Students received a new Focus Wall on Friday (pink sheet) with a list of Homophones. The print & cursive assignment is due tomorrow. The Connect Four assignment is due Thursday, which will also be the day of the test. In looking at some of the print & cursive students had ready to turn in today, there are a few words giving them trouble. The top three sets were witch and which, weather and whether, principal and principle. I gave back the papers when I saw mistakes and asked the students to review since they were not due until tomorrow. I just wanted to make you aware of these challenges so you can spend extra time studying those sets. On the test Thursday I will call out the meaning of the homophone and the students will have to write the correct spelling so be sure to also go over the meanings listed on the Focus Wall. In class today, we went over the difference between homonyms (same sound and spelling- different meanings) and homophones (same sound but different spelling and meanings). Then they looked at Amelia Bedelia book excerpts to find places where she misunderstood a homophone, homonym, or figurative language or expression. You can check these excerpts out at
http://www.ameliabedeliabooks.com/books/amelia-bedelia-chapter-books. The kids thought they were hilarious! Even some of my more reserved students were laughing as they did this activity. Tomorrow we will finish those up and the student groups will write their own stories about Amelia Bedelia! Another activity I feel they will enjoy this week is a little friendly competition between homerooms to come up with a class list of homophones. On Friday, students will have a homophones and homonyms test. One way to help them prepare for the competition and the test is by helping them look for either type of words and review those definitions.
The first payment for Jamestown was due Friday. If you are planning for your child to attend and you have not sent a payment, please let us know and send a deposit in ASAP. Thanks!
Also, for the girls...send the money and permission slip for the Father/Daughter Dance by Wednesday.