C.A.T.S. Update                                                                                       
February 2023
 


February is a short but busy month. Please refer to the calendar your child has tucked in the back of his/her C.A.T.S communication folder.
 
Here are some important dates this month:
Tuesday, Jan. 31st: No CATS for 5th grade (come Wed. for field trip)
Wednesday, Feb.1st: FIELD TRIP to Agua Caliente Park, 5th & 4th Grades
Thursday, Feb. 2nd: Half-day, No CATS for 3rd Grade
Wednesday, Feb. 8th: No CATS for 4th grade (come Thurs. for field trip)
Thursday, Feb. 9th: FIELD TRIP to Sweetwater Wetlands, 3rd & 4th Grades
Tuesday, Feb. 14th: Valentine’s Day, No CATS for 5th grade         
Monday, Feb. 20th: NO CATS for 6th Grade (Ms. Slingerland out)                     
Thursday & Friday, Feb. 23rd-24th RODEO BREAK, No School
 
Thank you to all parents who have helped chaperone our field trips. You are truly appreciated! Also, thank you to everyone who gave tax credit donations to our C.A.T.S. Program. It is our only source of funding for field trips.
 
FIELD TRIP PERMISSION SLIPS CAN BE FOUND ON THE CATS WEBSITE, IN THE TAB “FORMS.” (http://fwcats.weebly.com)
 
Students should be bringing home their CATS communication folder and communication log every week. Please be sure to read your child’s log each week, discuss what your child is doing in CATS, and sign it every week.
SNACK – Please help your child to remember to bring a healthy snack to C.A.T.S. Anytime you would like to donate a healthy snack to share with the class, you are welcome to send one in. The kids always appreciate it!
 
Curriculum
Math Olympiads: All 4th, 5th, and 6th graders have the choice to join the CATS Math Olympiads Team. We do fun and challenging math problems in CATS each week to practice for monthly competitions, which also take place in CATS class. The students on the team are doing great! They are really pushing themselves to apply math concepts to interesting problems and learning that persevering through challenging problems is so rewarding! If your child is not on the team, he/she can still join. All of the CATS students (3rd-6th graders) do a “Problem of the Week” each CATS day, which comes from the Math Olympiads practice problem book.
 
6th grade students will continue studying the basic principles of flight by doing some hands-on investigations. We will fly kites on the playground, to experience the concepts of lift and drag. We will also be making and launching stomp rockets this month. Please send in empty 2-litter bottles, if you have them, throughout the month of February.
 
When your child pre-registers for 7th grade classes in February, please keep accelerated science and MESA (an elective class) in mind.
 
5th Grade students will continue to read and discuss the novel, Journey of the Sparrows. We will also do a lot more birdwatching this month. On our field trip to Agua Caliente on February 1st we will go on a bird walk with a park biologist and learn about nature journaling. Our goal is to be able to upload bird lists and counts on eBird as participants in citizen science. We will also be doing some artwork this month inspired by “heart” artist Jim Dine.
 
4th & 3rd Grade: We will continue tending to our winter garden, making art, and doing more birdwatching lessons and outings. We will also continue to learn new strategy games each week to help practice logical and creative thinking, as well as good social skills.
 
Classroom Needs
We are in need of class snacks (even 6th graders like to enjoy a mid-morning snack in CATS!) and empty 2-liter bottles for launching stomp rockets this month. Thanks!

REMIND text message reminders
Please sign up for REMIND for CATS to receive text messages with information, reminders, and updates about upcoming events for your child’s CATS class. If you signed up last year, the account should still be in service. Here’s how to sign up for REMIND:

1. On your cell phone, text the following message to 81010.
2. For 6th Grade text @msjsling ; for 5th Grade text @cats2024; for 4th Grade text @msjslinge; for 3rd grade text @hk4ede .
3. You will then get a text from REMIND confirming you as a member. OR, you can download the free app and go to “Join a Class.” The app. is not necessary to receive REMIND texts.

 
Always feel free to contact me with any concerns – 696-8437 or by email.

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