Saturday, February 21, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
February 13- 26 Newsletter
Hello Families! I hope you are enjoying the warmer weather. The 60 degree day gave me spring fever. Punxtatawney Phil says we still have 5 more weeks of winter! There are a couple additions/changes to the blog. The assignment notebook section now shows you the homework for the entire week, including each color day. Also, the Nature Center pictures are displayed and there is a new poll for your child to participate in about Planting. We had a great week in school. Here's where we've been and where we're headed:
Reading: We continue to learn how to think as we read. This week we are making Text to Self Connections. Starting next week, you will start to consistently see your child bring home a reading bag. Please help your child return the bag to school everyday.
Math: We have been working very hard on measurement and number patterns in Unit 7. We will have our Unit test on Tuesday. Your child's MRB (My Reference Book) will be coming home every night(except weekends) as it is a tool to help explain the homework. On every link, there is a book icon that indicates what page will help you and your child understand the problems. Please help your child return this every day. Please make sure you are checking your child's answers using the key from the family letter in the front of the link packet. Fact test scores are rising-keep up the good work at home!
Writing: Remember to write your child a letter back every weekend. TGIF journals should be returned every Monday. We continue to work hard at keyboarding. We are focusing on being in the "online" position (hands on home keys, good posture)
Science: We continue to watch our brassica plants and grass grow. Most kids have brought home their grass. We also planted wheat seeds to observe their growth. This unit continues to excite our little scientists.
Upcoming Dates: Next Friday is our Field Trip to the Domes
Tonawanda is fortunate to have a guest author, Marsha Diane Arnold, coming to visit. Her books are available to buy through the school. Check out some of the titles on the bookshelf to the right. Also check out her website: http://www.marshadianearnold.com/
Reminders: Read to Succeed Forms (Reading Log to earn a Free Great America Ticket) are due next Friday, Feb 20th. School will be starting earlier and ending a little later starting next week!
What's New?:
Reading: We continue to learn how to think as we read. This week we are making Text to Self Connections. Starting next week, you will start to consistently see your child bring home a reading bag. Please help your child return the bag to school everyday.
Math: We have been working very hard on measurement and number patterns in Unit 7. We will have our Unit test on Tuesday. Your child's MRB (My Reference Book) will be coming home every night(except weekends) as it is a tool to help explain the homework. On every link, there is a book icon that indicates what page will help you and your child understand the problems. Please help your child return this every day. Please make sure you are checking your child's answers using the key from the family letter in the front of the link packet. Fact test scores are rising-keep up the good work at home!
Writing: Remember to write your child a letter back every weekend. TGIF journals should be returned every Monday. We continue to work hard at keyboarding. We are focusing on being in the "online" position (hands on home keys, good posture)
Science: We continue to watch our brassica plants and grass grow. Most kids have brought home their grass. We also planted wheat seeds to observe their growth. This unit continues to excite our little scientists.
Upcoming Dates: Next Friday is our Field Trip to the Domes
Tonawanda is fortunate to have a guest author, Marsha Diane Arnold, coming to visit. Her books are available to buy through the school. Check out some of the titles on the bookshelf to the right. Also check out her website: http://www.marshadianearnold.com/
Reminders: Read to Succeed Forms (Reading Log to earn a Free Great America Ticket) are due next Friday, Feb 20th. School will be starting earlier and ending a little later starting next week!
What's New?:
- You can now view and purchase class photos at Snapfish.com Look for the link to the right.
- MRB- Math Reference Books will be coming home to help with Home Links
- TGIF Journals- please write a letter back to your child every weekend
- Home Book Bags- your child will be bringing home a book every night
Saturday, January 31, 2009
January 30th Newsletter
Hello Families! Here is what we are learning in school:
Math: We just took our Unit 6 Test on Friday. The kids were so excited that they were learning multiplication and division. We will take our mid-year math test on Monday. Results will be sent home. I ask that you sign and return the test ASAP. Thank you. Please keep up the addition and subtraction fact studying at home. As you can see with the report card, the fact recall standard is pretty high. We will be taking mixed addition and subtraction 3 minute timed tests this quarter.
Reading: We have begun a change from literacy centers to more of a readers' workshop. Instead of visiting activity centers during reading, students are now spending more time reading and thinking about their reading during independent read, buddy read, reading groups and reader response rotations. We are focusing on How Readers Think When they Read. This past week we talked about questioning. Readers ask questions about illustrations, story events, what characters do, and the authors purpose.
Writing: We have officially begun our letter writing unit. Students will be writing a letter to you about their week at school in a notebook called TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday). I ask that you take time over the weekend to respond using the Friendly letter format your child is using and allow your child to read your letter. Please help your child return the notebook to school every Monday. Look for the notebook this Friday. We will be mailing our flat selves (inspired from the book Flat Stanley) to the address you sent to school along with the stamp. We are excited to see and hear about the place our flat self goes.
Science: Our Plant study is off to a great start. We planted brassica seeds ( a fast growing plant) and are observing and documenting their growth. Despite an accidental tipped tray, most of our plants are still growing strong. We have also planted grass that we have to mow as it grows taller. This week we will plant wheat seeds. Our scientists have done a great job caring for their plants and are very excited to observe the next stage of growth.
Friday Folders: There was a lot in your child's Friday folder. The most important pieces are the two field trip forms that need to be signed and returned to school. The Nature Center trip does not have a fee, however the trip to the Domes does include a fee.
Home Helpers: Please let me know (one more time) if you are interested in helping with gluing/cutting projects to do at home. I will make a Master list and rotate sending home the projects I have.
Reminders: Please send shoeboxes to school for our Valentine's day mailboxes.
Math: We just took our Unit 6 Test on Friday. The kids were so excited that they were learning multiplication and division. We will take our mid-year math test on Monday. Results will be sent home. I ask that you sign and return the test ASAP. Thank you. Please keep up the addition and subtraction fact studying at home. As you can see with the report card, the fact recall standard is pretty high. We will be taking mixed addition and subtraction 3 minute timed tests this quarter.
Reading: We have begun a change from literacy centers to more of a readers' workshop. Instead of visiting activity centers during reading, students are now spending more time reading and thinking about their reading during independent read, buddy read, reading groups and reader response rotations. We are focusing on How Readers Think When they Read. This past week we talked about questioning. Readers ask questions about illustrations, story events, what characters do, and the authors purpose.
Writing: We have officially begun our letter writing unit. Students will be writing a letter to you about their week at school in a notebook called TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday). I ask that you take time over the weekend to respond using the Friendly letter format your child is using and allow your child to read your letter. Please help your child return the notebook to school every Monday. Look for the notebook this Friday. We will be mailing our flat selves (inspired from the book Flat Stanley) to the address you sent to school along with the stamp. We are excited to see and hear about the place our flat self goes.
Science: Our Plant study is off to a great start. We planted brassica seeds ( a fast growing plant) and are observing and documenting their growth. Despite an accidental tipped tray, most of our plants are still growing strong. We have also planted grass that we have to mow as it grows taller. This week we will plant wheat seeds. Our scientists have done a great job caring for their plants and are very excited to observe the next stage of growth.
Friday Folders: There was a lot in your child's Friday folder. The most important pieces are the two field trip forms that need to be signed and returned to school. The Nature Center trip does not have a fee, however the trip to the Domes does include a fee.
Home Helpers: Please let me know (one more time) if you are interested in helping with gluing/cutting projects to do at home. I will make a Master list and rotate sending home the projects I have.
Reminders: Please send shoeboxes to school for our Valentine's day mailboxes.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
January 16th Newsletter
Hello Families! I hope you all are staying very warm on these two chilly days! With report cards coming up, next week will definitely be busy! Here is what is going on in the classroom:
Reading: Everyone has been working really hard reading independantly, with a buddy and in small groups. We are finishing up our Nonfiction unit. We will be switching reading groups this week. You may notice your child brought home a Caldecott book from the library (award for best illustrations). We will be discussing these books further in February.
Writing: Yet again we postponed our Authors Celebration. I will not give a definite day for next week, but we will have our celebration. The kids have been working very hard on writing small moments from their lives. As we finish this unit, we will begin a letter writing unit. As I discussed at PIN, students will have a Kid Connection Journal in which they will write about their week to you and I ask that you take time over the weekend to write back to them.
Science/SS: We are finishing our Mapping unit in Social Studies and beginning our new science unit on Plants. We will plant brassica seeds next week.
Math: We just finished our unit on 2D and 3D shapes. We looked over the tests and sent them home on Wednesday. We have begun a new unit on Number Stories. This is a challenging unit. Please be sure to help your child with math links every night.
Spelling: Spelling tests from last week were sent home with your child on Wednesday (/ow/ /aw/ and /ou/ words) We will continue "are" and "not" contractions next week so we will test next Friday.
Scholastic: Book orders were suppose to be due today. The online username is Dahms and the password is Allstars click here to order. If you prefer to send a check, you can still send it to school on Monday!
Other News: Zach was our Star of the Week. Jacob will be our star starting on Monday. Thank you to all families who donated stickers to our classroom! It is much appreciated! To celebrate the upcoming 100th day on February 13th, we have started a class bulletin board "On the Lookout for 100 random acts of Kindness!". Once an act is seen, that person will write a "cloud" stating the kind person and what he/she did. Then it is placed on the bulletin. Ask your child if they have recieved a cloud or written one.
Reading: Everyone has been working really hard reading independantly, with a buddy and in small groups. We are finishing up our Nonfiction unit. We will be switching reading groups this week. You may notice your child brought home a Caldecott book from the library (award for best illustrations). We will be discussing these books further in February.
Writing: Yet again we postponed our Authors Celebration. I will not give a definite day for next week, but we will have our celebration. The kids have been working very hard on writing small moments from their lives. As we finish this unit, we will begin a letter writing unit. As I discussed at PIN, students will have a Kid Connection Journal in which they will write about their week to you and I ask that you take time over the weekend to write back to them.
Science/SS: We are finishing our Mapping unit in Social Studies and beginning our new science unit on Plants. We will plant brassica seeds next week.
Math: We just finished our unit on 2D and 3D shapes. We looked over the tests and sent them home on Wednesday. We have begun a new unit on Number Stories. This is a challenging unit. Please be sure to help your child with math links every night.
Spelling: Spelling tests from last week were sent home with your child on Wednesday (/ow/ /aw/ and /ou/ words) We will continue "are" and "not" contractions next week so we will test next Friday.
Scholastic: Book orders were suppose to be due today. The online username is Dahms and the password is Allstars click here to order. If you prefer to send a check, you can still send it to school on Monday!
Other News: Zach was our Star of the Week. Jacob will be our star starting on Monday. Thank you to all families who donated stickers to our classroom! It is much appreciated! To celebrate the upcoming 100th day on February 13th, we have started a class bulletin board "On the Lookout for 100 random acts of Kindness!". Once an act is seen, that person will write a "cloud" stating the kind person and what he/she did. Then it is placed on the bulletin. Ask your child if they have recieved a cloud or written one.
Friday, January 2, 2009
New Year Newsletter
Hello families! Happy 2009! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season! Here is the latest classroom news:
Math: We will be having our Unit 5 test (most likely Monday January 12th). We have started the subtraction smarties program. When your child brings home their test, please have them finish the test (not timed), get a parent signature and return to school.
Writing: Our Authors celebration will Wednesday January 14th (this celebration will be students only)
Spelling: Tests will come home with a score at the top. This score includes points for capitalization and ending punctuation.
Surprise Readers: Please check the sign up dates on the class website and email me if you can come in to read to our class. Remember it can be any family member!
Notes: If you click on the class photo on the right, it will take you to our class website. The bookshelf on the right displays our class read alouds. Have your child take the poll on the right: What was your favorite winter break activity. I would love to receive feedback (positive or negative) on this blog!
Reminders: Our rescheduled field trip to the Health Center is on Wednesday. Your child will need a bag lunch!
Math: We will be having our Unit 5 test (most likely Monday January 12th). We have started the subtraction smarties program. When your child brings home their test, please have them finish the test (not timed), get a parent signature and return to school.
Writing: Our Authors celebration will Wednesday January 14th (this celebration will be students only)
Spelling: Tests will come home with a score at the top. This score includes points for capitalization and ending punctuation.
Surprise Readers: Please check the sign up dates on the class website and email me if you can come in to read to our class. Remember it can be any family member!
Notes: If you click on the class photo on the right, it will take you to our class website. The bookshelf on the right displays our class read alouds. Have your child take the poll on the right: What was your favorite winter break activity. I would love to receive feedback (positive or negative) on this blog!
Reminders: Our rescheduled field trip to the Health Center is on Wednesday. Your child will need a bag lunch!
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