November 15, 2009

Dear Parents,

Don’t forget, Scholastic book orders are due on Monday.  This time I have also included a link to purchase books for a broad range of students, including toddlers.  Just click on the club scholastic tab when you log on.  The prices could not be better for the holidays.  Personally, I have already order a set of A to Z mysteries for my nephew in third grade, he loves them. 

The homework for the week of November 16-20 has been posted.  You may print out a copy for the entire week if you like.  This weeks writing homework is new but very important.  Your son/daughter will not be able to write the whole explanation in their agendas so please have them print a copy.  We will be going over homework as part of our class each day. 

I am about a quarter of the way through reading all the personal narratives and I must say, I am very pleased.  We finished our first writing unit and from now on, your son or daughter should be writing with great details that show rather than tell.  We will be moving on to our next writing unit on Tuesday.  Our next unit will be Realistic Fiction and our focus will be on developing strong characters and plot development including settings.  Our work in realistic fiction will help us to prepare to analyze our independent reading books more closely.  For the most part, this week in writing we will be focused on gathering strong ideas for realistic fiction that is real to a middle school student.  I want to be clear to the students; they should not attempt to write a story that is above them in maturity.  For example writing a realistic story about a married coupled when they have never been married, or an all star basketball player when they have only played on a travel team.  This week in class and for homework students will be working on gathering ideas from their own lives to write about.  On Tuesday, we are brainstorming ideas from ordinary life, on Wednesday from stories we wish had been written and on Thursday on general themes such as friendship, loss, survival, handicaps etc.  Friday we will actually pick our topics and begin to develop strong characters.  The real writing of this unit will take place as soon as we return from Thanksgiving break. 

In reading, we are finishing up our character study unit by examining how characters change throughout a story.  Next week students will complete their end of unit letter explaining what they have learned about characters this year.  Our new unit beginning when we return from Thanksgiving will be focused on literary elements of fiction. 

It is hard to believe that the first marking period is nearing an end on Tuesday.  At this point your son or daughter should have finished reading ten to fifteen books.  Keep them reading every night.   

Sincerely,

Mrs. Clark  

Dear Parents,

I have exciting news.  You can now place your Scholastic Book Clubs orders online! If you prefer, you can also still send orders to school the traditional method as well. 

Browse all the great monthly Book Club selections at low prices and order online.  Plus, our class earns a FREE book every time a parent orders online.

Here’s how it works:

1. Use the information below to access the Scholastic Book Clubs Web site. You can also find a link to the scholastic web site on our class’s web site.
2. Browse the titles with your child and place your order with your credit card.
3. Your order will come to me, and your credit card payment will go directly to Scholastic’s secure server. There’s no need to send money to school.
4. After I submit the entire class order to Scholastic, your order will be delivered to our classroom for your child to take home.

To get started, go to the Web address below and enter our class’s personalized user name and password in the sign-in fields on the right side of the page.  Note: You do not need to create your own user name and password.

www.scholastic.com/bookclubs

User Name:   mrsclarkila

Password:    students

Ordering online is the most convenient way to use Scholastic Book Clubs.  You can order anytime, right up until the online order due date.  You’ll also get instant access to over 500 additional titles plus online-only specials and discounts.

And don’t forget: Every time a parent places an order online, we earn a FREE book for our classroom library!

I have attached a recommendation list for each of the Scholastic flyers I am sending home.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Clark

December ARROW Flyer

# 69 Old Yeller- just $1.00                                          

#29- The Doom Machine

#2- All Capone Shines My Shoes                                

# 70- Once Upon a Marigold

#34- The Evolution of Calpunia Tate                            

#95- Twice Upon a Marigold

#99- The Willoughbys                                     

#89- The Latest Book in 39 clues series

November TAB Flyer

#73- The secrets of the Immortal Nicolas Flamel,The Magician

#14- Chasing Lincoln’s Killer

#56- The Magic Thief                                                  

# 84- Tunnels

# 57- Milkweed                                                          

#5- Ark Angel- Anthony Horowitz

#38- Gordon Korman- Everest Pack                           

#33- The Eygpt Game

December TAB Flyer

#1- Accidental Love- Gary Soto                                  

#45- Leviathan

#80- The Time Machine                                              

#32- The Eyeball Collector

#52- My Life in Pink & Green                         

#58- The Outsiders

#30- Everlost                                                              

#42- Ink Death

#40- Hunger Games                                                    

#13- Catching Fire