It's February!

I have a lot of updates for you in this post. Please read all the way to the end! As always, if you have any questions send them my way. :)

Mileage Club

Feelin' Good Mileage Club is here! Don't forget to sign up your child for Mileage Club. The deadline to register is March 6, 2017. The opportunity to run/walk will be offered during recess and gym class from early April through May. Information is coming home today in your child's STAR Binder. You can also check out the info on their website and register your child online. Click here.

Book Fair

Book fair will be starting up on February 27th-March 10th. Family nights are Mon Feb 27th and March 7th from 5:30-8:00 in the FPE library.

Rising Writers Club

Your child has an opportunity to join the Rising Writers Club! We talked about some of the details today. If your child is interested in joining there is a lot in store. Take a look at the registration form (click here) and watch the video at the bottom of the electronic form as well as below. Paper registration forms were also sent home today! If you are unable to use the electronic version, please fill it out and return it early next week.

Donations/Food Drive

We will be collecting food donations next week for the Good Shepherd program. Below is the donation schedule. There was also a form sent home today in your child's STAR Binder.
Monday- Mac/Cheese   Tuesday-Canned Pasta   Wednesday-Canned Fruit/Veggie   Thursday-Snacks (applesauce, granola bars, etc.)   Friday-Peanut Butter and Jelly (Please send in plastic jars only)

Math

Students created a 1,000 chart this week and used it solve addition problems with two-three digit numbers. We have talked about several strategies for solving addition/subtraction problems using different tools and mental math. You should have received three games in the past three weeks. They are: Capture 5, Close to 100, and Go Collecting (Go Collecting was sent today). Continue to use websites like Greg Tang Math, Math Salamander, and TenMarks!

Reading

This week we spent time talking about point of view and perspective. The class learned that there are different things to look for when determining who is telling the story and that each narrator (inside or outside of the story) has their own perspective of a situation. We will begin talking about our own perspective in relationship to characters' perspectives next week. The purpose of lessons like this is to encourage students to think more deeply about text. Why did the author use that word? Why did that character say or do that? When we ask questions about character motives and the tone of a story we begin to understand the main idea as well as the theme or message of a book. These are complex ways of thinking and allow us, as readers, to better understand the story and it's parallels to life.

Writing

We also explored point of view and perspective in relationship to writing this week. Students each wrote short stories from the perspective of an object, animal, or person other than themselves. Below is an example of one student's story, written from the perspective of a pen.

Social Studies

This week and last we talked about French Explorers and their relationship with the Native Americans. Ask your child about the fur trade and what was the most popular item traded here in Michigan. Also, ask them what life as a voyageur was like long ago.

I hope you all have a great weekend! We accomplished a lot.