School bells

Eisenhower

Kindergarten recently compared solids, learned a rhyme about an iguana, experienced "The Little Red Hen," counted by fives and 10s, compared their height and counted money. They passed their 50th day of school.

Second-graders learned about Pablo Picasso. They studied his blue period, rose period and cubism. They created art of their own depicting his creative time periods.

Third-graders started an animal unit. They will practice research skills, reading non-fiction books and doing an animal project that they will present to their class. Projects are due Nov. 23.

Fourth-graders learned about fiddler crabs and African dwarf frogs. They learned about their natural habitats and life cycles. Students mastered working with decimals in math.

Fifth-graders participated in the All-City concert Oct. 29. They also started studying the 13 colonies in social studies.

Truman

An all-school assembly was held to celebrate visitors from Japan. The visitors toured the school and visited several classrooms.

Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday. Parents should check with their child's teacher for the date and time for their conference. Parents also should check the tables by the office, which will have many items from the lost and found area.

The Truman Book Fair will be 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Media Center. The book fair also will be open 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m. to noon Friday during parent-teacher conferences.

This week is Share Your Shelf week. Students will collect canned goods and non-perishable items that will be donated to the Norman Christmas Store.

There will be a Good Morning Truman all-school assembly Wednesday in the gym to celebrate Veterans Day with a show of songs and speeches. Veterans are invited to join students at 8 a.m. for the assembly.

Tuesday is picture retake day for all students.

Kennedy

Mrs. Anders' kindergarten class wrote about how they would cook a turkey. Some of the children had the turkey cooking for just a few seconds, some put cherries, apples or fries on them and several said it was important to pull the turkeys' tails off first.

Ms. Brinker's first grade students are working with Amber Stokes and Lindsay Hodges, University of Oklahoma block students who are finishing their last semester before going on to student teaching.

Mrs. Bratcher and Mrs. Landford's second grade class made salt dough maps of the United States. They used a map key to paint the Appalachian and Rocky Mountains, Mississippi River, oceans and the Great Lakes.

Fifth grade teacher Mrs. Ashley and music teacher Mrs. Janco recently sponsored a Step Clinic for boys and girls in thrid to fifth grades. The students showed off their step skills at an assembly the next day.

Calendar of events:

Monday through Friday: Share Your Shelf Book Fair

Tuesday: McTeacher Night at McDonalds, 12th Avenue and Alameda Street

Thursday: Evening parent/teacher conferences

Friday: Morning parent/teacher conferences, no school

Norman North

The academic team took third place in the Oklahoma Quiz Bowl Alliance Tulsa Fall Challenge at the University of Tulsa Oct. 31. Their high finish in a field of teams from Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas qualifies them to attend the 2010 national championship tournament next spring.

Competing for Norman North were juniors Amy Wade and Alex Ruggiers, who alternated as captains; senior Jake Flanagan, junior Faith Bowman, sophomore Ben Zhou, and freshman Kehinde Asojo. Norman North is coached by Teresa McIntyre and Eric Bell.

North went 5-1 in preliminary competition and was seeded fourth in the single-elimination playoff rounds. They beat Haileyville in the round of 16 and Prosper High School from Texas in the quarterfinals before losing to top-seeded Edmond Santa Fe in the semifinals.

North's record for the year is now 17-11. They will next compete at Norman High's invitational tournament Nov. 17.