Hello Parents, Happy Thursday! I hope you are having a good week! I hope you are staying warm these days!

Reading- I have their scores from last week's unit test in their folders. This was a benchmark test which means more stories to read. They can also be more challenging. The scores weren't as good as I had hoped. I told them after I checked them that there is a huge advantage with these tests...you can go back and find your answers in the story, unless you are having to make an inference from what you learned in the story. I don't think many of them took the time to look back. There were other questions that were missed, but if they had really paid attention to the context clues within the sentence, they should have figured it out. I am not sure how to make sure they look back. The 2nd and 3rd tests of that week--the scores were much better! They really just need to look back on the comprehension questions.

This week we are reading a part of the story Lunch Money by Andrew Clements. This is about a boy that creates, draws, writes, and makes his own comic strips and then he sells them. I did notice that one of the kids has picked up the actual book and is now reading it! YAY! In grammar we are working on picking out adjectives. They are having to remember that adjectives answer the questions: how many, what kind, or origin.  I tell them first to see if they can find the nouns or pronouns and then is there a word that describes that noun??

They have turned in their Harris Burdick stories and I am editing them. I am really pleased with what I have read so far. Some great imaginations! I am hoping to take them to the computer lab on Friday so they can begin typing them here. 

Math- I thought they did great on their tests!!! We have started multiplication of decimals now. On Monday we worked on the patterns...showing how the decimals moves to the right when we multiply by the powers of 10. The decimal moves to the left when we multiply by tenths, hundredths, and thousandths. On Tuesday, they were given some graph paper and we colored in our multiplication problem. For example : 0.5 x 2. They had to color in 2 groups of 50 squares to find their totals. They did do some actual multiplication, but they could also have just added to find that total. They were picking up on it quickly!

Religion- This week we are discussing the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. This is great since this is the Year of Mercy declared by the Church. We are able to talk about things we do during Advent and Lent or throughout the year. 
They did a GREAT job at mass !!! I was very proud of them!! They also enjoyed the donuts and juice reception afterwards. Thank you to all those who were able to join us! 

Book Orders- I sent the forms home last week. If you are interested, please return them by Friday !

Auction-- Thank you to my volunteers! Katie Turner is taking care of the live auction basket. She will be sending home a flyer to give you some information. AnnMarie Kinsella and Kim Coen will be in charge of the silent auction item. 

Just reminder that Catholic Schools Week kicks off with mass on January 31 at Holy Spirit. If your child is helping out with the mass, we will send home their job next week! Thanks again!

Have a great weekend!!! 
God Bless, Miss Surma