Cannon Road Elementary School

Kindergarten
     In our seventh week of Kindergarten, students are looking forward to our Fall Festival which will be held at the end of the month. Thanks to the parents who have made a donation. It’s not too late to contribute to your child’s harvest celebration! Kindergartners are also excited about our field trip to Stickball Farm which will take place on Friday, November 6th. Please be sure to turn in permission slips and $ promptly. Chaperones will need to pay bus fees, but entrance fees will be waived.
     During reading, students are changing initial consonant sounds in words to produce rhyming words. They are using reading strategies including: making connections, predicting, and asking questions. Several high frequency words have already been introduced. In Writing, students are now editing for punctuation and buddy conferencing.   For Math, we are continuing to create, copy, and extend patterns. Students are also predicting what comes next in a given pattern. Keep in mind that sorting and data analysis will still be assessed at the end of this unit. Although we have moved on to patterns, students should continue to sort objects by one or more attributes at home. Students continue to explore weather concepts including temperature, precipitation, and wind in Science. This week they will be participating in making lists of appropriate clothing choices for each temperature range and using weather data to describe weather patterns. Finally, in Social Studies, Kindergartners are identifying the contributions of people, past and present, such as George Washington, Rosa Parks, and the current president. They are also using informational text to identify and discuss the contributions of individuals recognized on national holidays.
     Thank you for making sure that your child arrives in his/ her classroom BEFORE the 8:50 TARDY bell rings. Once students are late, they have to go to the office and get a Tardy slip which only makes them arrive even later. Also, now that the weather is cooling down, please take some time to write your child’s name on his/her sweaters and jackets. If your child has lost a sweater or jacket, be sure to check his/her classroom as well as our Lost and Found area.   Please keep in mind that Parent Conferences have been scheduled for November 11th and 12th. If you haven’t yet set a conference date and time with your child’s teacher, this is a great time to contact her.

1st Grade

Mrs Parker, Mrs. Hyacinthe, Ms. Brewer,

Ms. Carter & Mrs. Donohue

First Grade
     Wow! We are more than halfway through the first quarter of first grade! Our reading assessments are over and your child should be bringing home reading homework on a regular basis again. Please be sure to continue reading at home and signing the paper in their homework folder.
     Looking ahead in reading, we will continue working on story elements, vocabulary development, and before, during and after reading strategies. Our first quarter reading goal is to read on a level 5-7. Continue practicing words and reading every night!
     In writing, we are continuing to write for personal expression. We are practicing using capitalization and punctuation correctly. We are also working on writing stories that have a beginning, middle, and end.
     In math, we are continuing with number sense and simple addition problems, one more, one less, and in between. Our unit assessments will be coming up in the middle of October. Please continue to work with your child in these areas.

*REMINDERS*
*Teachers are still collecting $5 for the Fall Festival. If you have not done so yet, please send it in to your child’s teacher so they can prepare.
*Our first field trip is on Thursday, October 15 to the Natural History Museum.
*Please remember to sign up for November conferences with your child’s teacher. November 11th and 12th are early release days. The afternoons have been set aside for parent-teacher conferences. If you are unable to conference on one of these days, please contact your child’s teacher to set-up a convenient time. We have a lot of great information to share with you about your child’s progress!

2nd Grade

Mrs. Brown, Mr. Frat, Mrs. Morstein, Mrs. Patel,

Mrs. Donohue & Ms. Applewhaite

Second Grade
     We continue to move forward with our studies in the second grade.   It’s hard to believe that it’s mid-October already!    In reading/language arts the children continue to focus on what good readers do before, during, and after reading a selection. The children are becoming more adept at identifying the basic story structure elements (title, setting, characters, problem, and resolution).    The children continue to learn the importance of various text features that includes: table of contents, captions, labels, graphs, pictures, tables, and charts.   The children are given multiple opportunities in developing their writing skills.   Writing will be a noticeable feature throughout the entire school year.
     In math the children continue their study of numbers that includes graphing, interpretation of graphs, number comparisons, place value, patterns, odd/even, and a related host of other mathematical relationships.
     In Science, our study of the life cycle of a butterfly continues with great enthusiasm! The children are learning about the metamorphic changes of the Painted Lady butterfly.   Each classroom has their own family of developing butterflies to observe. We were as excited as the butterflies as they were set free to explore their new habitat!
     In social studies, the children continue to learn about government at various levels and the importance of rules and laws. Rules and laws are important at home, at school, in our state, and in our country. We also are becoming more acquainted with the workings of our three branches of government.
     We are becoming respectful, responsible, and ready to learn students!

3rd Grade

Mrs. Lese, Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Castillo,

Ms. Mihalich & Ms. Applewhaite

Third Grade
     Wow!!! We are halfway through first marking period. How time flies!   Conferences will be held on November 11th and 12th to discuss your child’s progress in third grade thus far.   If you attended Back-to-School night you should have already scheduled a conference. If you could not make Back-to-School night, a conference will be scheduled for you. You will receive your scheduled date and time in the near future. Please let us know as soon as possible if there is a scheduling conflict.
      The third graders have been very busy in these first few weeks of school. We have been reading for literary experience. Students have been practicing various reading strategies such as: making connections, identifying the setting of a story, determining the plot of a story, and asking questions to clarify meaning, just to name a few. We have recently moved into reading to be informed where students are studying and identifying text features.
     In written language, we are continuing to write for personal expression. We are currently writing about a memory from a previous grade.
     We are still working on Unit 1 of our Everyday Mathematics Curriculum. We will take our end of unit assessment towards the end of next week. We have finished part 1A (place value). We are wrapping up our study of data analysis (1B), and will soon be studying part 1C (addition and subtraction).
     We are well into our Plant Growth and Development Unit. Our Fast Growing Wisconsin Brassica Plants have flowered! Each day students observe their plants, record their observations, chart their growth, and water their plants.   Students have been learning about the parts of a plant. We will soon be studying the importance of bees and their parts.
     In Social Studies, we are currently studying Economics and Geography. Students have learned vocabulary words that are related to economics and geography. We are moving on to helping students understand characteristics geographically and economically of a community, the inter-relationships and the influences on the region/community and the quality of life.
     As the weather is continuing to change please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for school each day. Also remember that if you are sending money to school, make sure it is in an envelope labeled with your child’s name on it and the purpose for the money as well.

4th Grade

Mrs. Corrado, Mrs. Klass, Ms. VanLieshout,

Ms. St. John & Ms. Mihalich

Fourth Grade
Fourth graders have really gotten into the swing of things this month!

In Science they have been busy observing their ecosystems in science and enjoy watching the fish and snails in the aquarium.
They have identified consumers and producers associated with an ecosystem, and have looked at various types systems around the world.

In Social Studies we have been examining regions in the United States, as well as in Maryland. We are beginning our long-range Native American project this month, also. We will use books, internet, and videos to help us research native tribes. Our project will culminate with presentations in November in our classes.

In Reading we are finishing up our study of fables and fantasy and moving into our study of informational text. We have used a variety of books to examine each of these genres, and have been checking books out of the library to read on our own. Each student is responsible for reading three books each month outside of school, then writing a book recommendation to share with the class at the end of the month.

Our math students are finishing up Unit 1 studies this in the next couple of weeks. It has been a big unit, covering geometry concepts, addition, subtraction, place value and graphing. Our Unit 1 test will be October 27-28.

Hopefully, you have been receiving the Friday Folders each Friday. There is a weekly sheet in there that keeps you up-to-date with grade level happenings. Please continue to send that sheet back each Monday signed with your child’s empty folder.

If you have not had a chance to turn in the $5.00 donation towards the Fall Harvest Party, please do so. We are trying to plan a fun afternoon of activities, and every donation helps. Your child may wear a costume if they like, but it is not necessary. The AMAZING Springbrook Marching Band will be performing out on the field for our parade and we invite you to come on October 30 for the festivities. If you can help out with the party, please let your child’s teacher know.

We look forward to seeing each of you at the November conferences to discuss your child’s progress. You will be receiving a notice about conference time soon.

Thank you for your continued support!

5th Grade

Mrs. Thai-Jenkins, Mrs. Bise, Ms. Kimnach, Ms. VanLieshout,

Mrs. Rothberg, Ms. Mihalich & Ms. Milne

Fifth Grade
     Our field trip to Mount Vernon was a success. All of the students had a great time. Parents don’t forget to check your child’s agenda book for their nightly homework assignments. Agenda books are $10.00 if you have not paid your child’s homeroom teacher. A few reminders to keep in mind over the next several weeks… fifth grade teachers are collecting $5.00 from each student to go towards our Fall Festival which will be on October 30. Cannon Road’s Seasonal Flu clinic will be October 14 from 9:00 am until noon. Reading night is on October 22 starting at 6:30 pm, and October 29 is portraits Day. Please look for conference schedules that will be sent by your child’s reading teacher.
Reading and Language Arts
     The students are currently moving into informational texts to identify before, during and after reading strategies. We are focusing on text features and how they help us better understand and informational text. In guided reading the students are working on historical fiction novels in order to identify the story elements and characteristics that make a historical fiction novel. We continually work on spelling explorations and apply the rules of parts of speech.
Writing:
     The students are continuing to write for personal expression. The students are constantly improving their writing by adding sensory details, vivid verbs, and fresh details. The students are encouraged to re-read their writing to check or errors and to proof read their writing to make corrections.
Social Studies:
     We have discussed and distinguished our rights and responsibilities are U.S. citizens. We learned about the three branches of government at each level by identifying who represents that branch and what their responsibility is a government official. We are begging to identify the five eras of U.S. History in order to specifically focus on the Revolutionary War. We will identify the events that lead to the war and the conflicts and compromises the people of this era endured.
Math:
     Unit one assessment will be given between October 22-October 26. In math we have been comparing, ordering, and describing integers on a number line. The students are also working on identifying and graphing ordered pairs. Our final objective for the first math unit is to write a simple algebraic expression using substitution with one variable. The students will be given a review packet to recall important concepts that they will be tested on.
Science:
     We have been studying force and motion by conducting experiments, watching educational videos, and reading from our science text book. Currently we have conducted an experiment that demonstrates uniform and variable motion. Through this experiment we were able to calculate the speed of the object. We are going to elaborate on this experiment by reading about speed. We will also investigate and discuss the relationship between force and mass in order to increase force through an experiment