Wow. I can't believe it is already February vacation. The time is flying by, and I am already starting to get sad about saying goodby to this class! I know that a little rest and relaxation is in order, and I think we will all come back ready to roll up our sleeves and work hard in early March.

This has been a finishing up week, so there is not much to tell you about. Math is the one subject area that had any new learning this week. After making decks of fraction cards, we compared them to landmarks (such a 1/2, 1 and 2) and then put them in order on a number line. We also learned a variety of strategies to determine which fraction is bigger. This is not easy! We ended the week making decks of decimal cards, and we will return to those right after the break.

We had a lovely time at Camp Swampy this morning, and I am so glad we went despite the cold. We tried to do some tracking, but only one group found a rabbit track. I guess we were there too early for the animals to be out and about! Instead, the students decided to organize a game of Hide and Seek (entirely on their own!) The got it going and had a blast. Mr. Bouchard and I were only there to make sure everyone was safe -- they didn't need or want our guidance. I loved seeing them take on leadership roles and make sure no one was excluded. I was smiling from ear to ear, and they were enjoying every minute.

I am sending home a sign-up sheet (in my email) for parent conferences. Please find a time that works for you, and let me know if you need a different time. Also, your children are always welcome to attend if that works for you!

Please also keep an eye out for a letter from Mr. Williams about NAEP testing. Students are chosen randomly to be given this test -- for some reason, my class got lucky (or unlucky, depending on your perspective) and 19 out of 23 of them were chosen! The letter tells more about the testing, which we are mostly uninvolved in.

I hope you all have an opportunity to take some time off to be with your children over the next 10 days. I will miss them, and look forward to seeing them in March!