Author Celebration

This Friday, at 10:30, there will be an author celebration in our classroom.

The students are excited to share the writing that we have been working on so far this school year.

We will share student writing and then head to the theater for the Winter Sing-along.

I hope that you will be able to join us!

Weekly Update (12/13-12/17)

Math- We will have a unit review on Tuesday and Wednesday, and we will have the Unit 4 test on Thursday.

Language Arts- We will finish reading The Whipping Boy. There are no vocabulary words this week. The theme for spelling this week is "consonant sound j." Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Friday (12/17).

Science- We will finish the topic, "Doing Work."

Social Studies- In order to reinforce the information covered in the Native Tribes of Florida unit, we will review the quiz from last week.

Unit 3 Math Tests

The unit 3 math tests went home this week. Measurement is a bit of a difficult unit, so some scores may seem lower than past unit tests. This is a topic that we will continue to cover and students will get more opportunities to work on these skills throughout the year.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update (12/6-12/10)

Math- Lessons covered this week are:

4.7 Baseball Multiplication

4.8 Explorations: Arrays and Facts

4.9 Estimating Distances with a Map Scale

4.10 "A Coin Toss Experiment"

The Unit 3 tests will go home on Tuesday.

We will have the Unit 4 test next week.

Language Arts- We will continue reading the novel, The Whipping Boy. The spelling theme this week is contractions. There will be a spelling test on Friday (12/10). The vocabulary is from the Wordly Wise book. We will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday (12/10).

Science- Students will continue studying motion and work with the vehicles that were built in the science room. This week we will review stored/potential energy by using a rubber band to move the vehicle. We will chart the distance traveled. Be sure to ask your child about this fun activity!

Social Studies- We have finished studying the Native Florida tribes. There will be a quiz on the native tribes on Thursday (12/9). We will review all 5 tribes in class this week.

As always, if you have any questions, please email me... Have a great week!

Letter from the school nurse

Weekly Update (11/29-12/3)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

4.4 Division Ties to Multiplication

4.5 Multiplication Fact Power and Shortcuts

4.6 Multiplication and Division Fact Families

4.7 "Baseball Multiplication"

Language Arts- We will begin our next class novel, The Whipping Boy. The vocabulary words will come from the Wordly Wise book this week. Spelling Test on Friday (12/3).

Science- This week students will work with the vehicles to test their ability to carry a load.

Social Studies- This week we will finish our study of "The Lost Tribes of Florida."

As always, if you have any questions, please email me... Have a great week!

A message from the Admissions and Registrar's Offices

Dear Parents, Just a reminder that we need a student information form completed for each child attending Shorecrest. Please fill out the form electronically, save the file using your child's first and last name, and send it via e-mail to forms@shorecrest.org. The form can be downloaded from the Parents Page on our Online Community, http://www.shorecrest.org/?page=ParentsPage. If you have any problems using the online form, please contact Judy Roberge at jroberge@shorecrest.org or (727) 456-7513. Thank you.

Holiday Gift Drive

Please click on the image to view

Weekly Update (11/15-11/19)

Math- We will begin our unit on multiplication.

Language Arts- We will continue to read selections from our reading series, Voices. The vocabulary this week will come from Wordly Wise. The theme for spelling this week is sight words. Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week’s spelling words.

We will have both a vocabulary and spelling test on Friday (11/19).

Science- We will continue the unit on motion and work with the vehicles that the students built in class.

Social Studies- We will study the Apalachee tribe.

Weekly Update (11/1-11/5)

Math- We continue the unit on measurement.

Language Arts- We will continue to read selections from our reading series, Voices. The vocabulary this week will come from Wordly Wise. The vocabulary quiz will be next week (11/11).

Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week’s spelling words. There will be a spelling test this Friday (11/5).

Science- We will continue the unit on motion and work with the vehicles that the students built in class.

Social Studies- We will study the Tocobaga tribe.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Weekly Update (10/25-10/29)

Math-We will continue to work on measurement, using both the Metric and US Customary systems.

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue working on personal narratives. The vocabulary this week will come from Voices. The theme for spelling this week is "vowel consonant -e". Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Thursday (10/28).

Science- We will work on the vehicles that we began building last week.

Social Studies- We will continue our study of the Native Floridian tribes. This week we will focus on the Tequesta.

Please work with your child to help them memorize Casey at the Bat, our poem for Poetry in the Park.

Weekly Update (10/18-10/22)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

3.2 "Measuring with a Ruler"

3.3 "Standard Linear Measures"

3.4 "Perimeter"

3.5 "Pattern-Block Toss Experiment"

The Unit 2 assessments will be going home with the students this week. Please take some time to review the test with them.

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue working on personal narratives. The vocabulary this week will come from Voices. We will finish reading the novel 7x9=Trouble. The theme for spelling this week is "long i". Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Friday (10/22). There will be a short quiz on 7x9=Trouble on Wednesday (10/20).

Science- We will continue learning about motion and forces.

There will be a short quiz on motion and forces on Wednesday (10/20).

Social Studies- We will begin studying Native Floridian tribes.

Parent Survey

If you have not yet completed the parent survey, please click on the link to complete it.

It will only take about 20 minutes, and the information is very valuable to Shorecrest.

Weekly Update 10/11-10/14

There is no school this Friday due to a teacher in service day.

Enjoy the 3 day weekend!

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

3.1 "A 'Class Shoe' Unit of Length"

3.2 "Measuring with a Ruler"

3.3 "Standard Linear Measures"

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue working on personal narratives. The vocabulary this week will come from Wordly Wise. We will also continue reading the novel started last week, 7x9=Trouble. The theme for spelling this week is "long a". Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Thursday (10/14). There will also be a vocabulary test on Thursday (10/14).

Science- We will continue learning about motion and forces.

There will be a short quiz on motion and forces next Tuesday (10/19).

Social Studies- We will begin studying Native Floridian tribes.

Inkwood Books

If you are interested in purchasing Sunshine State Reader books, please return the order form to the Lower Division as soon as possible.

Weekly Update (10/4-10/8)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

2.8 "Subtraction Algorithms"

2.9 "Addition with Three or More Addends"

2.10 "Unit 2 Assessment"

We will have the Unit 2 Math test on Thursday (10/7).

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue working on personal narratives. The vocabulary this week will come from Wordly Wise. We will also continue reading the novel started last week, 7x9=Trouble. The theme for spelling this week is "long e". Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Friday (10/8).

Science- We will continue learning about motion.

Social Studies- We will complete the unit on the Hello, Florida book.

Parent Survey

Hello Parents! The window is now open for our parent opinion survey. You may access the survey through the link posted here. Please help us identify areas of strength as well as opportunities for improvement by taking the survey. It should take approximately 20 minutes of your time. Also, if you live in a two-parent household, we encourage both parents to take the survey.

Thank you so much for your participation in this very important reflective process!

Halloween Costume Recycling Drive (10/4-10/22)

Pull out those old dusty Halloween costumes that no longer fit and donate them to a good cause. Shorecrest Leo Club will lead the all-school Halloween Costume Recycling Drive this year and your generous donations will benefit the children at the YWCA's Family Village. Look for collection bins near each Division office.

Parent Survey

As you know, we are asking all parents to participate in an online opinion survey about Shorecrest as we approach our accreditation in the fall of 2011. The results of all of our surveys--from parents, faculty and staff as well as students--will help guide and inform the goals we set for our school for the next five years. Your participation is crucial to the success of this reflective process.

The survey window will be open beginning October 1st and close on October 17. You will receive an email with the survey link on the morning of October 1. Please let your voices be heard and complete the parent survey!

Please know:

In a two-parent household, BOTH parents should complete the survey.

Parents who are also graduates should complete the student survey as graduates. That link will sent to alumni from the Director of Alumni Programs.

The survey should take about 25 minutes to complete.

You will be asked to consider Shorecrest as a whole as well as the Division(s) in which you have child(ren) enrolled.

Thank you in advance for your participation in this crucial component of our self-study.

Just Right Books

Have you ever wondered how you can help your child find the right book for them to read?

Click on the image for information about a workshop hosted by Mrs. McKenzie and Mrs. Cameron.

Inkwood Books

Two weeks ago, Ms. Smay had a book talk with our class regarding the Sunshine State Reader books. Students are encouraged to read as many of the books on the list as they can. In April, students will be able to vote for their favorite book.

A form went home today from Inkwood Books. Inkwood Books is offering a 15% discount for these books, and the books will arrive approximately one week from due date.

If you are interested in ordering some Sunshine State Reader books, please review the form and return to the Lower Division office by October 6.

Conference Day

Conference Day is this Thursday (9/30). If you do not remember your scheduled time, please contact me and I can let you know.

I look forward to meeting with everyone to discuss the great work that the students have been doing so far this year.

Weekly Update (9/27-10/1)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

2.6 "Comparison Number Stories"

2.7 "The Partial-Sums Algorithm"

2.8 "Subtraction Algorithms"

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue working on personal narratives. The vocabulary this week will come from the Voices reading series. The words go along with the stories we will be reading in class. The theme for spelling this week is "Diphthong syllables". Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Friday (10/1). The vocabulary test will also be on Friday (10/1).

Science- We will begin learning about motion.

Social Studies- We will complete the unit on the Hello, Florida book.

Weekly Update (9/20-9/24)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

2.2 "Extensions of Addition and Subtraction Facts"

2.3 "What's My Rule?"

2.4 "Parts-and-Total Number Stories"

2.5 "Change Number Stories"

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue working on personal narratives. The vocabulary this week will come from the Voices reading series. The words go along with the stories we will be reading in class. The theme for spelling this week is "Open Syllables". Please visit www.spellingcity.com for some practice games with this week's spelling words.

We will have a spelling test on Friday (9/24). The vocabulary test will be next week.

Science- We will begin learning about simple machines.

Social Studies- We will continue our unit on Florida. We will continue studying chapter two, "The History".

Picture Day This Tuesday (9/14)

This is a reminder that Picture Day is tomorrow. If you have not sent in the order form, please send it in tomorrow.

Recorder and Student Handbook Forms

If you have not yet returned the recorder form for Music class, please do so as soon as possible (even if you are not ordering one). Ms. Diaz-Leroy would like to order the recorders soon.

Also, there are a few Student Handbook forms that have not yet been returned.

If you need another copy of either of these, please email me and I will send another one home.

Thanks!

Weekly Update

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

1.13 "The Length-fo-Day Project"

1.14 "Progress Check 1"

2.1 "Fact Families"

We will have our first math test Tuesday (9/14)

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will use the "timelines" that we created to continue working on personal narratives.

We will have a spelling test on Tuesday (9/14). We will also have a Wordly Wise quiz on Friday (9/17).

Science- We will work on writing hypotheses for our "Potato Observation Project"

Social Studies- We will continue our unit on Florida. We will finish chapter one, "The Land" and begin chapter two, "The History".

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Picture Day

The Picture Day forms went home today. Please review and send back as soon as possible.

Weekly Update (9/7-9/10)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

1.10 "Money"

1.11 "Solving Problems with Dollars and Cents"

1.12 "Patterns"

We will have our first math test next Tuesday (9/14)

Language Arts- We will read more selections from our reading series, Voices. In writing workshop, we will continue writing our personal narratives.

Science- We will use the scientific method format to conduct another experiment on Friday.

Social Studies- We will continue our unit on Florida. Last week we started chapter one, "The Land". The Geography project will be due on Friday (9/10).

Weekly Update (8/30-9/3)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

1.6 "Equivalent Names"

1.7 "The Language of Chance Events"

1.8 "Finding Differences"

1.9 "Calculator Routines"

Language Arts- We will begin the first topic in our reading series, Voices. The spelling theme this week is short vowel sounds. In writing workshop, we will begin writing our personal narratives.

Spelling Test on Friday (9/3). Wordly Wise vocabulary quiz will be on Friday (9/3)

Science- We will continue learning about the Scientific Method and use it to conduct an experiment on Friday.

Social Studies- We will continue our unit on Florida. Students will use the Hello, Florida textbook to complete the scavenger hunt we began last week. The Geography project will be due on September 10.

Social Studies Project

Today a form will go home outlining a landform project that students are to complete over the next two weeks. Please review this sheet and contact me if you have any questions.

The due date for the project will be September 10 ( next Friday).

Picture Day

Picture Day is on Tuesday, September 14th.

Photo packages will be available for purchase.

More information will be sent home as the date gets closer.

Summer Vacation Photos

Attention Students and Parents:

The yearbook staff is collecting photos of the student's Summer vacation experiences both in and out of the country. Please send or email your photos to Mr. Napodano in the Upper Division: nap@shorecrest.org

Photos will be accepted until September 30th.

Spirit Day

Quick note that may have not made it into the students' agendas this afternoon:

Our first Spirit Day is Friday, August 27. Students may wear green and gold colored clothing. Uniforms are not required, but this is not a dress down day. Students may not wear umbros, spandex, boxer or gym style shorts. Blue jean shorts and shorts sold by the Shorecrest Booster Club are allowed.

Weekly Update (8/23-8/27)

Math-Lessons covered this week are:

1.1 Numbers and Number Sequences

1.2 Number Grids

1.3 Introducing the Student Reference Book (SRB)

1.4 Tools for Mathematics

1.5 Analyzing and Displaying Data

Language Arts- We will launch writers workshop this week. We will begin reading the first of our class novels, Be a Perfect Person in Just Three Days. Also, over the next two weeks we will work on Lesson 1 in Wordly Wise. Spelling Test on Friday (8/27).

Science- We will introduce the steps of the Scientific Method.

Social Studies- We will start our unit on Florida. Students will use the Hello, Florida textbook.

Back to School Night

Tuesday (8/24) is Back to School Night. Please meet at 7:00 in the Janet Root Theater. Refreshments will be served in the hallway following classroom visits. Be sure to bring your personal calendar to mark important dates and party sign-ups. I look forward to seeing you all there!

Welcome Back!

I hope that you got your welcome back letter in the mail. I am looking forward to seeing everyone on Thursday...

Lights. Camera. Action!

After ten weeks of planning, writing, filming, and editing, we are ready to share our explorer iMovie projects. I hope that you are able to join us.

They will be shown on Wednesday morning at 8:30 in the Lower Division Studio (the room next to Mrs. Lippincott's classroom).

Splash Day

Splash Day is scheduled for this Friday (5/14).

Waivers were sent home on Friday. Without a signed waiver, children WILL NOT be able to use the big water slide. Please sign and return the waivers by Thursday (5/13).

K Program

We will be attending the Kindergarten dress rehearsal this morning. We are looking forward to seeing the new program. I know that many of the students with siblings in Kindergarten are very excited to see them on stage.

Explorer Video

We need your help! The third grade classes are working on their Explorer Movie projects with Mrs. Baralt in the computer lab, and they will be shooting live footage for their movies this week. As students will shooting in different location of the Lower Division campus, we could use extra adults to help with supervision. If you are interested in helping out, please email me if you are available to help.

Our time slots are Wed 10-11 and Thurs 11:10-12:10.

Kentucky Derby

We have studied a bit about Kentucky this week in our geography lesson, and the Louisville (Ms. La Duke's home town) Kentucky Derby. Due to the Derby this Saturday, the third grade teachers are permitting the children to bring a hat to school on Friday in honor of Derby Day.

*Participation is optional.

*Hats should be decorated or fancy. (Baseball caps need some sort of decoration.)

*Hats will be brought to school and stored in lockers until after the ERB testing is over for the day.

Thank you!

Spirit Day

This is a reminder that tomorrow is Spirit Day.

Celebrate the Arts

This week is "Celebrate the Arts" week.

The festivities kicked off with our field trip this past Friday. This week we have several other events planned. This morning we were treated to a string quartet performance by some USF students. On Friday, there will be a performance at 11. Each grade level will be singing some songs, and there is even a group of teachers that will be performing. After the performance, the entire Lower Division will have a cookout. Please submit your lunch preference form if you have not already done so.

I look forward to seeing all of you on Friday!

Field Trip

As part of the Celebrate the Arts next week, we will be taking an architectural tour of downtown St. Petersburg. We will be going this Friday morning (4/16). We are scheduled to leave campus at 8:45 and return around 10:30.

If anyone is interested in accompanying our class, please let me know via email at nealw@shorecrest.org .

Thank you!

Rays Day

Opening Day for the Tampa Bay Rays is Tuesday, April 6. Students may wear a Rays shirt with their regular uniform pants on that day.

Class Pictures

Just a reminder that Monday is class picture day. The order forms went home this week. Extra copies of the order form are available in the office. The deadline to order pictures is Friday (4/9).

Picture Day

Our class picture is scheduled for Monday, April 5th.

Order forms went home today, and all orders must be submitted before Friday 4/9 in order to avoid a late fee of $5. No orders will be received after 4/30.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Important Dates this week

Just a quick reminder that this week we have both Spirit Day and Field Day.

Spirit Day is Wednesday 3/31 and Field Day is Friday 4/2.

Also, despite the fact that it is scheduled for this Thursday (4/1), the history quiz is not a prank.

The quiz will cover the Early North American Tribes that we have been covering in class. The students will be able to use the culture chart that we have been completing during this unit.

Lower Division blog

Dear Parents,

The Lower School administration uses Online Community to communicate with our families. Dr. Bianco and Mrs. Weinman's letters and Lower Division reminders are posted on a Lower Division blog. This is the school administration's main form of communication, so EVERYONE should subscribe. In order to have access, you will need to subscribe to the Lower Division blog.

Directions:

First log into the Online Community. After logging into the Online Community, go to Community > Groups > Lower Division Group from the green menu bar. First, click on the icon "Join Group." Next, scroll down the page and click on the Subscribe button. This will send you e-mail alerts whenever I write a new blog post.

Field Day

Due to weather, Field Day has been rescheduled for April 2nd.

The team assignments will remain the same.

Update

The math test originally planned for Friday has been pushed back to Monday to allow for more review of the content. An additional practice sheet went home this afternoon.

Grandparents Day

Here is a quick note to clear up any questions about tomorrow...

Grandparents Day is not intended to be a half day. We will continue with our usual plans for the rest of the day, which include PE, Lunch, Library, and Social Studies. Also, there are two tests scheduled for tomorrow morning (Spelling and Math).

I look forward to a great morning tomorrow and hope that this information can help to clear up any confusion.

Spring Conference

February 24th is the date for Spring parent conferences. The scheduled times are posted on the side of the blog. Please post a comment or email me (nealw@shorecrest.org) with your preferred time. I will do my best to accommodate everyone's schedule.

For Friday---Warm up to a good book!

On Friday, I would like to take a break from the regular reading time to "Warm Up to a Good Book." It is seldom that Florida provides the appropriate atmosphere to do this, so I thought I would take advantage of it.

Today in class, the children were asked to bring a book from home to read. It must be a book that will sustain their interest for at least a period of 20-30 minutes. Along with their book of choice, they are not only allowed to bring a thermos of either hot chocolate or cider, but they may wear jeans to school (students are still required to wear a uniform shirt--this is not another Spirit Day.)

I am not sure yet the exact time, but it will be some time in the morning so the thermos will remain warm. This should be great fun!

Happy New Year

I hope that everyone had a nice, relaxing winter break, and is ready to get back into the routine.

Here is the outline for the week:

Math-

5.1 "Place Value through Ten-Thousands"

5.2 "Reading, Writing, and Ordering Numbers"

5.3 "Place Value to MIllions"

5.4 "Application: Using the U.S. Census to compare large numbers"

Language Arts- We will begin reading another class novel, 7x9=Trouble. We will work on Lesson 6 in "Wordly Wise." Vocabulary and Spelling Tests on Friday (1/8).

Science- We will finish Simple Machines and begin Compound Machines.

Social Studies- We will begin our Social Studies text book, A History of US.

As always, if you have any questions, please email me... Welcome Back!