Important Dates
October 26-30 Red Ribbon Week (wear red on Friday, Oct. 30)
Nov. 1 Daylight Savings Time Change
Nov. 3 & 5 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov. 6 No School
End of 1st Quarter
Today marks the end of the 1st quarter - my, where has the time gone?
Starting 2nd quarter, your student will be allowed to bring their computer home to do homework. The computers should remain at school if they do not need the computer to complete an assignment. The chargers will still be kept in the classroom, so each student’s computer will need to return to school with some charge still left.
The Old Creamery Theatre’s 2016 Writing Contest
Each year students are encouraged to participate in the Old Creamery Theatre writing contest. Students are invited to write a creative, original story about a character or characters that learn a lesson involving one or more of the Six Pillars (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship). The selected winners will receive gift cards up to $100 and become the basis for Character Chronicles, a show that will be seen by tens of thousands of students all over Iowa (including Decorah Community Schools). Please visit the following website for requirements, story writing tips, and information about how to enter the contest. All entries must be postmarked or emailed no later than January 15, 2016.
NEWS FLASH!!
From Mr. Peterson: In science we have been exploring the different physical properties of solids (sand, salt, and sugar.) Next week we will look more at liquids and gases. In the process, I am introducing students to the idea of density, which we are calling “heavy for its size.” In reading, we are wrapping up our work on ideas and evidence using fiction narratives. In writing we explored what a sentence is using a game called “sentence smackdown.” We finished the week by writing a short “scene” that began with one of the 2-word sentences we created.
From Mrs. Nowack: In science class we have been learning about processes that change the surface of the earth. I would expect to give a test over this chapter the week of November 2. Please ask your child about the “pictures” assignment that is due Monday. In reading class, we continue to identify main idea and supporting details- both stated and unstated. Students are enjoying guided reading groups where they can practice their skills of identifying main idea and supporting details. You should see your child reading about 20-30 min/night. In language class, our writing/grammar lessons were about: punctuating dialogue, indenting, editing and revising our writing. Students are finishing up typing their memoirs. FYI~ next week’s VIP is Mary.
From Mrs. Suhr:
Social Studies - Today we tested on Chapter 3. I’m not quite done going through them, but tests are looking good so far! Next week, we’ll start Chapter 4: How and Why Europeans Came to the New World. We’ll do a mock underwater investigation to examine some artifacts from the days of exploration.
Language - Students are working on their Memoir drafts. We are also focusing on some lessons on sentences with compound subjects, run-on sentences, and good description in writing.
From Mrs. Halweg: Today during math, your student took their Unit 3 assessment. This assessment was split into two sections, section 1 of it was on paper and section 2 was taken on their computers. The computer portion of the test was on Schoology. Your student will be bringing home the paper portion, which includes their overall scores, on Monday. If you are interested in seeing the online portion, you can ask your student to log in to their Schoology account on their computer. Please let me know if you don’t have internet access and would like to see that portion, and I can print you a copy. Our next math unit will focus on division of multi-digit whole numbers and decimals.
From Mr. Kelley: Students finished up their narrative writing this week. Thank you for your help giving your child feedback on that project. In social studies we are beginning to study how and why Europeans settled the New World. We are reading children’s books both from the perspectives of a Taino boy about his encounter with Christopher Columbus and also a European boy aboard the ship with Columbus.
October 26-30 Red Ribbon Week (wear red on Friday, Oct. 30)
Nov. 1 Daylight Savings Time Change
Nov. 3 & 5 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Nov. 6 No School
End of 1st Quarter
Today marks the end of the 1st quarter - my, where has the time gone?
Starting 2nd quarter, your student will be allowed to bring their computer home to do homework. The computers should remain at school if they do not need the computer to complete an assignment. The chargers will still be kept in the classroom, so each student’s computer will need to return to school with some charge still left.
The Old Creamery Theatre’s 2016 Writing Contest
Each year students are encouraged to participate in the Old Creamery Theatre writing contest. Students are invited to write a creative, original story about a character or characters that learn a lesson involving one or more of the Six Pillars (Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship). The selected winners will receive gift cards up to $100 and become the basis for Character Chronicles, a show that will be seen by tens of thousands of students all over Iowa (including Decorah Community Schools). Please visit the following website for requirements, story writing tips, and information about how to enter the contest. All entries must be postmarked or emailed no later than January 15, 2016.
NEWS FLASH!!
From Mr. Peterson: In science we have been exploring the different physical properties of solids (sand, salt, and sugar.) Next week we will look more at liquids and gases. In the process, I am introducing students to the idea of density, which we are calling “heavy for its size.” In reading, we are wrapping up our work on ideas and evidence using fiction narratives. In writing we explored what a sentence is using a game called “sentence smackdown.” We finished the week by writing a short “scene” that began with one of the 2-word sentences we created.
From Mrs. Nowack: In science class we have been learning about processes that change the surface of the earth. I would expect to give a test over this chapter the week of November 2. Please ask your child about the “pictures” assignment that is due Monday. In reading class, we continue to identify main idea and supporting details- both stated and unstated. Students are enjoying guided reading groups where they can practice their skills of identifying main idea and supporting details. You should see your child reading about 20-30 min/night. In language class, our writing/grammar lessons were about: punctuating dialogue, indenting, editing and revising our writing. Students are finishing up typing their memoirs. FYI~ next week’s VIP is Mary.
From Mrs. Suhr:
Social Studies - Today we tested on Chapter 3. I’m not quite done going through them, but tests are looking good so far! Next week, we’ll start Chapter 4: How and Why Europeans Came to the New World. We’ll do a mock underwater investigation to examine some artifacts from the days of exploration.
Language - Students are working on their Memoir drafts. We are also focusing on some lessons on sentences with compound subjects, run-on sentences, and good description in writing.
From Mrs. Halweg: Today during math, your student took their Unit 3 assessment. This assessment was split into two sections, section 1 of it was on paper and section 2 was taken on their computers. The computer portion of the test was on Schoology. Your student will be bringing home the paper portion, which includes their overall scores, on Monday. If you are interested in seeing the online portion, you can ask your student to log in to their Schoology account on their computer. Please let me know if you don’t have internet access and would like to see that portion, and I can print you a copy. Our next math unit will focus on division of multi-digit whole numbers and decimals.
From Mr. Kelley: Students finished up their narrative writing this week. Thank you for your help giving your child feedback on that project. In social studies we are beginning to study how and why Europeans settled the New World. We are reading children’s books both from the perspectives of a Taino boy about his encounter with Christopher Columbus and also a European boy aboard the ship with Columbus.