Newsletter: Halloween Schedule and Parent Conferences

Important

I'll be sending home parent conference schedules next week which will be held Nov. 18th - 20th. Feel free to write me a note if there are any times those days that you wont be able to meet.

We are beginning initial practices for our Winter Program, a school-wide evening of theater! This year it will be Dec. 10th. Mark calendars!

We will be hosting a Halloween Costume Showcase and Shin Dig on Friday from 1:15-2:30. Students should not come to school dressed up. We will begin dressing up at 1:00 pm. Parents are welcome.

Upcoming Dates

§  November 4th is a minimum day.

§  November 11th is Veteran's Day - no school.

§  November 13th is the end of the trimester

§  November 18-20 are minimum days for parent conferences.

§  November 25-27, we are off for the holidays.

New

In ELA, we will continue writing a literary argument essay responding to Bud, Not Buddy. This will require students pull evidence from the text to back up their arguments.

In social studies, each student group is becoming experts on one lesson about the history of Africa. Students will then be teaching each other.

In science we are still focusing on weathering and erosion.

Updates and Information

Our class debated opposing literary arguments, wrote reflective essays about our Headlands field trip, made homemade sand from chunks of granite, and worked in small group collaboration on social studies.

Come check out our display in the hallway of photographs and anecdotes relating to our field trip! There are quite a few special memories that were captured.

Newsletter: Welcome Back!

Important

Stay in the habit of checking and signing Student Planners. This is especially important now that students are earning reading minutes at home. 90-100 minutes is an A. 80-89 minutes is a B. 70-79 is a C. Students must either take an AR test on novels they complete or if there is no test, write a short book report. Students may write a response for articles they choose to read. To be eligible for the Reading Rewards trip at the end of the year, students must read 100 minutes per week throughout the trimester (one missed week is allowed though it must be made up).

Progress Reports were sent home on Tuesday, Oct. 6. If it was misplaced or you need more information, please contact me.

Upcoming Dates

§  November 4th is a minimum day. Students will be released at 12:45.

New

In ELA, we will be writing a literary argument essay responding to Bud, Not Buddy. This will require students pull evidence from the text to back up their arguments.

In social studies, we are moving onto the history of Africa.

In science we are still focusing on weathering and erosion.

Updates and Info

Marin Headlands was beautiful! We hiked, played, learned, ate, and sung songs around the campfire! We also worked through the emotional ups and downs expected when we spend 60 straight hours together! Overall, a success! Thanks for the late pick-up!

I'll be posting photos on the website soon.

Overall students did less well on this last social studies test though quite a few did great. On all tests including math, English, science, and social studies, I allow students to make their grade up to a C if they earned a D or lower. I do this because learning is my ultimate goal, not the grade. Students don't always take the opportunity to make their grades up. Please know that students can make their grades up at home but many need support. I offer Intervention support Mondays from 3-4 almost every week. Please consider sending your student to this free and highly individualized time.

Students may make up test grades by writing short paragraphs regarding each question they missed, numbering them, and attaching these answers to the test. They may use their books.  

Newsletter - Headlands Field Trip!

Important

Please send your student with their packed bags for the field trip on Tuesday.

We leave promptly at 8 am on Wednesday morning and there is NO morning bus. Please be here at 7:45 am. We will return approximately 8pm on Friday but will call families on our way back to update our arrival time.

Please send your students with $5-$10 for dinner on the way home.

Please ensure sponsor money is collected and brought to school.

Graded work was sent home Friday. Progress Reports come home tomorrow.

Upcoming Dates

§  Oct. 7-9 Field Trip! Leaving at 8 am and returning at 8 pm. We will be calling families on our way home to confirm arrival.

§  The following week Oct. 12th - Oct. 16th is Fall Break. Enjoy!

New

Social studies test this Tuesday. Please help your child study.

The only homework assigned over Fall Break is independent reading. 100 minutes for an A+, 80 minutes for a B, 70 minutes for a C.

Updates and Info

We finished Bud, Not Buddy and chose independent books and articles to read at home. In social studies, we finished our unit on the origins of Islam. In science we observed a model of the Colorado plateau and the Grand Canyon and learned about how scientists purposefully flooded the Grand Canyon.

The Headlands campus office hours are from 8:30am - 5:00pm. After 5:00 pm, voicemail messages can be left for students with the Environmental Science Operations Manager at (415) 332-5771, ext. 24. For EMERGENCIES ONLY, the Campus Coordinator can be reached during non-office hours by calling our call service at (415) 462-3201.

I posted my cell phone number on the paper version of the newsletter. If there is an emergency and we are on the bus, you can call my cell phone. My understanding is that there is no service at Headlands' campus. 

Newsletter: Run-Walk-A-Thon Numbers Are In!

Important

Thank you for all the sponsors. Please ensure money is collected and brought to school!

I'm attaching the packing list for the field trip. Please remember we will be leaving promptly at 8:00 am on Oct. 7th with an approximate return time of 8:00 pm on Oct. 9th.

Graded work was sent home Friday and more will be sent home this Friday as well.

Keep study habits and homework consistency strong by checking in on Student Planners.

Upcoming Dates

Oct. 7-9 Field Trip! Leaving at 8 am and returning at 8 pm. We will be calling families on our way home to confirm arrival

New

We will finish Bud, Not Buddy this week! Students will take a test on the book so check in that they are caught up.

Students will soon be picking their own books and articles to read and will need parent signatures for reading minutes.

In social studies, we will  continue to understand how Islam grew.

In science, we will continue exploring weathering and erosion.

Updates and Information

Wow! Our class ran  772 laps for the Run-Walk-A-Thon which works out to about 86 miles! Thank you so much for all the support and sponsors!

This week we had quite a few thoughtful discussions regarding classroom safety and antibullying.

We also analyzed the first stanza of "If" by Rudyard Kipling, learned about the origins and beliefs of Islam, and sorted earth material using Wentworth's Scale of Particle Size.

The trimester is nearly halfway done! I will be sending home progress reports next week.

Newsletter

Important

We're on the final countdown for students to get sponsors for the Run-Walk-A-Thon to help pay for our field trip. They're due Wednesday.

Graded work will be going home this Friday.

Keep study habits and homework consistency strong by checking in on Student Planners.

Upcoming Dates

 Sponsor sheets due Wednesday the 23rd.

 Wednesday, September 23rd is a Minimum Day. Students released at 12:45.

 Run-Walk-A-Thon on Friday the 25th. Bring water and wear good shoes.

 Oct. 7-9 Field Trip! Leaving at 8 am.

New

Many new beginnings!

In social studies, we will understand the origins of Islam and the rise of Muslim states.

In science, we will be exploring weathering and erosion.

And in ELA, we will be comparing and contrasting the poem "If" by Rudyard Kipling with our hero, Bud.

Updates and Info

Our class celebrated  our first Dojo Party which they earned through good behavior and strong thinking. We also completed the first module of our "Rules to Live By" literature unit by analyzing President Obama's 2009 back to school speech. We took our social studies test on Friday and finished up our first rock investigation. At this point students should know why there are stripes at the Grand Canyon and what types of rock are there.

Most students seemed really prepared for the social studies test. Thanks for the at-home study habits families help build.

This week we will be discussing how to show respect to each other, call out hurtful "jokes" as a bystander, and celebrate, or at least tolerate, our differences. I always encourage families to incorporate these discussions at home as well.