Halloween Fun...

Today we had a "batty day"!  We started off by reading "Stellaluna" which got us in the mood to learn more about bats...

....Our centers today involved learning more about bats using non-fiction articles and books....

....as well as responding to the story "Stellaluna"...

....and a "batty" craft, as well...

We had a popcorn treat (thanks Davenport family!)

And a treat from our class "Grammy"...

....Fun was had by all

Even our class mascot, Ferdinand the Flamingo dressed up!

....We rounded off the day with a "ghoulish" treat (thanks Mrs. Kilis!)

Reminder...

Tomorrow, Wednesday October 29, 2014 is an Early Release Day

Spelling List, Week of October 27, 2014

SPELLING LIST

Week of October 27, 2014

1. joyful

2. choice

3. voice

4. joint

5. moist

6. spoil

7. royal

8. annoy

9. noise

10. employ

11. soil

12. loyal

13. boiled

14, pointy

15. destroy

Spelling packets went home on Monday, 10/27.  It is due on Friday, 10/31.  If your student loses their copy you can e-mail me at nixp@duvalschools.org and I can e-mail you the document.

Have a great week!

Spelling List, Week of October 20, 2014

SPELLING LIST

1. space

2. stage

3. huge

4. fence

5. price

6. police

7. office

8. engine

9. badge

10. pencil

11. excite

12. force

13. range

14. ginger

15. giraffe

The spelling packet worksheet went home on Monday (I am trying out a new format).  Spelling Packet is due Thursday, October 23, 2014.

Book Fair

Just a reminder that the Scholastic Book Fair is tomorrow, 10/17/14.  The class will be going to the Book Fair at 10:40 if parents would like to come shop with their students.  I will also be with the students to assist them if needed.

I would also like to thank everyone who made a Scholastic Book Club order in September.  Thanks to the points I earned, I was able to buy a class set of the novel, The Boxcar Children, and buy a set of the "My Weirder School" series for the classroom library.  I also preordered the next Diary of a Wimpy Kid book for the classroom library as well.

Re-post: Helping With Cause and Effect

Cause and effect is one of the more difficult reading skills for students to see.  Because a fictional narrative is a continuous stream of causes and effects, it can sometimes be difficult to see the cause and effect relationships in a story and easily "see" what the causes for specific effects are.  

One helpful way to see cause and effect is to look for "clue word" such as and, because, and so.

For example

Tim forgot his math book, so he was unable to complete his homework.  

The word so signals the cause and effect relationship.  The part of the sentence before the word so is the cause, and the part of the sentence after so is the effect.

Kelly studied her spelling words and she got an A on the test.

The word and signals the cause and effect relationship.  The part of the sentence before and is the cause, and the part of the sentence after and is the effect.

The signal word because is a little different....

Keegan was hungry because he skipped lunch.

The word because signals the cause and effect relationship.  The part of the sentence before because is the effect, and the part of the sentence after because is the cause.

Announcements

• There is no spelling packet or test this week.
• If you didn't send in picture money today, and would like to do so, I can collect it on Tuesday, 10/14.
• Cookie dough fundraiser for Patrols is going home this week.
• Scholastic Book Fair is Friday, 10/17 at 10:40-11:25.  You are invited to come shop with your student.
• On Friday, October 31 (Halloween) the students will be allowed to dress as a character in literature.  Children will be asked to bring the book in which their character was in.  Please, no super-hero costumes or costumes that are from video games, comics, or action-adventure movies.