1.1 Classroom News!!
From Ms. Jordan. Week of 9-2-13
Reminders
*Please send a healthy snack with your child every day.
*Please remember to send the calculators that were used in Kindergarten.
*MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) testing will begin on Septemeber 11th and run through September 26th. Make sure your child gets a good nights sleep and eats a healthy breakfast to prepare them for this test. It is on the computer. Remind your child to DO THEIR BEST! If you have any questions about the MAP test or would like more information, feel free to email me.
*Please make sure your child has at least $3 for lunch. Otherwise, it is difficult for them to buy something to drink and eat in the cafeteria.
*The After School Program (ASA) began on Monday. I am so happy to see kids getting involved. Check the ISP website for listings on what activities are offered and how to sign up.
*Homework packets are due on Friday. However, I have had some parents communicate to me that it is difficult for their child to finish it by Friday. Therefore, feel free to turn the homework packet in the FOLLOWING MONDAY if you feel your child needs more time. There is no late penalty for homework. At the end of the day, I just want your child getting the extra practice.
*Please make sure your child is practicing the popcorn words every night. This is one of the ways they will improve their reading. I know the list seems easy now, but it is still review from Kindergarten. Very soon they will need to practice words they cannot recognize as easily! Also, make sure to keep the popcorn words at home. We have our own word wall that we use in the classroom to practice them.
*Progress reports will be sent home at the end of this week but only for the students who are below grade level. They WILL NOT be sent home for ALL students.
*PODS are officially up and running. I just received a PODS list today. If you would like to know what POD your child is in or would like more information about PODS please email me and I can tell you what POD color your child is and what I know about PODS.
*LAST REMINDER! If your child is taking a different bus than usual or you are picking your child up, please contact the elementary office. I CANNOT send your child to a different location without a note from the office. THANK YOU!
PTA BBQ
Come to the PTA BBQ! Should be lots of fun!
Saturday, Sep 7, 2013, 11:00 AM
International School Of Panama, Panama
All your questions answered! What's going on with all these books?
I have had a lot of questions about RAZ kids, "good fit" books, and books being sent home each night. I will address those concerns here:
*RAZ kids has begun! Remember, you can use it as part of your book log for the week! My goal is to have the kids read 5 books a week. The passwords were given at the Open House. For those of you that were not able to come, please let me know and I can contact our literacy coach in order to find your password for you.
*Take home book bags have begun! I am now sending home reading logs in your child's book bag and not in the homework packet. As mentioned earlier, I would love if your child could read 1 book a night. I have had a few children come up to me and say they do not want to take a book home because they are going to read on RAZ kids. I have told them that is okay. So, your child will come home with a new book from our classroom library EVERY DAY unless they have informed me that they want to read one on RAZ kids. Therefore, if they do not have a book, please ask them to read one on RAZ kids.
*Please remind your child to bring their book bag every day so they can take a new book from my library every day. I have already had some children forget to bring their book bags back.
*I have had a few emails about books in the book bags being too hard. I understand that is frustrating. However, I do not pick these books for the students because they pick them themselves. I want to instill in your children the love of reading by allowing them to choose from a multitude of genres and subjects. I have taught many lessons about "good-fit" books and sent home a letter about them last week. If your child has not chosen a "good fit" book, ask them why it is not a "good fit" book. Then, read the book with them so they can still enjoy the story even if they are not the ones reading. Everyday we are practicing picking "good fit" books in the classroom, but it is a process. It will help greatly if you can encourage your child to try to find a "good fit" book the next day and praise them for their desire to challenge themselves while reading. If you have any questions about "good fit" books please let me know. I can send home more bookmarks and poster we use in class. Thank you so much for your support with this process of your child understanding themselves as a reader.
Targets for Next Week (Our Goals):
Our main goals for the coming week are:
Literacy
As we continue to practice our independence through Daily 5 we expand our literacy by creating ABC books and retelling the stories we read and write.
Oral Language/Listening Skills
I can speak in a complete sentence.
I can respectfully listen to others.
Word Study
I can identify letter names and sounds.
I can read and write high frequency words.
Reading
I can choose a good fit book.
I know the three ways to read a book.
I can read to self.
I can read to someone.
I can retell a story.
Writing
I can recognize and write capital and lowercase letters.
I can capitalize dates and names of people.
Science
We will continue with our Science unit on People. We are learning the ways people change as they grow.
I can identify major body parts and their functions.
I can describe how people use their body parts to live and learn about the world.
I can identify ways that people change as they grow.
Math
I can make predictions based on data organized in a tally chart.
I can use a calendar to answer questions about days, weeks, months, and dates.
I can compare pairs of whole numbers.
I can use a number line to solve number line problems.
I can identify base ten blocks, geoboards, and plane shapes of pattern blocks.
Words, Words, Words, OH MY!
Here I will include our vocabulary, popcorn words, and spelling words for the coming week:
Vocabulary:
Math
calendar
thermometer
degree
temperature
Fahrenheit
number story
Reading
capitalize
author
illustrator
retell
sentence
period
question mark
exclamation point
Science
infant
toddler
school-age child
teenager
adult
senior
Popcorn Words:
at
be
this
have
from
or
one
had
by
words
Spelling:
can
van
fan
pan
man
dad
sad
mad
pad
Coming Soon!
Here is a list of the new things that will be implemented by the end of September:
*Small Writing Groups
*Guided Reading Groups (Beginning Next week)
*Math enrichment Packet as a homework option
*Star Student (Begins on Monday with Andrea!)
*Spelling City: An online computer account where your child can play games on the computer with their spelling words! This will be spelling homework instead of worksheets once the IT department has help me set it up.
*Handwriting homework sent home to students who need it.
Keep looking for the Coming Soon! portion to see what else will be implemented in your child's classroom in the following months!
Home Fun!
Here is what we watched this week regarding the senses!
http://sciencepoems.net/sciencevideos/5sensesSWF.aspx#.UiCIMKQo61t
This is the link to find the video and the lyrics of what we watched in class.
Have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
Julie Jordan
Room 1.1