February+14

=__**FEBRUARY 14**__=

===**CARNIVAL INFORMATION: ** === === The elementary carnival is Saturday, March 5 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Parent volunteers are still needed! We are 25 people SHORT for the 7:00-9:00 shift. Please contact Dawn Coppinger at 987-8115 to offer your help for one or both shifts... OR complete the form that was sent home with your child and return it to the elementary office! ===

===THANK YOU SO MUCH to Amber Monticue, who spoke to our classes on Friday about her job in banking. The students even practiced writing checks! We appreciated her time...AND she wins the prize for being the presenter who traveled the farthest, as she drove up from Missouri! Thanks again, Amber, for a great presentation! ===

=== //Parents...February is filled, but PLEASE consider joining us on a Friday in March, April, or May! We would love to hear about your job, your hobby, or a special area of interest. The students are SO proud when one of their parents come to visit, and we are learning so much! Contact any of us and we'll set up a date! // ===

==**IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES: ** == **Thursday, February 24**...Spring picture day. **Friday, February 25**...Kids' Club; 2:00. **Thursday, March 3**...Parent-Teacher Conferences; 4:00-8:00 p.m. **Sat., March 5**...Elementary Carnival; 5:30-8:30 p.m. **Tuesday, March 8**...Parent-Teacher Conferences; 4:00-8:00 p.m. **Friday, March 11**....No School....Conference Comp Day. **March 14-18**...SPRING BREAK!

= **__Math:__ ** = ===<span style="font-size: 1.1em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">** Please encourage your child to practice their basic addition and subtraction facts. We started our multiplication unit this week. ** ===

=**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __Social Studies:__ **= === Our friends have been sent. We'll try to keep you updated on their adventures. We have started our unit on the Native Americans, specifically the Hopi and Iroquois. This unit also covers the Jamestown settlers and Salem colonists. === The students picked out their country for their project. Please ask them what country they chose. They may make a switch until the 24th when books are ordered. More information will be included at a later date. However, if you would like to read what was required last year, please see my personal google site. This information will be updated to include dates and project information in the next few weeks. (https://sites.google.com/a/vmbulldogs.com/mrs-volk/)

=**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __Science:__ **= ==== Some of the 5th graders came in on Monday to help us learn how to use proscopes, which are high powered magnifiers/cameras hooked up to laptops. On Tuesday, as an introduction to cells, we looked at onion skins under the microscopes and with proscopes. Later in the week we learned about the contributions of Anton Leuwenhoek and Robert Hooke to the world of microscopes, and reviewed the basic parts of these instruments. A study guide on microscope parts was sent home on Thursday, and there will be a quiz on Monday. ====

=**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __Language Arts/Writing:__ **= ==== We started color poetry. We discussed how colors can make us feel a certain way and how they can remind us of places. The students began taking notes on a color, and we will be putting our poems together next week. ====

Encourage your child to bring home their author's notebook to share a few of their stories with you. Just remember to bring it back.
=**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __MISC:__ **= ==<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="color: #0000ff; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Attention Parents: If you email one of us regarding changes in your child's dismissal procedure and you do not receive a reply acknowledging that we received the email, please call the office and have Soni notify your child of the changes. Our email has been known to go down, and sometimes we have subs that are not able to check our email or phone messages. Therefore your child may not find out about the change of plans. The safest route is to just always let the homeroom teacher AND Soni be aware of any important messages for your child. Thanks! ** ==

==== //Want to help our students become life-long learners? Then become a model for life-long learning by sharing! The third grade teachers are looking for individuals to share their passions, talents, and/or careers with our students. We would love for you to volunteer to come in and share with our third graders. If you are interested, or know of someone who would be willing to share, even via skype, please contact your child's teacher//. ====

Some students are stopping to play in the creek on the way home. We have had some parents concerned about the dangers of playing in the creek, especially without adult supervision and without parents' knowledge. Please remind your child that he/she should not stop to play, but instead head straight home.

Please remember to send birthday invitations through the mail if the entire class is not invited. Also, the school requests that presents, sleeping bags, etc. be taken directly to the birthday girl/boy's house instead of coming to school with the students. We want to avoid hurt feelings. Thank you for your cooperation.

The town bus and bus 3 (Ruth Erdman's bus) are full. These buses are not able to take many extra students home. Please be aware of this when requesting bus passes for extra students to come home with your child.

** Mrs. Comer has been working on a 2nd and 3rd grade art wiki - website to showcase project information, student examples, etc. Please feel free to check it out! [|http://vmelem-art-comer. wikispaces.com] **

** The students are starting to practice keyboarding skills in computer class. You may access this link so your child can practice keyboarding at home!! ** **<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 0px;">[] **

=**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __Mrs. Volk:__ **= Your child may have brought home a skills packet or two. They may need your help with this. There is not a due date on this packet. I simply wanted to send home some practice skills that may go along with the goals they set after viewing their MAP scores. Please feel free to work on the packet during times that are convenient for your family. Also, your child is able to access Skills Iowa from home. This program will also help them with reading, vocabulary, math, and language arts. Please see a few paragraphs down for further information on the Skills Iowa Program.

Conference forms were sent home today. Please check with your child, sign and return the form. Thanks!

Please visit my personal site to view our Best School Year Ever powerpoint. Thanks!

We have been using a computer program in school called Skills Iowa. This program allows students to work through specific skills in reading, math, language arts, and vocabulary at their own pace. Your child can access this program at home by typing in ac.corek12.com or by clicking on the SkillsTutor link on the Van Meter Elementary Voice and Tech site. The students have been given a personal username and password to use.

I have signed the class up on a numeration website called SUMDOG. Your child has been given a username and password. They are welcome to access this at home.

Wish list: small prizes to use for our PBIS rewards, dusting clothes, and an age appropriate game that addresses vocabulary words/skills. Thank you to those of you that have already donated! We appreciate it!

Our class is participating in the Scholastic reading program this year. Students are encouraged to read at least 10 books this year at their level. Once all the students in our room have met the 10 book goal, Scholastic will donate books to needy schools in all 50 states. Information about this program came home with your child. Please continue to encourage your child to read, read, read! Remember to also keep track of the minutes your child is reading and record them on our reading calendar.

Our class blog can be found at: <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 10px;">[] e

Please help your child to remember to have their success charts signed weekly. We have students missing stamps and points because the chart is not signed. I remind them almost daily in class, but sometimes a reminder from home works better. Thanks

Book orders have come home. Orders are due on the 18th. I sent home another letter outlining how to order online. If you need assistance, please let me know.

We recently had an opportunity to do an activity that required students to write down their home address. Many students did not know their address. Please check with your child to be sure that they know their home address, home and/or cell phone numbers. This is an important piece of information that your child should know. Thanks!

Thank you to all of our Valentine's Day volunteers. We enjoyed some deliciously sweet treats and fun crafts and activities. I am quite sure that our party wouldn't have been as fun without your help!!!

Thank you to Regan and Cari (and families) for donating sidewalk chalk to our room.

=**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __Mrs. Skahill/Miss Stephens:__ **= <span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">Thank you, thank you, thank you!!... to Trisha Coffman, Janel Haynes, and Monica Cole for helping with our Valentine's Day party! We had fun games, a cool craft project, and delicious treats! They planned and orchestrated it all, and it was much appreciated by myself and enjoyed by the kids! === ﻿ //Please look over your child's homework packet before he/she returns it. We are seeing a number of careless errors. Our goal with the homework packets is to encourage responsibility by (1) having the packets returned on time and (2) having them accurately completed. This is the year when it's okay for mom and/or dad to help with the homework packets! Don't do it for them, of course, but do help your child learn to proofread and correct mistakes.// ===

On our wish list: Ream(s) of colored copier paper; HP black ink cartridge #98 and/or color #95.

==<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;">**<span style="font-size: 1.3em; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;"> __Mrs. Schenck:__ ** ==

Our Valentine Party will be February 14 at 2:15. I will sending home a list next week of all your child's classmates. Please bring a Valentine for EVERYONE in the class. You may attach a goodie with your valentine as long as everyone in the class gets the same thing.

Book Orders went home. If you would like to order, please return them by Monday, Feb. 14th.

Continue reading and working with your child. Parental support at home plays a large role in the success of your child here at school.