Dear Parents, Happy Thursday! I hope this week has been going well for you! We have two full weeks of school! I'm not sure we know how to act! :)

Book Reports- Just a reminder that the first book report is due on Thursday, November 17. I think there are about 5-6 kids are still reading their books. They need to get going on that. If they lost the packet I gave them with the report ideas, just have them ask me for another one. That isn't a problem. 

Reading- This week we read an informative piece called Cougars. This is a nonfiction piece, but I think it keeps the kids pretty interested in the different facts about cougars. On Tuesday they worked in pairs or small groups and were assigned a topic from the story. They had to jot down the important details on a piece of paper. They then had to report back to the class what they felt were things they should all know. I have turned their notes into packets for them. They can always use this to review the story before the test on Friday. 
On Wednesday, we tried something different. We reread the story together (in unison). I talked about fast readers will need to slow down to stay at the pace, slower readers will have to work to keep up. This is supposed to help build their comprehension of the story while it keeps all of them involved. They are forced to follow along. Plus it doesn't give any one student added pressure of having to read aloud or to keep track because they should be! We stopped at certain points to go over facts as well. We had a good discussion on our senses. The cougars strongest ones were hearing and seeing. I asked them if they had to live without one---which one would it be? Many said touch because then pain would no longer be a factor even if they grabbed onto something HOT! We didn't quite finish it, but we will on Thursday. Our grammar this week is putting in quotation marks around things people say, to cite a quote from a book, or when we use interjections. There wasn't much of a clue for spelling. This week is the final schwa sound +r. We did figure out that the final letter in every word is an R and the letter before it is a vowel! 

Next week they will be taking Unit 2 test. There will not be any spelling. They will also share their book reports.

Religion- They have taken quizzes over the Sorrowful and Glorious Mysteries. On Thursday, they will take the quiz on Joyful Mysteries. They are also working on cards. I wanted the kids to do something for the police departments in Des Moines and Urbandale just to let them know we are thinking of them. The kids have been praying for the two officers and their families since the shootings last week.  The kids in 3-5 are making cards and I will send them to each police department this weekend. It is a small gesture, but as Catholics  we are called to Bury the Dead in the Corporal Works of Mercy.  This is our step towards that. Plus, a past student, Luke Eblen, works for the Des Moines Police Department and worked with Sgt. Tony Bemino. I thought it might do him some good as well to see his hometown is thinking of him and his work family. 

Math- We are working on that division! This week they learned how to check their division by multiplying! I told them that this will eliminate the question, "Miss Surma, did I do this right?" Now they can check their work!!! This should also help eliminate corrections because they will know if they have it right or not! Next up? Double digit divisors! 

Food Pantry- This Friday will be our first time walking down and helping the Food Pantry unload their items! You signed a permission slip quite a while ago! We will go down around 1:15 to help out! I told them to wear tennis shoes for the walk that day. 

STEM Night- Don't forget tonight is STEM Night! It is a come and go! You don't have to be there at 5:30! Come any time and leave when you are ready! Enjoy the fun night that some of the staff and Mrs. Simmons have planned! 

Muffins with Mom is on Tuesday, November 15!!! Can't wait to see you then! 

Have a great weekend!
 God Bless, Miss Surma