Dear Parents:
Although we have a very short week, we have a lot going on! Grandparent/Special Friend's Day is Friday! Our grandparents/special friends will begin in the Student Center at 8:30 with a continental breakfast. From 9:00 - 9:45, there will be a program in the Janet Root Theater for grandparents and special friends only. From 10:00 - 11:00, they will visit the classrooms and tour the school with the children. Those children who do not have grandparents or special friends attending will not be left out. They will be paired up with another child and their guests to tour the school. Dismissal is at noon. If your child will be leaving before noon with their grandparents/special friends, please be sure to let me or the office know. They will need to sign them out with me. If you have not sent in the photograph of your child's grandparents or special friend, please do so now! We are making special cards for them and need the pictures. If you do not have a photograph, you may have your child draw a detailed picture of them with their grandparent or special friend.
There will not be a spelling assessment this week. However, please be sure to practice reading and spelling the high frequency words that came home on the word ring.
In Reading Workshop we continue reading non-fiction books and learning to use the particular features of the genre to help us find information and learn about the topic. Our partners for the planet projects are now our reading partners. The children are reading independently and then together to find information on their planet. This week they are using post-it notes to to mark those spots that make them say "wow, I didn't know that!" Then they are sharing that information during partner share time. They will use all of these post-it notes during science/project time as well. The children are keeping all of their research and books together in a special project baggie. The children will continue to research the planets both in books and on the internet. In the days to come, they'll decide what they want to teach others about their planet and begin to plan how they will visually present their projects. Then, the real fun begins! They will construct their projects and present them to the class - as they become the teachers!
In Writing Workshop, the children shared their "How-To" books. Their classmates had to follow the steps as they pretended to "do" whatever the instructions said. It was quite hysterical and enlightening! We also learned that non-fiction writers don't only write about how to do something but also write books that teach all about something. We created topic lists of things we know a lot about... first grade, soccer, tennis, dogs, my family, me... you get the picture! Tomorrow, the children will learn to "try on" their topics by thinking about what they really know about the topic and choosing a topic that they know a lot about. We'll create title pages and tables of contents, adding the page numbers later after writing our chapters.
In math, we began unit 6 today. You should have received the Unit 6 Family Letter on Friday along with the Unit 5 assessment. The Family Letter gives you a great preview of what is to come in this very meaty unit! Today, we were introduced to another tool for computing math facts... the Addition/Subtraction Table. This tool is pretty cool but a little tricky, too. We'll continue practicing addition facts using dice addition, the function machine, and our fact power cards. Fact Power cards will come home tomorrow (Wednesday) and MUST be returned on Friday. We'll also start to talk about equivalent names for numbers as we learn about "Name Collection Boxes".
So, as you can see, the week may be short, but it is packed full! Please make sure your child is on time to school as we get started right away!
Other important reminders:
Although we have a very short week, we have a lot going on! Grandparent/Special Friend's Day is Friday! Our grandparents/special friends will begin in the Student Center at 8:30 with a continental breakfast. From 9:00 - 9:45, there will be a program in the Janet Root Theater for grandparents and special friends only. From 10:00 - 11:00, they will visit the classrooms and tour the school with the children. Those children who do not have grandparents or special friends attending will not be left out. They will be paired up with another child and their guests to tour the school. Dismissal is at noon. If your child will be leaving before noon with their grandparents/special friends, please be sure to let me or the office know. They will need to sign them out with me. If you have not sent in the photograph of your child's grandparents or special friend, please do so now! We are making special cards for them and need the pictures. If you do not have a photograph, you may have your child draw a detailed picture of them with their grandparent or special friend.
There will not be a spelling assessment this week. However, please be sure to practice reading and spelling the high frequency words that came home on the word ring.
In Reading Workshop we continue reading non-fiction books and learning to use the particular features of the genre to help us find information and learn about the topic. Our partners for the planet projects are now our reading partners. The children are reading independently and then together to find information on their planet. This week they are using post-it notes to to mark those spots that make them say "wow, I didn't know that!" Then they are sharing that information during partner share time. They will use all of these post-it notes during science/project time as well. The children are keeping all of their research and books together in a special project baggie. The children will continue to research the planets both in books and on the internet. In the days to come, they'll decide what they want to teach others about their planet and begin to plan how they will visually present their projects. Then, the real fun begins! They will construct their projects and present them to the class - as they become the teachers!
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| Reader's Theater on Neal Armstrong's landing on the moon |
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| Astronaut Carson! |
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| Astronaut Kate! |
In math, we began unit 6 today. You should have received the Unit 6 Family Letter on Friday along with the Unit 5 assessment. The Family Letter gives you a great preview of what is to come in this very meaty unit! Today, we were introduced to another tool for computing math facts... the Addition/Subtraction Table. This tool is pretty cool but a little tricky, too. We'll continue practicing addition facts using dice addition, the function machine, and our fact power cards. Fact Power cards will come home tomorrow (Wednesday) and MUST be returned on Friday. We'll also start to talk about equivalent names for numbers as we learn about "Name Collection Boxes".
So, as you can see, the week may be short, but it is packed full! Please make sure your child is on time to school as we get started right away!
Other important reminders:
Field trip to the Science Center/Planetarium will be Tuesday, February 5. We will eat lunch at school at 11:00 before we go. Parents are welcome to join us by following the bus or meeting us at the Science Center. We will leave school at 11:30. Our tour begins at 12:00 and we will leave to return to school at 2:00.
Friday, February 15, will be a Professional Development Day for teachers. There will be no school for students that day.
School is closed on Monday, February 18, for Presidents' Day.
Class Picture Day will be on Wednesday, February 26.
Class Picture Day will be on Wednesday, February 26.
Volunteers this week:
- Wednesday - Library Checkout - 2:10 – David Nguyen and Lorraine Thorpe
- Thursday - Math Game - 10:30 – Donna Main
Until next time -
Susan
Susan
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