Happy Friday and last day of October! I can’t believe it will be November tomorrow.
Here is a re-cap of what we did this week:
Reading: We read another Strega Nona book, Strega Nona’s Story as Told to Tomie DePaola. Students continued to work in their guided reading groups, on word work, & handwriting. Next week, students will be making an India fact book, instead of working on their regular Reading A-Z books.
Math: This week, students continued to work on making combinations of numbers. We used the number line as a tool to help us find the answer to addition and subtraction equations. On Thursday, we began to work on addition story problems. We will continue to work on more addition word problems, then move onto subtraction strategies.
Writing: This week, students wrote a poem to accompany their beautiful harvest moon paintings. They had to write a line about the moon, the sky, and the silhouette of the branches. On Thursday, we continued to work on our Leaf Man stories. Students are learning that writing is a process and there are many steps before you have a final draft.
Science: We continued to read more non-fiction books about the moon. We have been discussing our moon observations. On Tuesday and Wednesday, students created a full moon painting. We discussed how a full moon reflects on water. Students created their own crayon-resist paintings portraying a full moon reflecting onto the ocean.
Social Studies: Today, we will start to talk about the culture of India. We will begin making the flag of India using tissue paper.
Have a wonderful weekend and don’t forget to turn your clocks back! Andrea
Friday, October 31, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Friday Letter October 24, 2014
Happy Rainy Friday! I want to thank all the parents who have brought in more supplies and books this week. Your donations help enrich our classroom!
Students had a great time at the Harvest Festival yesterday. They played relay race games, contributed to a collaborative art piece, and were given an apple and a bracelet.
Here is a re-cap of what we did this week:
Science: Students finished their Harvest Moon paintings. We also talked about what it would be like if they traveled to the moon. Students had to draw what items they would bring with them if they went to the moon. We also read fictional moon stories. We will talk about the phases of the moon next week.
Math: We have been focusing on making combinations of numbers. On Monday, we worked on fact families. Students played lots of math games where they had to find different combinations for the same number. I also introduced the number line to the students and played a whole-class game.
Reading: We had regular literacy centers this week where students practiced sight words, word families, handwriting, and worked on decoding a book with me. I read, Strega Nona’s Harvest, to the students. We focused on sequencing the events of the story.
Writing: On Monday, I read the story, Leaf Man, and students collected their own leaves to make a leaf man/leaf girl. We began writing about where our leaf characters go when the wind blows. We will continue this project next week.
Students had a great time at the Harvest Festival yesterday. They played relay race games, contributed to a collaborative art piece, and were given an apple and a bracelet.
Here is a re-cap of what we did this week:
Science: Students finished their Harvest Moon paintings. We also talked about what it would be like if they traveled to the moon. Students had to draw what items they would bring with them if they went to the moon. We also read fictional moon stories. We will talk about the phases of the moon next week.
Math: We have been focusing on making combinations of numbers. On Monday, we worked on fact families. Students played lots of math games where they had to find different combinations for the same number. I also introduced the number line to the students and played a whole-class game.
Reading: We had regular literacy centers this week where students practiced sight words, word families, handwriting, and worked on decoding a book with me. I read, Strega Nona’s Harvest, to the students. We focused on sequencing the events of the story.
Writing: On Monday, I read the story, Leaf Man, and students collected their own leaves to make a leaf man/leaf girl. We began writing about where our leaf characters go when the wind blows. We will continue this project next week.
Friday, October 17, 2014
Friday Letter October 17, 2014
Here is a re-cap of our week. The students accomplished a ton in just three & a half days!
Math: Students worked on the commutative property. They used unifex cubes to build a number two different ways. They also spent time working with their addition facts of ten. We will talk about fact families next week.
Reading: I read another Strega Nona book, Strega Nona takes a Vacation. During centers, students worked on a Strega Nona story map, reviewed spelling words, and practiced their handwriting.
Writing: Students worked on their small moment story. We focused on using transitional words: first, next, then, and last.
Science: We began our science unit on the moon. I read, Kitten’s First Full Moon, to introduce the unit. The story is about a kitten who thinks the full moon is a bowl of milk. On Wednesday, I read the book, Possum’s Harvest Moon. We discussed what a harvest moon is and began to make harvest moon paintings. We will finish these beautiful works of art next week. Students will be bringing home a moon journal next week. They will be observing the moon for a month. I will send an additional e-mail with further details next week.
Math: Students worked on the commutative property. They used unifex cubes to build a number two different ways. They also spent time working with their addition facts of ten. We will talk about fact families next week.
Reading: I read another Strega Nona book, Strega Nona takes a Vacation. During centers, students worked on a Strega Nona story map, reviewed spelling words, and practiced their handwriting.
Writing: Students worked on their small moment story. We focused on using transitional words: first, next, then, and last.
Science: We began our science unit on the moon. I read, Kitten’s First Full Moon, to introduce the unit. The story is about a kitten who thinks the full moon is a bowl of milk. On Wednesday, I read the book, Possum’s Harvest Moon. We discussed what a harvest moon is and began to make harvest moon paintings. We will finish these beautiful works of art next week. Students will be bringing home a moon journal next week. They will be observing the moon for a month. I will send an additional e-mail with further details next week.
Friday, October 10, 2014
Friday Letter October 10, 2014
Happy Friday! It was great meeting with some of you today at parent/teacher conferences. I’m looking forward to meeting with the rest of you next Friday. Since next week is a short week, there will be no spelling words going home with the homework packet. We will be reviewing the past three spelling lists during literacy center time.
I have AdaptedMind Math all set up for the students. The homework packet has a letter from AdaptedMind explaining how to set up your account. Each student has his/her own password for the program.
Reminder: Tues, Oct 14th, is Picture Day. Today, your child came home with a Picture Day form.
Here is a re-cap of this week’s activities:
Reading: I read another Strega Nona book to the students, Strega Nona Magic Lessons. As I read the story, students helped fill out a story map. We have been focusing on the characters, setting, problem, solution, and major events of the story. During literacy centers, students made their own story maps of the book, Strega Nona. At the other centers, students continued to work on their spelling words, handwriting, and practiced unscrambling sentences.
Math: Students worked on making different combinations of 10 using unifix cubes. They also worked on making different combinations of the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9. Next week, we will work on the commutative property and continue becoming fluent with adding numbers to 10.
Writing: We started working on a personal narrative. I read books as examples and students spent a great deal of time coming up with a topic for their stories.
Social Studies: We talked about land-forms and bodies of water this week. Students made a mini land-form and bodies of water book that included the following geographical areas: mountain, island, peninsula, ocean, lake, and harbor. I hope to begin our unit on the moon next week.
I have AdaptedMind Math all set up for the students. The homework packet has a letter from AdaptedMind explaining how to set up your account. Each student has his/her own password for the program.
Reminder: Tues, Oct 14th, is Picture Day. Today, your child came home with a Picture Day form.
Here is a re-cap of this week’s activities:
Reading: I read another Strega Nona book to the students, Strega Nona Magic Lessons. As I read the story, students helped fill out a story map. We have been focusing on the characters, setting, problem, solution, and major events of the story. During literacy centers, students made their own story maps of the book, Strega Nona. At the other centers, students continued to work on their spelling words, handwriting, and practiced unscrambling sentences.
Math: Students worked on making different combinations of 10 using unifix cubes. They also worked on making different combinations of the numbers 6, 7, 8, and 9. Next week, we will work on the commutative property and continue becoming fluent with adding numbers to 10.
Writing: We started working on a personal narrative. I read books as examples and students spent a great deal of time coming up with a topic for their stories.
Social Studies: We talked about land-forms and bodies of water this week. Students made a mini land-form and bodies of water book that included the following geographical areas: mountain, island, peninsula, ocean, lake, and harbor. I hope to begin our unit on the moon next week.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Friday Letter October 6, 2014
Here is a re-cap of what we covered last week.
Reading: We began our Tomie dePaula author study. I read the first book, Strega Nona, to the students. As a whole class, we filled out a story map focusing on the characters, setting, important events, problem, and resolution of the story. I will begin reading another Strega Nona book to the students tomorrow.
Students are doing a great job with reading centers and are getting into the swing of things!
Writing: Students have been working on putting word cards together to make sentences. We also started to talk about what makes a good narrative story. We completed our personal narrative writing assessment. This week, we will be focusing on creating another personal narrative. Today, we brainstormed different topics we could write about.
Math: Last week, students worked with greater than & less than problems. They played a fun card game. On Thurs, students were introduced to ten-frames. We're working on making equations of ten.
Social Studies: Students learned about the directions of north, south, east, and west. Students went around the room with compasses. They learned how to always tell which way north is. Students also made a beautiful compass rose using oil pastels. This week, we will be working on land forms and waterways. They will be making a mini book. Hopefully, we will be able to start our science unit on the moon next week.
Reminder: This Friday is a half day, as teachers will be having parent/teacher conferences. I look forward to seeing all of you!
Reading: We began our Tomie dePaula author study. I read the first book, Strega Nona, to the students. As a whole class, we filled out a story map focusing on the characters, setting, important events, problem, and resolution of the story. I will begin reading another Strega Nona book to the students tomorrow.
Students are doing a great job with reading centers and are getting into the swing of things!
Writing: Students have been working on putting word cards together to make sentences. We also started to talk about what makes a good narrative story. We completed our personal narrative writing assessment. This week, we will be focusing on creating another personal narrative. Today, we brainstormed different topics we could write about.
Math: Last week, students worked with greater than & less than problems. They played a fun card game. On Thurs, students were introduced to ten-frames. We're working on making equations of ten.
Social Studies: Students learned about the directions of north, south, east, and west. Students went around the room with compasses. They learned how to always tell which way north is. Students also made a beautiful compass rose using oil pastels. This week, we will be working on land forms and waterways. They will be making a mini book. Hopefully, we will be able to start our science unit on the moon next week.
Reminder: This Friday is a half day, as teachers will be having parent/teacher conferences. I look forward to seeing all of you!
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