Dear Parents and Students,

This week marks the 200th birthday of Abraham Lincoln. We have created a beautiful picture book with "32 Facts" about Mr. Lincoln. Thanks, kids, for all your lovely illustrations.

India fascinates us. This is the land of so many contradictions. Currently we have learned that India is surrounded by giant mountain ranges that isolated this ancient culture from many invaders, except for the Khyber Pass. We discovered where the first settlements began, logically, near the Indus River with it's fertile valley. Rivers play an important role in Indian society, not only for sustenance, but also for spiritual reasons, as well. We'll learn more about that as we journey through ancient India.

We will continue with our biography keynote presentations on Wednesday, February, 18. Please bring all materials to class because we will have one day access to the computer mini-lab.

Have a terrific four days off. Enjoy,
Mrs. Homann

This Week in Our Classroom

Dear Parents and Students,

What a fun start to the week we have had! We have 6 new iPod Touches in the classroom and a small group of students have already logged in to research for the new project "Famous Leaders for Young Readers." Students are learning about someone who has contributed to our world in a profound way.

Also, we are starting Wordly Wise this week to get some in-depth learning about vocabulary. We will learn 15 new words and have a test at the end of the week. 

Finally, we are finishing our study of ancient Israel this week. We learned about all the hardships the ancient Israelites have had and we tied that to current fighting between the Palestinians and Israelis. Are there any patterns to think about?

Keep reading!

Mrs. Homann

Dear Parents and Students,
Happy Friday! Today I will be collecting personal narratives from the students and we will be finishing up Israel Books to collect today or Tuesday. We had some glitches with our computers yesterday so there may be a few who still need to catch up.
I will also be sending home a letter about the Martin Luther King National Day of Service. In it we are asking all students to donate 30 minutes of his/her time to help a cause of his/her choice or a person. Details are in the letter, so look for it today.
Finally, on Tuesday, we will be recognizing the inauguration by wearing red, white and blue. We will also have some academic activities that tie into this historic event.
Have a terrific 3 day weekend. Enjoy time together in this beautiful weather we are still enjoying.
Sally Homann

Dear Parents,

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful weather, this weekend, that only southern California can boast. This next week we will be studying Lesson 12 (a review lesson) in spelling. We will also be reading about the famous urban legend, "The Loch Ness Monster." Further, we will be begin our study of ancient Israel. Be sure to check in with your sons and daughters about their homework by checking their BBR or simply having a conversation with them. Let me know if you have any questions for me.

Happy day,

Sally Homann