Dear Parents,

This week, our class will be attending a classical concert at Mendel Hall on Monday afternoon.  We will be leaving after lunch, so students do not need to pack a lunch.  In addition, Parent-Teacher conferences are on Wednesday, April 21.  There is a sign-up sheet for conferences on the bulletin board at the front entrance.  Please sign up for a time and do your best to be prompt.  Conferences are only 10 minutes long, but if we discover we need more time, we can schedule a future conference.  <strong>Finally, we are in dire need of classroom essentials:  paper towel, Kleenex, and hand sanitizer.  Please help our classroom to replenish these supplies!</strong>

<strong>Reading</strong><strong>: </strong>We have begun our Guided Reading groups, studying Science issues related to plants, health, nutrition, and the human body.  Students should in food labels from three different food groups on Tuesday. We will analyze food labels and discuss nutrition information and serving size.<strong></strong>

<strong>Writing: </strong><strong>Postcard stories are due Monday.  We will begin creating several types of poems to include in their books.  These are:  Acrostic, Alphabet Alliteration, and Cinquain.  The completed project will be graded based on book requirements and a rubric. </strong>

<strong>Math:</strong> This week students will continue lessons from Unit 7.  Specifically, students will continue comparing positive and negative numbers, add positive and negative numbers, and subtract positive and negative numbers.  We will complete lesson 7.7 and cover lessons 7.8, 7.9, and 7.10.  There will be a short Checking Progress quiz on Friday.

<strong>Science: </strong>This week we will begin a new Science unit:  Levers and Pulleys.  Students will construct a class-1 lever.  Students will identify the fulcrum and lever arm, and students will determine the best position of each.

<strong>Social Studies: </strong><strong>We will complete our study of the events leading up to the Revolutionary war in Chapter 10 this week.  We will discuss the First Continental Congress, and students will participate in a mock Congress, preparing statements of key issues that concerned the colonists.  We will take notes on the first battles at </strong><strong>Lexington</strong><strong> and </strong><strong>Concord</strong><strong> and students will listen to John Henry’s famous “Give me liberty…” speech.</strong>

<strong>Spelling: </strong>We will continue spelling practice this week.  Please study with your child the spelling words.  The spelling test will be Friday.<strong></strong>