Weekly Update 1/31/14

I can't believe it's the end of January already!  It's gone by very quickly I have to say! 

Here's some important information for you and your family:
* There is an early release day on Wednesday, February 5th.  Dismissal at 12:30.

* Literacy morning: Please join us on Thursday, February 6th for literacy morning.  From 8:30-9:00, you'll be in the auditorium hearing about literacy at Memorial Spaulding and from 9-9:30, you'll be in the classroom working on a folktale activity with your child.  

* Don't forget to send your child in with hats, gloves, and boots for recess (snow pants if you'd like) because they will go out unless it's too cold or rainy.  

* Expectations for reading response - students will complete the reading response each week and it's due on Friday.  If for some reason, they can not get on, they can send me an email or write it on a piece of paper a response (could be a prediction or a connection if you don't know the prompt).  Please start this early in the week so it is completed.  Working on skills we are working on in class is very important!

* Continue practicing those math facts, however you have chosen to do it.  I can really see improvement since the beginning of the year.  

* Progress reports will be ready on Monday, February 3.  They are electronic just as they were last year. If you have any questions, please check in with Ms. Sheehan in the office.  I really enjoy teaching every child in this class and I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with them and see them grow and change.  They have come so far this year and I look forward to seeing their continued progress from now till June.  They are amazing!

* Don't forget to check out "What did we learn this week?"  It's  a great conversation starter!

What's happening in room 235?

In literacy, we finished up the fables section of our folktales unit.  We've worked a lot on identifying the characters, setting, conflict, and lessons in each story.  We also started working on writing group fables.  I'm am very impressed with how well groups have worked together, made decisions as a group about the lesson, setting, characters, and problem, and began writing their fable.  We will continue this into next week and then begin typing them and adding illustrations to make a final book.  Next week, we'll also start learning about pourquois.  In Fundations, we've been working on the r-controlled syllables.  These syllables have -ar, -er-, -ir, -or, and -ur.   We will continue working on this next week as well.   In writing, we continue to work on our opinion writing around books.  You'll see some of this work at literacy morning.  We've also been taking time to write back to our pen pals in NY.  

* Ask your child the elements of a fable.  

In math, we finished up the Art Show lessons by focusing on addition strategies they can use when working with larger numbers.  We've learned 3 strategies that can help them.  In unit 6, we will continue to focus on addition strategies and place value.  

* Ask your child 1 to show you 2 ways to add 43+58.

In social studies, we have finished our Mexico unit!  We learned about the painter Diego Rivera, watched a video of children in urban and rural areas, and wrote a postcard listing the important facts we've learned.