Theater Outreach

Thank you Ms. Bethany for coming to visit us today! We had a lot of fun learning about pantomime!



Short Season Ends Today

Hey Families! Just a reminder that our short season send today. Starting tomorrow, all boys should be in pants and girls should be in either plaid skirts or pants (with the exception of mass days where all girls should be in plaid skirts only). Posted below is a copy of the uniform policy for the fall season. If you have any questions, please contact the school office. Thank you!

October News!

Regrouping Video

Here is a link to a video that has instruction for regrouping if you need extra help. Enjoy!
http://www.teachertube.com/video/addition-with-regrouping-236500

Midland Community Theater Outreach at St. Ann's

 

We are so excited to welcome back Ms. Bethany with Midland Community Theater Outreach to St. Ann's. Each week, Midland Community Theater will come to work with our Third Graders. There will be one session each week for four weeks. The students get to learn about pantomime, stage and acting terms, speech projection, and the performing arts in general. What a wonderful way to prepare for our Saint Wax Museum coming up. We will start tomorrow: September 30th from 10:30 - 11:30. Hopefully your children come home with some great knowledge about theater!

Why Estimate?

Estimation is a Skill for Life

As you walk around and live your life, imagine if you could easily estimate:

• how much a bill will be
• which item is the best value for money
• the size, areas and angles of things

Also, it would be great if you could quickly guess how many people are in a room, how many cars in the street, how many boxes on the shelf, or even how many seagulls on the beach?

We are not talking exact answers here, but answers that are good enough for your life.

Exact vs. Estimate:

Estimation is ...

... finding a number that is close enough to the right answer.

You are not trying to get the exact right answer
What you want is something that is good enough (usually in a hurry!)

Why Estimate?
 

1. Estimation can save you money. Always do a quick estimation of how much you should pay:
Example: you want to buy five magazines that cost $1.95 each. When you go to buy them the cost is $12.25. Is that right?

"five at $1.95 each is about 5 times 2, or about $10"

$12.25 seems too much!
Ask to have the total checked.

2. Estimation can save you time (when the calculation does not have to be exact):
Example: you want to plant a row of flowers. The row is 58.3cm long. The plants should be 6cm apart. How many do you need?

"58.3 is nearly 60, and 60 divided by 6 is 10,
so 10 plants should be enough."

 

3. Estimation can save you from making mistakes with your calculator:
Example: you are calculating 107 times 56, and the calculator shows this:

952.00 Is that right?

"107 times 56 is a bit more more than 100 times 50, which is 5,000"

 Ooops! you must have typed something wrong ...
... in fact you pressed 17×56 (you left out the zero), and without estimating you could have made a really big mistake!

     
4. Estimation helps you focus on what is really going on. It is Fun, and Good for your Brain.
It is actually good fun to do estimating because it keeps your mind active. As you walk around see how good you are at estimating answers before they come up.

• At the supermarket try to add up everything yourself, and then compare it to the final bill
• Estimate how long it will take you to get home
• When shopping, see which is the better bargain by estimating the price per quantity
• and so on!

Example: You are making invitation cards. It took you 3 minutes and 20 seconds to make one card, but you need to do 15 more ... how long will it take? Think:

"... it took a little more than 3 minutes for one card, and 3 × 15 is 45...

... add a bit more ... maybe 50 minutes and I will be done."

And then see how close your estimate was when you finish.

 

Wanna Practice?

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/mathgames/round/mathman_round_addition.htm

Saint Study Information

Hello Families!
In your Tuesday Folder tomorrow, you and your child will receive a packet about our Saint Study Project that we will be working on this month. Please review this information carefully with your child. It outlines what should be expected over the next month while we construct our reports in class and practice for our presentations. The most important thing you can do at home is to research the list of Saints that are given and choose some that your child might be interested in doing. Please return this form no later than Friday, October 2nd. If your child has no preference as to which Saint they research, they do not need to return the list of Saints to class and we will choose one for them. Your child will be given their Saint by the end of the day on October 2nd. Please take time to look up some information about their Saint so they will be prepared to work on it in class. We are so excited for this project. It is one of the most exciting things we do all year. If you would like to look at some places to research Saints, or look at some examples of costumes, please refer to the Resources section. Thank you so much! I am looking forward to working on this project with your children.

Free Dress for Philanthropy

Don't forget! If you want to have a "Jean Day" on Wednesday, please send $5 with your child and they can wear jeans and choice of T-shirt on September 30th. Please see the form for additional information.

Fair Fun!

We had so much fun today! Thank you for everyone who came out. See you at the fair!

Don't Forget to Turn in Permission Forms!

If you haven't already, please don't forget to turn in your permission forms for tomorrow's event. We must have each permission form for you to ride the carnival rides. See you all tomorrow! Have a great night!

 

Types of Sentences

Hello Parents! We have been working with different types of sentences in English. Your children have these definitions in their spiral notebooks, but in case you want a reference at home, here is a chart with the same information. Hope this helps!

For some extra fun...

Friday Fun!

Hello Parents!
I just wanted to give you details about Friday's event for your children. As stated in an earlier post and addressed in the Tuesday Folder, all St. Ann's students are invited to ride the carnival rides free of charge tomorrow from 10:30-11:30. I just wanted to go over a few things that will make this a safe and fun event for your child!

• To participate in Friday's event, permission forms must be turned in by Friday morning. We are not allowed to let the children ride the carnival rides without your signed consent. Please make sure this is turned back into school as soon as possible.
• Friday is an early dismissal day in order to prepare the school grounds for the fair. All students must be picked up for a 12:30 release. There will be no After School Care provided on this day.
• You are welcome to join us for Friday's activity, but you MUST sign in at the office before heading to the rides and get a Yellow Visitor's Tag. The carnival operators will only be able to identify you as a member of the St. Ann's Community if you are wearing a St. Ann's uniform or Yellow Visitor's Tag. They are only allowing people with one of those to indicators to ride the rides.
• On that note, ALL students MUST be in a St. Ann's Mass Uniform Friday. This is a safety issue so that all teachers can keep track of the St. Ann's students as well as allow the carnival operators to identify your child as a St. Ann's student. No "Out of Uniform" passes may be used tomorrow.
• If you would like to take your child home after the conclusion of the rides, that is fine. We just ask that you meet at our meeting place (the benches in front of the gym) to sign them out with the teacher. After you check with the teacher, you may get their items from the classroom and sign them out in the office. No student is allowed to leave school property early without signing out with the teacher and the office. This is very important to ensure their safety.
• If your child is planning to go home with another family on Friday, that is fine. We just need a note from you stating that they have permission to go home with another party. Please state your child's name, your name, and who they are to go home with on the note and sign it.
• Lastly, Friday's event is a wonderful tradition that we have had the privilege of participating in for many years. We are invited to do this repeatedly each year, which is a wonderful honor. On this note, we expect all students to be kind and respectful to the workers, visitors, staff, and students. Please remind your child to use manners ("Please and Thank You") with the carnival staff. If we see any behavior that we feel is harmful to others or may hinder the fun for other students, they will be asked to sit in the office for the event. We want each and every participant to enjoy Friday's activity! :)

Thank you families for all you do! I'm looking forward to seeing you Friday or at the fair on Saturday! Have a great day!

Box Tops!

Hey families! If you have any Box Tops for Education that you collect for St. Ann's, please be sure to send them our way. We have already created quite a collection but can always use more. We'd love to add them to our Box Top Jar!

Dismissal in Front this Week

Don't forget! Due to Fair Construction, A-L families will move to the front of the school for dismissal this week. To accommodate a larger group of students dismissing at the same location, we will begin carpool early at 2:45pm from Monday-Thursday. Carpool on Friday will begin at 12:30pm for Early Release. If you have any questions, please refer to the lavender flyer that went home in Tuesday Folder this past week, or call the office at (432) 684-4563. Thanks parents!

Food Drive

The House of St. Michael is hosting a year long food drive for St. Vincent DePaul. Each class has been given a box to collect non-perishable food items throughout the year. Every week, a representative from the House of St. Michael will tally up what we have and we will turn in our items at the first school Mass of the month. Many of our Third Graders have already helped fill our box...

If you have any food items you would like to donate, or even diapers and formula, we will pass them along to The House of St. Michael for their service project. Thank you families for your generosity and support with this. 

Hot Dog Day!

Here are some pictures from Hot Dog Day! It was great to see everyone there! Have a great weekend!

Testing Over! Hot Dog Day and Fair Constrution

We have officially finished testing! The kids did very well. I want to thank all parents for their efforts in preparing your children for this week. I really appreciate it.

Now that testing is over, we have Hot Dog Day to look forward to tomorrow. Your child may wear any Fair T-shirt with Jeans or uniform shorts and their regular uniform shoes. Our lunch time is a little later on Hot Dog Days so we will meet for lunch at 11:50 a.m. in the gym. We would love for you to join us for lunch is you are able. Look forward to seeing you!

Construction will begin this weekend in preparation for the 67th St. Ann's Family Fair, which will take place on Saturday, September 26th. Our carpool procedures will change next week to accommodate the construction, so therefore all families with the last name ending in A-L will join all students in the front of the school instead of the blacktop and we will begin carpool pickup earlier at 2:45 p.m. Please refer to the note that was sent home in Tuesday folder this week for more details. If you have any more questions regarding this, please call the school office at (432) 684-4563 and they will be happy to assist you.

As many of you are aware, Friday, September 25th will be an early dismissal day to prepare for the fair. The students will attend mass in the morning and then are able to ride the carnival rides free of charge. I will post further information regarding this next week, but if you would like your child to participate in the carnival rides, it is imperative that you sign and return a permission form that will go home in this coming week's Tuesday folder. We will remain on school grounds, however we need to have parental consent for your children to ride. Teachers and staff will supervise the students and you are more than welcome to join us as long as you have a visitors pass. Check back here next week for details on times and procedures for this fun event!

Lastly, the fair is a wonderful fundraiser for the school. It is a fantastic event with great food and fun! I hope to see you all there on the 26th. If you are interested in helping with this important fundraiser, please contact the church office for a list of available booths to volunteer. There are opportunities for children and adults to help. Also, the fair construction committee can always use volunteers for set-up before and tear down after.

Thank you again for all that you do! I am thoroughly enjoying this year with you and your children! Have a wonderful day and God bless!

Discounted Fair Tickets!

Hey Families! Fun Fair Tickets for the 67th Family Fair will be on sale at a discounted rate at Hot Dog Day. The normal cost is $0.75 per ticket, but St. Ann's families can purchase tickets on September 18th from 10:45am - 1:00pm for $0.50 a ticket. Look forward to seeing you at Hot Dog Day!

Saint Submission Complete!

We had so many wonderful suggestions of Saints to submit as a name for the Catholic High School. After much discussion, the 3A class decided on Saint Michael the Archangel as the Saint they would like to recommend as a patron of our new Catholic High School. In class, we created a web of characteristics of this wonderful Saint that make for a great patron. Here is what the class came up with:

We sent our suggestion to the office for review. If you or your child have any other ideas for the name of our high school, you still have time! Recommendations are due in the office by tomorrow to be sent to the board for consideration. Thanks families for your help with this!

Testing Begins Tomorrow!

Testing begins tomorrow! Please remember to get a good night's sleep, a hearty breakfast, and be on time. We begin our tests promptly at 8:15 a.m.

Catholic High School Name Submission

Hello students and parents!
As many of you know, the Midland area is in the process of starting a Catholic High School. They are enlisting in the help of our students to name it after a Saint. As a class, we are going to submit a name of a Saint on behalf of 3A but if you would like provide a suggestion yourself, there are forms in the office to do so. We have discussed several Saints during religion class as our daily "Saint of the Day" activity, but if you have time I invite you to look at the websites below to learn about some other Saints to consider. This is also a wonderful activity in preparation for our upcoming Saint Project. Thank you for your help with this!
http://www.catholic.org/saints/
http://saintsresource.com/
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/byname.aspx

Midterm

Our first midterm of the year has arrived. I average all the students' grades up to the midterm, and determine their progress. If I feel your child could use improvement on any areas, a progress report will be sent home by the end of next week that indicates their current grade in the subject and helpful tips on how to improve. As a reminder, if you are interested in knowing your child's average at any time, I can provide it for you. Just let me know through email, phone or conference.

Thank you again for all your help and support! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Adjectives and Adverb Practice

We are focusing on identifying adjectives and adverbs in sentences this week. Here are a couple of games that might help your child practice:

• Grammar Blast! (Adjective/Adverb)
• Adverb Game
• Adjective/Adverb Trail Game
• Adjective/Adverb Millionaire

Ways to Practice Spelling

Looking to study spelling words?

Tired of having your child recite their spelling words out loud to make sure they know them?
What students really need to know is how to write, recognize and define their spelling words. 

Here are a few new ways to practice spelling. 

You and your child can:

1. Create a set of flashcards Have your child write their spelling word in pencil on one side an index card. There are some ways to use flashcards other than using them to quiz. They can:

• Trace the word in pen or marker to reinforce knowing the letters and shape the word makes when it’s spelled correctly.
• Read the word, turn the card over, write it again and flip to check for accuracy.

2. Create a second set of flashcards with the definition of the word on it. If possible, use a different color index card then the first set.She can:

• Have you read or show her the definition and tell you the word that goes with it.
• Flip the card over and write the correct spelling word on the back.
• Test herself by writing the words on a separate piece of paper as she looks at the card.

3. Use both sets of flashcards to play spelling Memory.

• Arrange the flashcards in rows, face down on the table.
• Each player takes a turn to pick up a two cards, one of each color. If the word and definition match, the player keeps the cards. If not, they put them back in the same place and it’s the next player’s turn.
• The players will have to remember the position of the cards in order to match them up. When all the cards are gone, the player with the most matches wins.

4. Use alphabet magnets or Scrabble tiles to spell out each word.
5. Write the word  list on a piece of construction paper. Then cut the words apart into strips. Then, cut those words into letters and have your child reconstruct the list.
6. Write sentences for each word. Make sure your child is using it in context to show that they understand the definition and part of speech of the spelling words.
7. Type her spelling words on the computer. This will help to reinforce how to spell each word and help them recognize what the words will look like in a book or other reading material.
8. Write or type a story using all of the spelling words. The story doesn’t have to be a masterpiece, but it should show that they know how to spell and use each word properly.
9.  Use the Spelling City website.  Parents can register for the free version and input your child’s spelling word list. Your child can then play games and activities or take practice tests on the site.
10. Use Discovery Education’s puzzlemaker tool. You can create word searches using your child’s spelling words.
11.  Alphabetize the word list. This can be done either by writing them in alphabetical order or by using the flashcards.
12.  Sit down with your child, two pencils and a piece of paper. Tell them the spelling word you’ll be practicing and write the first letter of the word. Pass the paper to them so they can add the next letter. You add the letter after that, repeating until the word is spelled.
You can do this with all of the words and up the ante by having them write the next two or three letters before passing the paper back to you.
13. Create Mad Libs only using the spelling words. You can either buy Mad Libs books for just this purpose or find them online at Wacky Web Tales.
14.  Use old magazines or newspapers to find spelling words and cut them out. It can be an interesting demonstration of how many times words are used in everyday writing.

Testing Week

Next week is Testing Week. Please refer to your schedule that went home in Tuesday Folder to see when your child will be testing. Here at St. Ann's we take the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. This test is actually quite different from tests you will see at most schools. It might seem strange to be testing in September, however the reason we do this is to actually help identify the best ways to help your child throughout the year. Your child should feel no pressure about this test, however we do want them to do their best in order to assess them properly, which allows you and the teachers to get the best reading of their strengths and weaknesses. The best way to prepare your child for testing week is to simply allow them to have plenty of sleep, get a good breakfast, and arrive on time. It is especially important to be on time during this week so they do not miss any tests. You should also expect your child to have no homework during testing week in order to rest and have a fresh mind. We will test Tuesday through Thursday.

Some have asked about bringing a snack to school during testing. A healthy snack can often bring an energy boost and help your child concentrate. Your child may bring a small snack for testing this week if they wish. Keep in mind that we only have about 10 minute breaks that also include using the restroom if necessary, so snacks should be very simple. Some good choices are dried fruits or apple slices. Any snack packed with protein is a great option too, like cheese cubes or string cheese, but please keep the peanuts, peanut butter, and any kind of nuts at home as we do have students with allergies. Pretzels, goldfish, and crackers are good options as well. Really any snack that is healthy and easy to eat quickly will be good for breaks. It is not necessary that you bring a snack. We will provide plenty of breaks and our lunchtime will be the same as normal.

I hope this helps in preparing your child for testing, but the best way to get ready is to get plenty of rest, eat a good breakfast, arrive on time, and above all else...RELAX. The purpose of testing is to help the teachers learn how to educate your child the best way we can, so please remind them that they should feel no pressure, but to simply do their best work. Thanks so much for all of your help!

Fun Ways to Count Money

Looking for some fun ways to count money? These are so enjoyable you won't even realize you're doing math!

1.     Money Memory- Make a money concentration game with 20 index cards, magazine pictures and coin stickers or stamps.  Have your child look through magazines and cut out pictures of ten items that he would like to purchase.  Have him glue each picture on an index card.  Draw a price tag on each picture.  On the other ten cards, put coin stickers or stamps that equal the prices of the objects shown on the other cards.  To play, shuffle and spread the cards face down on a playing surface.  One player chooses two cards.  If she gets a match, she gets to go again.  If they do not get a match, the cards are returned and the next player picks two cards.

2.     Penny-a-Day- Purchase four disposable plastic cups.  Label each cup with a different coin name (penny, nickel, dime, quarter).  Each day give your child a penny to place in the penny cup.  When he reaches 5¢ in the penny cup, allow him to trade for a nickel and put in the correct cup.  Encourage them to keep trading for larger and larger coins as they save money.

3.     Coin Toss- Place a plastic bowl on the floor several feet away from your child.  Give her 10 play coins.  Instruct her to toss the coins into the bowl.  She then counts the coins that land in the bowl.

3.     How Many Ways? - Each day review counting money by asking your child to show you different combinations of coins that equal the date.  For instance: Today is the 21^st.  Show me how many different ways you can make 21¢ using coins.

4.     Grocery Store- Buy a package of garage sale stickers or use a roll of masking tape to make price tags.  Place them on several grocery items and write a price on each.  Place the priced items on the table and invite your child to go ‘shopping’.  He can use real or play coins to purchase the items.  Older children can practice making change.

5.     Egg-celent Shake-up- Recycle your old cardboard egg cartons.  Place a handful of coins in a cardboard egg carton.  Close the lid and have your child shake it up.  When she opens the lid, ask her to count the coins in each section of the carton.

6.     Race to a Dollar- Grab a pair of dice, a bag of coins, a partner and you’re ready to go!  To play, one person rolls the dice.  She takes the same number of coins as the number that they roll.  Play continues until one player reaches a dollar. 

7.   Create a Catalog- Get several pieces of construction paper and have your child create their own catalog by drawing pictures of things that they like.  You can even write descriptions beside the drawings.   Help him accurately price each item.  Using play coins and bills, allow him to ‘purchase’ the item and count out the money needed.

Rosary Prayers

Don't Forget! No School on Monday!

Pizza Day Tomorrow!

Don't forget that Pizza Day is tomorrow! The students should still be in mass uniforms and we will have lunch at our normal time, but we will have PIZZA for lunch!

Thank You!

I was so happy to see such a wonderful turn out at our Parent Night. Thank you to everyone that attended. I hope I was able to answer any questions, but you can always refer to the Parents section to review the classroom procedures. If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thank you again. Looking forward to our year together!

September News!