Reading got off to a great start with a class literature set by Bill Wallace; Watchdog and the Coyotes. Watchdog is a little confused about his job as a watchdog and with the name of "Sweety" who could blame him? Sweety soon learns a lot about self-esteem, friendship, and standing up for himself without being mean.

Two weeks ago, we began switching classrooms for reading instruction. Some of your students are traveling to a different teacher on the north hall at Northwest for reading. Using the same vocabulary and weekly skill topic, each teacher practices reading skills with students on the same reading level. Therefore, we begin instruction at the students' current level and challenge them to progress as far as possible.

Math is an exciting, new adventure this year with a new textbook series being introduced in Kindergarten through Eighth Grades. The Saxon Math series is a different concept than the traditional unit-by-unit math books. Saxon's approach is a recycling of concepts in which a new concept is taught every day and continually practiced in future lessons. Each lesson consists of a timed fact practice, mental math practice, problem solving strategies, introduction of a new concept, lesson practice, and written practice. The written practice is 30 problems that include a variety of concepts taught in previous lessons. Any part of the written practice that is not finished in class, is homework to be finished and returned the following day.

Mrs. Kraus and Mrs. O'Neal will be partnering and sharing their students for Science and Social Studies again this year. Mrs. O'Neal will be teaching Science and Mrs. Kraus will be teaching Social Studies.

We began the year with combined classes working on a special project. Our classes have been learning all about the construction of a good Powerpoint with a project entitled, "All About Me." We will be using Powerpoints and other technology on numerous occasions as we travel through Missouri History this year and explore science concepts. Our powerpoints will be ready to share at conferences.

**Your child has a reading log that they should be using to record their minutes of at-home reading. The goal is to read a minimum of 100 minutes each week. These logs are due back at school at the end of each month.

**Signed Agendas = Scholar Dollars

**Weekly Geography homework is sent home every Monday and is due on Friday.

**If your child is missing an assignment, I ask them to fill out and bring home a Homework Excuse Note. They are to ask a parent to sign this and then bring it back to school. This helps you to know on an almost daily basis if assignments are not being completed.