1G Weekly News
April 26th, 2015
Notes and Updates
Hi parents,
We had our awesome poetry celebration this week. Students read their poems and used a microphone, which was so fun. They even had some healthy treats as they listened to others. We also had more students read 100 books. I'm hoping that we will at least have half the class by the end of the year so please keep marking their Red Reading Logs.
In Writing, we launched our new unit "Small Moments Revisited." Students reviewed the writing process and focused on how to come up with ideas and plan their stories. They also reviewed how to make interesting introductions by using dialogue, questions, snapshot (sensory), or flashback (past) styles. They are also deepening their knowledge by focusing on one event, the seed story, and not a full day, the apple story.
In Reading, students continued to work on author's Message and main Idea. We looked at important and un-important details in order to decipher the main idea and the author's message. We also reviewed looking at repetitive words and inferring to help us.
In Science, we had our ice experiment. They learned that mater can change from a solid to a liquid and back again through heating and freezing.
In Math, we launched our new unit "Revisiting Operations." The students focused on problem solving and reviewed answering the question to the problem and not just finding the total. We also used a new I-pad app call "explain everything." Students recorded their thinking and process when solving word problems. We also reviewed the tens and ones place by breaking apart numbers over 50.
In the folder last week was your child's geometry assessment. You may have noticed "I can" statements at the top. Students reflected on it and decided whether they could do it or needed more help. Please sign it and return it to school if you have not done so already.
Cheers,
Shannon Keane
Special Announcements
Please make sure to send the "gifts of poetry tomorrow" that was for homework last week. I would not want a student to be left out from receiving a poem.
Coming up this week:
Monday - Dental Health visit and PAJAMA DAY! (Wear your best PJs ), Math Workshop for Parents
Tuesday - 1/2 day regular schedule
Wednesday evening - 3-Way Conferences
Thursday- No School, 3-Way Conferences
Math Workshop
This week, Mrs. Little, our Math Coordinator, will host a workshop for parents called Let's Do the Math. Mrs. Little will be going over the strategies students will be learning in our current math unit. Be sure to look for her e-mail and sign up! The event will take place on Monday, April 27 at 8:10 - 9:00 in the Elementary Cafeteria.
3 Way/Student Led Conferences
On April 29th and 30th we will hold 3 Way/Student Led Conferences. For those of you new to ASD, that means you will be coming to school WITH your child for this conference! Your child will lead you through their portfolio, show you their book box, writing folder and teach you about other things that happen in our classroom. You and your child will also spend 15 minutes with the teacher. You will be receiving a note in their folders today to let you know the exact time you will meet with the teacher.
Used Book Sale
Once again it is time for our annual used book sale. Are you moving? Downsizing? Just have too many books? This is your opportunity to clean out the bookshelves. We are accepting any gently used books for this annual sale. They can be brought to the ES Library at any time this month. For every donation of three books, you will receive a coupon for a free used book from the sale. The sale will be April 28, 29, and 30th, during the Student-led Conferences.
Toy Drive
We would like to thank you for all your generosity in the stuffed animal toy drive. The donation time frame wrapped up today, Thursday, April 23rd. Your compassion during this drive has been outstanding. Thanks once again.
A Peek at the Week
Reading
New Unit
Walking in our Character's Footsteps
*character feelings
*how feelings change over time
Writing
Small Moments Revisited
Writing Personal Narratives
*using speech bubbles
*using verbs to move our characters
Math
Revisiting Operations
Addition and Subtraction up to 100!
*1 more, 1 less, 10 more, 10 less
*<, >, =, Comparing 2 numbers up to 120
Science
What's the Matter?
Unit conclusion
Final Assessment - changing matter from one state to another and back again