Parent Conferences- Dec. 2-4

Conference notes for Speech/Language will be sent home on Monday Nov. 24. Please return the note by December 1, to schedule an appointment. If you are unavailable to meet in person you may contact Mrs. DeYoung to set up a telephone conference. (630)783-5157 mdeyoung@ccsd66.org

Better Than Google!

www.Internet4classrooms.com/k12links.htm

This is a terrific website for finding age appropriate internet activities for students at any grade level (K-12). The site lists links according to various subject areas and learning standards. Mrs. DeYoung uses this page constantly to search for online exercises for her students. It is a wonderful resource when searching for review material or practice activities for any concept or skill. Many of the sites feature interactive quizzes that students can complete online.

Encourage Critical Thinking

Some of Mrs. DeYoung's groups at Lakeview are answering essay questions about a passage they read. They are stating their key idea, giving evidence from the text for their opinion, and explaining the significance or interpreting the evidence. Students are focusing on critical thinking and use graphic organizers to express ideas and plan paragraphs. This is challenging for many students since writing essays involves comprehension, abstract reasoning, expression, organization, and composition.

Groups at Prairieview continue to practice using clear speech while playing games or discussing current events. Fourth and fifth graders talked about the voting process or answered questions about a reading selection. Like the older children, they are learning to give reasons for their answers and explain their ideas.