1. Last Week’s Happenings…
Ms. Deming’s Weekly Newsletter
January 4, 2016
Last Week’s Happenings…
Spirit Week!
Million Dollar Projects
Last week students presented these!
Our Gift Exchange & Polar Express Movie
2nd & 3rd Grade Holiday Concert

2. Happening This Week… Grammar
Math
Students will continue working on our multiplication unit. We will begin division in 2 weeks!
Pathway 1: Solving multiplication using pictures, repeated addition, skip counting, and arrays
Pathway 2: Multiplying a 1 digit number by a multiple of 10, Identifying patterns in the multiplication table, identifying unknown multiplication equations
Pathway 3: Multiplication Properties (commutative, associative, distributive)
Pathway 4: 1 and 2 step “x” word problems *Students who finish all pathways will be working on a PBL**
Reading
This week we will finish our nonfiction unit. On Monday students will compare and contrast the main ideas and details of two texts on the same topic. On Tuesday, students will be able to read a text and distinguish their own point of view from the author. Wednesday and Thursday we will review for the unit test. On Friday students will take the nonfiction reading unit test. This test will cover all standards that have been taught in this unit. It has a total of 27 questions and each standards has 2-5 questions. This will be counted as a formal grade.
Writing
Students have now chosen a nonfiction topic to write about and have broken it down into 4 subtopics. These will be their 4 separate paragraphs. They will begin doing research for their topic this week. Students will be taught how to research and note-take when they research. They may use this to help them while working on their project at home.
Grammar
This week the students will learn about compound sentences. They will learn that you can join a compound sentence together by using a comma and the words and or but, Students will have a mini grammar assessment on Friday.
Science- This week we will begin a new unit. We will begin our unit on the Earth and the Universe. Students will learn about the sun and stars, planets, and other things in the solar system.
Social Studies- We will continue with our unit on government and citizenship. Students will learn about checks and balances. They will also participate in a mock city council meeting!
Important Dates to know…
-Wednesday 1/6 Lunch with Mom (Moms come to school during our lunch from 11-11:30 in the cafeteria to eat with their child)
-Monday 1/18 MLK Holiday No School
-Wednesday 1/20 Early Release Day & 2nd Quarter Projects Due
-Wednesday 1/20 Our second quarter class store
-Friday 1/29 January Birthday Celebrations
-Friday 2/5 Father/Daughter Dance
-Monday 2/15 Presidents’ Day No School
-Wednesday 3/2 Book Character Day (Come to school dressed as your favorite book character)
Vocabulary Dates:
-List 6 words introduced Monday 1/11 and Tuesday 1/12
-List 6 test Friday 1/22
-List 7 words introduced Monday 1/25 and Tuesday 1/26
-List 7 test Friday 2/5
Spelling Dates:
-Group 1 words introduced Wednesday 1/6 and test Wednesday 1/13
-Group 2 words introduced Thursday 1/7 and test Thursday 1/14
-Group 3 words introduced Friday 1/8 and test Friday 1/15
Upcoming Assignment Due Dates:
-Tuesday 1/12 Social Studies government & citizenship study guide due (will be given out this week)
-Wednesday 1/13 Multiplication Study Guide due (will be given out this week)
Upcoming Test & Quiz Dates:
-Friday 1/8 Nonfiction Reading Unit Test
-Thursday 1/14 Social Studies test on Government & Citizenship
-Friday 1/15 Math Multiplication Test
Notes from Ms. Deming 
Thank you SO SO much from the bottom of my heart for all of your generous cards, gifts, candy, and gifts cards before break. You all really know how to make me feel appreciated! 
Please make sure your child is getting started on their second quarter project that is due January 20. Please let me know if you come across any questions that you may have.
We will be starting our division math unit on Monday, January 18, Students will take their multiplication unit test on Friday, January 15, All students must be finished with their multiplication pathways by this date. I have told students that they may take them home to work on if they do not think they will finish by next Friday. Students will be sent home with a study guide before the test as well.
Attention: HELP NEEDED for our second quarter class store!
On Wednesday, January 20 we will be having our second quarter class store. Please begin sending items in for the class store. We are completely out due to our Red Cress Genius Hour Project. Items of high interest include: mechanical pencils, cool erasers and grippers, notebooks, cool paper, stuffed animals, snacks, candy, drinks, toys, keychains, markers, twist up colored pencils, and books.
Important Information and Reminders
To efficiently manage classroom items on the wish list, a sign up genius was created. The link is:
Please check it weekly!
Items in most need:
-White 8x11” paper
-Disinfectant wipes