WEEKEND NEWS

April 1, 2011

 Dear Parents,

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

*        To help the students get excited to do their best on their ISAT tests and realize how “bright” they are, the 4^th graders will be tie dying       t-shirts on the morning of Wed., April 13^th.   They will wear their shirts on the days they take ISAT tests.  Students will need to bring in a 100% cotton t-shirt.  This can be a shirt they already have or they may purchase an inexpensive new t-shirt.  If they use one they already have, it should be white or light colored without any designs on it.  We have the craft department from ISU coming to Ellis for this activity.  They are bringing the tie dying supplies. The cost for each student will be $1.50.  Please have your child bring in his/her shirt and money as soon as possible.  Please contact me if you have any questions about this activity.

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

*    Language & Math:  Drops In The Bucket D11                                      

*    Math:  “Nutty!” Ordered Pairs pg. 28

*    Language:  “A Secret Message” using specific verbs

*    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log. 

   
SPELLING WORDS
pilot, depend, visit, human, seven, chosen, paper, reason, become, parent, never, modern, tiny, tuna, event, fever, moment, prison, basic, open

BONUS WORDS
alert, license, select, radar, feature
 

Have a great weekend with your family!                                 

Denise Thompson                                                                            

WEEKEND NEWS

March 28, 2011

Dear Parents,

          I hope everyone had a relaxing spring break.  It would have been nice to have seen more of the sun!!  It’s good to be back at school.  We are digging in and preparing for the upcoming state tests.  ISAT test dates are listed below. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

*                     Please remember to return spring picture packets and/or money to school as soon as possible.

*                     Please sign and return report card envelopes as well.

*                     Language ISAT testing on Wednesday, April 20^th from 10:30-12:00.

*                     Reading ISAT testing on Tuesday, April 26^th from 10:30-12:00.

*                   Math ISAT testing on Thursday, May 5^th from 10:30-12:00.

*                    AR Goals due on Friday, April 15^th.  This is a week earlier due to the addition of parent teacher conferences on April 21^st.

*                     Students need to practice their double digit by double digit multiplication and their long division skills at home each night.  These are difficult skills to maintain without consistent practice.  We practice a few each day at school, but are now concentrating on graphs, functions, and fractions. 

*                     We are finishing up our poetry unit this week.  We can’t wait to show you what we have written.  Be prepared to write a poem with your son/daughter during conferences! J

*                     In Science students are learning about states of matter, in Idaho History they are learning about the Oregon Trail (I sure miss teaching that subject!), and in Language we are finishing up a unit on pronouns.

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

*    Language:  Drops In The Bucket D10

*    Math:  Drops In The Bucket D10

*    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log.

SPELLING WORDS: Words with a prefix or a suffix

redo, treatment, rebuild, discolor, careless, dislike, sickness, beautiful, unlucky, awful, reread, unsure, movement, peaceful, unpaid, distrust, kindness, useless, displease, powerful

BONUS WORDS: unusual, rearrange, appointment, discontinue, resourceful

Have a great weekend with your family!                                 

Denise Thompson                                                                           

  

WEEKEND NEWS

March 3, 2011

Dear Parents,

          We had a wonderful time at the Symphony.  Your children looked beautiful and handsome.  Their behavior was excellent.  They represented Ellis very well!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

*                    LONG DIVISION PRACTICE NEEDED!!  Many of the students are struggling to grasp the series of steps in long division.  We have learned this mnemonic to help them remember:  Dad (divide), Mom (multiply), Sister (subtract), Brother (bring down the next digit), Rover (remainder or repeat steps).  Please help your son/daughter practice one or two problems every night.  The problems should be a one digit divisor and the dividend is up to three digits.  Don’t forget to keep practicing 2-digit x 2-digit multiplication too.

*                    The new book orders will be due by Wednesday, March 16^th.  Remember you can order on-line using this code:  HCWNC .   Make any checks payable to Scholastic Book Clubs.

*                    Spring Break is March 22^nd - March 26^th.

*                    NO SCHOOL for students:  Friday, March 4^th and Friday, March 11^th

*                    Report cards will be sent through Infinite Campus Portal next Thursday, March 10^th.  THANK YOU for using Infinite Campus.  Our class tied with Mr. Merica’s class for the party.  We have 90% of you using this system!!

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

*     Language:  Drops In The Bucket D8                                       

*     Math:  Drops In The Bucket Number D8

*    Math:  Long Division                             

*    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log.  

Spelling Words:  sure, here, knew, might, pretty, really, very, where, little, until, into, off, said, our, letter

Bonus Words:  finally, different, excite, truly, suppose

Have a great weekend with your family!                                 

DeniseThompson                                                                                                                             

WEEKEND NEWS

2-25-11

Dear Parents,

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

·               Please sign and return the symphony field trip permission slip.  Thanks again to the Symphony Board members for their generous contributions!

·               Lions Club Patriotism Essay is due on Tuesday.  All students will receive a grade in the grade book for this essay.  Please see the cover sheet for complete directions.  This cover sheet needs to be stapled to the essay.  There will be a 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place winner for the 4^th Graders at Ellis.  The winners will be awarded their prizes at the end of the year awards assembly. 

·               Remind your students to wear Ellis colors/shirts every Friday for Pride Day.  Colors are blue, gray, and pink.  There is a contest every week to see which class is wearing the most colors (only shirts are counted).  There is a traveling trophy for the highest class percentage.                                  

·         AR GOALS due Friday, March 4^th by the end of the day.

·         Thank you for the extra Kleenex boxes.  We are making great use of them. J

·         Thank you for logging onto Infinite Campus Portal to view grades, etc.  Our class is at 80%.  We have an excellent chance of winning the contest!!

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

v    Language and Math:  Drops In The Bucket D6 and Math:  Drops In The Bucket D6

v    Math:  Long Division   Steps are Dad=Divide, Mom=Multiply, Sister=subtract, Brother=Bring Down Next Digit, Rover=repeat process or remainder.

v    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log.  

Have a great weekend with your family!

Denise Thompson                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

WEEKEND NEWS

February 18, 2011

Dear Parents,

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

·         Thank you for all of the wonderful support during the Penny Wars!!  We were able to raise over $1,900 for the Idaho Food Bank!!  Way to go Ellis families!!

·         A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who helped with our Valentine’s Party.

·         No school on Monday, Feb. 21:  President’s Day

·         No school on Friday, March 4:  Record Day

·         Last day for AR goals:  Thursday, March 3^rd.

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

v    Language:  Drops In The Bucket D 6

v     Math:  Drops In The Bucket Number 6

v    Reading:  Context Clues pg. 44

v    Math:  Multiplying 2-Digit by 2-Digit Numbers 

v    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log. 

SPELLING WORDS

bottom, picture, other, attend, capture, common, danger afraid, borrow, office, arrow, suppose, escape, whether, pillow, dinner, thirty, degree, allow, corner

BONUS WORDS

method, concert, narrate, abrupt, challenge

Have a great weekend with your family!

Denise Thompson             

WEEKEND NEWS

February 11, 2011

Dear Parents,

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

·         HUNDRED’S DAY is Monday, Feb. 14^th.  All students at Ellis are asked to make a small poster (Pink cardstock in homework folder) with 100 items on it.  Students may get as creative as they like.  They may glue items on (such as cotton, pennies, candy, cereal, etc), draw items, or a combination of the two.  Please try to have the students bring this poster back to school on MONDAY.  We want to display them in the room.

·         Please fill out the bottom portion of the Infinite Campus Parent Portal Contest Information Sheet.  Not only may the parents look at the grades, but students as well.  Please teach your son/daughter how to log-on and look at his/her grades.  It helps to keep them motivated and accountable for their education.  Help us win the party!!!

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

v    Language:  Drops In The Bucket D5                                    

v    Math:  Drops In The Bucket Number 5

v    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log.  STUDENTS SHOULD BE AT 50% OF THEIR GOAL BY TODAY.  Last day for goal is March 3^rd.

SPELLING WORDS:  village, cottage, bridge, fence, strange, chance, carriage, glance, ridge, manage, damage, since, marriage, edge, lodge, cabbage, dodge

BONUS WORDS:  fleece, fragrance, homage, fringe, excellence

Have a great weekend with your family!

Denise Thompson

Dear Parents,

  IMPORTANT INFORMATION

·         SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS:  February orders are being sent home.  Due date is Feb. 11^th.  You may order on-line www.scholastic.com/bookclubs .  Enter code HCWNC to get to our class order forms.  The class gets a free book for every order placed  on-line. 

·         LOG ON TO THE PORTAL:  log on to see grades and information.  Help us win the party!!

·         PENNY WARS FOR IDAHO FOOD BANK! : Penny Wars will start Monday, February 7th and run all week through Friday, February 11th.  All money donated will be given to the Idaho Food Bank.  Students may add pennies to their classroom jars.  Silver coins may be added to other classroom jars and will count against the pennies.  At the end of the week the money will be counted and the classroom with the most money wins a party.  Help us support the Idaho Food Bank!

·         CLASS AND SPRING PORTRAIT PICTURES: Class and spring pictures will be taken on Thursday, February 17th.  Packets will be sent home with information before picture day. There was one place in the newsletter that is was reported incorrectly, so it is February not March.

·         Students may bring their Valentine’s cards and boxes any time next week.

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

v    Language:  Drops In The Bucket D 4

v   Math:  Drops In The Bucket Number 4

v   Math:  Multi-Digit Multiplication

v    Reading:  Context Clues pg. 46

v    Reading:  read nightly and fill out your reading log. 

SPELLING WORDS

beauty, ugly, lazy, marry, ready, sorry, empty, honey, valley, movie, duty, hungry, lonely, 

alley, body, twenty, turkey, hockey, fifty, monkey

BONUS WORDS

fiery, envy, mercy, chimney, imaginary

Have a great weekend with your family!

Denise Thompson