The Houdini Box

This week we are reading “The Houdini Box” by Brian Selznick.  We will focus on the following vocabulary words in this story.  It would be helpful if you will reinforce the meaning of these words at home with your child.

Vocabulary Word	Meaning
appeared	was seen; came in sight
bustling	being noisily busy and in a hurry
crumbled	fell to pieces; decayed
escape	to get out and away; to get free
magician	person who entertains by art or skill of creating illusions, especially a sleight of hand
monument	something set up to honor a person or an event.  A monument may be a building, pillar, arch, statue, tomb, or stone
vanished	disappeared, especially suddenly

Here are our spelling words for the week.  Please practice these words at home as well.  The words in italics are our challenge spelling words.

Spelling Words: don’t, won’t, wouldn’t, there’s, we’re, you’re, doesn’t, I’ve, here’s, wasn’t, shouldn’t, couldn’t, where’s, hadn’t, aren’t, they’re, it’s, we’ve, when’s, haven’t, it’ll, who’ll, might’ve, mustn’t, we’d

Biography pictures and poems

End of term

The end of the term is right around the corner.  It ends in a week on January 13^th!  Please make sure that all missing work is handed in as soon as possible.  I will NOT accept any after the 13^th.

The Great Kapok Tree

This week we are reading “The Great Kapok Tree” by Lynne Cherry.  We will focus on some vocabulary words in this story.  It would be helpful if you will reinforce the meaning of these words at home with your child.

Vocabulary Word	Meaning
canopy	the uppermost layer of branches in forest trees
dangle	to hang and swing loosely
dappled	marked with spots; spotted
fragrant	having or giving off a pleasing odor; sweet-smelling
pollen	a fine, yellowish powder released from the anthers of flowers. Grains of pollen carried by insects, wind, etc., to the pistils of flowers to fertilize the flowers
slithered	moved with a sliding motion
wondrous	wonderful; marvelous; remarkable

Here are our spelling words for the week.  Please practice these words at home as well.  The words in italics are our challenge spelling words for those who are interested.

Spelling Words: its, ours, mine, yours, family’s, families’, man’s, men’s, girl’s, girls’, hers, theirs, brother’s, brothers’, teacher’s, teachers’, aunt’s, aunts’, boy’s, boys’, country’s, countries’, witness’s, witnesses’, laboratory’s, laboratories’

Merry Christmas!

May this be a delightful day for you spent with family and friends.  

Have a great vacation!

Many Thanks

Special thanks to students and co-workers for the generous thoughtful of Christmas remembrance.

Thanks for all the special gifts.

Wow, all this:   Starburst candies in a reusable bank, mug with hot chocoate, a peppermint candy and mini marshmallows, 2 pair of the softest socks with some cucumber melon lotion, ribbon candy anti-bacterial hand soap and  a mini plate display: God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

 This mug filled with hot chocoate and peppermint candies was given to me by one of my sweet Primary students!

 This was from my co-fourth grade teacher: Vanilla Sugar shower gel and hand soap and a yummy toffee chocolate orange!

Look at all this:  M & M's, an apple shaped chocolate, Merry "Kissmas' with a bag of kisses and May your days be merry and "sprite," a cool teacher keychain, and a fun container with body butter, oranges and chocolate pieces.

 Homemade chocolates in the red box, more chocolate pieces along with the Orson Scott Card book "The Lost Gate," and a bag of peppermints !

 Rain-kissed leaves body lotion

Look at these fun hand sanitizers: sea osland cotton and sweet pea. 

 I have never seen one of the cool holders that the sweet pea one is in!  So cute!!!!!

 Yummy homemade goodies sure hit the spot!

Germ X is always needed here at school!

Game Day

For our classroom activity, the students brought games from home to share with one another.  

We loved it and had so much fun!