Miss Heckathorne's Classroom News
Starside Elementary
Contact Information
Email: checkathorne@usd232.org
Website: tinyurl.com/bnzhn4h
Location: Starside Elementry, West 91st Street, De Soto, KS
Phone: (913) 667-6270
Specials Schedule
11/18 T - Music/PE
11/19 C - Library
11/20 O - Art
11/21 M - Music/PE
11/22 E - Computer
What We Are Learning
Math
Topic 2: Generate and Analyze Patterns - TEST TOMORROW (TUESDAY!!)
Topic 5: Number Sense: Multiplication by 2 Digit Numbers
Our objectives are as follows:
- using arrays to multiply by 10s and 100s
- using basic facts and number patterns to multiply by multiples of 10 and 100
- breaking apart numbers to find partial products
Reading
Identifying Text Structure
Our objectives for the week are as follows:
- identifying the four main text structures within different types of text
- cause/effect
- problem/solution
- sequence
- compare/contrast
Summarizing with Picture Books
Our objectives for the week are as follows:
- retelling literature and including characters, setting, and plot
- creating a written and oral summary of picture books
The students are beginning to work on a project that will incorporate all of the objectives listed above. They will be presenting a "book talk," where they will share their knowledge of summarizing, text structures, and point of view. This project will be completed Monday and presented next Tuesday.
Writing
The Land of Nod
Our writing prompt will be based off the poem listed above. The prompt is: "I would like to live in the Land of Nod forever - Agree or disagree with this statement and support your opinion with evidence from the text." The students are currently typing their final published piece.
The students are also writing personal narratives to integrate our knowledge from science. They are writing based off of this prompt: "Imagine you have experienced a natural disaster (a rapid change to the earth's surface). Write a five paragraph personal narrative to share your experience."
Social Studies - The West
This week we are back to studying regions. The students are learning about the west through video, nonfiction text, and a hands-on project.
Reading Responses
Students will be sharing their weekly reading responses through an online flyer. The flyer is still a work-in-progress, as students are editing it and adding to it on a daily basis. When it is ready, I will send it out for parents to read. The goal is for students to have a very thorough and high-level reading response prepared by Friday this week.
Spelling
This is our spelling routine:
Monday: Orally Read and Spell, Copy and Spell, Cover and Spell, Uncover and Check
Tuesday: Word Meaning and Spelling Dictation
Wednesday: Word Study Activities (syllables, missing letters, etc.)
Thursday: Edit for Spelling Activities
Friday: Spelling Test (Includes sentences that the students must write using the words)
On Friday, the new spelling list for the following week will be introduced, and important consistencies will be pointed out, such as a phonetic or structural element.
Our hope is that having more time focused specifically on spelling will increase scores and will help students to transfer learned spelling patterns into their everyday writing. This will also help the students to see the words in a deeper context.
Please help your child practice their spelling words each week. For now, you can still use spellingcity.com but you'll just need to manually enter the words. Thank you.
This Week's List:
then
else
edge
when
tenth
empty
sketch
spelling
easy
eager
sneakers
mean
fifteen
receive
piece
believe
people
squeeze
NO SCHOOL! Happy Thanksgiving!
I hope you all enjoy the break! I am very thankful for my 24 hard-working and caring students. They brighten my day each day, and I'm thankful to have a job where I can work with such incredible young people.
Wednesday, Nov 27, 2013, 08:30 AM
Starside Elementry, West 91st Street, De Soto, KS, United States
Caring is Sharing Food Drive
Our class is currently the class with the most items collected to date. We are definitely contributing to the food drive and doing a great job! We will be collecting nonperishable food items for our food drive. Students will receive community service points for donations and the class with the most food collected will earn a nacho/movie party.
Monday, Nov 11, 2013, 08:45 AM
Starside Elementry, West 91st Street, De Soto, KS
Starside
Our Mission:
Through a collaborative learning community we will build a foundation upon which all students can develop essential academic and life skills.
Our Vision:
Starside will be a Learning Community (staff students, parents, and community members) that collaborates to:
· Provide a safe, positive environment that promotes academic growth, good character, and values diversity.
· Implement researched-based strategies to ensure students achieve academic skill
· Maximize learning time to focus on essential skills
· Monitor student growth based on high expectations