From Mrs. Collins' Desk....

Tomorrow is the Fall Picnic.  So, please feel free to come and enjoy lunch with us on the front lawn.  We will be eating at our regular lunch time, 10:50 to 11:20 am.


Next week, the students will not have a memory verse and graded papers will not be sent home. Tomorrow, next week's spelling words will be introduced and the spelling test will be Wednesday.  


Reading News:   Because of the half days next week and fall break, our schedule in reading will be different.  Our schedule will be as follows:


Friday (Sept. 30):  Read independently the story "Just a Dream", review   story vocabulary, introduce sequence of events

Monday (Oct. 3):   Reread and discuss "Just a Dream" and work on story comprehension, compound words

Tuesday (Oct. 4):  check story comprehension, story quiz

Wednesday (Oct. 5):  word wall assessment (There will be no new word wall stems given on this day and no word wall assessment on Oct. 12.)

I sent Scholastic book orders home this week.  The order should be turned in or ordered online by Thursday, October 13th.  The classroom activation code is GNGNM.

A math message from Mrs. Drake: Over the next few weeks, our math class will be learning to use variables in algebraic expressions and equations, as well as finding patterns in numbers and extending patterns. The students are just like sponges the way they are absorbing this new material. I see progress being made in how they are working through problems and reasoning out the situations. I am seeing the students, think, think, think.  This new curriculum is encouraging them to use their skills in ways that have not been challenged through other programs.  I realize this change has been hard, but I believe this curriculum will teach them strategies to reason through their “everyday” math encounters. We are building life long skills. Thank you so much for helping at home and encouraging your child with this new program. I am so proud of their efforts with Go Math!

Social Science News from Mrs. Baugh:  In science, tomorrow, we are wrapping up Chapter one Lesson 3 with a test.  The kids have been fascinated with the strange fungi that have been found and brought into class.  It makes the term decomposer come alive.

In social studies we are finishing Chapter 2 Lesson 3 with a study of the Eastern Woodland Indians.  This Friday, in class, we will be constructing various Indian dwellings.  The class has been divided into five groups, and each group will be designing their special Indian shelter.  They may be asking you if they can bring in Lincoln Logs, sticks, bark etc. for this project.  I'm excited to see how this turns out.


I look forward to seeing you all at Cougar Day on Saturday!

From Mrs. Collins' Desk....

Earlier this week, I sent home information about parent teacher conferences being held on October 4th and 5th.  I have also set aside additional days for your convenience.  For those of you who have returned them, tomorrow I will send home confirmation of the day and time of your child's conference.  I look forward to meeting with each of you.


Reminders:  Tomorrow is the last day to turn in City Saver sales.  Thank you for supporting this fundraiser!  Also, several of you have sent in Cougar Day prizes.  Again, thank you!  Next week is the deadline to participate in the Magi Box Project.  




Reading News:  Because of the many scholastic book orders placed, I was able to receive over 50 books worth more than $200 for FREE.  The students have been thrilled about these new books in our Reading Library, which include the Diary of the Wimpy Kid series, Judy Moody series, Little House on the Prairie series, the 39 Clues box set, and many more.  THANK YOU!  


We have been wrapping up Unit 1 in Reading this week.  Students took the unit test assessing their knowledge of these skills:  story elements (setting, plot, characters), making inferences using story clues, identifying the problem and solution, main idea, multiple meaning words, synonyms, antonyms, and parts of a book.  Next week, we will begin Unit 2 with the story, "Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World".

From the Desk of Mrs. Collins'

I wanted to remind you that we have a wonderful science field trip scheduled for next month, (October 14th) and you are invited to join us.  We will be traveling by cars to the grounds of the Goodlettsville Church of Christ Camp which happens to be at the end of the street that I live.  This camp has wooded acreage and a small pond and is a super spot to have an on-site science study.  So, mark your calendars because we will have many interesting and fun-filled projects planned for that day.  More details will be coming closer to the date.      

Science News from Mrs. Baugh:  What a great time we had making terrariums Wednesday!   The class enjoyed picking the different flower seeds that went into their creations. We discussed why this was an ecosystem, and also the various limiting factors that might affect the growth of their plants.  It was wonderful to watch as students brought in earthworms, snails, crickets, and painted rocks to personalized their ecosystems.  Ask your child to tell you why his (her) terrarium is an ecosystem.  

From the Mrs. Collins' Desk

This week has been a short week due to the Labor Day holiday.  The students are impressing me by reciting the memory verse on Thursdays!  I am very proud of them for preparing ahead of the Friday due date.  Thank you for working with them at home and helping them learn each week's verse(s).  


Mark your calendars because Cougar Day is Saturday, October 1st. Our class will have the Astro Jump/Ball Pond in the Kid's Korner.  Mrs. Tomlinson has graciously agreed to be our class chairman and organize our booth.  We will need donations of prizes and your time to help make this a successful day.  


Math News from Mrs. Drake:  Next Tuesday, the students will have another multiplication fact quiz. I have tried to ease them back in to testing over these facts, and most are doing very well. Please look at the quiz in this week's graded papers and see how your child is progressing. They need to be memorizing the facts at this point. You may want them to use flash cards, computer games and/or worksheets with facts on them. The students need to know their facts so well,  they just breeze through the list easily. Tuesday, I will begin timing the tests to encourage the memorization of the basic facts.


Social Science News from Mrs. Baugh:  The students enjoyed painting their salt maps of Tennessee.  This concluded our study of chapter 1 in social studies.  We will be testing over chapter 1 on Friday.  The students have a study sheet, and we have been also reviewing for this test in class.

Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend

Today with graded papers, notes about Ident-A-Kid and Cougar Market Place were sent home.  Tomorrow is the last day to send in money for the homecoming t-shirt and scholastic book orders.  


We will be out of school on Monday, Labor Day.  I hope you are able to enjoy the long weekend with family and friends!


Social Science News:  In social studies, this week, we have been studying about the great  state of Tennessee.  On Friday, we will have a quiz on the eight border states of TN, and the four major cities located in the three grand divisions of TN.  Also, on Friday we will be breaking into small groups, and the students will have an opportunity to put this learning into practice as they create both physical and political salt maps of TN.  Also, remember to bring in a two liter clear soda bottle for terrariums.