Friday, October 19th

It’s been another FABULOUS week to be a Weckie!! We ended the week on a high note with a Pizza Party thanks to our fantastic PTA. As the class with the highest participation in the Fun Run donations, we were treated to pizza and candy for lunch on Friday. A special thank you to Windmill Market on Cooley Lake for donating the pizzas! Another special thank you to Carly’s Mom, Joyce, for providing us with drinks and cookies to go along with our special lunch on short notice!

 

Math Workshop
We ended Unit 2 this week and finished our unit test.  Throughout the week we continued work on function boxes and practiced subtraction using number grids as tools to help us find differences between numbers.  We also worked on the subtraction shortcut of 8 and 9.  Students learned that if they can easily subtract 10 from a number they can subtract 8 or 9 by adding 1 or 2 back on.  For instance if they know that 28-10 = 18, then 28-8 =18+2 more which is 20.   Towards the end of the week we started work on place value.  It is crucial that your child understand this concept, as it is the base for future math learning. 

 We hope you’re using the practice packet sent home with your child on Friday to help prepare for their first Math Benchmark Assessment on Monday, October 29th.  Additionally, I am currently grading journal pages so that they too can be sent home to use as preparation for the benchmark.  On a side note, please know that when possible I check math pages immediately to help my students’ correct errors and clarify misunderstandings.  Often you’ll see a response circled that your child already corrected in class with me during a quick conference.  When you see this, please try to give a new problem with the same concept to be sure s/he understands it.  Your support will truly make a difference for your child’s learning.

 Word Study
Our Word Study this week focused on past tense endings and syllables.  Students were listening to the word endings of past tense words and noticing that though they sound different, they do all end with ed (though they may not always need to add an e).  Our syllable work was connected to our reading and writing.  I’m emphasizing the fact that breaking words into syllables will help students read and write longer words.  I gave several reminders of this during writer’s workshop to encourage better spelling.

 Reader’s Workshop
Reader’s continued work with finding just right books with reminders to use that “Five Finger Rule”.  They also learned to put these books away properly on our shopping day.  Next, we worked on skills to build good reading partnerships.  Students practiced what a good partnership looks like and more so what is sounds like.  We introduced different ways to read with a partner such as “echo”, “choral” or
“round robin” reading.  Partners are also learning how to have book discussions with each other.  Ask your child what she and her partner talk about.

*Please make sure that guided reading group bags are being returned in a timely manner. Even if I am out, I do make it a point to try to see reading groups the following day and ask for your help in making sure your child’s forms are signed after they read to you.

 Writer's Workshop
We have continued to work on poetry this week.  Children are beginning to identify components of poetry such as line breaks and word choice.  For many it is difficult to switch from writing stories.  We took several students’ poems and rewrote them to look more like poems.  This week we looked at how poets use alliteration (writing a sentence with words beginning with the same letter.  For instance I wrote about my comfy, cozy shoe that was not so colorful.  Students are exposed to books or poems using these techniques. They learned about nouns and adjectives and how to use them to jazz up their writing.  

 *Memory Collection Notebooks – thanks to ALL who have already sent back their photo and card for their notebook. If you have not done so, please do this ASAP. I am also asking for a call for artifacts. Our kids need things to write about. Please start sending in (labeled with their name) items like ticket stubs, photos, or other small items that can easily be glued into a notebook! We need things to write about and these artifacts are perfect story starters.

 Social Studies:
Our focus this week was on communities.  We took an in-depth look into rural, urban and suburban communities. We spent time creating posters about which community we would choose to live in if we could move anywhere. We talked about a community being a place where a group of people work, play and live. Ask your child which community they chose – and where they would work, play and live in that community! We will take a brief unit test next week! We spent time reviewing for this on Thursday.

Important News/Reminders
· Monday, October 29th - Math Benchmark Assessment

· Wednesday, October 31th – The Halloween parade starts at 2:30 and the party will follow.