October 30th Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The last few weeks in literacy we did some focused work with vowels.  Vowels are tricky, and if we don't continue to notice and emphasize them they can be very confusing.  We found them in our shared reading poems, we sorted our word wall words into a vowel chart, and this week we'll be finding them on various print around the classroom.  We've been practicing both the short and the long sounds for the vowels.  You can help at home by doing the same with words you notice when reading with your child or even when looking at a holiday catalog or a recipe!  Help your child understand that words are all around us, and they all have to have at least one vowel.  Keep in mind, it is best to use words that either have the short or the long sound in them, like in "bat," but not "ball."  Or in "that," but not in "the." 

We'll be wrapping up our first study of small moment (or narrative) stories for the year this week.  Some will continue to come home, and some will be saved for parent teacher conferences.  It sure has been fun to learn more about these amazing kids and get to know them in the best way, through their stories!  We've learned about their friends, their pets, their families, their weekend adventures and more!  Keep the stories coming!

Last week, we added the words as, his, this and when to our word wall.  Please look for an updated word wall sheet to come home in your child's red folder today.

In math, we will continue to practice counting up and back on the number line in order to understand addition and subtraction.  We are working on problem solving skills using the hundreds chart and our number lines.  We will also be learning how to tell time to the half hour.  Look for Home Links 3.5, 3.7, and 3.8 to come home this week.

This week we will be finishing up our Land and Water science unit.

Thank you for all of the help and donations for our Halloween Classroom Party!  The kids had a blast!

Special Points of Interest

• No School next Friday, November 10th
• Remember to dress your child for the cold weather.  They will be going outside for every recess unless it rains.

October 23rd Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

During our literacy block, one very important time of our day is called Community Writing.  During this time, we do some writing together as a whole group, that relates back to a book we read or an experience we had.  For example, after a big book we read called, "In a Dark, Dark Wood," we wrote our own version called "In a Dark, Dark School!"  It was so much fun to share ideas and write the story together.  We work on composing a message, listening for the sounds in the word, spelling word wall words (sight words) correctly, and letter formation.  One goal is to keep the purpose of the writing very authentic, so we also wrote a letter to Mrs. Budde's class (by vote) and asked them if they'd like to read our book.  It was very exciting to have a real audience for our writing!  The fifth graders read our story and even wrote back to us!

We are really growing as writers, this week we'll focus on telling a story part by part, so that we understand how to include a beginning, a middle, and an end.  See what authentic ways you can get your child writing at home!  They could help with the grocery list, or write a letter to a family member, or keep a diary/journal.  Seeing parents write at home is also very supportive!  

Last week, we added the words of, for, are, no, me, they, our and friend to our word wall.  Please look for an updated word wall sheet to come home in your child's red folder today.

We will be starting a new unit in math this week.  The Unit 3 parent letter was sent home last week with information about this new unit.  This week we will be working on pattering skills, odd and even numbers, and reviewing basic number line concepts.  Your child should be able to add and subtract using a number line.  Look for Home Links 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4 to come home this week.  Please continue practicing skip counting by 2's, 5's and 10's, counting combinations of nickels and pennies, and memorizing addition and subtraction facts. 

We will be continuing our Land and Water unit in Science.  The students will learn about the ocean, the need for water, and fast and slow changes that happen to Earth's land.

THANK YOU in advance to everyone who will be donating items or volunteering to help at the party this Friday.  The kids are already looking forward to it!

Special Points of Interest

• Remember to bring in your pumpkin for Pumpkin Days!
• Halloween parties will be on Friday afternoon, please send your child's costume in a bag.  The children will be changing right before the parade.
• No school on Friday, November 10th.  It is teacher progress report writing day.

October 16th Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We're off to a great start in guided reading!  All groups have met as of Monday, October 16th and I'm just so proud of these 1st grade readers!  Please remember when reading at home that it is very important to give children lots of practice with reading text that they are able to read well.  This means fluent reading that sounds good!   Don't be fooled into thinking that your child isn't learning or progressing unless they're struggling or working hard to decode.  Their reading should sound like good reading.  If the reading doesn't sound fluent, feel free to try reading together for a few pages.  It will help your child to hear your fluent reading of the same text he/she is reading.  

This week during literacy, we'll continue to learn the routines of guided reading and we'll also be focusing on complete sentences.  You can help at home by encouraging your child to speak in complete sentences.  When they use an incomplete sentence, model what the complete sentence version would sound like and have them repeat it.  This will support our work in writer's workshop as we make sure we are beginning with a capital letter and using ending punctuation in our complete sentences.  

Our students have been working very hard on a small moment (narrative) story that spans multiple pages.  They have been adding to their story day by day as well as making corrections such as capital letters and ending punctuation.  We just may have to hold on to these pieces for Parent Teacher Conferences!  You will be so proud!

Last week, we added the words do, up, so, like, go, there, and was to our word wall.  Please look for an updated word wall sheet to come home in your child's red folder today.

In math this week, we will continue to explore counting combinations of nickels and pennies.  Children will learn to exchange pennies for nickels.  We will also be working on subtraction number models and number stories.  Look for Home Links numbers 2.12, 2.13, and the Unit 3 Family Letter to come home this week.  Please continue practicing skip counting by 2’s and 5’s, counting combinations of nickels and pennies and memorizing addition and subtraction facts.

In science, we have been working on our Land and Water unit.  Your child has been learning about natural resources and their uses in the environment.

Special Points of Interest

• Our Halloween party is next Friday, October 27th.
• In case you weren't able to make it to the book fair... Scholastic Book Orders are due this Friday, October 20th. Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub Class Activation Code: JBVLX

October 9th Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week we'll get started with guided reading, now that we have learned how to do each of our centers.  Our centers have become one of the favorite parts of our day.  During this time students are reading independently or with a buddy, or with a small group.  In some centers we read with big pointers and in some we're reading the poems we learn during shared reading.  A favorite is the listening center, where students use tablets and their headphones to listen to a variety of picture books, which are changed monthly.  We're also doing some word work, some free writing, and even some art!  Often we will be illustrating pieces of writing we did as a whole group and either creating a big book or hanging them in the hallway to share.

Last week, we added the words to, you, he, on, at and that to our word wall.  Please look for an updated word wall sheet to come home in your child's red folder today.

Please remember that reading to you child is extremely important.  Modeling for your child with expression and sharing what you are thinking will truly set your child up for success later on.  Thank you so much for your support!  

Our take-home book program will begin this week!  Please remember to initial and return the books after you have read them so that your child can bring home new books.  Thank you for reading with your child each night at home.  It is extremely important!

This week in math we will be learning about counting up and back on a number grid, comparing quantities of pennies and nickels, and counting and writing by 2’s, 5’s and 10's.  We will be reviewing time and working on story problems.  Look for Home Links numbers 2.10 and 2.11 to come home this week.  Please practice counting combinations of nickels and pennies, telling time to the hour, and practicing subtraction facts to six.

This week we will continue to learn and write about animals that we see in the fall.  We will also begin our Land and Water science unit.  We will investigate rocks and recognize that rocks and soil are part of Earth's land that people use.

Special Points of Interest

• In case you aren't able to make it to the book fair... I will be placing a Scholastic Book Order on Friday, October 20th. Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub Class Activation Code: JBVLX - Flyers will be coming soon

October 2nd Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

This week, we'll be working on making our stories clear and understandable, by telling them in sequence.  In reading, we will focus on thinking about what word would make sense when we get stuck reading because "sounding it out" doesn't work all the time.  We'll also practice retelling some of our stories, making sure to include the important parts of the story.  This will help us understand what we should be paying attention to in a story.  Both of these skills will be something we practice a lot throughout the year.  

In math this week we will be learning about telling time to the hour and half hour and counting by 2’s and 5’s.  We will also continue to work on our addition and subtraction facts.  Please practice with your child at home until they become fluent with these facts.  Look for Home Links 2.4 and 2.5 to come home this week.  It would also be beneficial to practice skip counting by 2's, 5's and 10's and counting combinations of nickels and pennies with your children!  Ask them about some of the fun games we have been playing in class to help them with these concepts.

This week we will be learning about animals that we see in the fall.  We will be learning about these animals by reading non-fiction stories and using an online resource called Pebble Go.  

Special Points of Interest

• No School this Friday, October 6th
• THANK YOU to all of the families that sent in napkins, Ziploc bags, paper towels and brown bags, I appreciate your generosity!