The Jungle Book
Mrs. Knueven's Classroom Newsletter
Upcoming Events
8/31 Scholastic orders due
9/3 Labor Day - No School
9/5 Picture Day
9/12 Government Quiz
9/13 Camp Tecumseh
9/14 Camp Tecumseh
9/20 Family Wellness Night
9/25 Unit 1 Math Test (tentative)
9/26 Jog-A-Thon
Curriculum Corner
We are off and writing in our Writer's Notebooks! For the next few weeks, we will be focusing on strategies writers use to come up with ideas for stories. I will be reading the book What is a Writer's Notebook, Anyway? by Ralph Fletcher with them and then practicing each skill. This week, we will be studying Fierce Wonderings (many authors get ideas from things they wonder or are curious about) and Writing Small (focusing on small moments of life).
Reading:
The first unit in reading will cover realistic fiction. I will be reading Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt as my mentor text. Students will be expected to have their own reading book within that genre that they will be reading independently, conferring with me, and practicing reading strategies while they read. This week, we will be talking about how to find a book that we want to read and how to summarize a story instead of retelling it.
Indiana History:
We will be starting our year by learning about the government at the national, state, and local levels. This week, we will be focusing on the responsibilities and branches of the state government.
Science:
We are starting our unit on heredity, animal adaptations, environment, and animal structures. We will be creating baby monsters on Tuesday and will start observing our mealworms on Wednesday. We will continue talking about our mealworms at the end of the week.
Math:
We have started our first unit in the math book. We are working hard, but the first few days took longer than planned while we got into our routines. The new tentative date for the Unit 1 test is September 25. This week, we will be studying estimation strategies, number stories, and multi-digit addition.
STEPS to SIEW:
This year, student will be participating in a new curriculum called Second Step. At Stonegate, we will be referring to it as "Steps to Strong In Every Way." Every Friday, students will be participating in a lesson focused on social-emotional learning. This week, we will be focusing on being assertive.
You've Got Mail!
- Xtra Math Login - This is a program we will be using to help with math fact fluency this year. I will not be asking the kids to log in at home, but if you would like to track their progress, you can follow the directions on this sheet.
- Remind Login - ZCS policy does not allow teachers to communicate with parents through text messaging unless we do it through Remind. I will be using it to send out text messages with quick reminders, such as spirit wear days, field trips, tests, etc. If you are interested in receiving these type of reminders, please make sure to follow the directions to connect with me on Remind.
- Canvas - As I mentioned on Curriculum Night, procedures for creating an observer account have changed this year. I highly recommend having an observer account for your child's Canvas account so you can see what they are working on this year. There is a lot of information on my Canvas page, but also information for parents.
- Book orders - This is completely optional, but I am able to keep my classroom library well stocked with new books through kids ordering from Scholastic. I will be placing the first order of the year on Friday, August 31. You can either send the book order back with a check or you can order through the Scholastic website. Directions are on my Canvas page.
Camp Tecumseh
https://goo.gl/forms/mlFEu7CTwZOMHsiJ3
We are also looking for a medical professional to serve as our camp doctor/nurse. This would involve tending to students with minor medical issues (cuts, stings, illness, etc.) and dispensing medications instead of selecting rotations to lead. If you are interested in filling this role for us, please let me know!
Also, please keep your eyes open for a permission slip to come home this week. Once I send that home, you may return it, along with cash or check (made out to Stonegate Elementary).