Schaffer's Snippets
October Newsletter
Getting to Know You....
September was such a whirlwind! We are starting to settle into literacy and math routines and getting more comfortable with one another everyday. The students are embracing Morning Meeting and seem to relish the time to share a fun activity and greet one another and the day. Morning Meeting is a great way to set a positive tone for the day. It has been a wonderful beginning to what I am sure will be a super year.
Waiting to Greet
We love to say "Good Morning!" to one another
Morning Message
Reading Workshop
The students are working hard at building their stamina in Read to Self, Work on Writing, and Word Work. They are thrilled to see that each day they are able to work for longer stretches of time. We have compared this to lifting weights, you have to start out small and build your muscles. They like the idea of building their brain muscles. Next week, I will introduce Listen to Reading and Read to Someone (a favorite). This system is allowing me to work with small groups of students. You will notice the black reading folder coming home with a book inside. Please allow your child to read the book to a family member any night the folder comes home and sign the paper inside. Thank you for your support in making reading a life long habit.
Math
The students have completed Unit 1 in Math and will be beginning Unit 2. I have been introducing the students to Math by Myself and Math With a Friend. The students have been getting very comfortable with the procedures. In the short future, math class will beging with a short period of instruction and then time for guided practice and small group instruction. This allows me to really get to know your child as a mathematician.
Science
In schience, we have been investigating measurement. The students have been comparing and contrasting objects. We have been writing about these explorations in our math and science log. We will be continuing with this unit. I encourage you to allow your child help you with cooking or baking and discuss how you use measurement with tools.
These are tapes we made- length of our bodies. We compared to one another!
Community Read
We have been reading Maybelle in The Soup. The students love to hear about the adventures Maybelle, a cockroach, and her friend Henry, a flea, have together. We are really enjoying this book and can't wait to get started on Maybelle and the Haunted Cupcake.
Writing Workshop
We have established our routines and procedures. We are now well on our way and it is a pleasant hum you will hear when you walk in our room for writing. The students are working on their small moment stories. We have learned how to plan by thinking, touching the pages and telling, sketching, and then writing our stories. We will be learning much more to make our stories come to life as we go.
Homework
Books to Share, as discussed at BTSN, is now up and running. When your child comes home with the Books to Share black folder they should take the book out and read it to you. You sign the paper, to show your child we are a learning team, parent and teacher. Then try to send in the folder and book the next school day. I really appreciate your support in this reading adventure.
I thank you also for your support in homework. On the cover sheet, I have listed what we will do for the week. I also have suggested activities on the cover sheet, if you can practice some of them, Great! If not, no worries they are usually on there for the whole month.
Thank you for your partnership regarding homework!
Thank you!
I really enjoy working your children! They make me smile everyday! They are working hard and enjoying the independence of Reading Workshop and Math Workshop. I look forward to our year together!