Dear Parents, 

     Last week in math we started Unit 10, “Decimals and Place Value.”  This week we will review estimation and dollars-and-cents notation.  We will discuss different names for a dollar, dime and a penny.  The students will also learn how to enter money amounts into a calculator and interpret calculator displays.  On Thursday, we will use calculators to solve problems with money.  This week we will also learn a fun game based called “Pick-A-Coin” that is full of strategy and decisions!

     Last week we started our fifth writing unit: Authors as Mentors.  The students received “tiny notebooks.”  They will use these notebooks to record ‘tiny’ ideas for future stories.  This week we will continue to discuss the focus of our stories.  We will look at books written by Angela Johnson and discover two new writing devices: ellipses (dot, dot, dot) and comeback lines. The students will be encouraged to use these writing techniques in some of their stories.

     In science, the students used their Equal Arm Balances to find the weight of our 6 objects: a ball, cup, cylinder, spoon, wooden block and metal cube.  This week the students will make bar graphs to show the weight of these objects.

<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Passport Check:</span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>There will be no passport check this week.</li>
	<li>Thank you to Tayen’s dad who taught us a lot about Western Samoa last week!</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Notes and Reminders: </span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>This week is the Ray School Book Fair!  We will be browsing the Book Fair on Tuesday.  Books will be available for purchase on Wednesday (during Report Card Pick Up) and on Thursday.</li>
	<li>Don’t forget to sign up for Report Card Pick Up, which is this Wednesday, April 21<sup>st</sup>.  Sign up sheets are inside the front doors.</li>
	<li>Thank you to the parents who were able to come to our Author’s Celebration last Tuesday.  The students were excited to share their hard work with our friends and families.</li>
	<li>Thank you to Elvis and Van’s mom and dad and Tayen’s dad who joined us on our field trip this morning.  We saw a wonderful string quartet play Classical, Romantic and 20<sup>th</sup> century music.</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Questions to ask at home:</span></strong>
<ul>
	<li>Ask questions like-What is the estimate amount for $2.39? $0.69?  $1.49?</li>
	<li>How do you play Pick A Coin?</li>
	<li>How do you enter money amounts into a calculator?  Why does it look different?</li>
	<li>Have you written any writing ideas in your tiny notebook?</li>
	<li>Have you been able to use ellipses or come back lines in any of your stories?</li>
</ul>
<strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Homework</span></strong><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">: </span></strong>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="624">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="74" valign="top"> </td>
<td width="110"><strong>Monday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Tuesday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Wednesday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Thursday</strong></td>
<td width="110"><strong>Friday</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="74"><strong>Math</strong></td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Home Link 10.2</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Home Link 10.3</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">No School</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Home Link 10.4</p>
</td>
<td width="110"> </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="74"><strong>Response Log</strong></td>
<td width="110"> </td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Start response log</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">→</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">→</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">(Response Log due Monday)</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="74"><strong>Reading</strong></td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
<td width="110">
<p style="text-align: center">Read at least 15 minutes</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>