Conway School District

May 31 and June 6, 2011

Dear Families,

Please note that this letter is for the next two weeks. I hope that you have an enjoyable Memorial Weekend (and that the sun comes out to give us a taste of summer). I was so proud of how well our class walked/ran on the day of the Walk-a-thon. It was a marvelous example of how we can have compassion for other people. Many kids in this class have become skilled at problem solving and are doing well in academics. I will be sad to see them move on to third grade.

    We are coming up on the last few weeks of school. I sent out updated classroom grades on Thursday (5-27) so that you could see how your child is currently performing in academics. Students have been taking their last district-wide assessments over the last week (Math MAP test and reading DIBELS). They still have the reading MAP assessment to take in the computer lab on Wednesday, June 3^rd.

Scores will be sent home from these assessments on June 13^th. We are continuing to learn important academic information and will have two more weeks of reading/ spelling tests. The students will still be doing math, reading and discussing stories during the last week of school, but it is difficult to get accurate assessment scores when they are excited about summer.

     In math we have finished the unit on multiplication, division, fractions, symmetry and probability and are now studying measurement with the metric, non-standard and standard English system. These topics will take us through the end of the school year.

Here are some important dates:

June 1^st: Two for one book sale

June 3^rd (1:00-3:00): Talent Show

Last day to check out books from the School or class library

June 9^th: Band Concert

June 10^th: Used book exchange. Please help us collect used books for the exchange.

June 10^th: Mount Vernon Summer Library Program presentation (end of day). This is a marvelous opportunity for all kids to read books, even if they don’t have a library card. There are also great presentations throughout the summer. Look for more information coming home.

June 14^th: Field Day

June 14^th: All missing work for the 3^rd trimester is due. All class books are due.

June 15^th: Class birthday party for June and July birthdays. Please contact Julie if you would like to bring snacks.

Last few days of school: Yearbooks will be distributed. Free autograph books will also be available.

June 17^th: Last day of school (half-day with dismissal at 11:45)

June 17^th: 9:00 Awards Assembly

5-31-11

This week your child is reading Montigue on the High Seas by John Himmelman. In this story, a mole name Montigue accidentally begins a sea voyage in a plastic soda bottle. After many adventures, Montigue meets some mice aboard a ship. When their survival is threatened by the ship’s cat, Barnacles, Montigue and the mice build a fleet of boats and sail of to a new home across the sea.

Montigue on the High Seas Spelling Words: Regular List

Spelling Words: Short List

VOCABULARY WORDS

1.     cozy – snug, comfortable

2.  drifted – pushed along by moving water

3.  fleet    -a group of ships or boats

4.  launched – caused to slide into the water

5.  looming –appearing large and scary

6.    realized – understood, figured out

6-6-11

This week your child is reading Ruth Law Thrills a Nation by Don Brown. This story tells how, on November 19, 1916, Ruth Law set an American record for the longest cross-country flight.  This is our last reading/spelling test of the year!

Ruth Law Spelling Words: Regular List

Spelling Words: Short List

VOCABULARY WORDS

7.  Hospitality –friendly treatment of guests or strangers (food, bed)

8.  Heroine – a woman who has done something very brave or helpful

9.  Refused – would not do

10.                Feat – an amazing deed or act

11.                Spectators –people who watch; an audience

12.                Stood – was unchallenged

                                                     Warmly,

                                                     Julie