Fundations: We will continue to work on words with the long o sound. This week I will focus more on homophones (words that have the same sound but are spelled differently, such as road and rode). I will also work on words with more than one syllable. Study lists were sent home last week. It's a good idea to have your child studying those words, but don't be afraid to try and trick them. See if they really seem to understand chunking. For example, if you are studying the word boat, then give them the word coat to see if they understand that all they need to do is change the beginning sound. Homework: Poetry: “1,2,3,4,5”... The packet should be returned on Thursday, April 17 th. Math Log: Mon. – H.L. 9-1 Tues. H.L 9-2 Wed. – H.L. 9-3Thurs.- choice Friday – choice ***Captains reading program...complete script and dress as favorite character for next Monday Important Announcements: Sorry for the crazy week last week! I came back and ended up with a horrid sinus and ear infection. So it's “Mrs. Bacher's back...take 2!” :) South Elementary's student council has chosen The Lake County Humane Society as their last school-wide service project. Thank you! We are need of some kleenex and Clorox/Lysol wipes to get us through the remainder of the school year. If you are able to send any in, it would be greatly appreciated!!! Please make sure your child continues to come to school dressed in layers. We're getting into the warmer months, but the building can get quite chilly with the constant air blowing. In addition, there can be a cool breeze outside despite the sunshine! This is when colds and the flu can hit hard with the temperatures going up and down. No school this Friday, April 18. We have a full week of school next week. This Wednesday we will be having a lockdown/evacuation drill in the morning. A letter should have gone home last week about it. If you have questions, please contact the Board Office. We're spending time talking about bullying issues in hot spots. It's a great opportunity for you to carry on a conversation at home. Last week the hot spot was the cafeteria. Everyday Math This week we will begin Unit 9, which focuses on measurement. You'll notice that we went quickly through Unit 8. Remember that the concepts in the fractions unit were geared more toward the upper grades. I simply introduced your child to these concepts. Several parents commented that the fractions concepts were very tricky, and that is totally understood. PLEASE don't stress about it! These concepts are not expected to be mastered at this time by any means! The Daily 5/CAFÉ time/Reading: This week we will explore Rechenka's Eggs by Patricia Polacco. We'll spend a lot of time focusing on character traits and development. We will also review story elements and retelling a story with first, then, next, last. The Bacher Blog For parents of students in Room 234 Monday, April 14, 2014 Science/Social Studies: We will be joining Mrs. Rogaliner's class to talk about timelines. This will lead into discussion about inventions and artifacts. Recommended Website: I'm introducing a new author...Patricia Polacco! Check her website out! Get a chance to learn a bit about her and her books. The Daily 5/Work on Writing Today we took the quiz for DOL week 11. I'm planning to start work on a writing prompt for Rechenka's Eggs. We'll be working on the brainstorming, stools, and rough drafts this week.