Our class will be putting together a “Family Fun” themed basket to auction/raffle for the fundraiser in December. We are asking students and families to donate items for the basket that are centered around the theme “Family Fun.” Donated items may be new or gently used, but should be items that you would want to win (not junk or cast-offs). Donations for the basket will need to be submitted directly to our classroom any time before November 29th.
THANK YOU!

I just wanted those who volunteer for our classroom to know what a HUGE help they are and how much they are appreciated! We had several parents help out with our Halloween party recently, and we have several parents who come to read with the students each week, spending so much of their time helping students become fluent readers, and I want each one of you to know how much I appreciate you and what an impact you have on the students!  From the bottom of my heart: THANK YOU!

It’s often hard for the kids to switch over from addition to subtraction.  
Here is a helpful poster with different Subtraction Strategies 
that can help them.  

Helpful Link for Subtraction using Part Part Whole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yid5a3qxWIs

For this week, there are 5 components required for weekly homework:

1. Reading (20-30 minutes every day!)
2. Word Sorts
3. Spelling
4. Math
5. Timed Reading

Each week, print out the HOMEWORK FORM, which is found here or under the “Homework Form” tab above. 

If you would like to reduce the number of necessary printed papers, you may choose to print only page 1 of the Homework Form and use any blank paper for Tuesday’s Writing Sort and Thursday’s Glue Sort (see below).  

• This form does NOT need to be printed or turned in for credit during weeks that we are doing only READING homework.  Simply initialing the form that comes home with your child’s Book Buddy is sufficient during those weeks.

A Reading for All Learners (Book Buddy) leveled book will be sent home with your child DAILY. Please have your child read the book (or one story from the books that contain more than one story) at least two-three times and then sign the included form. You may supplement your child’s reading using books at home, library books, etc. to fulfill the minimum requirement of 20-30 minutes of reading per day. 






Each week, print your student’s assigned Word Sort by clicking here:
CLICK HERE for Sort 1-25

Use the Word Sort for the following activities:

• Monday: Print, cut, and sort your words with an adult and explain this week’s rule. Sort each word under the correct guide word. Some guide words have a C or V combination on them – C stands for consonant and V stands for vowel.
• Tuesday: Practice the sort and write it (using the grid on page 2 of the Homework Form).
• Wednesday: Blind Sort (Lay down the guide words and then read the rest of the words aloud without showing them to your child. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing it.
• Thursday: Sort and glue (sort the words and glue them using the grid on page 3 of the Homework Form).

IMPORTANT: Students do not need to study the spelling of individual Sort Words.  They need only be familiar with the “rule” for each of the guide words so that they can phonetically figure out the spelling for related words.  

CHALLENGE WORDS: Students do NOT need to know how to spell Challenge Words.  They only need to practice reading them as they sort them under the “Challenge” guide word. Thanks!

Be sure to include “sight words” and “challenge words” in the sort. Students should always read every word when sorting. Here is an example of a completed sort:

• Study the following spelling and phonics words using any method you wish in order to prepare for the weekly spelling test on Fridays.
• There is a list of recommended spelling study activities that you can access BY CLICKING HERE for Spelling Word Activities, but, again, you may use any method you wish.  
• Please write the second list of spelling words (5 words) in alphabetical order on the Homework Form.    

The spelling words will sometimes repeat:

down
water
some
work
other
more
your





1.)  Complete this week’s My Math homework pages and staple them to the homework form. The assigned pages are: 

CLICK HERE for My Math Homework Lesson 1
CLICK HERE for My Math Homework Lesson 2
CLICK HERE for My Math Homework Lesson 3

2.) Practice math skills for 20 minutes (in total for the week) using any “Math Activity” listed here: CLICK HERE for Math Activities

3.) Complete the math facts fluency timing each day, Monday-Thursday, and record the scores for the week on your homework form.  We are on “Mixed”

• With the fluency timing in the plastic sheet protector, use a dry-erase marker to practice repeatedly.  Record your time (number of minutes and seconds) and number of correct answers each day on your Homework Form. (No need to calculate a percentage score.)
• The target goal is to finish all 25 problems in 1 minute and 15 seconds, with 90% accuracy (23 out of 25 problems correct).
• Addition & Subtraction Fluency Timings

These daily one-minute timed fluency readings will help your student become a fluent reader. Time your student for one minute Monday-Thursday and record the number of words they were able to read in one minute on the front page of the Homework Form.

This week: use the “Lesson 25” page; no need to print it out, unless you’d like to.  You 
can report daily scores on the front page of the Homework Form instead.
CLICK HERE for Timed Reading Passages

Enjoy these fun pictures of our Halloween festivities!  Also, a HUGE thank you to all the parents involved in the planning and preparation of our Halloween party! It was a smashing success and everyone had a blast! Thank you!

We are concluding our “Moon” unit, and we finished off by turning in our Moon Journals and viewing a moving model of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.  It was really helpful for the students to see how the moon appears to change shape, depending on its position to the sun and depending on our location on Earth.

We are concluding our maps and globes unit.  Feel free to quiz your child on some of the material we have been learning:

1. What is the equator?
2. What is the Northern Hemisphere?
3. What is the Southern Hemisphere?
4. What are two things that are found on all maps, and how do they help us? (a Map Key tells us what the symbols on a map represent, and a Compass Rose shows direction)
5. What are the names of the 7 continents? Can you identify them on a map?

Each classroom at Quest will be putting together a holiday basket to raise money for field trips, clubs, and other activities at Quest.

The baskets will be put on display in the Q1 foyer from December 5th-15th.  At that point, you may vote for your favorite basket and you may purchase tickets to win a basket.

We will be asking students and families to donate items for the basket that are centered around a theme (such as “Family Night Basket” or “Sports Fan Basket.”  Donated items may be new or gently used, but should be items that you would want to win (not junk or cast-offs). Donations for the basket will need to be submitted to our classroom by November 29th.

Since we soon will be asking for donations, I wanted to be sure that parents and students have the opportunity to vote on a “theme” for our classroom basket.

Please click on the link below to vote on a theme for our basket (voting closes Friday, Nov. 4th):
https://docs.google.com/a/questac.org/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdoQNlSvZD39Z9aSMJcgc_N5gIjItd1PA3dXvVOSPvYARlLHQ/viewform

Students in some classrooms at Quest have been hit with lice, and we do NOT want this to spread! Please, please check your child’s head for lice and for nits (lice eggs). As of yet, no children in our class have been identified as having lice, but it may have already spread from other classes.

If you do find lice, please know that the process of ridding your hair, clothing, and other articles (bedding, backpacks, etc.) of lice takes several days, as lice eggs usually hatch only after 7-10 days, but may take as long as 14 days! Lice combs do not remove nits, and are only able to separate hair and sometimes remove larger lice. If your child has lice, we do not want to see you back at school any time soon! Please do not bring your child to school again until all lice and eggs are completely removed and/or dead. 

Here is some information from the Health Department regarding lice (including videos and helpful documents). 

This week is Positive Me week. This event is designed to help students identify and work on their self-esteem and how to care for themselves.  Here is the list of dress up fun for each day:

Monday-”Scare Away Negativity”
Wear your favorite accessory such as a bracelet, necklace, pin, hair bow, belt, or tie. 
Please no hats.

Tuesday- “Scare Away Drugs”
Wear Red (Uniform shirt)

Wednesday- “Scare Away Bad Health”
Wear Crazy socks

Thursday- “Scare Away Bullies”
Show your team spirit by wearing a team jersey, t-shirt, or school spirit shirt (uniform pants required)

Friday- “Scare up some fun”
Wear a costume or wear orange

I was so excited to discover that the Reading for All Learners books (the books we use for our “Book Buddies”) could be purchased as an iPad app!  This could be a great alternative for you if you want the capability of doing reading homework on an iPad!  The prices are reasonable, too: each book set is $9.99, or the entire collection, including all book sets, is $49.99.  If you are looking to have these books available on iPad for your first-grader or for a younger sibling, this is a great option.  

Click on this link:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reading-for-all-learners-i/id576498956?mt=8