February Book Reports and Science Fair Volunteers

Jan30

Happy Friday!

Because of the busyness that February brings (PTC, Science Fair, Writing Assessments), I am going to eliminate the book report requirement for February.  I’m sure that I will receive many groans from your children about one less assignment (can you sense the sarcasm in that statement?).

Ms. Paula, our science fair extraordinaire, is in need of parent volunteers for science fair.  There are many ways to help out from setting up and providing snacks for the judges, to judging the fair.  If you are interested in helping out in any way, please contact her letting her know how you can help.  pdugan@mariamontessoriacademy.org

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

This entry was posted on January 30, 2015, in Book Reports.

February Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up

Jan27

Please sign up for a conference time February 10-12.  These are student led conferences.  Your students are working on new goals for the remainder of the year.   Come see what they have accomplished and what they are working toward.

http://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/sfock

 

Update Week of January 26

Jan26

January and February are very busy months at MMA, as such, I wanted to give some reminders as to upcoming deadlines and due dates.

January 28th: Level 6 – David Holladay Lecture (During class)

January 29th: JA Biztown (Level 5 and some Level 6)

January 30th: Biography Book Report (Timeline) – All Grade Levels

February 2: SAGE Writing Assessment – All Grade Levels

February 18th: Elementary Science Fair (Level 4 and 5)

February 19th: Middle School Science Fair (Level 6-8)

In order to prepare for the SAGE writing test, we have been working on our essays for several weeks.  Your students have another essay rough draft due tomorrow evening.  In order to be prepared for the in class peer edit and to take advantage of the time we have left, please ensure your child completes this assignment on time.  If you are experiencing any trouble with Utah Compose, have your student first write their essay using Word or Pages, saving a copy to your computer.  At that point, your student can copy and paste their essay into Utah Compose and then submit it.  If by chance the website errors, your child will still have a digital copy and can resubmit on Utah Compose without losing all their work.  Most children did not experience any trouble, but a handful had repeated problems and this is the only work around I could think of so that they could still have the benefit of the score report.

In addition to Utah Compose, level 4 and 6 students have had math homework recently. This will continue on a relatively regular basis throughout the remainder of the school year.  Please check in with your students each night regarding homework assignments they may have.  I know that everyone is busy with after school activities, but it is imperative that your children are completing the required practice in order to continue progressing.

 

Room 24 Updates

Jan16

Whew!  This week flew by in a flash.  I know time is moving quickly when the children comment that they can’t believe it is already mid-January.

First and foremost, students should be using their peer edit papers to revise and refine their essays on Utah Compose.  I cannot stress how important this practice at home is.  I hope we have worked out all of the log in bugs by now.  If you are experiencing any problems with the site, please let me know.  Most students have been able to login, complete their essays and submit them without problem.  The final draft of the essay, having made revisions based on peer edits and my online input, is due Tuesday, January 20th by 8pm.  We will have a brand new prompt available Wednesday, January 21st.  This will give your children 2 more weeks of practice before the writing assessment February 2.

4th grade students have begun a metric conversion unit.  Some of your children are so excited about the ease of the metric system that they are prepared to write letters to the government saying we should switch from our method of standard measurement.  I’m behind them 100%!

5th grade students are working independently on math practice that is challenging to them.  The majority of the work I am seeing is division using the standard algorithm. Please ask your children what they find challenging and work on it with them.  Although we don’t have specific IXL or SAGE math assignments coming home, you can still log in to IXL with your child and see what they need help with.   Ask them what they find challenging in class and do a practice work with them!  It will benefit them greatly if you are working with them at home on concepts they find challenging in school.

6th level students began a unit on ratios and proportions.  So far all students who have been present for the lessons are making great progress.  Each day that we have a lesson, your children will bring home a printed homework assignment.  In most cases, there will be fewer than 5 problems as homework.  The culminating activity for our unit is going to be SPECTACULAR!!  I’m so excited and I hope your children will be excited too!

Our botany units have the students excited about fruit, nuts and seeds, photosynthesis, and monocots and dicots.  Please ask your children about these important plants and plant processes.  One of the most exciting things about MMA is the extensive botany exposure. Without plants, there would be no life on earth!

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, we have been discussing the timeline of the civil rights movement.  I am so thrilled to hear your children’s input and feedback.  There truly is hope for humanity in our children.  The deep discussions we had this week would make you, as parents, proud of your children.  They are kind, caring, thoughtful and extremely sympathetic to the plight of those who have been treated unfairly in our nations history.   I challenge you all to take some time on Monday, January 19th, to study the life of MLK and the civil rights movement.

Please watch the blog for sign ups for February Parent Teacher Conference.  These conferences will be student led.  This is an opportunity for your children to share with you what they have learned and what accomplishments they are proud of.  It seems like a long time since our last meeting in October and at the same time it has passed in a flash!  Please watch the blog for sign ups for Parent Teacher Conference.  I will have a WeJoinIn link posted by early next week.

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Cheers

 

Sees Candy Fundraiser

Jan16

See’s Candy Fundraiser January 16-January 23

Share your love in the form of chocolate and support the 6th grade field trip to The Redwoods at the same time!!!

Chocolate will be delivered in time for Valentine’s Day

Payment can be made by check, made out to MMA, or cash.  PLEASE MAKE CHECKS OUT TO MMA

Order forms and payments due Friday, January 23

This entry was posted on January 16, 2015, in General.