The Weekend Is Here!

I think we are ALL looking forward to a nice, long, relaxing weekend - especially since students have been working so hard in the classroom this week!

Harvest Festival

As mentioned in the email sent earlier this week, I am planning a "Harvest Festival" for Wednesday, October 27 from 12:30-2:00pm.  All parents are invited and encouraged to come and play math games with their child! I hope to see you all there!

Writing
It's Back-to-Basics this week in writing - with a focus on capital letters and endmarks.  Students have been introduced to the visual of a sentence frame, along with a little chant/hand-motion;  Ask your child to demonstrate it for you!!

"All sentences start with a capital letter and end with an endmark."

I am hoping that this visual and kinesthetic motion with transfer to their writing!!

Reading
This week, students were responsible for 5 reading centers. They included:

1. Art:  Students create a story flag about Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea by identifying the characters, setting, and their favorite part. Students then illustrate/color their favorite part.


2. Games: With a partner, students play Spelling Go Fish. Matches are made with cards that have the same short vowel sound.


3. Grammar: In grammar, students have been learning about commands and exclamations. In this center, students write 1 command and 1 exclamation. They then draw/color a picture to go with each sentence.


4.  Listening:  Students listen to this week's story with a partner and then answer the following question: Why do you think Mr. Putter chose Tabby for a pet - instead of a younger cat?

5.  Phonics:  Students sort various pictures according to short vowel sound they contain - short e, short, o, or short u.

Choice - Buddy Reading:  Students choose another Cynthia Rylant book to read with a partner. 

How does your child think he/she did?


Math
More work with doubles facts, turn-around facts, and fact families this week!!  I can't stress the importance of students knowing their math facts  - especially since later lessons and concepts will be dependent upon this knowledge and automaticity.  Keep practicing at home!!

Science

Students were introduced to the three major states (types) of matter today – solids, liquids, and gases.  After watching our pals Annie and Moby (from BrainPop Jr.), we worked together as a class to come up with a web identifying different solids, liquids, and gases in our world.  Your child brought home his/her work today - take a look! :)

Mystery Reader

Mrs. White, Cassie's mom, was our Mystery Reader today! She read two stories:  Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann and A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon.  See the pictures below!