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- Are we allowed to bring a snack?
- May we bring a water bottle?
- May we bring books from home?
- When does school start and end?
- Will we participate in AR this year?
- Does the planner have to be signed every night?
- Can I come and eat lunch with my child?
- What is the best way to get in touch with you?
- What are the Six Traits + 1?
- How can I help my child with math?
- How can I help my child with reading?
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Are we allowed to bring a snack?
We will have a snack break each day, but I do request you bring healthy
snacks such as fruit, vegetables, popcorn, granola bars, pretzels, dry
cereal, and so forth.
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May we bring a water bottle?
Yes, feel free to bring a water bottle, but please make sure it has a tight
lid or cap so we don't have spills. You might want to freeze the water (at
least partially) so it stays cold all day especially with the warm weather
we have been experiencing.
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May we bring books from home?
Books from home are fine. Please be sure to have your name inside the front
cover. Several people may be reading the same book.
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When does school start and end?
The bell rings at 7:50 to begin the day. I encourage you to ride the bus
and get here earlier so you have time to unpack, say hi to a friend, and get
your day off to an organized start. The bell rings at 2:20 to start
dismissal.
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Will we participate in AR this year?
Yes. I require each student to read at least one AR book each month and
take the quiz. We won't start the program for several weeks. You may read
your book during DEAR or any other time including at home. You may read
other books or magazines during DEAR also.
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Does the planner have to be signed every night?
Yes! This is the student's responsiblity to bring it to you and make sure it
is signed before they come to school.
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Can I come and eat lunch with my child?
YES!!!! Students are so excited when their parent(s) come and eat with
them at school.
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What is the best way to get in touch with you?
The best way to get in touch with me is by email. You can email me at
mary.lipscomb@cobbk12.org. I will get back to you in 1 day unless there are
technical difficulties at the school.
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What are the Six Traits + 1?
Ideas:
The ideas are the heart of the message, the content of the piece, the main
theme, together with the details that enrich and develop that theme.
Organization:
Organization is the internal structure of a piece of writing, the thread of
central meaning, the logical and sometimes intriguing pattern of the ideas.
Voice:
The voice is the heart and soul, the magic, the will, along with the feeling
and conviction of the individual writer coming out through the words.
Word Choice:
Word choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that moves and
enlightens the reader.
Fluency:
Sentence fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language, the sound of work
patterns, the way in which the writing plays to the ear - not just to the
eye.
Convention:
Conventions are the mechanical correctness of the piece - spelling, grammar
and usage, paragraphing, use of capitals, and punctuation.
+1 Presentation:
Presentation zeros in on the form and layout of the text and its
readability: the piece should be pleasing to the eye.
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How can I help my child with math?
Mastering Math
Mastering mathematics is absolutely essential for future opportunities in
school and careers. Your children will need to reach a certain level of
competency in math to take many advanced high-school courses, to be admitted
to college, and to have a wide variety of career choices. Here's how you can
help them maximize their math-smarts.
1. Make sure your children understand mathematical concepts.
Otherwise, math becomes a meaningless mental exercise of just memorizing
rules and doing rote drills. Have your children manipulate objects to figure
out basic concepts. For addition, they could add one, two, or more blocks to
a pile of blocks and then tell you how many blocks are in the pile.
2. Help them master the basic facts.
Mastery of a basic fact means that children can give an answer in less than
three seconds. Considerable drill is required for children to give quick
responses. Use flash cards to help your children learn the basic facts. When
they don't know an answer, have them lay out objects to solve the problem.
3. Teach them to write their numbers neatly.
Twenty-five percent of all errors in solving math problems can be traced
back to sloppy number writing. Improve your children's number-writing skills
by having them trace over numbers that you have written. Suggest they use
graph paper to keep the numbers in problems neatly aligned.
4. Provide help immediately when your children need it.
Math is one subject in which everything builds upon what has been previously
learned. For example, a failure to understand the concept of percent leads
to problems with decimals. If a teacher is unable to help your children,
provide the help yourself or use a tutor or learning center.
5. Show them how to handle their math homework.
Doing math homework reinforces the skills your children are learning in
class. Teach them to begin every assignment by studying the textbook or
worksheet examples. Then have them redo the examples before beginning the
assignment to make sure they understand the lesson.
6. Encourage your children to do more than the assigned problems.
Considerable practice is necessary for your children to hone their math
skills. If the teacher only assigns the even problems, having them do some
of the odd ones will strengthen their skills. The more time your children
spend practicing their skills, the sooner they will develop confidence in
their abilities.
7. Explain how to solve word problems.
Mathematicians have an expression: To learn to solve problems, you must
solve problems. Teach your children to read a word problem several times.
Also, have them draw a picture or diagram to describe it. Make it easier for
them to understand the steps in a problem by teaching them to substitute
smaller numbers for larger ones.
8. Help your children learn the vocabulary of mathematics.
They will never get a real feeling for math nor learn more advanced concepts
without an understanding of its vocabulary. Check that your children can
define new terms. If not, have them use models and simple problems to show
you they understand how the term is used.
9.Teach them how to do math "in their head."
One of the major ways to solve problems is by using mental math. Kids should
use this method frequently instead of using pencil and paper or a
calculator. When helping your children with a problem, help them determine
when it would be appropriate to use mental math.
10. Make mathematics part of your children's daily life.
Mathematics will become more meaningful when your kids see how important it
is in so many real-life situations. Encourage them to use math in practical
ways. For example, ask them to space new plants a certain distance apart,
double a recipe, and pay bills in stores.
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How can I help my child with reading?
Set aside a regular time to read to your children every day.
Studies show that regularly reading out loud to children will produce
significant gains in reading comprehension, vocabulary, and the decoding of
words. Whether your children are preschoolers or preteens, it will increase
their desire to read independently.
2. Surround your children with reading material.
Children with a large array of reading materials in their homes score higher
on standardized tests. Tempt your kids to read by having a large supply of
appealing books and magazines at their reading level. Put the reading
materials in cars, bathrooms, bedrooms, family rooms, and even by the TV.
3. Have a family reading time.
Establish a daily 15 to 30 minute time when everyone in the family reads
together silently. Seeing you read will inspire your children to read. Just
15 minutes of daily practice is sufficient to increase their reading fluency.
4. Encourage a wide variety of reading activities.
Make reading an integral part of your children's lives. Have them read
menus, roadside signs, game directions, weather reports, movie time
listings, and other practical everyday information. Also, make sure they
always have something to read in their spare time when they could be waiting
for appointments or riding in a car.
5. Develop the library habit.
Entice your children to read more by taking them to the library every few
weeks to get new reading materials. The library also offers reading programs
for children of all ages that may appeal to your children and further
increase their interest in reading.
6. Be knowledgeable about your children's progress. Find out what reading
skills they are expected to have at each grade level. The school's
curriculum will give you this information. Track their progress in acquiring
basic reading skills on report cards and standardized tests.
7. Look for reading problems.
Find out if your children can sound out words, know sight words, use
context to identify unknown words, and clearly understand what they read.
8. Get help promptly for reading problems.
Reading problems do not magically disappear with time. The earlier children
receive help, the more likely they will become good readers. Make sure you
provide the necessary help as soon as you discover a problem.
9. Use a variety of aids to help your children.
To help your children improve their reading, use textbooks, computer
programs, books-on-tape, and other materials available in stores. Games are
especially good choices because they let children have fun as they work on
their skills.
10. Show enthusiasm for your children's reading.
Your reaction has a great influence on how hard they will try to become good
readers. Be sure to give them genuine praise for their efforts.
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