Mrs. Frederickson’s November News

It’s that time already… our first trimester is officially at its end!  It is hard to believe that before we know it we will be celebrating the holidays and then approaching the half-way point of our school year!

Here is what has been happening in my middle school math and reading classes…

In 5^th grade advanced math and 6^th grade math we have been working on fractions.  Your child should be able to tell you have to find the greatest common factor and the least common multiple of given numbers.  Next we will start working on operations with fractions.  By the end of this month your child should be adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions.

In 7^th grade reading we have started reading the book Transall Saga by Gary Paulsen.  They will be concentrating on author’s purpose and visualizations while reading this book about a boy who is transported though a strange light to a world that is very foreign to him.

In 8^th grade math we just finished a chapter on solving linear equations.  Currently we are working on graphing linear equations and functions.  Before the month is out I anticipate that we will be writing linear equations.

In 5^th grade reading we are continuing to enhance essential reading skills and will be working on goal setting with reading.  Ask your child if they are reading each day to achieve their goal!

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me at any time at school 515-266-3433 or by email jfrederi@dowling.pvt.k12.ia.us

November’s Newsletter from the desk of

Ms. Farrell

I hope I had the opportunity to visit with all of you who wished to see me at parent–teacher conferences.  It is truly amazing to see the growth that so many of the students have made since the beginning of this school year.  

Reading

Kindergarten students have been introduced to a list with 25 sight words as they continue to work on letter identification. 

First grade students have now moved to the 50 word sight list.  In small group we are concentrating on one to one matching, beginning letter sounds and if it sounds correct.

Second grade students are working on decoding unfamiliar words. We are working and developing vocabulary.

Third grade students are working on fluency.  They are currently practicing a short play about Robin Hood and will perform it in front of their peers. 

Four grade students are reading a chapter book, practicing fluency, reading for a purpose. They are also journal writing about events in their lives as the characters have done in the story.

Math  

First grade students have just completed the chapter on subtraction.  They all have done a wonderful job!  We will be mixing it up for them in the next chapter.  They will have to indentify the symbol and be able to decide what operations they will need to perform.  Questioning will be stressed because they need to understand what they need to do before they start.  

If you have any questions at any time feel free to contact me by email

lfarrell@dowling.pvt.k12.ia.us or at 266-3433.