Iowa Test of Basic Skills

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Dear Parents,

This is the week when the Iowa Test of Basic Skills is administered in District # 91. The students will be taking several tests in language arts, reading, math, science, and social studies. In light of this I will not be assigning a spelling list, nor will there be a spelling test on Friday.

Also, while it is always important to observe healthy habits, it is especially important this week that your child have a good night's sleep and breakfast before coming to school!

Thank you.
Yours truly,

Ms. Prine

Halloween Party

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Thank you to our room parents (The Westervelts) and all the families who donated treats for our Halloween party. The boys and girls had a wonderful time! And, as you can see, they looked great in their costumes!

The Dogs Have It!

We made a bar graph today about our favorite pets; the categories were dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, birds, and other. This activity was in conjunction with the story "Six Dinner Sid". Ask your child to tell you about it.

How did you do? The boys and girls enjoyed creating these math problems for their parents to solve.

These are the solutions to yesterday's magic math squares.

The number in the bottom right square should be the sum for both the vertical and horizontal addition problems. The solutions will be published tomorrow.

Find the sums across and down..

Magic Squares

The boys and girls have created these magic math squares for you to solve!

Spelling Words for the Week of 10/25/04

The pattern this week: Words with the long /e/ sound. The test will be on Thursday, October 28, as there is no student attendance on Friday (teacher institute day).

1. need
2. eat
3. read
4. keep
5. team
6. feel
7. seat
8. three
9. sleep
10. each

Food Words from our weekly story from the basal reader:

11. chicken
12. lamb
13. stew
14. dinners

Halloween

We will celebrate Halloween on Thursday, October 28. (Friday, October 29 is a teacher institute day.) We will follow a regular class schedule in the A.M., and then after lunch the children may put on their costumes. We ask that if you wish your child to dress up for the afternoon festivities please send a costume s/he can easily put on by him or herself! (Also, please know that toy weapons cannot be allowed.) The afternoon will consist of a K-5 costume parade, video in the gym, and individual class parties. The class parties are sponsored by the Betsy Ross School P.T.O. and planned by our room parents. Dismissal is at the usual time, 3:00 P.M.

Please, just one more chapter Ms. Prine?!

Those familiar with the story will recognize this scene: The peach is being carried by seagulls over the Atlantic Ocean. The giant insects and James Henry Trotter encounter many wondrous things, including cloud men who throw hail and dump rainbow paint on the travelers. Ask your child to tell you about the story! It's a classic that can be enjoyed by children and adults alike.

Our current read-aloud chapter book is James and The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. Children of all ages benefit by being read to: It serves to increase vocabulary, expand and improve comprehension skills, encourages the use of imagination, and fosters a love of literature.

"Reading Buddies" are Cool...

Mrs. Perry's fifth grade will be our partner class this year! Once a week the students will get together to read or do other cooperative work such as art projects or math games. We also plan to take a field trip together. (Please refer to this week's edition of the Forest Park Review--there is a photo of the fifth and second grade classes reading to each other.)

Our Favorite Jokes...

What has eighteen legs and catches flies?

A baseball team.

-Patrick & Matthew


Why do some witches turn green while flying on their broomsticks?

They get potion sickness.

-Mireilla


Why was the baby ghost crying?

He fell and got a boo-boo.

-Jonah


Tell me now, what is it that is over your head and under your hat?

Your hair!

-Ariana


Why did the silly ask his mother to sit on the steps?

He wanted a step-mother.

-Hailey


What is the easiest way to make a banana split?

Cut it in half.

-Keianna


What lobster has one eye?

Cy-claws!

-Zachary


What do you call two banana peels?

A pair of slippers.

-Maria


Why did Humpty Dumpty have a great fall?

He wanted to make up for a bad summer.

-Gabby


Why did the baseball player bring a rope to the stadium?

He wanted to tie the game.

-Anna


What do ghosts eat for dessert?

I scream and booberry pie.

-Kya


If you had to give all your possessions away what single item would you say is the easiest thing to part with?

A comb.

-Kristin


Why is a dog so hot in the summer?

He wears a coat and pants.

-Christopher



What did the boy octopus say to the girl octopus?

I want to hold your hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand, hand.

-Ms. Prine

Grandparents are Special!!!

(Drawing by Mireilla)

Betsy Ross School had it's annual Grandparent's Day Celebration this past Thursday. We were very pleased about all the grandparents and senior friends who joined us for breakfast and visited our classroom! It means so much to the boys and girls. Grandparents are very special to us!

Spelling Words for Week of October 18, 2004

The rule: Words with long /a/. The test will be Friday, 10-22-04. (Students will be tested on all 14 words.)

Basic list:

1. may
2. say
3. rain
4. lay
5. train
6. day
7. mail
8. pay
9. tail
10. away

Pet Words from our weekly story in the basal reader:

11. cute
12. kitten
13. peppy
14. purr

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Grandparents' Breakfast and Classroom Visitation

This Thursday grandparents and senior friends are invited to breakfast, which begins at 8:00 A.M. in the Betsy Ross Gym. The students in grades 2-5 will give a brief singing performance, and then grandparents/senior friends are invited to visit the classrooms. We look forward to seeing you there!

Weekly Spelling List

This week's words feature the short /u/ sound. The friendship words come from this week's story in the basal reader. The test will be on Friday, 10/15/04.

1. fun
2. sun
3. up
4. nut
5. duck
6. us
7. cut
8. bus
9. gum
10. bun

Friendship Words

friends
played
together
games

Of course, the most important goal of the Library Curriculum is to instill and encourage a love of reading!!! Please take note that the students are allowed to take their weekly book selections home and that all library materials are due back to school each Monday morning.

The Second Graders have library class on Tuesday mornings with Mr. Vargo and his helper, a lobster named "Claude". The boys and girls learn about how to select books, check-out procedure and responsibility, authors/illustrators, and distinguishing fiction from non-fiction.

Library Class

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Telling time is an everyday math skill that the boys and girls are very motivated to learn!

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Cooperative Learning is an integral part of our math program. These students are working with Unifix Cubes as they demonstrate "turnaround" addition facts.

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Kya

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Matthew

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Kristin

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Keianna

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Gabby

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Arianna