Good Bye Tree House

Dear parents,

First of all I hope you had a great Christmas!!

Personally, I didn’t have the Christmas feeling that strong as at home in The Netherlands where it is a large celebration of two days, by a cold temperature of -15. For the first time since 1981 The Netherlands had official a “White Christmas” with 30 cm of snow.

So this was unfortunately my final week at the Tree House Academy, the two weeks has gone so fast, it’s been a great experience!
Teacher Andy will be back at the academy within the next a few days and take over his classes as usual.

Both classes did more less the same home work this week, on Monday we started with the story of “Best Wishes Ed” which was about a Penguin on the North Pole. Tuesday we did all the questions related to yesterday’s story of Ed the Penguin, plus we reviewed the vocabulary for the Thursday. Wednesday we did the grammar about “commas and present Tense Verbs”. On my last day of class on Thursday we did “Science Desert” we learned more about the desert, animals and plants. We did another story of Student Journal “Mina’s Day” the students were given three questions related to the story to be answered at home.

I would like to thank, The Tree House for this amazing teaching experience, all the children and other teachers for making me feel “at home” at the academy.

Wishing you all the best for 2010! with a lot and happiness and luck in the year of the tiger..

My first week at the Tree House..

First of all Merry Christmas to all of you,

Best parents,

This was my first week at the Tree House Academy, taking over from teacher Andie, who is on a well deserved holiday in the USA.

It has been a great experience, the children have been great! Getting to know then, was very nice..
Back in the Netherlands I can not remember if have seen such a nice academy as the Tree House and they are making it even nicer..Before I came to the Tree House I wasn't in the Christmas mood, seeing hardly any Christmas decoration. However, everything changed since this week. The place looks great with trees, ginger bread man even Christmas balls.

So this week both classes did more less the same, including there weekly grammar, they do know what "Silent letters" are and why we actually have them. We did two lessons of "Science" and learned more about the rain forest and the animals that live there, also we spoke about the Woodland Forest, all the questions related to those two topics were made.
Another "Student Journal story of Dotty's Dot's" was done, I received some great drawings with the right answers.

On Friday we did a vocabulary test, which we practiced before. Students did very well.

Today, Thursday I gave the students homework the story named "Bears stay up" this to be read to the parents, maybe during the Christmas. Another vocabulary paper was handed out "Best Wishes, Ed" most students wrote them in their vocabulary book already. Yet another vocabulary test will take place on Thursday on the 31/12. (Wk. 16/17)

This time, I am not pointing out any students in particular, since I do think that each one of them has worked very well and has made me feel very welcome here.

I have to say that I really enjoyed my first week at the Tree House, even-though its a whole new experience for me, since day one I feel at home and guess I will be very sad to leave by next Thursday.

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Regards,

Teacher Jan

Sharks!

Dear Parents,

This week we read a story about sharks and the students learned that sharks have more to be afraid of from us than we do of them. People kill about 100,000,000 sharks a year! Compare this to only about 10 people deaths by sharks a year and you can see why. Sharks usually attack people only because they're hungry and confuse people for food. If we continue to kill this many sharks, some of them will be dead forever.

On Sunday I founds 2 beautiful 2-month-old girl puppies that some awful person left in a box on the side of the road. I took them home so they would not be left on the street but I must find a home for them VERY soon. Please let us know if you or anyone you know would be interested in helping to take care of these poor puppies.

This weekend the students do not have new vocabulary or student journal. They will take a vocabulary test on all the words from week 9 (Lemonade For Sale) to week 14 (Sharks) next week. They will also have another reading test next week.

On Wednesday I will go back to USA for 2 weeks for Christmas. I have been teaching in Taiwan for 5 years and this will be the first time I will get to celebrate Christmas in the USA. I will leave lesson plans and instructions with the substitute to follow while I'm gone.

I hope everyone has a great Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Jamaica Tag-Along

Dear Parents,

This week the Aliens read a story called 'Jamaica Tag-Along' about a young girl that wants to play basketball with her older brother, Ossie. Ossie says Jamaica is too young to play with him and his friends and that upsets her. Jamaica then goes to a playground but gets bothered when a little boy tries to play with her. She then realizes that she is doing the same thing her brother does so she lets the little boy play. This story helps the students understand not to be mean to people just because they're younger or smaller. The early class got to go to the park to read this story on a sunny, lovely Wednesday afternoon!

In grammar we studied singular and plural nouns, proper nouns, and how to make nouns possessive. This is something that is quite tough for students to understand so we will spend some time on this.

We started a new chapter in science about land habitats. Different plants and animals live in different places depending on their needs. The students really enjoyed this lesson in science.

Today for Fun Day we will play pool.

This weekend the students must write the new vocabulary words into their vocabulary books. We read the take-home reader 'Jun and Pepper Grow Up' together in class. They are to finish the student journal and bring it back to class on Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Teacher Andy

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Dear Parents,

Today we will celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving at Tree House by having a traditional feast. We have read about how this tradition started and why we still celebrate it today. This is a time when families come together from far away - except for the teachers living in Taiwan - to share time together and things they are thankful for.

While the food is getting ready, the students will watch a classic Thanksgiving show I watched many times when I was a kid called "Happy Thanksgiving Charlie Brown".

This week we finished up our chapter about animals in science class. We reviewed a lot and took a test.

The Aliens had a lot of vocabulary this week. We reviewed the words and made sentences with the words.

THIS WEEKEND'S HOMEWORK:
1 - Read 'The Busy, Lively, Sleepy, and Quiet Pond' and finish the questions in the student journal.

2 - Study week 12 vocabulary words for 'The BF Club'. They will test on these words on Monday.

3 - Write the new vocabulary words for week 13 into their vocabulary books. They will test on these words next Friday NOT on the Monday test.

I hope everyone will have a great weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

The BF Club

Dear Parents,

We read a story this week called 'The Best Friends Club' about 2 best friends, Lizzie and Harold. They start a club together but things start to become less fun when Lizzie gets jealous about Harold having other friends. She later realizes that having more friends is more fun than no friends and being selfish. This story is a good lesson to show the students not to be selfish and to share with others.

In science we studied how living things grow and change in different ways. We learned about bears and how caterpillars become butterflies.

The first class took their week 11 vocabulary test on Friday. The second class will take their test on Monday. No new vocabulary to take home this weekend! But they will still have to do student journals. We read 'Giving Thanks Around the World' together in class. This story tells how different countries have harvest celebrations. Next week is Thanksgiving and this story makes good comparisons between the American celebration of Thanksgiving and Full Moon Festival held in Taiwan and China.

Since the rain is spoiling our Fun Day at Da An Park, we will go watch a movie today!

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

A Letter to Amy

Dear Parents,

This week we read a story called 'A Letter to Amy' about a boy who was nervous about inviting a girl to his birthday party. She would be the only girl there and he was worried about what the boys would think. I told the students they should not worry about what other people think about them and to be confident to do what they feel.

In science we studied how animals get the things they need to stay alive. They need to find shelter to stay safe from other animals.

We read the story 'Warm and Fuzzy' for the take-home readers. In the story 3 sheep help a giraffe stay warm by cutting off their wool. The students are to finish the student journals and bring them back on Monday. The students were given new vocabulary words to write in their vocabulary books. We read the words together in class.

Our song this week was a reggae song by Bob Marley called 'Judge Not'. This song talks about not judging other people because they can judge you too. It's not fair to judge people if you don't know about their situation.

This week was PTA week and I want to thank everyone who came to speak with me about their child. Progress Reports were sent home this week with each student for you to know how your child is doing in the class.

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Lemonade For Sale!!!

Dear Parents,

This week we read a story called "Lemonade For Sale" about a group of kids that sell lemonade to fix their clubhouse. I taught them how to identify problems and solutions. We also got to make and drink lemonade and all the kids had a wonderful time doing this.

We learned about different animal groups in science class: amphibian, bird, fish, insect, mammal, and reptile. The Aliens learned special features for each group.

Students are to do their take-home readers and student journals for homework. They also have new vocabulary words to write into their vocabulary books. These should be brought back to class on Monday.

We will do science experiments for Fun Day. Most students get really interested in science so I hope they will enjoy this too!

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Happy Halloween!

Dear Parents,

This is one of our most exciting times of the year for the students: HALLOWEEN! The teachers have been working very hard to turn the school into a haunted tree house. Halloween was one of my favorite times as a kid so I hope our Aliens enjoy it too.

We welcomed Estella into our class this week and are happy to have her with us!

The Aliens reviewed vocabulary and took a test on all the vocabulary words they've had so far this year. There were 100 words on the test and many did a good job considering! I gave them back their reading tests and reviewed the questions that were missed. I like to take the time to do that so they understand why they missed the questions and how to take the test better next time. This test is very difficult for any student to get 100 because the tests come from an American textbook and not easy for 2nd language students.

Some of the classes did a Halloween crossword puzzle, a true-false Halloween quiz, made Trick-or-Treat bags, carved pumpkins into Jack-O-Lanterns, read the words and watched the music video of Michael Jackson's spooky song called "Thriller".

All the Tree House students went to neighborhood shops and went Trick-or Treating. It was nice to see the students dressed up and having fun.

The students do not have vocabulary or student journals this weekend but next week Halloween will be behind us and we can get back to reading more stories. Have a spooky and safe weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

Benson: Really improved from last week on his vocabulary scored very high on his big test! Keep it up and please make tine to study with Eliza so you can help each other.

Eason: Scored 97 on his reading test! Very impressive for this grade level. Does really well with vocabulary too.

Fisher: Did well on her tests and seems to really enjoy the Halloween activities.

Frank: Got a little scared when we watched "Astro Boy" last week, but he sat with me for the rest of the movie. Hope he enjoys Halloween!

Jerry: Did a really great job on his reading test!

Justin: Glad to see him back at school and feeling much better after the last week! Scored 100 on his vocabulary test. Needs to make up his reading test on Monday.

Phil: Scored a 100 on his vocabulary mid-term! Fantastic job!

Serena: Scored 98 on her vocabulary mid-term! Really getting better at studying, keep it up!

Stephanie: Likes to participate in class, did well on her vocabulary test.

Albert: Scored 93 on his reading test, which is a impressive score for his age! Keep up the good work!

Andrew: Had lots of smiles in class this week reviewing and doing Halloween activities!

Carson: Really gets excited about Halloween and had a great time this week!

Eliza: Try studying vocabulary with Benson, test was not as good as some of the other times.

Estella: Glad to have her join our grade 2 class! Seems very attentive in class.

Henry: Is having a difficult time learning the new vocabulary words. He really enjoyed the Halloween activities.

Irene: Very attentive in class, scored a 93 on her reading test. Fantastic job!

Tricia: Nice to see her back in class, really enjoyed Halloween. Scored 93 on her reading test! Great work and keep it up!

BBQ and Cowboys

Dear Parents,

This week the Alien class read a story called 'Roundup At Rio Ranch' about a boy named Jose who is going on his first cattle roundup with his father, grandfather, and brother. He is very excited to do this because he has heard so many stories from his grandfather about cowboys doing these roundups. At first Jose is not very good at using his lariat to catch cows, but he keeps practicing and is able to do it. I told the students how important it is to keep practicing, even when things seem very difficult at first and I shared with them how I have to keep practicing my trombone if I want to get better. This story continued the theme of traditions, like from our last story, 'Luka's Quilt'. The first class got to make a lariat and

This week we reviewed and tested on the plants chapter in science. The students also took a vocabulary test on the Week 6 words after lots of review activities. I gave them a new vocabulary word list to write in their books for homework this weekend.

For the take-home readers we read a story called 'The Bear Man' about a family of Indians that help a bear cub in the woods. They are to read the story to their parents, answer the questions in complete sentences, draw a picture about the story, and bring them back to class on Monday.

Today for Fun Day we will have a BBQ! Yummy!

Have a great weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Tighten Up!

Dear Parents,

This week the Alien class continued to learn about plants and how people use plants for so many things. From plants we get paper and wood products, medicine, clothes, lots of food and, most importantly, oxygen. I also stressed to them how they can make the world they live in cleaner and better if they use less products like to-go cups and food containers. I feel it is important for people to learn these values early so they can begin to practice them and show others how they can make a difference.

We did a song this week called "Do the Tighten Up". There are not many words to this song because it is mostly an instrumental, but it is good to let students hear and be able to identify different musical instruments and their sounds. "Tighten up" means a band should play together in-time to sound good.

The students were given a new vocabulary list to write in their vocabulary book and bring back on Monday. We will have a test at the end of next week so please help your child study and be prepared.

Instead of doing the take-home readers and student journals we read the famous children's story 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'. Many students know this story but Tree House wants them to know about INTEGRITY, or doing the right thing and not telling lies. There are a few new words in the story that they might not know, but we read and discussed the story in class. They are to read this story to their parents' for homework and talk about integrity. Please sign your name on the paper after they have read it to you and have them bring it back to class on Monday.

For Fun Day we will go back to the sports center to do archery and table tennis. The kids really enjoyed this last week and it gives them a chance to learn new activities that they may be interested in.

Happy National Day weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy



INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

Benson: Bright student who works very hard in class! Great job!

Eason: Sometimes talks when it is another student's turn. Please be more considerate of others. Great job on vocabulary test!

Fisher: Very respectful student, needs to speak louder in class. She read a story on Wednesday to the kindergarten class, thank you!

Frank: Needs to work more diligently in class so that he can complete the assignments on time.

Jerry: Really likes to participate in class and ask questions.

Justin: Doing very well with vocabulary and has improved his class performance. Great job!

Phil: Always works very diligently and learns new material very well. Keep it up!

Serena: Seems to be more comfortable in class and loves to participate.

Stephanie: Understands new material well and works hard during classtime. Thanks so much for the moon cake last week, yummy!

Albert: Very enthusiastic in class and loves to participate. Please be considerate of others when it is their turn to speak.

Andrew: Really enjoys asking questions and contributing to class discussions.

Carson: Did poorly on his last vocabulary test. Please study the week 4 and 5 words and try to improve on your vocabulary test on Monday.

Eliza: Feels very comfortable now in class but sometimes shy about answering questions.

Irene: Works super hard in class and always finishes her work in a timely manner. Excellent job!

Henry: Did poorly on his last vocabulary test. Please study the week 4 and 5 words and try to improve on your vocabulary test on Monday.

Tricia: Wonderful and thoughtful student that enjoys participating in class. Keep it up!

Marble and a Trombone

Dear Parents,

This week I had a few surprises for the Aliens! The early class got to go to a nearby park to read this week's story, which was "Luka's Quilt". This was a great story that taught the students about respecting their parents, grandparents and traditions.

I brought my trombone to school a few times recently. I played Happy Birthday for Jerry and some other famous songs. The late class got to try to make sounds on the trombone and some got some strong notes to come out.

I also let the children meet my new dog from the animal shelter named MARBLE! I taught the kids to be very careful when they see a new dog and to approach it carefully. They got to feed him treats and pet him.

I enjoyed meeting so many of you at the Open House last Friday! Thanks to all that came out.

The students will have a vocabulary test on the week 4 and 5 words on Tuesday or Wednesday next week. Please start studying this weekend.

Have a safe and Happy Moon Festival weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Open Tree House!

Dear Parents,

We will have our Open House today, which will be a chance for us to meet each other and learn about what we will do this school year. Teachers will talk about what materials we will cover in class, how the class runs, and what you can do to help make your child's experience here a positive and educational one. I look forward to seeing you tonight.

This week the students learned how plants make seeds and new plants. I did a demonstration using powder to represent the pollen found in flowers. Pollen gets carried by insects from plant to plant, mixes together and then makes seeds.

The students learned about commands and exclamations in grammar. They also practiced using a table of contents and long vowel sounds.

They took a vocabulary test this week from the week 2 vocabulary words. Many students are getting much better about studying and learning new words. Great job!

The class read a story called 'Let's Camp At Crescent Lake' for their take-home readers in class.
The story is about a family that decides to go on a camping trip. The students need to read the story to their parents, answer the questions in complete sentences, draw and color a picture in their Student Journal, and bring them back on Monday. I also gave the students a list of vocabulary words to copy into their vocabulary book.

Last week all the Tree House kids had a wonderful time playing group games in Da An Park. I think the potato sack race was a hit with them.

Hope to see many of you this evening for the Open House.

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Bette Must Come!

Dear Parents,

We had a great week this week in class. We continued listening to music and reading song lyrics. The students listened to a reggae song called 'Better Must Come' by Delroy Wilson. It's a very positive song about working hard to overcome rough times. I tell them to always try and not let things get them down.

They read a story called 'Henry and Mudge', a popular kids' story about a boy who gets a dog because he is lonely. The dog ends up growing to become HUGE and Henry feels more confident and safer that he has a wonderful big friend.

The students learned about the different plant parts in science, which are the leaves, flowers, fruit, seeds, stem, and root. They also learned what each part does for the plant.

For the take-home readers and student journals, we read a story called 'Space Walk', which is about astronauts going to and working in space. Students should read the story to their parents, answer the questions in their student journals in complete sentences and draw and color a picture. Please bring them back on Monday. They should also study the week 2 vocabulary words, we will have a test next week.

It is important for your child's progress that they study and bring their books back completed when they are asked to. They need to be responsible for bringing the books and pencil box to class. Please encourage them and support them.

We will go to Da An Park today for group games. This will be a fun activity for them to play outside and work together as a team.

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Let The Good Times Roll!

Dear Parents,

This week we continued to let the students ease into the school year and had lots of fun in-class activities! The students will learn a new song each week and this week they heard 'Let The Good Times Roll', performed by Ray Charles. Ray Charles was a famous blind piano player and singer from USA. I told the students that even though people might not be able to do things the same way as others, they can still do great things. I believe that letting the students become familiar with English songs is an excellent way for them to enjoy learning new things.

We talked this week about statements, questions, and incomplete sentences. We also reviewed the science lesson about plants.

The students took a vocabulary test this week from the new words they learned in week 1. We played some review games to help them prepare for their test.

This weekend for homework the students were given a new vocabulary list with meanings. They are to copy the words into their vocabulary books and bring the completed books back on Monday. They also have to do their take-home readers and Student Journals for homework. For this, the students have a short reading book that they are to read to parents. Next they are to answer in complete sentences the questions I gave them in class. Then they should draw and color a picture from the story. The Student Journal should also be brought to class on Monday.

We don't give much homework in this class but when it is assigned, the students are expected to complete the assignment and return it on time. Please encourage your child to put forth the effort to study and complete their homework. Children who do not keep up usually fall behind the others in class.

The students had fun last week at the batting cage for Fun Day. Today we are going to the Miniature Museum!

I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

First Week!

Dear Parents,

My name is Teacher Andy and I've had a great first week with the Egyptian class! I'm pleased to get to know my new students and continue to develop a relationship with them as the year goes on.

We spent some time on the first day talking freely and getting to know each other. I asked the students to tell me things they did this summer, what they like to eat, and what they like to do when they're not at school.

The students read a story called "Ann's First Day" about a girl who is very nervous to start at her new school in a new town. They also learned about parts of a book, such as table of contents, chapters, author, title, and illustrator.

We also did a science lesson called "Plants Are Living Things". They learned what plants need to stay alive and how to tell the difference between a living and nonliving thing.

For homework this weekend, each student must copy the new vocabulary words, parts of speech (noun, verb, adjective), and meanings into their vocabulary book and bring them back to school on Monday. They will have a test on these words on Thursday or Friday next week so please help them study.

Grade 2 is a lot more work than some of the students might be used to so I ask that we all be patient and work hard with the children so that they have an enjoyable time in our class together. Looking forward to a great year together!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Test Week!

Dear Parents,

This week was our last week of class for the semester so that can mean only one thing, TESTS! This week the students took reading, science, and vocabulary tests. They will bring home their test books and workbooks that they have used through the school year.

The reading test workbooks are the same ones used in American classes so they are more challenging for non-native students. 90% is about the highest that students at this grade level usually get so that's why some of the scores may seem lower that expected.

Today for Fun Day we will go do one of the kids' favorite activities, Laser Tag. Last week at roller blading was lots of fun. The students shouldn't fall down as much for this activity.

I've had a great time teaching and getting to know you child. It's been a joy to see them learn and grow through the year and I look forward to seeing them develop their personality more in the future. Have a wonderful, fun, and safe summer! I hope your child will find fun and rewarding ways to continue practicing English throughout the summer.

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Skating

Dear Parents,

The semester is winding down here for the Egyptian class. We have been trying to finish our last few lessons and stories before our test week next week.

We read a story about plants that are in danger. The students learned plants become endangered because the land gets cleared and people pick them. They also learned that there are conservation groups that help keep these plants and flowers from becoming extinct.

In science the students learned about magnets! They got to use magnets to see which objects are attracted to magnets and which are not.

The students had lots of new vocabulary words this week. Instead of having a test this week, we will take one on Monday! Also next week we will take our year-end tests in science, reading, as well as ALL the vocabulary words they have been given this semester (weeks 1 - 21). Please make sure your child studies for this!

Today we will go roller skating for Fun Day! Many kids enjoy doing this so I hope they have a wonderful time today!

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

P.S. Progress reports will go home with students next week.

Swim and Splash and Music

Dear Parents,

We had a fun and entertaining time on Yan Ming Mountain last weekend. It was very hot and the mosquitoes decided to join us but I hope the students enjoyed the trip.

This week we did something different, we read words to songs and then listened to recordings of the song. I think music is a great way for kids to learn and speak English in ways outside of their regular reading books. I also played different styles of music for them to learn the English names. We will try to do more of this before the end of the semester.

This week the students reviewed the unit on simple machines and force in science and took a test

We read a story in our reading books called 'Swimmy' about a speedy black fish that has to go out into the big, deep sea after a large tuna swallows his friends in one huge gulp. His fear soon goes away once he begins to see all the wonderful new things that there are to see. Swimmy finds a school of fish hiding away that was a lot like the friends he knew before. They are scared to go out because they're afraid of the big fish. Swimmy shows them how to work together and be brave so they can go out.

The students took a vocabulary test this week. They will have another test on Thursday or Friday of next week.

For the take-home readers we read a excellent story called 'You Can Make A Difference' about taking care of the Earth. It went into great detail about recycling, reusing, and reducing and also told about a group of students that worked in their free time to plant trees, make bird feeders, and pick up trash. It also told about one schools waste-free lunch program that encouraged using reusable containers instead of plastic bags that just create more waste. Please read this story with your kids and help them understand that they CAN make a difference in protecting the environment. Student Journals are due on Monday.

Today for Fun Day we will go to the water park! It has been very hot and I hope the rain stays away. Have a great weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

Albert - seemingly showed very little or no effort studying vocabulary!

Allen - getting much better, studying more

Arvin - great all week! working hard

Chanel - had a great time camping

Chloe - I'm VERY upset that you didn't bring me with you to Bali! Hope you had a great time.

Joshua - was disappointed to hear he didn't do well on his math test.

Happy Campers!

Dear Parents,

This week for Fun Day we will take the kids camping in Yan Ming Mountain! I really enjoy camping and hope the kids will enjoy getting away from busy Taipei City. This may be many of the students' first time so I hope they enjoy it. Since the kids will be away for most of the weekend, they will not have to do their Student Journals.

We will have a vocabulary test on Monday on the week 19 words. Please study for this! Some students did not do so well on the last test and had trouble finding adjectives, so I hope they will improve this time.

This week we read a long story called "Princess Pooh" about a girl who gets very jealous of her handicapped sister. This story was very important for the students to understand that handicapped people should be treated with respect and need friends just like people that aren't handicapped.

I hope you have a great weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Ramps and Levers

Dear Parents,

This week we had a really fun time doing experiments in science class! The Egyptians learned about ramps and levers and that they are both simple machines that make moving things much easier than lifting them. We did experiments using a book, a stick, and a water bottle to make a lever. We also used a tray, lots of books, and a load attached to rubber bands to make a ramp. With the books, we changed the height and steepness of the tray to let the students determine which way was easier to lift the load. I like doing experiments with the students so they can see how science works and not just from the book.

The students learned long 'e' and long 'i' sounds in their practice book and using capital letters for proper nouns.

For their take-home readers we read a story called "Hubert and Frankie" about a family that gets a new puppy, Hubert, that has a hard time listening. Frankie, the older dog, decides to teach Hubert to listen and be a good dog. The students should bring their Student Journals back to Tree House on Monday with the questions answered and colored drawing about the story.

The students will take a vocabulary test on Monday on the Week 18 words. Please be sure to study and be ready! Most students have been doing quite well learning the new vocabulary words, keep it up!

This week for Fun Day, each teacher will show off a science experiment they have prepared. The students will get a chance to go around to each teacher's classroom for the experiments. I hope none of the students blow up the school!

Progress Reports for each student went home on Monday, June 8. You may return the reports with comments to the office or with your child.

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Short Week, Long Week

Dear Parents,

Our normal schedule has been shaken up a bit here lately with the Dragon Boat holiday but next week will be back to normal.

This week we read a story called "Officer Buckle and Gloria" about a police officer who gets help with his safety speeches from his K-9 partner. The students learned that working together makes most jobs easier and to stick with your partner. This story was very funny and appreciated by the students.

We learned about force and friction in science class. Friction is a kind of force that happens when 2 things rub together and cause moving things to slow down.

For the take-home reader we read a story about animal shelters and how different animals have different shelters. The students should read the stories to parents, answer questions in complete sentences, make a drawing, and bring them back to school on Monday.

This week the students got to be carpenters-in-training, or rather, we put together water mill wood kits. This required lots of punching out of small pieces and fitting them together, kind of like a jig-saw puzzle, but the kids seemed to enjoy the final product.

We took a vocabulary test on Saturday and they will be graded and returned on Monday. Also on Monday I will send progress reports home with each student which will contain comments on how each student is coming along in the class.

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Eco Park

Dear Parents,

This week the Egyptian class spent lots of time reviewing for our Mid-Term tests. The students took tests in science and reading. I decided to let them have another weekend to prepare for their vocabulary test, they will take it on Monday. They will not have to do Student Journals this week so that they can focus on vocabulary. All the tests will be graded soon so that students can see how they did.

Today for Fun Day we will go to an ecological park! The weather is getting warmer and should be a wonderful day for a walk in nature. I really enjoy being outside and giving the students a chance to learn in other ways outside of the classroom.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Teacher Andy

Sounds

Dear Egyptian Parents,

First I would like to say thanks so much to all of you who made it out to our Mother's Day show last Friday. The Egyptians spent lots of time practicing last week and they did a wonderful show when it came time to do it!

On Monday I rewarded the students with some snacks. I brought dried beans, nuts, dark chocolate, dried mangoes, orange juice and grape juice for them to enjoy for all the hard work they have done so far this year and for the Mother's Day show. I think it was a great way to start off the week.

We studied sounds in science class so I brought a guitar and trombone to class to help them understand pitch. Each student got to play the strings on the guitar and make different pitches. They really enjoyed this approach to learning about sound.

We read a story about a young archaeologist who began digging for fossils at the age of 8. The class finds fossils to be very interesting.

The class will be doing Student Journals starting again this weekend. This week's story is called 'Who Can Help?' where they read about emergency workers and how important their jobs are. Students are to bring in them back on Monday.

We will also take a vocabulary test on the Week 14 words on Monday. Next week is our test week so we will review a lot and take tests in science, reading and more vocabulary.

Since it is getting warm, we will go to the night market for Fun Day to eat shaved ice! Yummy! Have a great weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

Albert: has great story comprehension but really needs to try harder to focus on his work in order to do well in the class.

Allen: Mr. Bad Breath did fantastic in the show! He is very outgoing and cheery that it was a treat to see him enjoy doing that so much. Got 100 on his last vocabulary test!

Arvin: very charismatic and entertaining in the show, wonderful!

Chanel: very enjoyable to work with her in the show and watch her compete for 'Brad' with Chloe.

Chloe: a little difficult to work with her because of her ticklish shoulder, ha just kidding. Great job!

Joshua: too bad he has been feeling sick. Nice work for the play and big improvement with vocabulary.

Sam: very entertaining and 'cool' in the show! The ladies like him a lot.

Austin: one of the craziest doctors I've ever seen, great movements in the show.

Harris: really enjoys doing drama class and did great in the show!

Lauren: great to see her enjoying herself while working on the show, nice job!

Lily: spoke very loudly and clearly during the show, learned her lines very easily.

Samson: excellent job as a fat man for the show, really loved his junk food! Great movements.

Happy Mother's Day!!!!

Dear Parents,

We have spent just about every minute of class time, and more, working on our Mother's Day show. It has been a lot of fun doing something different with the students and seeing them express themselves in other ways. I hope the students enjoyed doing this.

We did take a vocabulary test on the week 12 words. Most students did a great job and I'm happy with how hard students are working to learn the new words.

The students will get another break this weekend from their Student Journals but we will start again with those next weekend.

I hope to see most of you tonight. Happy Mother's Day!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Energy

Dear Parents,

We were lucky enough to have a short week this week thanks to the Labor Day holiday on Friday! I hope many of you also get to have an extra day off. Since we had one less day of school the students will not have to do their Student Journals this weekend. We will have a vocabulary test at the beginning of the week on the Week 12 words.

We had a fantastically fun science week where the students learned about two kinds of energy: heat and light. We did some experiments where the students saw what happens to chocolate, butter, and ice cubes when they are left in the sun..... then they got to eat chocolate! I also showed how glass and water can bend light to make objects look bigger.

In grammar the students reviewed pronoun - verb agreement, which simply means putting the right verb with the subject.

The students in the first class welcomed a new student, Albert! We hope he is willing and able to work hard to catch up to the other students in the class.

The students spent some time practicing for their Mother's Day show next week. I hope to see many of you there next Friday.

Enjoy your weekend and the warm weather that's coming!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Fossil Fun!

Dear Parents,

This week we read a story called "Fossils Tell of Long Ago" in which the students learned how fossils are formed over many years. They are made by minerals getting inside the bone and later turning to stone or imprints get filled in with sand and turn into sandstone. Fossils help scientist learn what the land was like from that time also. The students really enjoyed this story and it combined a reading lesson and science lesson together. They also learned an interesting way to remember the word 'imprint', you should ask them to show you.

The Egyptians learned about sequence of events, which is putting different happenings in the proper order.

We read their take-home reader "Watch Out!", which talked about different instruments used to measure the weather.

The students will have a vocabulary test on Monday from the Week 11 words. Please encourage your child to study.

We spent a lot of time preparing for our upcoming Mother's Day Show. The 2 classes will each do a short play for the show. It's been great working with the kids in a kind of environment that lets them be very creative and expressive. We still have a lot of work to do but they are having a great time!

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Changes

Dear Parents,

This week we talked about the difference between chemical and physical changes in matter. A physical change is when matter looks different but the mass is the same, like cutting, bending, folding. A chemical change is when the matter's mass changes, like burning, baking, rusting, or drying out. The students took a test this week on the chapter on matter.

The students learned possessive pronouns in grammar this week. My, your, his, her, its, our, and their are examples of possessive pronouns.

The students read the story "Moving Day" for their take-home reader. They are to read the story to parents, answer the questions in their student journal, draw a picture from the story, and return them on Monday.

Today for Fun Day we will begin practicing for our upcoming Mother's Day performance. We will also have a birthday party for all of the students with birthdays in April. Happy Birthday!

Progress reports for each student will be sent home today. I enjoyed meeting many of you this week and having a chance to speak face-to-face about your child.

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Rock On!

Dear Parents,

I had to make a quick and unexpected trip back home to U.S.A. for a family emergency so I have been away for a short time. Thanks to Teachers Annie and Connie for helping out with Egyptian class while I was away. It was nice to visit home again. The students were excited when I returned.

The class got to go rock climbing on Friday. This was a little hard for some of the students, and their teacher, but lots of fun for the little monkeys!

We read a story this week called "The Wednesday Surprise" about a young girl that teaches her grandmother how to read as a birthday present for Dad. The grandmother felt really bad that she waited so long to learn how to read. I wanted the students to understand that you are never too old to learn, but things are usually much easier to learn at a younger age.

The students learned about the states of matter and their properties in science. Solid, liquid, and gas are the 3 states of matter.

This week is PTA week. There is a sign up sheet in the office for meeting times. If you have any questions or concerns about your child's progress in the class then this is a great time to meet face-to-face and discuss them. I hope to get a chance to meet with as many of you as possible.

The students will have a vocabulary and grammar quiz at the end of this week.

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Weekly Progress - by Teacher Connie

Hello parents, this is Teacher Connie and I was the substitute for Teacher's Andy's classes this week!

CLASS 1: (2-4pm)

This week we read 2 new stories : ' Our Soccer League' and 'It's Alive'. We focused on pronouns in grammar and introduced many new vocabularies. At the beginning of each class I tried to practice the students' speaking skills by asking several questions in which they had to stand up and answer to the class. I randomly did pop quizzes during the week to see if the students memorized their vocabulary words.

CLASS 2: (5-7pm)

This week we read 3 new stories: 'Our Soccer League', 'The Wednesday Surprise' and 'It's Alive!'. I introduced many new vocabularies this week and in grammar we focused on pronouns. We also had a vocabulary review and was conducted through a game of BINGO! The students also practiced their speaking skills when I spent some time asking them questions orally.

INDIVIDUAL PROGRESS:
CLASS 1:

Arvin - Does work quietly. Needs to pay attention to small details and participate more in class. Listens well and a pleasure to teach!

Allen- Several times this week Allen did work the slowest. He needs to pay attention and read carefully. He often makes small mistakes such as forgetting the capital letters and periods. Allen can do well if he concentrates!

Chanel - Well behaved as usual! Nice reading and writing skills. Good progress and a lovely, polite girl!

Chloe - Won a prize for doing work the fastest and most correctly. Very well behaved. Excellent reader!

Joshua - Can do work well when he's not distracted. Tends to like to get up from his seat and walk around. Needs to pay attention to details when doing his work. Very cute kid, just needs to concentrate!

Sam - Excellent and smart! Fastest worker in the class and loves to participate! Sam won a prize for completing work the fastest in class! Progressing really well and it was such a pleasure having him in the class.


CLASS 2:

Lily - Very, very smart girl. Loves to participate and keen on learning new vocabulary. Creative and an excellent reader.

Lauren - Excellent reader! Pays attention and asks questions. Lauren is a sweet girl and was great having her in the class!

Austin - Talks out loud too much. He is very smart but needs to concentrate more and not be making jokes all the time!

Harris - Very smart and a pleasure to teach. Great reader and good work habits. He asks many questions and is keen on learning. Sometimes he can get distracted by other students in the class. Harris won a prize for completing his work the fastest in class!

Samson - Needs to concentrate more and sit still. Very smart - got 100% on his vocabulary test! Samson just needs to pay more attention in class.

Review Week

This week to prepare for our Science test and Vocabulary test, the classes worked on review sections in their Practice Books and Grammar Books. Almost every day we would review some of the vocabulary from Weeks 1-6 and the students either tested each other or we played vocabulary games on the board.

The Science test was given mid-week and the students were able to finish quite quickly. The test included materials from chapters such as , Planets, Moons, and Stars. The students have a good understanding and interest in Science materials.

The vocabulary test was given on Thursday and Friday. The test didn't take as long as expected which means students know most of the vocabulary. The scores so far look promising.

This week we've also read a new story called "The Bremen Town Musicians". It's about donkey and his animal friends, who are being abandoned by their owners because they are too old. They then make a journey together to Bremen Town in hopes of being in a band. However, on the way they find a house with robbers in it. They scare away the robbers and make the house their home. This story touches on certain morals about how to treat animals and "old age". The students had fun learning about the different sounds that animals make (Ex. Cock-a-doodle-do!).

On Thursday and Friday, we also had their Reading Unit Test. It fwas focused on reading comprehension and listening. The students had to read 2 stories and answer questions, as well as listen to a story read by me and answer the questions for that. Overall, hard-working week for everyone. Three tests completed (Science, Reading, Vocabulary) with results coming in next week. Good job everyone!


Class 1:

Austin- Understands certain materials/questions better than other students.

Lily- Needs to put up her hand when wanting to speak. Sometimes disrupts the class with random opinions.

Lauren- Well behaved; can practice voice projection when reading.

Samson- Only one in the class with a perfect score on his vocabulary test! Good stuff!

Harris- Focused; not affected by other kids speaking out.


Class 2:

Arvin- Never loses his concentration; focused.

Chanel- Sentence structures are stronger than expected.

Chloe- Remembers past materials taught, more-so than others (Ex. what quotation marks are)

Sam- Understands instructions and questions well on his own.

Joshua- Often able to finish work before others, however, sometimes needs to be told to settle down.

Allen- Needs to try and focus more; easily distracted. Read instructions first before asking teacher.


Wow, time flies ! Have a good weekend and see you all next week!
Teacher Annie~

Into the Cosmos...

Dear Parents,

Howdy! Let me start by introducing myself! I'm Teacher Annie and I am substituting for Teacher Andy this week and the week after.

On Wednesday it was great meeting the kids and I noticed how well they could understand directions and the materials being studied. Even though at first, some of the students tried to push the envelope a bit by behaving in a way they don't usually behave, it was great to see that after some discipline and serious talk, they were able to get back into learning and studying productively.

This week in "Science" we finished both the "Stars" lesson, as well as the "Planets" lesson. They learned that a 'star' is a hot ball of gases and that 'constellations' are patterns or pictures in space made of stars. They seemed to be able to remember the word "telescope" quite well and enjoyed looking at the pictures of different constellations such as "Big Dipper" and "Little Dipper".

Some new vocabulary that might be confusing for some of the students, taken from the "Planets" lesson may be 'orbit' and 'rotate'. It both means to spin or go around, but orbit means to go around the sun while rotate means the planets spinning on its 'axis'. We've done plenty of practice in their work books so they should be able to see the difference between the two words. Perhaps parents can go randomly test them to see if they understand the difference.

For their Student Journals this week, we read "Quilting Memories" which is about the different ways of 'preserving' memories and things from the past. Some of the students finished their in-class work early on Friday and so had a head-start on their Journals homework.


Class 1:

Chloe: Always very concentrated on her work and often finishes ahead of her classmates.

Chanel: Very neat and detailed when doing work. This is good to develop a habit of being organized.

Sam: Willing to share with his classmates (when a classmate forgot their book he offered to lend his to them). Good understanding of materials.

Joshua: In class on Friday, he seemed to be distracted and had to be reminded several times to
focus on his work. It was good to see though he is very willing to ask questions and double checks his directions and answers.

Arvin: Always very attentive and does his work quietly. Always first to be in class and ready to
learn.

Allen: Sometimes he is very easily distracted and needs to be told to re-focus. I find for some of
the questions, he does know the answer, but does not take the time to read over the question carefully before answering.


Class 2:

Lily: Sometimes in class she will speak out randomly which could be distracting to other
students. However, it is clear that she has a good understanding of the materials studied.

Lauren: Quiet and reserved but takes her time to make sure her work is done neat and properly.

Harris: Great reader and well composed most of the time. Am able to remember vocabulary
learned from the past.

Samson: Always a smile on his face; may need more time when reading.

Austin: Attentive and concentrates on his work to get it done correctly on time.


Great to meet all of the students this week! I am happy to see the friendships they have built here and am very impressed with their ability to understand what is taught in class (all of them take action to ask questions if they dont' understand, which is so important when learning new materials).

I look forward to another week with them! Have a good weekend everyone!

Annie~

How High The Moon....

Dear Parents,

We had a very fun and productive week this week in the Egyptian class. In science we continued talking about the Sun and it's family and learned about the different phases of the Moon, like New Moon and Full Moon. They learned that it takes about 28 days for the Moon to orbit the Earth.

We read a Time, for Kids article in our reading books about bats. This story talked more about how conservation groups help protect bats. They also teach people that bats are actually helpful mammals who kill insects that hurt crops. If bats kill insects that hurt crops then farmers won't have to use as many poisons on the crops.

The early class (2:00 to 4:00) went outside to the park on Friday to the park to read the take-home readers. It was a beautiful day but the mosquitoes made us come back early. Too bad there were no bats around to help. The take-home reader this week is called "Thomas Adams Invents Chewing Gum". Students learned that gum used to be made from wax.

Today we are going to a batting cage for Fun Day. Baseball has become very popular here in Taiwan so I'm expecting the kids to have a wonderful time today!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

-Allen: brought up his science test score a lot when he re-took his test. Good improvement but study harder the first time and you won't have to take it twice.

-Arvin: brought up his science test score a lot when he re-took his test. Good improvement but study harder the first time and you won't have to take it twice.

-Chanel: needs to remember to always bring her vocabulary book so she can copy the new words and begin learning them when the other students do.

-Chloe: seemed to really enjoy reading and learning about bats.

-Joshua: is super helpful to all the other students in class.

-Sam: is always very attentive in class.

-Austin: was really interested in learning about bats.

-Harris: has gotten very careless when doing class assignments and taking tests and gets lots of questions wrong as a result. please encourage him to focus more.

-Lauren: has gotten much better with her handwriting. I'm pleased to hear that she takes such an interest in the class and the stories.

-Lily: I'm pleased to hear that she takes such an interest in the class and the stories. That's great that she likes to read at home too!

-Samson: really good at learning new vocabulary!

Going Batty!

Dear Parents,

This week we read a story called "Zipping, Zapping, Zooming Bats" that did a great job of teaching the students that people don't need to be scared of bats. Bats have a special way of hearing called echolocation, in which bats make high-pitched beeps that echo off objects. This is how bats know what their surroundings are and how they are able to fly very well. We spent a lot of time talking about echoes, pitches, and sounds. Bats help reduce the number of insects because that is what they eat. And bats don't really turn into vampires!

We learned about irregular verbs that have special forms in the past tense, such as go/went, do/did, see/saw, say/said, sing/sang, give/gave.

The students took their chapter test on the Earth in science class this week. Some students were confused between orbit around the Sun and the Earth's rotation, which causes day and night. We began learning about the moon this week too.

The take-home reader for this weekend is called "An International Food Fair" about a family that learns about different foods from different countries.

The students will take a vocabulary test on Monday on the words from week 4. Please help and encourage them to study!

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

-Allen: Did not do so well on his science test. He needs to study and re-take the test on Monday.

-Arvin: Seemed to confuse "rotation" and "orbit" in science and so didn't do so well.

-Chanel: G0t very involved in our class about the moon.

-Chloe: Have a great time in Hong Kong! I'm a little upset you didn't take me with you.

-Joshua: Continues to be up-and-down when it comes to paying attention.

-Sam: Scored 100 on his science test! Only one in the class to do that, terrific!

-Austin: Scored 100 on his science test! Great job!

-Harris: Performed very beneath his ability on 2 science tests! Needs to focus and stop being careless.

-Lauren: Has been wonderfully attentive all week, showing improvement in getting class assignments done.

-Lily: Shows lots of interest in the stories we read in class, lots of enthusiasm.

-Samson: Beginning to get more comfortable with the Grade 2 workload. Remember to bring your glasses!

Seasons

Dear Parents,

Last Friday's Fun Day trip to play dodge Frisbee was much enjoyed by the students. They had big smiles on their faces as they ran around and learned a new game. This week we are going out to a puppet show.

In science we learned that the Earth's orbit and the tilting of the Earth are what causes changes in the seasons. When the Earth tilts towards the sun it is getting more light and heat, so it will be summer. Places near the equator do not have very different seasons and is always hot. The class will take a chapter test in science on Monday. We spent a lot of time reviewing as well.

The students took a vocabulary test this week on the vocabulary words from weeks 2 and 3. Most students are getting better at learning vocabulary and are scoring better on tests. Please encourage you child to study when they bring their vocabulary books home. I have been given the graded tests to the students to bring home so they can show the parents how they did on their tests. Please sign your name on the test and have them bring it back to school the next day

The students reviewed the different forms of the verb to be for the past and present tenses and how to use them as helping verbs that help show action when used with other verbs.

We read the take home readers together in class called "Insect or Arachnid?". This book shows how to tell the difference between the 2 kinds of bugs. Please have your child read the story to you, then they are to complete the questions and draw a picture in their student journals and bring it back on Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

-Allen: Scored 100 on his vocabulary test today! I'm super proud of him, please keep up the good work!

-Arvin: Is always very attentive in class and has a great attitude towards learning.

-Chanel: Recently has shown to be more active in class. Scored 100 on her test!

-Chloe: Has a very pleasant personality and learning attitude.

-Joshua: Makes improved effort to participate and answer questions during class time.

-Sam: Had a little difficulty remembering the different forms of the verb to be in grammar.

-Austin: Super impressive memory when it comes to remembering vocabulary!

-Harris: Did really well in grammar this week. Good participation this week!

-Lauren: Remember to ask for help when having trouble answering questions so not to spend too much time on one part.

-Lily: Thank you for the reply you wrote on the test. I'm very happy to hear that she stays interested in the class.

-Samson: Remember to wear eye glasses when copying off the board.

Rolling Across the USA

Dear Parents,

This week we read a story called "The Best Vacation Ever" about a family that takes a road trip across the USA. They stop in several different states to check out tourist stops. We took a long time to read this story because this story gives a lot of information about famous places in America, like the Grand Canyon, the Alamo, the Grand Ole Opry, Carlsbad Caverns, and the Wright Brothers Memorial for the first airplane flight ever, which is in my home state of North Carolina. In the story Amanda writes letters to her friend telling about each stop along the way. I used a USA map to show the kids where the family went as we read and later played a review game to see who could remember where these places were.

In science the students learned about what causes day and night. They learned about Earth's rotation and how long it takes.

The students took a vocabulary test on the week 1 words. They also are to do their Student Journals this weekend on the story "Mina's Day", about a girl's life in Seoul, South Korea.

This Friday Fun Day we are going to play Frisbee! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

-Allen: Has difficulty focusing sometimes in class, please be sure to start off working hard this semester.

-Arvin: Starting off well this semester. Seems excited to do Student Journals again. Arvin makes sure to ask questions if he doesn't understand something.

-Chanel: Seems very enthusiastic so far in the school year and has been doing well in the class.

-Chloe: Really payed lots of attention to our story and enjoyed learning about different places in USA.

-Joshua: Showing much more focus and enthusiasm during class activities and review, but not as much when doing individual class work.

-Sam: Was very active during our discussions about the story and traveling in USA.

-Austin: Great participation so far, be sure to be prepared for class.

-Harris: Did great in our grammar lessons about the verb 'to be'.

-Lauren: Be careful with not making your spaces too big when you write. Good participation so far!

-Lily: Very attentive in class and works hard to finish assignments.

-Samson: Glad to have him in our class. Make sure to bring and wear eyeglasses everyday, he has some difficulty reading the whiteboard even when he's in the front.

Welcome Back!!!

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year and I hope that everyone enjoyed their New Year's holiday! I traveled to Cambodia and Vietnam during the break. The first day back at class I had each student share with the class what they did while on break. They looked very rested and ready to start a new semester in Egyptian class. I brought some pictures I took while in Cambodia and Vietnam to share with the students. I enjoy sharing things from different parts of the world with them.

This semester Samson has joined our class from Teacher Peter's kindergarten class. We are all happy to welcome him with us.

This short week we read a story called "Charlie Anderson" in which a grey cat comes out of the woods and begins living with two sisters. They keep the cat but find out later that when the cat goes to the woods every day, he is actually returning to his owners house. The girls want to take the cat with them when they visit their father and step-mother in the city but Mom explains that Charlie, the cat, is a country cat and wouldn't like to be away from the woods. The story was useful to let students know that, like Charlie, the sisters had two houses full of love - Mom's house and the house of Dad and Step-Mother.

The students started back with their Student Journals as their weekend assignment. They are to be brought back to class on Monday.

For Friday Fun Day we made Valentine's Day cards. I explained that Valentine's Day was created as a special day to tell someone that they love them but stressed that you can tell someone you love them ANY day they want and don't need to have a holiday.

I'm looking forward to the new semester with the Egyptian class!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

Test Week!

Dear Parents,

This week the Egyptian Class took their end of the semester finals. The students took their chapter test in science. We spent time reviewing the material the students learned on the water habitats and taking care of the Earth. The vocabulary test was chosen from all of the words the students learned throughout the semester. The class did a number of review games to help them remember all their words. The reading test evaluated how well students understood readings, listening comprehension, cause and effect, phonetic sounds, and differentiating between fantasy and reality.

Progress reports for each student will be sent home on Friday, January 23 which will give you an idea of how your child is performing in the class, problem areas, and ways to make improvements for the upcoming semester.

Last Friday for Fun Day we went ice skating at the Taipei Arena. The kids and teachers had a fantastic time! I was great to see the students starting off with lots of falls and then being able to stay up later.

After-school classes will resume on Wednesday, February 11. I'm going on vacation to Cambodia and Vietnam. I hope you all have a safe and wonderful New Year Holiday and all the best in the New Year!

Teacher Andy

Water Habitats

Dear Parents,

It is yet another long work week this week so we had time to do a lot of things this week in Egyptian class.

We read a story called "Nine-In-One, Grr! Grr!", a traditional folk tale from the country of Laos. I showed the students on a map that Laos shares a border with China, so it is a lot closer to Taiwan than America. In the story Tiger wonders how many cubs she will have so she travels up to the sky to see the great god Shao to ask. Shao tells Tiger she will have nine cubs every year only if she can remember that number. Tiger makes up a song to help her remember but a clever black bird hears the happy tiger singing. Bird learns from Shao that Tiger will have nine cubs each year. Bird finds Tiger, makes Tiger forget the song, then Bird tells Tiger her song was "One-In-Nine, Grr! Grr!" That's why tigers have so few cubs!

The students really enjoyed this story and the detail in the descriptions. I wanted the students to understand that the small Bird was able to beat the big Tiger by being smarter than the Tiger, not by being bigger or faster. I hope that they can begin to realize how important it is to learn and be intelligent people.

In science we studied fresh water and salt water habitats. Fresh water habitats are bodies of water with very little or no salt. Salmon live in fresh water and swim against the stream's flow to lay eggs. The ocean covers 3/4 of Earth and many living things live here. Coral is found in the ocean also. We studied a lesson about taking care of habitats and the Earth. This is something that I feel is very important for the students to understand and learn at a young age.

The students learned about synonyms, words that mean the same or almost the same as other words. Large, big, and huge are all synonyms. We also studied present tense verbs and how they must agree with the subject in a sentence.

Next week will be our test week so I want the students to spend lots of time this weekend studying ALL the vocabulary words they have learned in my class this year, from week 1 to week 20. The students will also take a science test and a reading test next week but we will spend lots of time reviewing also. Then it will be Chinese New Year vacation!

Have a great weekend!

All the best,

Teacher Andy

INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS:

Austin: Works very hard on assignments. Trying to get him to speak a bit slower so he pronounces words better.

Harris: Having some difficulty following directions when assignments are given. Listen carefully when instructions are given.

Lauren: Gets stuck when she doesn't understand assignments, try not to waste a lot of time and ask for help.

Lily: Participated a lot when we learned about taking care of habitats.

Allen: Showing lots of improvement in learning vocabulary. Still gets distracted easily at times but proud of his progress.

Arvin: Enjoyed reading our story "Nine-In-One Grr! Grr!" a lot. Great class attitude.

Chanel: Didn't do so well on her last vocabulary test. Be sure to spend time studying for our big test next week.

Chloe: Seemed to really enjoy learning about salt water habitats and the living things that live there.

Evie: Becoming much more comfortable in class lately! She speaks louder and tries super hard to figure out how to say new words.

Jade: Puts lots of effort into doing her assignments well!

Joshua: Got distracted quite a bit this week, try to focus more in class.

Sam: Great job of making up the work he missed from being out last Saturday.

Welcome 2009!!!

Dear Parents,

I hope everyone enjoyed their long New Year's weekend and did not get hit by any fireworks. Now we have a long school week.

This week we took a test in science on habitats. We reviewed a lot so the students would be ready.

The students had lots of vocabulary to write along wtih example sentences to help them use the words in a sentence properly. As a review activity they students made up an original creative story using the words. The students will take a test on the week 18 vocabulary words this Saturday.

We talked about action verbs in grammar. Action verbs tell what the subject in a sentence is doing. We went over silent letters also.

This weekend the students will do their TOPS books instead of Student Journals.

For Fun Day this week we will dazzle the students with a magic show. I hope these little Harry Potters can learn some new tricks from their secret magician teachers.

I hope you can still get some enjoyment out of your short weekend.

All the best,

Teacher Andy