 |
| Our Tribe |
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, November 21, 2017
Friday, November 17, 2017
Newsletter 11/17
We activated another super power in Reading Workshop this week: PATTERN POWER! Sometimes we can find word patterns within texts and that can help us read. We hunted for sight words and patterns that would enable us to read fluently, instead of sounding like a slow robot. We read poems and books about Thanksgiving this week, too.
We began a new unit in Writing Workshop: "Writing for Readers". This unit will teach us how to write true stories that are easy to read. We learned how to plan our story across a packet of 3 pages, planning out the beginning, middle and ending. Ask your child about his/her story.
We have learned all of the "Starting Corner Capitals" in our handwriting lesson. Look for the practice sheet coming home today.
Social Studies is all about Thanksgiving these days! We began by learning the history, why the Pilgrims came over, where they landed, how the Native Americans helped them learn how to plant, etc. Then we formed our tribe! Everyone gave themselves a Native American name. We worked on our feast costumes all week long.
We took apart a new Exemplar in math this week, comparing amounts and showing how we know the answer. We built manipulative models with color tiles to help us solve the problem and it was so interesting to see how various strategies (see photos) all came up with the same answer! Then, we made a diagram to show our thinking. Lastly, we learned how to use a ten frame to solve the problem as well.
We are also working on patterning in math. We made patterned Native American noodle necklaces with pasta!
News and Notes:
We began a new unit in Writing Workshop: "Writing for Readers". This unit will teach us how to write true stories that are easy to read. We learned how to plan our story across a packet of 3 pages, planning out the beginning, middle and ending. Ask your child about his/her story.
We have learned all of the "Starting Corner Capitals" in our handwriting lesson. Look for the practice sheet coming home today.
Social Studies is all about Thanksgiving these days! We began by learning the history, why the Pilgrims came over, where they landed, how the Native Americans helped them learn how to plant, etc. Then we formed our tribe! Everyone gave themselves a Native American name. We worked on our feast costumes all week long.
We took apart a new Exemplar in math this week, comparing amounts and showing how we know the answer. We built manipulative models with color tiles to help us solve the problem and it was so interesting to see how various strategies (see photos) all came up with the same answer! Then, we made a diagram to show our thinking. Lastly, we learned how to use a ten frame to solve the problem as well.
We are also working on patterning in math. We made patterned Native American noodle necklaces with pasta!
News and Notes:
- please let me know if your child will be missing any school next week. I want to make sure that everyone has their costumes for Thanksgiving with you.
- please note, due to space limitations, guests/parents are not attending our feast on Tuesday. Only the two volunteers will be there, but I promise to take a lot of photos!
 |
| Working with our sight word rights with our partners |
 |
| A manipulative model of our Exemplar, organized by height |
 |
| A graph of our Exemplar, organized by height |
 |
| Searching for sight words in poetry |
 |
| Painting our Native American vests with symbols and patterns |
 |
| The first, unorganized (on purpose!), visual model of our Exemplar |
 |
| Reading just right books about Thanksgiving |
 |
| Writing about a story we read |
 |
| Matching rhymes |
 |
| Making a patterned, Native American noodle necklace |
 |
| Fun during Choice Time! |
 |
| Using a 10-frame to solve our Exemplar |
 |
| Various diagrams to solve our Exemplar |
 |
| The Exemplar we worked on this week |
Friday, November 10, 2017
Newsletter 11/10
We did a lot of social studies lessons this week, learning about Election Day and Veteran's Day. We learned that the United States is a democracy and we get to vote on our leaders. We learned what a veteran is and why we should be thankful for veterans services. A friend shared photos of her grandfather, who is a veteran and came for the breakfast, and we got to ask her questions. Lastly, we sang to the veterans at their special ceremony.
Mrs. Farson, the school psychologist, visited on Friday to teach us a lesson about personal space. We read a book about a boy who goes to Personal Space Camp and learned how to stay inside his own space. We also learned when and where it's ok to get into someone's personal space "bubble" (hugging a family member, etc.). We all got certificates from Personal Space Camp!
In reading workshop, we learned more super powers! We activated our PERSISTENCE POWER! This power helps us to use multiple powers when we get stuck on a word. Sometimes, picture power doesn't work, so we need sound power. We also have partner power to support us. Super readers never give up!
We finished our Looking Closely writing unit and celebrated by sharing our pieces with Dr. Trifiatis' class. In this unit we learned to examine an object and write about it in detail, including its color, shape, size and texture. Our published pieces will be hung in the hallway for all to see.
We continued our unit on comparing in our math lessons this week. This week, we studied the length of our names. We used cubes to measure how long our names are, and then we searched for friends with longer and shorter names. Lastly, we organized the names by length from shortest to longest. After studying our names, we played a card game where we pulled four cards from a deck and put them in order from least to greatest.
We continue to learn more sight words and sounds in phonics and we're learning how to form uppercase letters in our handwriting lessons. We're about halfway through the alphabet.
News and Notes:
Mrs. Farson, the school psychologist, visited on Friday to teach us a lesson about personal space. We read a book about a boy who goes to Personal Space Camp and learned how to stay inside his own space. We also learned when and where it's ok to get into someone's personal space "bubble" (hugging a family member, etc.). We all got certificates from Personal Space Camp!
In reading workshop, we learned more super powers! We activated our PERSISTENCE POWER! This power helps us to use multiple powers when we get stuck on a word. Sometimes, picture power doesn't work, so we need sound power. We also have partner power to support us. Super readers never give up!
We finished our Looking Closely writing unit and celebrated by sharing our pieces with Dr. Trifiatis' class. In this unit we learned to examine an object and write about it in detail, including its color, shape, size and texture. Our published pieces will be hung in the hallway for all to see.
We continued our unit on comparing in our math lessons this week. This week, we studied the length of our names. We used cubes to measure how long our names are, and then we searched for friends with longer and shorter names. Lastly, we organized the names by length from shortest to longest. After studying our names, we played a card game where we pulled four cards from a deck and put them in order from least to greatest.
We continue to learn more sight words and sounds in phonics and we're learning how to form uppercase letters in our handwriting lessons. We're about halfway through the alphabet.
News and Notes:
- It's cold! Please teach your child to zip/button the winter jacket or coat that s/he will be wearing most this winter.
- Please make sure to LABEL all winter items with your child's name
 |
| Student generated list on what we learned in our Looking Closely writing unit |
 |
| Sharing our finished writing pieces with friends! |
 |
| Singing to veterans |
 |
| Multisensory "Wet, Dry, Try" lessons in handwriting |
 |
| Comparing the length of our names |
 |
| The comparing work we've done in our math workbooks |
Friday, November 3, 2017
Newsletter 11/3
Happy November!
We had such a fun week with our Halloween parade, setting up our November calendar and celebrating birthdays!
In Reading Workshop we continued to activate our secret SUPER READER powers! This week, we learned about picture power, partner power and re-read power. An explanation of all the powers will be coming home to you once we've learned them all. Your child will be bringing some of his/her paper books home today. Some are harder than others. Please have your child read the sight word books to you. These are the copied books that have been colored by your child. S/he should use a pointer finger with 1:1 correspondence while reading. Often, this means slowing down to make sure that your finger is matching your voice. I suggest making a special book box to collect these books at home throughout the year. These books do not need to come back to school. A good reading routine for home is for your child to read a book from this box to you and then you can read a chosen book after. Repeated reading of these books increases your child's sight word vocabulary, reinforces book handling skills and gives your child a chance to exercise his/her super powers!
We continued our Writing Workshop unit, Looking Closely. This week we learned the sight word "and", so we had the power to write a lot more details about our chosen specimen. We used magnifying glasses to notice even more about each item.
We are comparing amounts in our math lessons. We began by building a 10-tower and finding items in the room that are taller and shorter. Next, we compared two handfuls of cubes. Last, we learned a card game called "Compare" (traditionally called "WAR"), where we compared numbers. We are simultaneously increasing our mathematical vocabulary, using words like "more", "less" and "equal", while describing our findings.
In science, we gathered October's weather data and recorded it into our science notebooks. We also had the Darien Environmental Group visit us and speak to us about making less trash. They gave us a wrap to use at lunch so we don't need plastic baggies! We're going to try to make less trash at snack and at lunch time.
In social studies, Officer Dan visited us on Monday to discuss Halloween safety. We also learned two Second Steps lessons about following directions and ignoring distractions. Look for the notes sent home for more information and an opportunity to practice with your child. We also began to discuss veterans. We made cards for those who are serving our country right now.
News and Notes:
We had such a fun week with our Halloween parade, setting up our November calendar and celebrating birthdays!
In Reading Workshop we continued to activate our secret SUPER READER powers! This week, we learned about picture power, partner power and re-read power. An explanation of all the powers will be coming home to you once we've learned them all. Your child will be bringing some of his/her paper books home today. Some are harder than others. Please have your child read the sight word books to you. These are the copied books that have been colored by your child. S/he should use a pointer finger with 1:1 correspondence while reading. Often, this means slowing down to make sure that your finger is matching your voice. I suggest making a special book box to collect these books at home throughout the year. These books do not need to come back to school. A good reading routine for home is for your child to read a book from this box to you and then you can read a chosen book after. Repeated reading of these books increases your child's sight word vocabulary, reinforces book handling skills and gives your child a chance to exercise his/her super powers!
We continued our Writing Workshop unit, Looking Closely. This week we learned the sight word "and", so we had the power to write a lot more details about our chosen specimen. We used magnifying glasses to notice even more about each item.
We are comparing amounts in our math lessons. We began by building a 10-tower and finding items in the room that are taller and shorter. Next, we compared two handfuls of cubes. Last, we learned a card game called "Compare" (traditionally called "WAR"), where we compared numbers. We are simultaneously increasing our mathematical vocabulary, using words like "more", "less" and "equal", while describing our findings.
In science, we gathered October's weather data and recorded it into our science notebooks. We also had the Darien Environmental Group visit us and speak to us about making less trash. They gave us a wrap to use at lunch so we don't need plastic baggies! We're going to try to make less trash at snack and at lunch time.
In social studies, Officer Dan visited us on Monday to discuss Halloween safety. We also learned two Second Steps lessons about following directions and ignoring distractions. Look for the notes sent home for more information and an opportunity to practice with your child. We also began to discuss veterans. We made cards for those who are serving our country right now.
News and Notes:
- 11/7 NO SCHOOL- Election Day
- Thursday 11/9 Scholastic November order due by the end of the school day
- 11/14 Picture Retakes- Please let me know if you would like your child to have his/her picture re-taken
 |
| Noticing changes in each month's weather |
 |
| Recording weather data in our notebooks |
 |
| Officer Dan visits |
 |
| Comparing heights in math |
 |
| Our Halloween Parade |
 |
| Happy Halloween! |
 |
| Making cards for those serving our country |
 |
| The Darien Environmental Group teaches us to recycle |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)