. lump
5. tune
6. due
7. luck
8. cube
9. true
10. clue
11. along
12. might
13. close
14. something
15. seemed
16. next
17. hard
18. open19. example
20. beginning
I hope that clears up any questions you may have!
Sorry for the late post, but I left early to go have a birthday dinner! :-)
Friday, September 7, 2012
The Mysterious 10 Words
Dear Parents,
Your child will be bringing home a collection of spelling words weekly that will be introduced on Monday. Each night of the week your child is expected to do a different activity to assure these words and the spelling principles they represent are mastered. These activities will be modeled and practiced in school, so your child can teach you how to do them.
Your child is split into a group to practice spelling principles they need based on their spelling assessment the first week of school. Your child will be reassessed again right before parent teacher conferences and at the end of the year. Research over more than 20 years has established how children learn to spell words and the order in which they learn to spell. This guides your student's instruction and allows them to learn to spell based on spelling rules.
The group words are listed below. Ten words for their spelling test will be taken from their pattern.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cowan
Group 1 & 2
Short-a and Short-o
cat not
bag job
mad stop
pan fox
pat lock
tack got
lamp top
Group 3
Short/Long a
Group 4
R-influenced e
Group 5
Short/Long-u
Your child will be bringing home a collection of spelling words weekly that will be introduced on Monday. Each night of the week your child is expected to do a different activity to assure these words and the spelling principles they represent are mastered. These activities will be modeled and practiced in school, so your child can teach you how to do them.
Your child is split into a group to practice spelling principles they need based on their spelling assessment the first week of school. Your child will be reassessed again right before parent teacher conferences and at the end of the year. Research over more than 20 years has established how children learn to spell words and the order in which they learn to spell. This guides your student's instruction and allows them to learn to spell based on spelling rules.
The group words are listed below. Ten words for their spelling test will be taken from their pattern.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Cowan
Group 1 & 2
Short-a and Short-o
cat not
bag job
mad stop
pan fox
pat lock
tack got
lamp top
Group 3
Short/Long a
hat | name | odd | jack |
date | was | ask | race |
plane | fast | cape | lap |
page | flag | same | pass |
safe | path | gave | glad |
gate |
Group 4
R-influenced e
her | near | cheer | bear |
odd | fern | clear | deer |
pear | heart | germ | dear |
sneer | wear | jerk | year |
queer | swear | herb | spear |
peer | herd | beard | perch |
Group 5
Short/Long-u
bun | June | blue | odd |
fuss | cute | glue | truth |
luck | rule | clue | lump |
tube | due | trust | tune |
true | plum | huge | crust |
cube |
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Homework Packet News
Hello Parents and Students!
I have fabulous news! Our school copier is working and the homework packets are made. There is a brief letter on the front of your child's homework explaining the process. Here's a little more detail for you.
Thursday 9-6-2012 Math Drops In the Bucket #1 and 2
Reading Makoto's Garden (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on reading log.
Spelling Study spelling words from list 3C
Friday 9-7-2012 Math Drops In the Bucket #3 and 4
Reading Hot Dog Wraps (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on reading log.
Spelling Study spelling words from list 3D. Write words 3
times each.
Monday 9-10-12 Math Drops in the Bucket #5 and 6
Reading Basketball Practice (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on reading log.
Spelling Make index cards with spelling words on one side
and an illustration on the other. Find someone to quiz you.
Tuesday 9-11-12 Math Drops in the Bucket #7 & 8
Reading Pond Day (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on your reading log.
Spelling Have your student write their words in shaving
cream on the kitchen table. It's fun to practice your words
and it makes the kitchen table really clean.
Wednesday 9-12 Math Drops in the Bucket #9 & 10
Reading The Rabbit Thief (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on your reading log.
Spelling Give your student a quiz. Tomorrow is the
practice test!
I hope this clears up any questions you may have. I love to hear back from parents, so please let me know if you encounter any problems!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Cowan
I have fabulous news! Our school copier is working and the homework packets are made. There is a brief letter on the front of your child's homework explaining the process. Here's a little more detail for you.
Thursday 9-6-2012 Math Drops In the Bucket #1 and 2
Reading Makoto's Garden (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on reading log.
Spelling Study spelling words from list 3C
Friday 9-7-2012 Math Drops In the Bucket #3 and 4
Reading Hot Dog Wraps (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on reading log.
Spelling Study spelling words from list 3D. Write words 3
times each.
Monday 9-10-12 Math Drops in the Bucket #5 and 6
Reading Basketball Practice (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on reading log.
Spelling Make index cards with spelling words on one side
and an illustration on the other. Find someone to quiz you.
Tuesday 9-11-12 Math Drops in the Bucket #7 & 8
Reading Pond Day (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on your reading log.
Spelling Have your student write their words in shaving
cream on the kitchen table. It's fun to practice your words
and it makes the kitchen table really clean.
Wednesday 9-12 Math Drops in the Bucket #9 & 10
Reading The Rabbit Thief (front and back)
**Self selected reading for 20 minutes. Record information
on your reading log.
Spelling Give your student a quiz. Tomorrow is the
practice test!
I hope this clears up any questions you may have. I love to hear back from parents, so please let me know if you encounter any problems!
Have a great week!
Mrs. Cowan
Homework 9-5-2012
Tonight's homework:
Your child needs to answer 2 questions.
1. How much television do you watch each evening?
2. What time do you go to bed?
Lastly, I want them to draw a map of their home.
Big news is that our copier is working! I'm off to the copy room to make the homework packets for the week. :)
Your child needs to answer 2 questions.
1. How much television do you watch each evening?
2. What time do you go to bed?
Lastly, I want them to draw a map of their home.
Big news is that our copier is working! I'm off to the copy room to make the homework packets for the week. :)
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Copier Down! (and other news)
Our school copier is down. I hope our copiers are working this week, so your child can have their homework packet in a timely manner. I appreciate your understanding regarding this matter. :)
Tonight's homework is a math word problem in conjunction with their Scholastic book flyer. If you are interested in placing an order, they are due by September 20th. The homework will be due tomorrow September 5th.
Our spelling words this week are from list 3C, in your child's folder. After this week, we will have 3 more classmate names as extra credit words. The students love to hear their name as a spelling word and love to hear sentences made up about them!
Spelling Words
light
thought
head
under
story
saw
left
don't
few
while
Kimberli
Natalie
Kevin
Alondra
Dominic
Angel
Eric
Adrian
Dontrell
Chiovari
Extra Credit
expanded
college
standard
digit
savings
Tonight's homework is a math word problem in conjunction with their Scholastic book flyer. If you are interested in placing an order, they are due by September 20th. The homework will be due tomorrow September 5th.
Our spelling words this week are from list 3C, in your child's folder. After this week, we will have 3 more classmate names as extra credit words. The students love to hear their name as a spelling word and love to hear sentences made up about them!
Spelling Words
light
thought
head
under
story
saw
left
don't
few
while
Kimberli
Natalie
Kevin
Alondra
Dominic
Angel
Eric
Adrian
Dontrell
Chiovari
Extra Credit
expanded
college
standard
digit
savings
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