Room 630 News
October 10-14
Last Week
We wrapped up our culture unit with a craftivity that involved tracing and cutting out our hands, writing things about ourselves on them, and decorating them. They are now in the hallway for all to see how we are alike and how we are different! On Thursday, we began our unit on wants and needs. We read Pigeon Wants a Puppy, talked about things we want, and then worked together to figure out and make an anchor chart about the differences between wants and needs. We're doing a great job so far!
2. Reading
In addition to learning and practicing the letters F, L, U, and R, we started practicing our blending skills by making words. For readers workshop, the topics were 5-finger retelling (thumb = character, first finger = setting, last 3 = beginning, middle, and end), and how to choose a "just right" book from our library. Some of our literacy stations included work with the first sound we hear in words, handwriting, guided reading poems about each letter, and sight word bingo on the computers.
Our classroom sight words were introduced this week, so try to practice those over the weekend! For every list completed, students get to pick something out of the prize box. I attached the letter that was sent home and the lists below for future reference.
3. Writing
It was a good week as writers in our class! After working on being detailed illustrators, we got to label or pictures and then grade them using a simple rubric. The students did an awesome job judging themselves on their details, addition of label, coloring, and how well they conveyed an idea.
4. Math
We are really getting good at comparing numbers. That's what we practiced all week, with some extra challenges along the way. The class is really working hard to understand why some numbers are larger or smaller than others and how they all are related to one another. Our stations included counting beans and then using popsicle sticks to make greater than/less than/equal signs, playing some more/less games on the computer, mental math with the teacher, and scooting around the room to find missing numbers on number lines.
Looking Forward
The Week Ahead
Needs and wants will be addressed in many different ways next week, from sorting pictures to reading more stories about the differences and how it feels to need and want things. By the end of the week, I would like to begin talking about how we can help others get what they need when they are unable to do so themselves.
2. Reading
We will be learning about the 3 ways we can read books next week and make sure we have a good grasp on how to retell a story with all of its important parts. Look out for some books coming home next week as we practice "shopping" for books in our library that are on our level. These will be for the children to read with you at home. Try to let them read as much as possible on their own, even if it takes a lot of time!
3. Writing
Since we have graded our writing using rubrics, it is going to be time to share! We will have an author's seat for the first two days where students will get to show off the work that they did all of last week. After we're finished with that, we're going to spend some more time practicing writing the sounds we hear in words by saying them to ourselves and stretching them out. This will prepare us for all of the writing we have ahead of us!
4. Math
By the end of this week, we will all be masters at comparing numbers using greater than, less than, and equal to. Keep working with your children at home to ask about whether groups of objects have more or fewer items in them in order to help keep their minds thinking at all times!
Reminders/Miscellaneous
If you haven't signed up for a parent conference yet, please do so! I have really enjoyed talking with everyone so far. It is a great time to get to know each other and your children better.
2. Classroom Directory
Below you will find a googledoc for our classroom directory. As students have birthday parties and play dates, a classroom directory will that communication between families possible. You may provide your name/child's name, phone number, email, or any combination of the above. You do not have to add yourself to the list if you do not want to! Since it is a school rule that we cannot hand out birthday party invitations at school, this is the best way I know for our classroom families to get in touch.
3. Picture Day - October 19
Forms came home about picture day that will be on the 19th. Complete those and send them in with money on the day of our pictures!
4. Field Trip - October 25
Our Rescue Ranch trip is coming up on the 25th! A more detailed email about the day's procedures will come closer to the trip. All money and forms are due next week.
5. Donors Choose Project
I just got a project approved on donorschoose.org for a set of 3 iPads for our classroom! The link is below. Please check it out, and if you or family/friends are able to donate within the next 7 days, each donation will be matched by the organization! This is a great opportunity for our class!
6. Socktober
Socks are the least-donated item when it comes to donating clothes to less fortunate. Odell Primary is holding a sock donation drive that will then be taken to homeless shelters around the area at the end of the month. If you are able to send in a pair or two with your child, we will get them where they need to be in order to make a difference!