Special Thanks!
I would like to thank my entire class for all of the hard work they did during the CMTs. I am so proud of all of them!
I would also like to praise my students for the outstanding work they are doing on their YARC Stories. I am beaming with joy!
Keep your eyeballs peeled for updates!
Daily Routine
The student’s daily routine is established. When they enter the class, each student is in charge of putting up their lunch clip, unpacking their bag, putting any notes and/or homework in the appropriate bins, checking off their homework, and getting started on the morning work quietly and independently. The class continues to do a terrific job being responsible. I’m very proud of them! Homework
The students write their homework in their daily planner and bring it home in their homework folders. Please send back homework folders everyday. The homework routine will be as follows. Please be advised that this may vary. At times assignments in other content areas may be given. Also, depending on the unit of study, there may be a long-term project. Current H.W. - M-F Math and Reading. Every night read 20-30 minutes and enter in log. The students Reading Log must be filled out and signed by a parent.
No Excuses!
Extra Credit Homework
For every ½ hour read, students can put a slip in one of the two jars in our room. The jars are for special drawings once a week. One jar is for a free homework night and the other for a video tape to take home and watch. We have discussed probability, and they know that the more that they read, the better chance they have for their name being picked. New Challenge
Bounce into a new challenge!
All students that read for 2 or more hours over any given weekend have the opportunity to have lunch with me.
EXTRA READING CHALLENGE - Our new reading challenge is for students who love to read. We are looking for students who read the most over the weekend. A special prize will be given to those students who put forth so much effort to become stronger readers and writers.
Over the past two week we have had a few student who have been up to the big challenge.
Congratulations to the following top readers students!
Week 1 - Julia 14 and a 1/2 hours, Sarah 7 hours, Elizabeth 3 and 1/2 hours
Week 2 - Julia 9 hours, Elizabeth 4 hours. Reading
Get lost in a spectacular book!
Our class just read and explored the African Tale Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema, pictures by leo and Diane Dillon. Each child after reading the story created their own character and added that character into the story. Using water colors similar to that of the story, create colorful african like pictures to accompany their writing. A class book will be made and shared with families at the end of the school year.
Using structures informational stories our class continues to work on reading comprehension, vocabulary recall, and turning the question around when answering questions about the text. I am so pleased with the progress I am seeing!
Next week we will be reading Jan Bretts book the Gingerbread Baby. We will be comparing this particular book with various version of the Gingerbread Man, including fractured fairytales. Our class will brainstorm, create venn diagrams, and write comparisons. Later they will create their own version of the Gingerbread Baby. Look out for some interesting reading!
Reading/Writing
Writing
Using the Narrative Writing Diamond, the students have been working on Entertaining Beginnings, Description of Setting and Characters, and Suspense and Elaboration of Feelings and Emotions. During this time I have seen some wonderful writing. Their knowledge base and implementation of skills in their work continues to flourish. We now continue our journey on adding suspense into their narrative writing. Several techniques that they have been using are: The Magic of Three, Work Referents, and Story Questions. Lastly, we have been working on Main Events as well as Endings. I am enjoying reading their new work on their YARC Books!
YARC BOOKS
OUR YARC STORIES ARE BASED ON WHAT THE CLASS HAS LEARNED ABOUT FOLKTALES. WE WERE INSPIRED AFTER LISTENING TO A AFRICAN STORYTELLER WHO VISITED OUR SCHOOL. THE CLASS HAS BEEN WORKING ON THEIR STORIES USING GRAPHIC ORGANIZERS AND STORY MAPPING. ASK YOUR CHILD TO TELL YOU ABOUT THEIR WRITING. THEY ALL HAVE WONDERFUL, CREATIVE IDEAS!
Math
Keep working on your addtion and subtraction facts!
Know the 2 , 3 ,4 and 5 and 10 X's tables!
Study the 6, 7, 8, and 9 X's tables!
Social Studies
Social Studies
Ni hau (Hello)! We have just started work on our unit on China. The students show excitement while exploring this incredible land and its people. We set up a mini museum on China is in the back of the classroom. Many students have brought in items for the museum. Our class will working on a joint project . They will be travel agents and each group will do research on the computer and in books on a specific attraction within China. They then will create a travel brochure and as a group, and work together to present their attraction to the class.
TRY SOME OF THE SITES BELOW!
Try National Geographic Explorer for Kids. Play the Game African Safari!http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/pioneer/games/.
SITES ON AFRICA AND AFRICAN ANIMALS:
ENCHANTED LEARNING http://www.enchantedlearning.com/coloring/Africa.shtml
AFRICAN WILDLIFE FOUNDATION http://www.awf.org/
WORDL ALMANAC FOR KIDS http://www.worldalmanacforkids.com/
NATIONAL ZOO http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/PhotoGallery/
BIO KIDS http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Lagomorpha/
PBS AFRICA http://www.pbs.org/wnet/africa/explore/index_flash.html
ANIMAL PLANET http://animal.discovery.com/guides/endangered/endangered.html
SAFARIWEBQUEST http://schoolweb.missouri.edu/nixa.k12.mo.us/sullivan/safariwebquest/index.htm
Science
Our next unit of study is Sink and Float! Students will be doing various experiments in class. This is a unit that is wet and interesting and fun~!Keep and eye out for our Sink and Float Day!
Centers
Throughout the classroom centers have been set up to expand and enrich what the students are learning. Math Center
This center has activities with literature and math combined Research Center
Using library books, classroom books and the computer, our students will research various subjects on Colonial Times.
Writing Center
This center gives the student the chance to be creative when sharing different books they have read. They also have the opportunity to create their own stories using various story prompts. Science Center
Our science center continues to grow. So many students have brought in items; now they will have the opportunity to do research on any item they find of interest and share their findings with the class.
Reading/Social Studies Center
Travel through Reading- Explore books on China or just read any type of book for fun. This center also gives the child a chance to bring in news articles that interest them and share them with the class. This is an optional activity to be done at home, that can be done on the Internet, or using the newspaper. Many of our students have brought in articles of interest. I appreciate the parents assisting their children with this. The center has 7 clipboards with the continents written on them. We will continue to share the articles and put them with the continent in which they belong. What Parents can do to help:
• Check homework folders for assignments, announcements and papers. • Check homework planners.
• Check homework for name, neatness and completeness and sign log.
• Let the teacher know if homework is taking too long or is too difficult.
Important Info
Sometimes student may bring homework from the school day that wasn’t complete. Please have them complete the task and return the next day.
Homework that is not completed- student must fill out Homework Excuse Note and bring it back signed along with the completed assignment. ( A note will do ) Please check to see that your child puts their name on every assignment.
The reading log is part of the homework assignment. Completion of the log is exciting for your child. So, please help your child in seeing that their logs are signed on a nightly basis. • Reading Log- Students are to continue to read 20-30 minutes Monday through Thursday and log what has been read. Parents are to sign the log sheet. I have been modeling different reading responses with the class. They am practicing using these different responses in the classroom. Periodically they will be given a homework assignment to complete a reading response on the book that they are reading for homework. Also, if I assign something specific to be read, that should be logged, additional reading is not required.
• Stone Jar- The Stone Jar System is for positive reinforcement of good behavior for the class as a whole. I believe that this is a terrific way for the students to work together as a team. The class team has earned their 2nd special treats by filling up the jar. That’s what I call teamwork!
• Chain of Kindness- We are continuing to work on character building in our classroom. My students have the opportunity everyday to nominate a student that they feel has done something kind. We celebrate this by acknowledging that person and making a link to add to our Chain of Kindness. I believe that everyone has worked hard in learning about one another, understanding each others differences and learning to be the best person that they are capable of being. I am extremely pleased with the children’s growth since the beginning of the school year, and at the warm and caring climate within our room. Our goal is to continue to add chains and make it around the room by the end of the school year! We are off to a terrific star; I know we can do it!
• Behavior Management System- Along with using the Stone Jar System, we continue to use 1,2,3, MAGIC. This gives each child the chance to learn that they are responsible for themselves, and the choices that they make. I observe them to see that they are on staying on target with their work, being prepared, treating the teacher and their classmates with respect. If a child has gotten to a three, they wll have a green sheet sent home to be signed. Our class is now comfortable with this system.
We continue forward, experimenting and exploring our world together!
INFORMATION REGARDING THE USE OF THE INTERNET Parents are encouraged to closely monitor their children's use of the Internet. Although the Internet is a great learning resource at our fingertips, it is unregulated and has information that changes constantly. Some of the information on the Internet is inappropriate for users, based on age and/or developmental levels. Please be sure to monitor your child while they are exploring various sites. 
