Upcoming Field Trip

Three weeks from today is the annual fourth grade field trip to the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station. Fourth graders have been doing this trip for years, and it is one of the most memorable and educational trips we take.

Today an informational note, sample schedule, driver note, and permission/medical slip is coming home. Please return the last two pages - that's the driver's note and permission/medical slip. Payment needs to be returned as well.

This is still three weeks out, so there is no rush at this time. Read the note carefully. There's a lot of information in there. As the dates get closer, I'll send reminder notes home along with even more information like a supply list and emergency phone numbers.

Frindle

This week we started reading Frindle by Andrew Clements for reading class. As I am rereading it I am reminded how much I like this book. Today's assignment is to read chapters 5 and 6, and most kids will have it done by the end of the day. I'm going to have them bring their books home anyway for you to see.

People ask me, "What are some simple ways to help my child read?" Here's a simple way. Show an interest in what your children are reading. Ask questions about it. Read it. Tell them your favorite parts. This is a great book for that. It's short, creative, and there's some stuff that adults get a lot quicker than the kids. Parents can offer some insight that the kids might not pick up on their own. (And I think the 30 minutes it will take you will be time well spent.)

Have a great long weekend.

Wednesday, 10/24 Newsletter Updates

Spelling and Memory
Sometimes it's nice to have a short week off, but next week it's business as usual. Spelling lists and memory slips are attached to the printed newsletter coming home today.

Costume Day
Wednesday is costume day. The costume parade is immediately in the morning. Remember, costume judging will happen in the following categories: story book character, Biblical character, inanimate object, animal, historical character, and miscellaneous. Be creative, but of course, remember our school's guidelines - no ghosts, devils, weapons, etc.

The Costume Day Party will happen at the end of the day...and I don't have my note in front of me, but I think it is at 2:30. You should have received a note last week.

Chapel on Thursday
Because of Costume Day, Mr. Voelker and the seventh graders will lead chapel on Thursday morning instead of Wednesday. The theme will focus on Reformation Day and All Saints Day.

A Busy Week Ahead...And Possibly An Absolutely Crazy Week!!!
I will be gone next Friday, November 2. Last year I was invited to serve on the advisory board of the CCBC - that's the Cooperative Children's Book Center - at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. Friday is our fall meeting. For more information click here http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/.

I also have the honor and priviledge of upholding my civic duty. In other words, I have been called for jury duty. My first possible date to report is next Thursday, November 1. I don't know how long it will last or how many days I report or, well, anything really. Every day I need to call and find out what to do the next day. Whether I am here or not is up in the air until the day before. I will do my best to have the children prepared for me being gone...if I'm gone. Thanks in advance for your understanding.

The Upcoming Week
Memory - At Home: Q1W7 Slips At School: 1. second commandment and meaning. 2. third commandment and meaning.

Religion - Joseph and his brothers and Joseph in Egypt.

Reading - Frindle. This is our reading book for a while. Frindle doesn't take the place of a silent reading book, so students need to be sure to have one of those as well.

English - Descriptive paragraphs. Revising, editing, proofreading, and publishing.

Math - Missing numbers in addition and subtraction, subtraction stories, fractions, multiplication, elapsed time.

Science - Electricity and magnetism. Test late in the week?

Social Studies - Finish chapter 3. Test late in the week? (I won't put both tests on the same day if I can avoid it.)

Spelling - SPELLING LIST, UNIT 7: carved, garden, harm, farther, barked, alarm, chart, starved, harder, parked, smartest, charge Extra Words: guard, hardware, harbor, garbage Bonus Words: compartment, argument

Friday, 10/19, Newsletter Updates

Field Trip
What a great trip! First of all, it poured rain while we were driving. When we turned left on Hwy G in Nekoosa, there was an amazing blue sky, and when we turned right on Batterman Road, the sun came out. What a blessing! Be sure to ask (if you haven't gotten an earful already) about the cranberry harvest and the cheese factory. We also had a great variety of cheeses and cranberries to eat. Enjoy the cranberries! Let me know if the recipes worked out.

An Apology
When I planned the field trip, the first call I made was to the cheese factory. Thursday was a day they said would work, and that day also worked for the cranberry marsh. I completely forgot about band that day. So, band students and parents, I apologize for making you miss a lesson. I should have scheduled the trip for a different day, but it totally slipped my mind, and for that I apologize.

Book Order
The October book order will be due next week on Wednesday, October 24.
Here are some books I can recommend. By no means are these the only good books available. This is simply meant to be a starting point for you in your shopping.
- Lunch Money - Andrew Clements is one of my all-time favorite authors.
- Flush - A future read aloud. Students may want their own copy.
- The Good Dog - The story is told by the dogs in a neighborhood.
- Lawn Boy - Start mowing lawns, end up rich in the stock market and investing in a prize-fighter.
- A Wrinkle in Time - An all-time classic by a Christian author.
- The Giver - Might be hard for 4th grade, but parents, you would love it.
- Igraine the Brave - I haven't read it yet, but I certainly can recommend the author.
- Inkheart/Inkspell - A father, when he reads aloud, somehow magically "reads" characters alive...and real people become characters in the books. This switching is the conflict as characters are trapped in stories that aren't their own.
- Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing - First in the "Fudge" series.
- Roald Dahl Pack - Very funny author.
- Little House Box Set - If you haven't read the Little House books here's a great chance.

The Upcoming Week - School Mon/Tues/Wed Only!
Memory - None, short week.

Religion - Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, Esau, and one of my favorite stories Jacob, Rachel, and Leah.

Reading - Begin a novel together. What novel? It's a secret...for now!

English - Personal Narratives. Describing Paragraphs.

Math - Shapes, fractions, adding money, lines, segments, rays, and angles.

Science - Continue electricity and magnetism.

Social Studies - Chapter 3: The New England States

Spelling - None, short week.

Tomorrow's Field Trip

Schedule
8:45 – Leave School
9:15ish – Arrive at Cranberry Marsh
11:15ish – Depart Cranberry Marsh
12:00 – Lunch at school
12:45 – Leave School
1:15 – Begin Cheese Factory Program
2:45ish – Leave Cheese Factory
3:00 – Taste Testing Time!

Morning Drivers - VanNatta, Whitemarsh, Williamson, Wilhorn (5 each) Please be ready at 8:45.

Afternoon Drivers – VanNatta, Mohr, Williamson, Wilhorn Please be ready to leave at 12:45.

Lunch – Students will be at school for a normal lunch period. They will be able to take hot lunch.

Morning and Afternoon – The whole trip happens during the school day. There is no need to arrive early. Bus students can take the bus both to and from school.

Weather – Please be ready for anything at the cranberry marsh. The current forecast calls for scattered thunderstorms and an 80% chance of rain. It is always colder at the marsh. Be prepared.

I think that’s it! Pray that we stay dry, for safe travel, and that everything goes as well as it can.

Monday Updates and Field Trip Information

The printed Friday newsletter is coming home today. Sorry for the delay. Included is the Q1W6 memory slip. There is no spelling list attached. This is a review week for spelling.

Also included is information about this week's field trip. Please fill in the permission slip and complete the bottom portion for volunteers to drive. Not many are needed, and parents are welcome to join us on the field trip. Soon after this email I will send another with the field trip information sheet and permission slip attached. Printed versions are in take-home folders.

Science Test - Woo-Hoo!!!

I just finished grading the science tests and wanted to share how we did. There were two 100% tests (A's) and six 95% tests (A-'s). As a class our average was 90%. That's a B+. Well done!

Friday, 10/12 Newsletter Updates

Field Trip Next Week
Next week on Thursday, October 18, we will be taking a field trip to a cranberry marsh and to Dairy State Cheese in Rudolph. This is the first activity that is part of our Wisconsin History study in social studies. Most of the study will be in the spring. More information will come on Monday including costs, details and permission slips.

Choir on Sunday
This Sunday at the 10:30 service at Immanuel the 3rd and 4th grade choir will be singing. Student should be upstairs at 10:10 for a quick rehearsal. The choir will sing at the beginning of the service. They then may sit with their parents for worship. St. Lukes families are certainly excused to attend the special service you are having this weekend.

Math Assignments
We have been working hard on our math assignments so far, and I hope this continues. But be careful, students! Remember the way we have done examples in class. Remember how to organize papers. Remember your labels, problems with more than one question, and to read the whole question carefully. This is normally the time of year when students start thinking, "I got this math stuff down! Time to take it easy." That's when the silly mistakes happen. Don't let it happen to you!

Note Coming Home With the Boys
There is an additional note coming home with the boys today. All the information you need to know is in the note. Parents, please read it and send back the signature form.

And Finally...
I didn't get this done until after the kids went home so there is not printed version today. Memory slips and the printed newsletter will come home on Monday. Feel free to do the next three verses for the memory slip over the weekend. You'll get the slip on Monday.

The Upcoming Week
Memory - At Home: Q1W6 Slips At School: 1. Books of the New Testament 2. The First Commandment and its meaning.

Religion - Abraham, Isaac, Rebekah, their children.

Reading - Plum Creek, point of view, author's purpose, end of Theme 1.

English - Writing narratives and paragraphs that describe.

Math - Rounding, perimeter, triangles, rectangles, squares, and circles.

Science - Electricity and magnetism.

Social Studies - Finish chapter 2. Test mid-week. This chapter has been fragmented due to weird scheduling this week (Women in History presentation, picture day, etc.), so it will be done differently. Maybe open book, groups, or something to that effect.

Spelling - No list. Review lesson.

Mid-Terms Today, Picture Day Tomorrow

Mid-term grades are coming home today. I emphasize in class that grades are for students, teachers and parents, and that's it. So I put the mid-term reports in sealed envelopes, and that is how they should reach you - sealed. There is a signature form at the bottom. Please sign and return that form with any questions or comments. Thanks.

Remember, tomorrow is picture day. We will be taking a panoramic picture and individual pictures. If you wish to order both, please include a separate check with each order. Thanks, again.

Newsletter Updates for Thursday, 10/4

Mid-Terms on Monday
We are officially half way through the first quarter. Yes, already. On Monday mid-terms will come home with the fourth graders. This is not an official grade report. It is simply an update as to where your child is. Take time to discuss where and how improvement can happen, and don't forget to acknowledge where success is happening as well. Please send the signature form back as soon as possible.

School Pictures on Tuesday
Order forms went home earlier this week for school pictures. Remember, seperate checks are needed for individual packages and the panoramic all-school photo.

Women in History Presentation on Thursday at 1:00
This was just recently added to the schedule. I don't know much about the presentation at this point other than simply what it says. We will take a look at the roles of women throughout history.

The Upcoming Week
Religion - Abraham, Isaac.

Memory - At Home: Q1W5 Slips At School: 1. Historical Books of the Old Testament (Genesis - Esther) 2. Poetic Books and Prophetic Books of the Old Testament (Job - Malachi) These are two seperate assignments.

Reading - Theme and Point of View in our Literary Elements Books, Lou Gehrig, prefixes and suffixes, One the Banks of Plum Creek.

English - Diamonte Poem.

Math - Expanded form, missing numbers in subtraction, adding columns of numbers, scales, clocks, rounding.

Science - Energy, work, force, simple machines. Possible test late in the week.

Social Studies - Continue chapter 2.

Spelling - UNIT 5 Word List: hoop, wounded, shoot, booth, broom, boost, mood, fooling, afternoon, spoon, smooth, tooth Extra words: raccoon, bloomed, useful, route Bonus Words: souvenir, routine

"Be Transformed" Theme T-Shirts Are Here!

The t-shirts with this year's school theme have arrived! Everyone completed an order form at registration. Students all receive a shirt free of charge, and many parents ordered one for yourselves. Students are receiving them today and are asked to wear the shirts tomorrow. The whole school will proclaim that we will "Be Transformed" by the Power of God!

Soccer Game and Social Studies Test

Tonight's Soccer Game
Tonight the Immanuel soccer team is playing Assumption Middle School at 7:00 at Washington School. This game will be under the lights on the varsity field. The two teams played last week to a 1-1 tie. That game also included 3 shots that banged off the goalpost or crossbar. It was a great game, and tonight's game should be just as good.

Friday's Social Studies Test
Students are bringing home their social studies test today. I was somewhat disappointed with the grades, so on Monday, without any warning, we did the first part of the test again orally. It wasn't the best way to review it, but I really thought we knew the information better than we did. This is the sheet attached to the top of the test. It did not affect their grades.