February Primer newsletter
January 29, 2016
Notes from the classroom
In the next two weeks, we are hitting number sense hard in math. Students will be working their way to recognizing, writing and counting their way to 120. We will also tie in work with adding and subtracting using the 120 chart. See the standards we are covering below.
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.1.NBT.C.5
Given a two-digit number, mentally find 10 more or 10 less than the number, without having to count; explain the reasoning used.
In reading and writing, we are working on composing our invitations for our play and valentines for our virtual valentine project. We are drafting invitations and valentines in class and using the digital platform, Wixie to publish. Check out the standard we are focusing on below.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1.D
Understand and use question words (interrogatives) (e.g., who, what, where, when, why, how).
In science, we are moving towards our weather unit. See the article below on The Project Groundhog and the standards we are set to cover.
Our phonics time will highlight long vowels e. Students will learn the patterns and go on word searches in their books to find the patterns. We will highlight the patterns in our daily news sections of shared writing time as well.
Project Groundhog
Mr. Horn, our science teacher will tie in the Next Generation Science Standards on Weather and Climate. The standards covered in science class and through the project include:
K-PS3-1.Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth’s surface.
[Clarification Statement: Examples of Earth’s surface could include sand, soil, rocks, and water.]
K-PS3-2.Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area.
[Clarification Statement: Examples of structures could include umbrellas, canopies, and tents that minimize the warming effect of the sun.]
K-ESS2-1.Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.
[Clarification Statement: Examples of qualitative observations could include descriptions of the weather (such as sunny, cloudy, rainy, and warm); examples of quantitative observations could include numbers of sunny, windy, and rainy days in a month. Examples of patterns could include that it is usually cooler in the morning than in the afternoon and the number of sunny days versus cloudy days in different months.]
K-ESS3-2.Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting to prepare for, and respond to, severe weather.
[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on local forms of severe weather.]
National Seed Swap Day
Stop by and see Mrs. Beadles and some of the other Master Gardeners we have worked with this school year at the garden.
Virtual Valentine Project
Primer students embarked on this project earlier this week. We composed our letters in Mrs. Hogan's writing class and then took our drafts up to computer class where we published the valentines on Wixie. We will add pictures and finish off our letters next week. We will receive our partner class on February 2, 2016. You can read more about the project here.
Temperature comparison book
We started another class take home project. This project incorporates temperature and geography. Students will first find the daily high temperature from our area. Then they will select any city in the world and find the daily high temperature from that city. Students will then compare those temperatures to each other. Students will share their comparisons the following day in class. Students will have one night to complete the assignment and bring it back the following day. Together we will take the submissions and make a class temperature comparison book. This project kicks off February 1.
Valentine Monster bags
ESD Online auction
A note from Senora Murray
Primer students have enjoyed singing and moving to Josefina la gallina The song includes the verbs run, jump, spin and fly- corre, salta, gira, vuela.
Also, we have practiced saying it's cold or it's hot, now that the weather cooled off! Hace frío. Hace calor. Hace mucho frío. No hace calor. ¡Hace muchísimo frío!
Other phrases we practice regularly are me gusta/no me gusta, ¿Dónde está?, counting by ten's, colors, opposites, and a new wonderful word- hay - there is/there are. We love this new song: Rockalingua Farm Animals - Hay
Videos, links, song lyrics and more information can be found in Schoology under the Spanish course. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns!
¡Gracias!
Sra. Murray
Favorite Book Week at Lower School
Favorite Book Week is February 22-26, 2016.
This is an opportunity for the entire Lower School to share a common experience. We want to encourage conversations about favorite books and the love of reading!
“Read Across America” is a national celebration sponsored by the National Education Association that falls during the week of Dr. Seuss’s birthday. We have renamed it “Favorite Book Week” at ESD.
Each grade level has chosen one Dr. Seuss book to study in depth; the library has multiple copies of most books. Listed below are the titles.
- PreK: My Many Colored Days
- Kindergarten: Wacky Wednesday
- Primer: Horton Hatches the Egg
- First Grade: The King’s Stilts, If I Ran the Zoo
- Second Grade: The Lorax
- Third Grade: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins
- Fourth Grade: The Butter Battle Book
- Music: Oh, The Places You’ll Go
- Art: The Sneetches
- PE: Ten Apples Up on Top (PreK) & I Wish I Had Duck Feet
- Foreign Language: Hooray for Diffendoofer Day [4th gr. Spanish].
Primer students will have homework correlating to their favorite book closer to Favorite Book Week.
LEAP Project
K
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.MD.A.2
NETS Standards For Students
3. Research and information fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. a. Plan strategies to guide inquiry b. Locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media c. Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks d. Process data and report results
Academic Extensions
Important Dates
- February 2 Groundhog Day
- February 4 Marathon Kids Family Run 7:30 A.M. LS School Recess Field
- February 5 Family Game Day 1:45-2:20 P.M. Two volunteers needed please
- February 9 Valentines Due
- February 10 Ash Wednesday and Class Valentine Party 1-2 P.M in the Primer classroom
- February 11 Spirit Dress Day and Field Trip to Rain Catcher's Garden at Midway Hills
- February 12-15 Winter Break No School
- February 22-26 Favorite Book Week
- February 26 Report Cards available