February 8, 2016
Dear Room 17 Parents:
Happy sunny day! What a difference a little sun can make in one’s mood.
Thank you to those who had displays at our heritage night and to those who attended. It
is a fun event and only made so by the people who come.
We are off and running with fractions now. I was surprised that lesson two today was
challenging for some students. Students learned how to name a shaded part of a whole.
Ex. 2 parts shaded out of 3 equal parts is 2/3 or two thirds. They also learned that a
fraction with one as the numerator is a unit fraction. Please check your child’s
homework tonight and make sure he/she is practicing correctly. In addition to fractions of
a whole region (shape), they will be learning to name fractions of a whole group. They
will learn what benchmark fractions are so they can estimate and some equivalent
fractions.
We are in Unit 3 in reading. The essential question is, What makes individual animals
unique? Rather than just reading nonfiction, they will read fiction and fables. This
week’s phonics and spelling emphasis is R-controlled vowels such as er, ir, or as in word,
ur, and ear as in learn. Since I didn’t get this letter done in time to send home a paper
copy here are the words in case you need them today. Whirl, third, girls, firm, fern,
herds, stern, serve, hurt, nurse, turns, learn, pearl, word, world, perfect, Thursday,
emerge, preserve, suffered.
Our Valentine’s Party is being led by Jessica (Jack’s mom) and Nancy (Simone’s
grandma). Jessica sent an email about signing up for attending or contributing items for
the party. Thank you in advance for your leadership and participation! The party is this
Friday at 2:30. I sent home a class list last week. I’ll try to remember between here and
the copier to include it again today.
Be sure to sign up on my webpage for a March conference. Report cards will be sent
home with the children this Friday.
Have a fun and relaxing midwinter break next week. I am going to Arizona to soak up
some sun to get me through the next few months.
Sincerely,
Jeanine O’Connell