Dear Families,

We are sad to say goodbye to Yanrun Wang, who has been such a great teacher in our class. We will miss her Chinese lessons, her help in academics, and her kind personality. Yanrun returns to Beijing to finish her degree.

We are surviving the flu season. A reminder for students to wash hands frequently or have them use hand sanitizers, small pocket size containers.

If your child is absent due to illness, I will try to gather materials for home completion. If you’re taking a trip with family, please have your child write daily  journal entries, read a book (maybe the one we are reading if student is responsible for it), and use IXL math with the topic if possible.

Topics:

• We will take a trip to the Hult Center on Friday, Feb. 8th from 9:30-11:30am to see the Eugene Ballet Company perform parts of Swan Lake. The bus is being paid for by the ballet company. Tickets are $5.00 and there are limited scholarships. We have tickets for only 4 adult chaperones who will ride the bus with us. Please let me know as soon as possible if you are interested.

• Reading: We’re halfway done with Castle in the Attic and the students are learning much about architecture of castles, and codes of chivalry.

* Our math units of learning about money, giving change, and has moved on to perimeter and area. We are just starting to find area by using the array method to multiply double digits i.e.. 34cm. x  19cm=   sq. cm.  Check out the IXL topics under geometry. Ask your child to show you this strategy.

• Homework: There is a small but strong group of students that complete their homework: 10/32. We are using an assignment sheet to make sure the work is understood later in the afternoon. Please ask to see the Orange HW folder and assignment sheet to help your child complete their work. Thanks. In 5th grade, the HW amount increases, so practicing now makes it easier later.

• Science: Motion and design is where students explore how vehicles work using small K’nex pieces. If you work with mechanics or know about vehicles, we’d like to hear about your work.

• Report cards will be sent out on Friday, Feb. 8th, 2013. Please return the envelope with your signature so that I know you received your child’s report card.

• Valentine’s Day party will be in the afternoon, Thurs. Feb. 14th. Please avoid sending large amounts of candy. Cards are wonderful and appreciated. The class list is in the directory, with a few extra names: Jasper Geddes, Brendan Scribner, and Owen Jones. Thanks for making sure everyone gets a card.

Bonne semaine et buenas semanas,

Debra Gelzer