March 27, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Don't Touch Me.  This informational text is about how plants have many ways of defending themselves from hungry animals.  Some of their defenses can hurt you, sting you, or make you itch if you get too close, so we must be careful about touching plants we don't recognize.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with /au,/ /aw,/ /o,/ and /al,/ that all make the same sound as short "o" as in sauce, jaw, olive, and talk, identifying and forming irregular action verbs such as say/said, eat/ate, run/ran, hide/hid, sit/sat, tell/told, give/gave, take/took, see/saw, and go/went, decoding words with the prefix "dis," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  We wrapped up chapter 10 by adding three-digit numbers using the standard algorithm and using different addition strategies.  We took the chapter test and will begin chapter 11 over subtracting within 1,000 using models and strategies next week.

SCIENCE:  We took the unit test over Earth's surface and started a new unit over changes to Earth's surface.  So far we have described what happens during weathering by water and ice, weathering by plants, and erosion by wind.   All are slow processes.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  Thank you for sending your child's First Eucharist book to school.  We discussed chapter 5 in class this week.  Please complete chapter 6 and return the book to school on Monday, March 31.  

GUIDANCE:  On March 28 we will discuss lesson 8 in our guidance book.  Lesson 8 is called "Promises."  In this lesson students will learn that marriage vows are a sign of love.  We will discuss how families work at solving problems.  We will also show how making promises relates to the sacraments.

RECONCILIATION:  This week, students in grades 2-8 had the opportunity to receive the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation here at school.  Students who are not Catholic were able to receive a blessing from Father Patrick or Father John.

HANDWRITING:  This week students practiced writing the lowercase cursive y, x, v, and z.  We have now learned how to make all of the lowercase cursive letters and will begin practicing the uppercase cursive letters next week!

FIELD TRIP:  Our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade field trip to the Art Center and JJ Gaffers in Des Moines will take place next Thursday, April 3.  We will leave school around 8:30 and will return by 3:00.  Students need to bring a sack lunch and a drink (no pop) in a small cooler.  Students may also bring a fully charged electronic device for the bus ride (their responsibility.)  Please sign and return the green permission slip to school so your child may attend if you have not already done so.  Thank you!

March 20, 2025

LANGUAGE ARTS:  This week we read and discussed Jack and the Beanstalk and Jackie and the Beanstalk.  Both are fairy tales.  We worked on skills such as decoding words with /ou/ and /ow/ as in cloud and cow, identifying when to use irregular verbs has/have/had and do/does/did, decoding words with /oi/ and /oy/ as in coin and joy, decoding words with the prefix "mis," using story vocabulary in context, and learning ten new high-frequency words.

MATH:  Students used an open number line to add three-digit numbers, and added three-digit numbers using models, place value, and partial sums.

FIRST EUCHARIST:  Thank you for sending your child's First Eucharist book to school.  We discussed chapter 4 in class this week.  Please complete chapter 5 and return the book to school on Monday, March 24.  

GUIDANCE:  On March 21 we will discuss lesson 7 called "Signs of Love."  In this lesson we will explain that love is shown by using signs of love, such as with kind words, fair actions, etc.  We will discuss ways we can be peacemakers.  Students will practice steps for reconciliation and forgiveness.

HANDWRITING:  This week students practiced writing the lowercase cursive q, n, m, and y.  

LENTEN ACTIVITIES:  Each week throughout the Lenten season students will be getting together with their "Advent Angel" to complete  a Lenten activity together.  These activities are planned help students become closer to Jesus during this time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.