October 8th 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 iPads 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.

This week in math we will learn multiple strategies to assist in solving addition story problems including:  Adding 0, counting on using a number line, using a ten-frame, using double facts, using doubles plus one facts.  We will also practice highlighting important information from story problems and create models, drawings, and equations to show our thinking while solving story problems.

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.

I am implementing a math center called "Counting Collections" to give students more opportunities to count and group objects in order to build understanding of place value. I am looking for donations of the following items to put in these collections:

• Fun/seasonal Mini eraser (Target dollar spot)
• Puzzle pieces (if you have a puzzle missing pieces)
• Mini pom pom balls (approx. half an inch in diameter)
• BIG googly eyes
• Buttons

**Bonus Items: Clear plastic cups or small durable paper plates to use when grouping objects.

THANK YOU TO THE PARENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY DONATED!

Special Points of Interest

• Wednesday, October 10th - Walk to School Day
• Friday, October 12th - Jaguar Jumpstart
• Book Orders are due this Friday, October 12th.  Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub Class Activation Code: JBVLX
• Tuesday, October 16th - Picture Retake Day