Science
Rocks, Soil and Water:
Students will learn the
natural world includes rocks,
soil and water. Students will
Reading
Students will review retelling (characters,
setting, problem, and solution), comparing and
contrasting different books, making connections
with characters, and understanding the
character’s feelings.
D
Writing
We will begin writing letters, notes, cards, and
invitations. We write letters to ask someone
questions and to get to know someone better.
We write notes that are a quick idea or thought
on paper. We write cards to say thank you, happy
birthday, congratulations, and I’m sorry. We
write invitations to ask someone to attend an
event.
Math
observe and describe
properties of rocks, soil, and
water.
Conservation of Resources
We can use our resources in ways
that save or conserve them. We
can save resources by using less
water when brushing our teeth or
washing hands, or reusing or
recycling paper, plastic, and metal
resources.
Subtraction: Students will solve word problem using objects and drawings to find differences
up to 10.
Money & Financial Literacy: Students will distinguish between wants and needs and identify
income as a source to meet one’s wants and needs.
Social Studies:
How Can I Be a Good Helper at School? Students will practice four ways to be "handy helpers."
Black History Month--Students will Recognize African Americans who have made a significant
impact on U.S. history.
President Day-- Students will understand some of the ways George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln are honored by our country. Students will identify the contributions George Washington and
Abraham Lincoln made in order to help shape our nation.
Coming Events:
*100th day of school Feb. 2ndth
*Early Dismissal- Wed. Feb. 11th @ 11:45am
*K-5 grades only
Parent teacher conferences Wed. Feb 11th 1-3pm
*K-5 open house - Wed. Feb. 11th 3-5 pm for K-5 grades only
*Map Testing Feb. 9th-20th
*Mock STARR Feb. 23rd -27th (2nd and higher) - closed campus
*No School Feb. 16
*HPS UIL competition Feb. 16
Reminder:
Homework Project for the 100
th
Day of School
We will be celebrating the 100th day of school on Monday, February 2th. We will need your help to prepare your
child for this special day. We would like every Kindergarten student to make a poster or t-shirt with a 100 items.
 You can use stickers, stampers, foam shapes, tissue paper, wrapping paper, colored pieces of paper, clip-art or
magazine pictures.
 You should also write the number 100 on the poster board or t-shirt.
 Please do not use real coins, medicine, or materials that can easily fall off the poster.
 Putting clear plastic tape over each row. It will help the objects to stay on or if possible use a hot glue gun.
 The students will have to be able to carry the project in a parade.
 Your child’s name must also be clearly written on the front or back of the poster.
 This project will count as a homework grade.
Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions.
First Grade
Miss Williams
Mrs. Ervin
Mrs. McClure
Dear Parents,
It’s hard to believe that the first month of
the year is already over, and we have been
in school for 100 days! Although February
is the shortest month of the year, there is
lots going on so be sure to check the
activity calendar often!
-1st Grade Team-
Upcoming Events
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nd
th
Monday, February 2 - 100 Day of School
Wednesday, February 11th- Early Dismissal
@ 11:45 AM
Wednesday, February 11th- Parent Teacher
Conferences @ 1:00-3:00 PM/ K-5 Open
House @ 3:00-5:00 PM
Saturday, February 7th- Wildcats on Display
@ 10:00 AM
Monday, February 16th- NO SCHOOL/HPS
UIL Competition
Class Wish list:
 Listening Center (Mrs. Ervin and Miss
Williams)
 Books for the classroom libraries (all
classrooms)
How to Reach Us!
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
School Phone Number: 832-437-3926
Email is the best way to reach us!
February Highlighs
ELA/Reading:
Spelling- Students will be learning to spell compound
words and words with their –ar, -er, -ir, -ur, and –oo
phonogram.
Writing- Students will be writing descriptions of
characters and objects using word referents while being
able to recognize word referents in suspenseful
descriptions. Students will also be learning about
responding to expository/informative texts while being
able to express their opinions about the text.
Reading- Students will be learning about cause and
effect relationships in stories/texts. They will be
reviewing how to identify the characters, setting, and
plot to describe the problem/solution in a story. They
will end the month reviewing how to draw a conclusion
from text details and support them with evidence.
Math: In Math, we will continue our unit on
Algebraic Reasoning and begin our unit on Geometry.
Students will use various strategies to add, will learn to
add 3 numbers, and will explore the relationship
between addition and subtraction. In Geometry,
students will explore 2-D and 3-D shapes and solids.
Science: During the month of February, students
will learn how to use natural resources and materials,
including conservation and reuse or recycling of paper,
plastic, and metals. Students will also record weather
information, such as temperature, hot or cold, clear or
cloudy, calm or windy, and rainy or icy. Students will
demonstrate that air is all around us and observe that
wind is moving air.
Social Studies: Social Studies will learn
about Presidents Day and Black History Month. Students
will acquire knowledge about Black History Month and
the African Americans that contributed to our world and
society. The students with understand the importance
of each.
February 2015 Newsletter
What Are We Learning in ELA?
Reading- We have covered most of the reading concepts in the first semester. As
we our entering second semester we will be going over these reading concepts in
more depth. We will spend two weeks covering text and graphic features of
literary pieces as well as comparing and contrasting stories using characters and
various texts. Studnets are encouraged to read for no less than 20 minutes per
night.
Writing:
-We have spent a great deal of time covering important parts of writing a
character/problem/solution narrative which include entertaining beginnings,
elaborative details, and moments of suspense. As we continue working through
these pieces of writing we will begin understanding the writing process as a whole
which includes prewriting, rough drafts, peer review, editing, and final drafts.
Grammar:
Students will continue working on using proper grammar techniques which
include: using adjectives, and base words with suffixes such as –er, -est, -ly,-ful.
Phonics:
In February we will be focusing our phonics concepts on r controlled vowels by
using phonogram such as –er, ir, or, ur. students will be able to identify and
demonstrate words with these spelling patterns.
2nd grade newsletter Page 2
What Are We Learning in Social Studies?
In January we took a deep look into Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the work he did for
the Civil Rights Movement and American Society. As we do every February, we are
celebrating and investigating Black History Month. We are investigating the key figures
in Black History from Slavery to the "I Have a Dream" speech. The through the rest of
the month we will investigate how people to use and "misuse" the environment we live
in. Students will research and investigate how we use minerals and other resources for
energy and the production of goods. We will also look at the effects of consumption on
the environment like pollution.
What Are We Learning in Math?
During the month of February we continuing Financial Literacy. We will be starting
Geometry which will take us through the end of February and the beginning of March. As
always we will be working on Rocket Math and Kamico (which gets students ready for
STAAR problems). We will now be participating in our Reasoning Minds Math program.
Students will have access to the computer lab twice a week and will also be given access to
use this program at home. We are excited to have this extra resource.
What Are We Learning in Science?
In February, we will begin our unit on Weather. We will be taking a deep look at how we
can measure and record data about the weather using different tools. Students will be
discussing the types of clouds and will participate in many hands on activities associated
with weather. We will even have an opportunity to act as meteorologist in the classroom.
Next, we will then connect our ideas about weather to objects in the sky as we move to
discussing the patterns of the moon and sun.
Important Dates for February:
Monday, February 2nd- 100th day of school
Saturday, February 7th- STEaM Fest 10am-2pm
Wednesday, February 11th-Early Dismissal- 11:45am
Parent/Teacher Conferences 1-3pm (by appt. only) and Open House 3:15-5pm
Third Grade
Mrs. Blackwell
Ms. Joseph
Mrs. McClure
Dear Parents,
We are now into our 2nd Semester. We
will continue to learn new TEKS and
prepare for our MOCK STAAR. Please
continue to check your child’s database
for missing assignments and grades.
Thank you for your continue support.
-3rd Grade team
Upcoming Events:
Feb. 2- 100th Day of School
Feb. 3- Biography Book Project due
Feb. 7- Wildcats On Display (2015 STEAM
Festival and Open House)
 Feb. 11- Parent Teacher Conference/Open
House 1-5pm
 Feb. 11- Early Dismissal at 12:15pm
 Feb. 16- No School- Staff Day
 Feb. 23-26- MOCK STAAR (Campus will be
closed to all visitors.)
SAVE THE DATE: Our next field trip will be to
the Blue Bell Factory on March 3, 2015.
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Class Wish list:
Crayola marker (All Classrooms)
Scissors( All Classrooms)
Glue sticks (All Classrooms)
Paper towels and Kleenex (All
Classrooms)
 Construction paper (All Classrooms)
 Expo markers (All Classrooms)
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How to Reach Us!
Email: [email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
School Phone Number: 832-437-3926
Email is the best way to reach us!
2015
February Highlights:
ELA:
Reading: We will focus on story structure, compare
and contrast, and sequence of events. Grammar:
We will focus on possessive nouns and pronouns,
proper nouns, and abbreviations. Writing: We will
begin the 8 day process writing projects and
continue with elaborate details.
Math:
During February we will be covering 2 major
units -- Geometry and Measurement. These are
very exciting lessons as we often have the
opportunity to do hands-on exploring. Please
make sure you are still studying and practicing
your multiplication and division facts. We don't
want to forget all that important material we
have worked so hard to learn.
Science:
For the next several weeks we will be exploring the
sun and how it affects the water cycle on Earth.
Then we will move into our unit on space -- the
Earth, moon, sun, and other planets.
Social Studies:
We will are start with global trading, Black history
Month and end with the beginning of What are
public services in the community?
February Events
February 2nd- 100th day of school
February 11th- early dismissal at 11:45a.m. (K-5th)
-Parent teacher conferences 1-3p.m.
-K-5 Open house 3:15-5p.m.
February 16th- no school
February 16th- HPS uIL competition
important February test dates:
MaP: 9th-20th. Mock staar #2: 23rd-27th
We will be covering important people in and from Texas as we
celebrate and recognize Black History Month and Presidents
Day. We will also begin studying the land and resources of
Texas and The American Civil War.
This month we will be covering two major topics: Patterns on
Earth Producers, Consumers, and Food Webs.
Reading
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Compare/Contrast
Understanding Characters
Point of view
Infer/Predict
Writing
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Expository Writing
Narrative Writing
Grammar in writing
STAAR Readiness
 Understanding Characters
 Parts of Speech
 Infer/Predict
 Revising and Editing
The above reading elements tell what we will work on in class this
month while we strengthen our reading and comprehension skills.
We will also use the UNRAVEL strategy to prepare for STAAR. Our
writing this month will build on skills that we have learned
regarding Expository and Narrative writing. Some of these skills
consist of story beginnings and endings, elaborative detail, building
suspense, and peer reviews. We will also touch on skills with
revising and editing written compositions.
During the month of February we will be focusing on
various aspects of Measurement and Data Analysis.
WISH LIST:
If you have any questions regarding the February
Newsletter, please contact your homeroom teacher.
Mrs. Gleisner
Ms. Reasoner
Mrs. Mumphrey
Mr. Sullivan
 Pencils- All classes
 Pencil Sharpeners- mumphrey
 Kleenex and hand sanitizer-all classes
5
TH
Harmony Science
Academy West
Houston
G RA D E
Ja nu ar y
N ew sl ett er
5th Grade’s Monthly Newsletter
English Language Arts
In ELA his month, the students will be
learning about:
Reading
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Summarizing Text
Sequence of Event
Traditional Literature
Theme
Main Idea and Details
Grammar
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Verbs
Perfect Tenses
Making Comparisons
Proper Mechanics
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Elaborative Detail
Analyzing Prompts
Write Fully Elaborated Main Events
Process Writing
Revising Dull Conclusions
Showing not telling
Writing
Math
In Math this month, the students will be
learning about:
 Data Analysis
 Problem Solving (UPSE)
 Analyzing Graphs and Charts
 Spiraling Back on Multiplying Decimals
Reminders….
1. Complete 10 topics in ALEKS per
week. (Mastery is important!)
2. MAP testing will be this month
Science
This month in Science, the students will be
learning about:

Earth’s Rotation
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Interdependency
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Food Webs

Environmental Changes
Reminders…
1. Complete 2 topics in MEASURING UP
LIVE per week.
2. For more resources, you may go to
LESSONS in measuring up live or
STEMSCOPEDIA in
stemscopes(https://n11054d135352.acc
eleratelearning.com)
Social Studies
This month is Social Studies the students will
be learning about:
 Facing Slavery
 Life in Colonial Williamsburg
 Tensions Grow Between the Colonies &
Great Britain