MCGHEE'S MESSAGES
8/22-8/26
IMPORTANT DATES AND INFORMATION
8/29-MUSIC
8/30-ART
8/31-SCIENCE
9/1-PE
9/2-ART
9/5 Holiday-No school
9/14 International Dot Day--wear dots!
10/10 Holiday-No school
10/14 Walk for Diabetes
10/19 PTA Reflections Contest Entries are due
10/21 Early release 12:15
10/24-10/28 Red Ribbon Week
We had a great start to our school year! It was such an honor to meet all of you and to begin getting to know your children. They have stolen my heart all ready! Here are a few highlights (some are a review) for this school year:
- all kids need head phones/ear buds, labeled in a bag to be kept at school
- Homework: yellow fluency folder is weekly homework--turn it in at the end of the school year for a prize! weekly spelling (will begin after Labor Day), check out Spelling City website for help studying read every night for 15 minutes (no reading logs, but DO IT! :)) FAST Math, Istation, Reflex Math, Education Galaxy--all online programs that are customized to your child's ability level (log in information coming soon) math HW sheets will accompany math lessons when we begin using our Envision Math program, I also send home review packets before a math test, do not need to be returned
- discipline prorgram is Class Dojo, it is all online, I will contact you if there are any concerns or issues--there is no daily calendar to sign, etc.
- snacks and water bottles are allowed and the children have free access to both all day long, no messy snacks or ones that require a spoon and ONLY WATER is allowed in the classroom
- email me as soon as possible about changes in your child's route home
Please feel free to contact me anytime! I'm happy to visit with you and collaborate with you about your child. It is going to be a great school year! I look forward to the partnership we will form to help shape your child into a successful student.
Warm Regards,
April McGhee
WHAT WE ARE LEARNING
Math-We learned some daily routines that will carry us all school year. Each day the kids will work in a Daily Spiraling Review notebook, Daily Problem Solving notebook and will work a Daily Intentional Problem in their math journals. These 3 activities will provide a solid foundation for the kids and will be sure that we are continually reviewing a variety of concepts. We explore math manipulatives and learned how to work in small groups. Our focus will be on place value and adding 3 or more numbers.
Science-We talked about what a scientist is. The kids were exposed to a large variety of occupations and different types of science. We will be exploring science tools this next week and then moving on into a study on matter.
Social Studies-We focused on class rules, school rules and being a compassionate friend. We are so fortunate to have such a beautiful and diverse class. We celebrated that and I will continue to work on ways to highlight each child's unique background, interests and personality. We are working on being good citizens of our classroom and OSE. We will begin working in Daily Geography notebooks this coming week.