Dear Parents, We will be bringing studies in each subject to a close before the holidays in order to start fresh with new chapters in January. In Religion we are currently discussing Advent, and will study one more chapter in our book before this quarter ends. This week we have Adoration and Benediction on December 9th, and next Friday we have a special Advent prayer service. Next Friday, December 18th, is also the day 4b will be leading Mass. Students have been assigned parts and will begin practicing early next week. We will end our chapter on multiplication next Friday with our Chapter 4 test. Everyone has worked very hard over the past few weeks to improve memorization of the multiplication facts. For most students, our timed test have helped them see their individual improvement by making it further through the test each time. The beginning of next week will involve double digit multiplication problems. We also will be working on word problems. In Social Studies our classes are a mixture of studying the Northeast Region with our textbooks, the state of Missouri through the use of our Missouri Weekly newspapers, and current events with our weekly Scholastic News magazines. We will complete our first chapter on the Northeast this week. When we return in January we will have our second chapter on the Northeast. As we finish each region, students will be expected to know the capitals for the states in that region. Each student will receive a study guide. Science classes currently involve the study of plant life. This week we will finish Chapter 3 with a test scheduled for this Friday, December 11th. The chapter on animal life involved a class activity studying metamorphosis. Meal worms were observed and studied, and then the wait began for the completion of the metamorphosis process. Students were able to observe the larva changing into a pupa, and finally emerging as a beetle. They were also able to see the beetles change colors from a brown to black as the days passed. Beetles were released into the grass next to Incarnate Word. The next chapter in Science is the study of human body systems. This is one of the most interesting chapters we study each year. Art Museum visits have passed quickly with only one remaining. Our last trip will be December 15th. Thank you for remembering to send lunches for eating in the classroom. Each student will be bringing home the sketch book they were given by our museum educator on our first visit. This year they were able to spend a lot of time sketching as we visited different galleries discussing cultures and artwork. Students will also bring home a summary project they will complete on our last visit. The coming days are full and spirits are high now at school. We have a lot of work to accomplish though, and students are managing to apply themselves and are working hard.