Friday, September 23rd

Welcome 204 Families!

This free scrapbook created with Smilebox

Thank you for taking the time to check out our News Blog, your home for up to date information about the Weckies on Fridays!

We have had three fantastic weeks in Room 204… it’s actually pretty hard to believe it has only been three weeks, I feel like I’ve known these kids for a long time! The kids have really come together well as a group as I am witnessing first-hand the formation of new friendships, the patience of one student helping another with a tricky math problem, or the excitement of hands shooting up into the air as a question is posed and everyone is eager to answer. From my view, it’s an awesome time in Room 204!

Reader’s Workshop

This week we launched our Reader’s Workshop. Daily we will have Reader’s Workshop where our kids have a chance to talk about their reading, demonstrate how to be good readers and build on their interests of books on many different topics! We begin our Workshop with a mini-lesson (no more than 5-10 minutes) on a new topic. This week we have focused on our “Reading Lives” and in particular: our favorite books, our favorite reading memories and our comfy reading spots. Then the kids have time to read books back at their tables independently. Once individual reading assessments are complete in a few weeks, students will actually “shop” for new books to read once a week that will be at their own independent level. Soon we will also introduce “Partner Reading” another component of Workshop before we end with a share! At “Share Time” we reflect on our work during Workshop.

Writer’s Workshop

We also launched our Writer’s Workshop this week! In the beginning of the week we took the kids through the six steps of writing a piece that we will use to assess their writing abilities. We discussed a topic (a story about an animal – fiction or non-fiction), wrote a short plan for our story, used a story board to create detailed drawings of the beginning, middle and ending of our story, drafted the piece, revised and lastly, edited it (ALL in TWO DAYS)!! Midway through the week we created a list of “What Writer’s Workshop Needs to Look Like” and set a high goal of achieving all that we listed. As the week went on we worked on a heart that will go on the front of our writing folders. This heart will showcase things that are important to us. We will use this heart to find motivation for our writing pieces this year as the heart will be mounted to the front of our writing folders. At the end of Workshop we also have a “Share Time” like Reader’s Workshop. Our first “Share Time” featured stories from the Pink Team (shown below).

Math Workshop

Math is one thing we have been doing since the FIRST week of school! We have actually finished up the first unit in our Math curriculum this week. Unit 1 of Everyday Math provides a great review of the math topics covered in first grade while also preparing the second graders for the routine of second grade math. Topics covered the past three weeks include: number patterns in counting, counting on a number grid, patterns on a number grid, addition, subtraction, time, money (coins and dollars), number lines, calculator skills and more! Several math games were introduced or re-introduced as skill builders for the kids once they are done with their math journal work. Please look for Unit 1 math journal pages to come home next week. If you notice a page that asks for the work to be fixed, please make sure to send it back to school in a timely manner. You may have also noticed that “Homelinks” started this week. They need to be returned the next day so that if your child is having difficulty with a concept, I can be aware! Many times a concept that a student understands at school, may be something that when they get home, they need more help with. Jotting a quick note to me on their Homelink will help me to better instruct your child at school!

Here's a picture of one of those math games up on the Smartboard... I have a feeling this is going to be a VERY popular way to play math games with this group!

Important Dates & Reminders:

If you have not done so already, please consider joining the Dublin PTA. Our two new Presidents have some fabulous ideas for the upcoming school year. Additionally, PTA provides each classroom at Dublin with spending money as well as money for Field Trips. Without the membership of the Dublin families, they would not be able to offer these opportunities in a time when finances are so tight! Thank You!

     ·      Monday, September 26th: "My Comfy Reading Spot" assignment DUE

·      Wednesday, September 28^th: Scholastic Book Orders DUE (online or a check made out to: Scholastic Books brought to school) *Coming home Friday, Sept. 23*

·      Thursday, September 29^th: No School for Religious Holiday

·      Friday, September 30^th: Picture Day at Dublin (11:30am for the Weckies)

·      Friday, September 30^th: Letters about your child’s name DUE

·      Tuesday, October 4^th: PTA Meeting, 7pm in the Media Center

Have a fantastic, fall weekend with your family!! :-) Mrs. Weckstein :-)

Our FAPES Schedule:

Monday: Computers 9:20-9:50am
     P.E. 1:00-1:30pm
Tuesday: Art 9:20-10:20pm
Wednesday: P.E. 9:20-9:50am
     Music 3:10-3:40pm
Thursday: Media 9:20-9:50am
     P.E.  9:50-10:20am
Friday: Block (extra 30min recess) 10:10-11:10am
    Music 1:00-1:30pm