Pleasant Hill Intermediate School
1204 E. 163rd Street
Pleasant Hill, MO 64080
816-540-3156
December 2011
Important DatesDec 5 - Dare Graduation, IS Gym, 7pm.Dec 8 - IS/ES Holiday Concert, IS Gym, 7pm. Dec 20- End of Quarter Party, 2:30-3:20 Dec.21 - Winter Assembly, IS Gym Dec 21 - End of 2nd Quarter/1st Semester Dec 22- Jan 4 - Winter Break | 5B TEAM NEWSLETTERVeteran’s Day Lunch  |
Rooster Time for December:
As a team we have chosen to read “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”. The students are learning about the Herdman family. This story is goes along great with our Respect, Responsibility, and Compassion. It also goes along with bullying and shows the students (at the end of the story) how the Herdman kids can have a change of heart. It also teaches tolerance with the students who do not have some of the Herdman’s behaviors.
End of the Quarter Party:
The end of the quarter party will be held on Dec. 20, 2011 at 2:30. The students will be viewing a movie and having snacks. Students need to have no D’s or F’s on their grade card to attend.
Earlier in the year there was an announcement made about purchasing healthy birthday snacks from the school. The school is no longer doing this, so if you are sending in birthday treats for your student, please make sure they are store bought. Thanks so much.
School and Class Expectations:
We have been working with the students on school wide and classroom expectations. Some students still need some general reminders about having all of their materials prepared for class and for turning their voices off during class and in the lunch room. We are still working very hard on traveling to and from lunch. Some students are still needing extra encouragement when it comes to lunch room behaviors, such as pushing in chairs and cleaning up their areas. It is encouraged to discuss these positive behaviors at home!
Planners: Planners are a great organizational tool for students and a great communication tool for parents. Students are expected to fill out their planner in each core class daily (listing assignments, due dates etc.) and take them home daily. Teachers will sign planners for each class and sometimes may write an important note. We will do periodic planner checks throughout the year spot checking to see if planners are being utilized in this manner. Students may receive a small reward for having a filled out and signed planner (signed by the teacher). Parents are not required to sign planners.
AR/AM Students will need 10 AR points for the quarter and 5 AM tests. To help your student pace these out, we suggest 1-2 points a week and 1 AM test a week to get the points at an even pace, instead of rushing at the very end of the quarter. This helps promote good planning ahead skills. The students may do AM practice at home at the Renaissance Learning website. If you still need more information about this, contact your student’s homeroom teacher or Mrs. Lucht, math teacher.
Science-Social Studies--Mr. Haight
Social Studies -- We are studying the original thirteen colonies. We are looking at their economies, geography, and lifestyles. We should test on chapter 6 before Christmas break.
Science -- We are studying matter. From the elements and atoms to molecules and compounds. We also will look at the states of matter (liquids, gases, and solids). We will be finishing chapter 11 next week and testing the following week (Dec. 12).
Math--Mrs. Lucht
In math, we are beginning a fraction unit. We have learned equivalent fractions by looking at the multiplication chart. It was amazing to see and a help for equivalent fractions. We also are keeping fraction strips to look at equivalent fractions. We used butcher paper to fold fractions. Parents, thank you so much for help with fractions at home on your child’s homework. You can show your child how you use fractions in cooking, etc. Also, this is a reminder that the students need 5 AM tests before December 21. We are doing Accelerated Math in Math Club at 7:25 a.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. There is also homework club on Thursdays after school from 3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. They may do Accelerated Math during all of those times. Our AM day is Thursday every week. Thanks so much for your support and encouraging your child to complete their homework. This so helps them when they need to test. Sincerely, Mrs. Lucht
Communication Arts--Mrs. Murray
We have been working very hard on all things grammar with NOUNS! This unit the emphasis in grammar is verbs. We are currently on Unit 3 and will be reading such stories as “Sleds on Boston Commons”, “Ester Morris Heads West”, and “Zathura”. We have two full weeks left of regular “Treasures” weeks, then we will be doing some review activities on Dec. 19-21. After the break, the students will be experiencing layered curriculum with some of our weeks and the finale of Unit 3 is the Zathura game that the students will be creating. Hopefully they will make these on the computer this year (hope for no snow days!) Also after break, the students’ bell work will begin to be MAP practice to gear us up for the spring map test!
Ms. Love’s News--
Communication Arts
We are focusing on Legends, Fables, Tall Tales, and Myths. With these writings, we are discovering how oral traditions are developed and passed down. We are exploring the use of various forms of figurative language such as hyperbole's and personification. We are recognizing and understanding the use of ironic endings. When students finish this unit they will create their own story using one of the above formats.
Math
Focus is on factors, primes, and composite numbers. Students are continue to work on decimals, fractions, and percents.
Mrs. Meyer’s News--
In December, we will be learning about different holiday celebrations including Hanukkah, Christmas, Las Posadas, and Kwanzaa in Communication Arts. We will also be working on persuasive writing. In our reading, we will be working on problem and solution and making inferences. Keep working on those AR points.
In math we are working on geometry, graphing, multiplication, division, and fractions. Students need to be working on math facts at home. Many still don't know the basic multiplication and division facts.
