We had a little chat this afternoon about the quality of work that is being turned in.  I'm handing quite a few papers back for a variety of reasons. The problems I am seeing the most are:

• lack of capital letters at the beginning of sentences
  
• lack of periods at end of sentences
  
• incomplete sentences
  
• skipped questions
  
• incomplete answers
  

There are also a good portion of assignments I am handing back twice to finish/correct.  Any help continuing this conversation at home would be much appreciated! Thanks!
~Erica
[email protected]

In lieu of science or spelling this week your kids are bringing home a really fun election activity.  We have been looking at the voting trends for each state in previous presidential elections. Using that information we have been making predictions about how each state will vote. The map is mostly complete except for about 11 battleground states. The homework this weekend (due Wed) is to determine which way they think those states will go. I have a few links on our website, but they are news sites. I asked that your kids ask before logging on to them as they are not kid sites, but political sites. I also asked that they get some feedback from you -- which way do you think Florida will vote?  This is strictly a numbers and process game for us. We haven't talked about what the parties believe, what the issues are, or who we should vote for.  What I'm expecting to happen is that students will bring back to school a variety of situations that good happen in the election. It will be so fun to see what actually happens! If you have an iPod or iPad, you may want to check out the app 270toWin.  I'm not very political, but the history collected in this one place has been extremely fun to look through. I think it's 99 cents, but I can't be sure!

Book orders came home today -- wahoo!!   If you'd like to order, you have two options. First you may send in a check with your order by Friday, 10/12.  You may write one check for all the orders. The second option is you can order online.  If you order online you have a few more choices than just the three orders. Make sure you put in our class code so that the order comes to me!

Aactivation code:  FMJCX
https://clubs2.scholastic.com

~Erica
[email protected]

I'm not very political, but I love an election!  During the last presidential election one of my teacher friends and I huddled around the tv watching the votes come in and color coding a map at the same time --- nerdy, right?  :) It is truly one of my favorite topics to teach.