Newsletter for the week of October 12

for the week of October 12 - 16, 2009

October Lunch Menu

Zip Card Services Go here to make deposits in your child's account.

National Geographic Green Guide
Read all about being "green" in your daily life!

Parent Helper List
Newsletter Archives

Equalizer's Math Club Meeting
Wednesday, October 14
3:05 - 4:45 p.m. Please be prompt to pick your child up afterwards.

Thursday, Friday Oct. 15, 16
Fall Holiday No School

Pretty Good Information Here

Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

Symptom	Cold	H1N1 Flu
Fever	Fever is rare with a cold.	Fever is usually present with the flu in up to 80% of all flu cases. A temperature of 100°F or higher for 3 to 4 days is associated with the flu.
Coughing	A hacking, productive (mucus- producing) cough is often present with a cold.	A non-productive (non-mucus producing) cough is usually present with the flu (sometimes referred to as dry cough).
Aches	Slight body aches and pains can be part of a cold.	Severe aches and pains are common with the flu.
Stuffy Nose	Stuffy nose is commonly present with a cold and typically resolves spontaneously within a week.	Stuffy nose is not commonly present with the flu.
Chills	Chills are uncommon with a cold.	60% of people who have the flu experience chills.
Tiredness	Tiredness is fairly mild with a cold.	Tiredness is moderate to severe with the flu.
Sneezing	Sneezing is commonly present with a cold..	Sneezing is not common with the flu.
Sudden Symptoms	Cold symptoms tend to develop over a few days.	The flu has a rapid onset within 3-6 hours. The flu hits hard and includes sudden symptoms like high fever, aches and pains.
Headache	A headache is fairly uncommon with a cold.	A headache is very common with the flu, present in 80% of flu cases.
Sore Throat	Sore throat is commonly present with a cold.	Sore throat is not commonly present with the flu.
Chest Discomfort	Chest discomfort is mild to moderate with a cold.	Chest discomfort is often severe with the flu.

The only way to stop the spread of the epidemic is to spread the awareness.

Coming Events

October 14         Elementary Math Club - first meeting 3:05 - 4:45 p.m. Mrs. J's room
October 14         Last day for Ms. Lea -sad-sad-sad; she goes to Ozark next.

October 23         Picture Retakes
Friday, Nov. 6     Sock Hop 6:30 to 8:30 Click here for more information.
Thursday, Friday, Nov. 12, 13     Elementary Parent/Teacher conferences

Jay Wear Order Form: Hand in to the office. Questions? Contact Lisa deLeon.

Tests/Projects

This week:
Tuesday- Unit 2 math test

Next week:
Wednesday- October 21 MO history, Chapter 4

Just so you know...
Before and after school this week, Mrs. J...
- Monday,
- Tuesday, 3:30 Elementary faculty meeting
- Wednesday, 3:05 Equalizers Math Club meeting
- Thursday, 4:30 - 6 computer workshop, Nixa
- Friday, Missouri Environmental Educator's Association (MEEA) Conference, Ozark, OTC
- Saturday, MEEA presentation 10:00 a.m.

Please let me know if and when a link is not working on my website.

Subjects

Math: We finish Unit 2 Using Numbers and Organizing Data
Monday: Review
Tuesday: Unit 2 test

Unit 3 Multiplying, Dividing, Number Sentences and Algebra begins on Wednesday. The Study Link 2.10, Family Letter, will come home in the HC envelopes today.

Wed.: Lesson 3.1 "What's My Rule?": to review what's my rule problems (looking for patterns)

Keep reviewing multiplication skills!
Many need to practice basic subtraction skills, too.

Many of the children are still using fingers for even the simplest subtractions!

Try to get in at least 10-15 minutes of practice per night to get the cobwebs out!

Watch planners for daily assignments.

Language Arts

Reading: Students should be reading at least 30 minutes per night! Fill out book reports as books are completed. go to: Reading Links for forms.

Word Study: we will be practicing some basic grammar skills in our conventions workbook. Please watch for daily assignments.

NO SPELLING LIST or spelling/vocab. tests this short week.

Click Here for the spelling list on Tuesday. Print the list out in D'Nealian handwriting for double the practice--spelling and handwriting!

All students should be practicing their cursive handwriting. After 1st conferences, I will be expecting them to use cursive at all times (except labeling in geometry). To see how to form the lower case letters, go to: Handwriting Practice (animated) lowercase

Writing: This week will be devoted to learning more about how to write summaries and how to make oral presentations. I have found that this is a weak area for most in the class. We will fit in some non-fiction poetry, too, if all goes as planned.

Missouri History: Chapter 4 French and Spanish Missouri, continues.

Monday: How to take notes on the "green sheets", beginning with Lesson 1 Two Worlds Meet; DeSoto and the Spanish; French Explorers; Marquette and Jolliet; LaSalle; Christopher Columbus

Lesson 2 Ste. Genevieve, the First French Town; Valle Family; St. Louis; The Future Kansas City; Slavery Comes to Missouri; Free Blacks

Watch for daily assignments in the student planners.

Science:
none this week.

e Please check in daily planners for any independent practice activities (homework).

Love and Logicisms , Wise Words About Kids
by Jim and Charles Fay

Wise parents know that strong
family relationships and good parenting
are far more powerful and long lasting
influences than peer pressure.

Do the right thing for your kids
often feels terrible at the time.
The results and good feelings come
much later. [Sometimes years later.]

Love and Logic Stories
Positive Reinforcement: Examples and Cautions

If you've followed Love and Logic^® for any period of time, you know how strongly we believe in holding youngsters accountable for their mistakes and misdeeds. As most of us have learned the hard way, the road to wisdom and responsibility is paved with plenty of small mistakes and their consequences.

As we go about shaping the hearts and minds of our children, it's important to remember that this road is also paved with positives. While it's unrealistic…and not too healthy…to reward our kids every time they do something good, we're wise to remember the value of reinforcing good behavior and good deeds.

The healthiest and most powerful types of reinforcement involve time and attention rather than stuff. Examples include:

	Sitting on the floor with your toddler as you allow them to repeatedly destroy your tower of blocks
	Noticing something your teen has done well and patting them on the back
	Saying to your child, "It looks like you really worked hard on that. I bet you're proud of yourself."
	Playing catch
	Doing a puzzle together
	Etc.

As we provide reinforcement, it's wise to remember the following:

	Reinforcement is more powerful when it comes as a surprise to our kids.
	Reinforcement loses its power when our youngsters come to expect it.
	Rewards should not be given every time our kids do something good.
	When our kids beg for or demand rewards, they shouldn't get them.
	Avoid saying, "You are so smart." Focus on your child's hard work and perseverance.
	Your love should never be used as a reward or a consequence. Your children should have it all of the time.

The most successful parents always remember that it's their job to give their kids the most accurate taste of the real world as possible. This means that we help them understand that much of the time hard work and good deeds provide positive results. It also means helping them understand that we do these good things because they’re the right thing to do…rather than because we expect rewards for doing them.

Thanks for reading!
Dr. Charles Fay

Missouri State University Greenwood Laboratory

Missouri State University
Greenwood Laboratory