Newsletter 1-17-14

Third and Fourth Grade News

From the Week of January 17, 2014

Dear Parents,

            It has been a great week!  We have been busy getting back on track, and learning as much as we can! 

There are many important events coming up!  There is not school on Monday, January 20^th, because of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. 

Lutheran Schools’ Week is January 26-February 2.  The important facts are below in the Upcoming Events.  A note with these facts was sent home today and is in your child’s Friday Folder! (I posted mine right on the fridge at home!) 

Information regarding the Talent Show (January 31) was sent home in an email.  Participants may volunteer via Sign-Up Genius.  Auditions will be Wednesday, January 22, after school.  Please sign-up soon, soon, soon!

            Report cards went home on Wednesday (Tuesday for home-school students).  If you did not get your child’s, please check his or her backpack!  Please also let me know if you have any concerns.  I so want all of your children to succeed! 

            Achievement tests are coming up!  These will be February 24^th-28^th.   The testing will be in the mornings from 8:30-12:00 every day.  The home school students are invited to do this as well.  If you are interested, please let me know and Mr. K will order your supplies.  Thank you! 

            Enrollment will be starting soon and you will receive information from Mr. Kuerschner by the end of the month. 

Here is what we did this week:

In Religion this week, we talked so much about prayers!  It is amazing how God works too…We have been praying fervently for Pastor Ted, and we talked about prayer in Chapel this week with Pastor Rich, and a lot the things we have been talking about just fell into place with these lessons…and none of this was planned on my part.  (God knew all along, though, right?)  We discussed that God always hears our prayers, but does not always answer them according to our time or wants.  He answers in one of four ways:  “Yes,”  “No,” “Wait,” or “Something Better.” J  I shared some personal stories with the kids to kick start this conversation, and boy, did we have a great talk!  We started keeping prayer journals, where we can document prayers and how God answered them.  I am beginning one too, and if so moved to do so, you should too!   Just ask your kiddo how to get started! 

We also had a great discussion today about video games.  There has been a slight issue in our class with children sharing some of the words or ideas they are learning from some more of these violent games.  We talked about how some kids are allowed to play or watch these games and some are not, and these things should not be talked about at school.  As a parent, I know it is tough to make a decision like this, but please talk to your child about the violence and language that they may see or hear, and use that time to talk to them about what is right and wrong, and what is in line with God’s Word and His hopes for us. Thank you for partnering with me in your child’s education, as well as his or her spiritual life.  They are such treasures to me, and I want them all to feel safe here and loved!  Thank you! I am blessed to serve with you!

In Language Arts this week, third graders read a story called “Aero and Officer Mike,” about a police dog and his owner.  Fourth graders read “Antarctic Journal,” about an author who stayed there for four months to document life there.  She had amazing encounters

In Math this week, third grade tested over calendars and clocks, and this week began to learn about taking different types of data and putting it into graphs.  Fourth graders worked with circle graphs and line graphs, and then worked with taking information and deciding which kind of graph would be best.  They will test over this chapter next week.

During Social Studies, we have continued our study of Missouri and are talking about the Native Americans to the region.  We learn all about Martin Luther King Jr. next week!  We will have a full-week about him, with whole-class spelling words, stories we will read as a class, and several fun writing and social studies projects.  Be on the lookout for these! 

During Art, we made snow scene pictures.  They are blizzardly beautiful!   

In P.E. this week, we got out the parachute and played washer, bear soup, and popcorn!  Confused?!  J 

In Music, we prepared songs for National Lutheran Schools’ Week, and practiced singing our favorite tunes... 

For Writers’ Workshop, we continued work on our collaborative student projects.  These are very cool, and it is fun to see imaginations go wild with planning theses, and I am looking forward to publishing them soon. 

UPCOMING EVENTS:

JANUARY

20- No School, Martin Luther King Day
22-Talent Show Try-outs 4:00
26- Mrs. Carrasco's Birthday, all kids sing at 9:00 service at north site. 
26—Feb. 2 National Lutheran Schools' Week; Scholastic Book Fair

27-Dress as a book character

28-School Spirit Day (school colors)

29-Chapel Family Picks (ask your child and look at the note coming home)

30-Crazy Dress Day—Teachers switch classrooms! 

31-Grandparents’ Day-Dress Your Best-Talent Show-12:30 dismissal

FEBRUARY

2-Kids sing at 9:30 service at the South Site
5-Mornings with Mom/Special Person

13-P/T conferences-1:00 dismissal

14- P/T conferences-1:00 dismissal

17-President’s Day-no school

24-28-Achievement tests

Have a great weekend!

Yours in Christ,

Kim Brunkhorst