Newsletter 4/6

In Reading Workshop this week we focused on deepening our level for partner discussions.  The class was amazing!  We used our 4-star system, which we have been using for group discussions, to improve our conversations with peers.  During our private reading, we thought of questions to discuss (I notice___ and I wonder____, etc).  Then, during our partner time, we would share our "wonderings" with our friend and then ask "What do YOU think?".  Partners realized that they really had to LISTEN to one another to deepen the level of discourse. 

We launched a new unit in Writing Workshop called "Persuasive Writing of All Kinds".  Watch out, your child may be writing you letters to solve problems or get things s/he wants!  We're learning how to be persuasive!  See the anchor chart below for more information.

In our math lessons, we're working on understanding numbers 1-100.  This week, we focused on the tens.  We found the tens on a 100s chart and played a game that goes "I'm thinking of a ten that is (ten more/ten less) than__" (i.e. I'm thinking of a number that is 10 more than 50.  What is it?)  We used the 100s chart to play.  We also made sets of tens from large amounts of objects.  Then, we had to count by 10s to figure out the total number of objects.  This took a lot of teamwork and communication at our tables!  We also played a 3-D shape game called "What's my sorting rule?" where students sorted shapes by multiple attributes.

In science, we played a magnet game and in social studies we learned about natural resources and types of communities.

We have learned the correct formation of ALL of the letters, capital and lower case!  Now we're working on using that knowledge any time we write!  Be on the lookout for lowercase review "homework" which is optional.

We used our Chromebooks to begin a keyboarding program this week: Keyboarding Without Tears.  It corresponds with our handwriting curriculum.  Your child is learning basic mouse and typing skills.

News and Notes:

• The bus./transportation coordinator asks that you make sure your child has his/her bus tag on his/her backpack AT ALL TIMES.  New and/or substitute bus drivers need this information.
• Look for the index cards your child brought home yesterday, along with the email from me, regarding the optional activity for Teacher Appreciation Day.
• 4/19  Feeling Safe Talks in Kindergarten
• Have a great vacation!

Magnet Games

"What's my sorting rule?"

"I'm thinking of a number..."

Creating sets of 10

Overheard: "I notice this wasp is building something, and I think it's made out of clay, because it looks like clay from Art."
Partner response: "I disagree, because I don't know where it would get clay.  I think it's dirt." 

The beginning of our Persuasive Writing anchor chart