Week of March 7-11, 2016

Reading: After completing “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” we will read an informational text called “If You Could go to Antarctica.” The comprehension skill builder is to classify and categorize while reading. The amazing words for the week are: Antarctica, continent, icebergs, penguins, seals, and whales. The sight words to focus on are: here, go, and from. We will also continue working on writing sentences correctly. Capital letters and periods will be stressed further this week.

Phonics: The letter of the week is Ee. We will discuss both the long and short sound for this vowel. However, the focus is on the short /e/ sound, as in egg. The sound will be taught in the beginning and middle of words.

Math: Topic 8’s “Understanding Subtraction,” will finish up this week. We will be finding differences, writing subtraction sentences, and using objects to act out subtraction problems. After testing subtraction we will move on to Topic 9, “Composing and Decomposing numbers to 10.”

Reminders:

~ As always, please continue to practice sight words daily. 96 words are the goal!

~ This week is Newspaper in Education Week. You are encouraged to read the paper with your child for 10 minutes each day. The “I’m a Reader” forms should be returned  by March 15, 2016. Also, check the classified section for our ad!

~ The PTO is holding a Chinese Auction on April 16^th and 17^th. The theme for our class basket is chocolate. We are asking for donations to create a prize. Any item relating to chocolate could be placed in this category. (candy, cookies, cake mix, drink mix, chocolate scented items, etc.) If you prefer, monetary donations will also be accepted to purchase these items. Thank you for your support!

~ Monday is Day 6 on the rotation schedule.

Have an excellent week!

Week of February 29-March 4, 2016

Reading: After completing “One Little Mouse,” we will begin the story, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” This classic tale will be used to discuss how adventures can cause trouble. Story comprehension will be enhanced when understanding characters is taught. The amazing words we will encounter are: bears, cottage, middle-sized, porridge, big, and small. The sight words stressed throughout the week are: one, two, three, four, and five. We are continuing to work on writing complete sentences. This week we will learn about telling sentences.

Phonics: The letter of the week is Gg. The sound is /g/, as in goose. We will discriminate, blend, and spell words that begin and end with /g/.

Math: Topic 8 is introduced this week. The theme is “Understanding Subtraction.” We will use stories to separate, take away, and compare groups. The minus sign will also be presented.

Reminders:

~ It is important to practice all sight words daily.

~ The “Family Times” letter provides wonderful suggestions for you to reinforce lessons at home.

~ Friday, March 4^th is “Read Across America Day.” Bloomsburg University students will visit our classroom to read a Dr. Seuss story and complete a follow-up activity.

~ Specials for the week will start with Day 1 on Monday.

Have a great week!

Week of February 22-26, 2016

Reading:  We will complete “My Lucky Day” this week. Cause and effect is still the focus skill.  The next story we will start is “One Little Mouse.” This is an animal fantasy that answers the question “What adventures can animals have?” Story sequence will be stressed in these lessons. The amazing words presented are: woodland, vale, comfortable, nest, hollow, and shadows. The targeted sight words are: one, two, three, four, and five. We will also learn what parts are needed in a sentence to make it complete.

Phonics:  Consonant blends will be introduced this week. The students will learn how to blend two sounds together in a word. (ex. /s/ and /l/ together make a /sl/ sound, as in slide.

Math:  Topic 7 (Understanding Addition) will be completed. We will learn how to use the plus sign, find sums, write addition sentences, and practice joining groups.

Reminders:

~ Friday will be the February Positive Behavior Reward Day. Students may bring a toy from home for recess. Please refer to the note sent home regarding this reward.

~ Please continue to practice sight words daily. We are striving to attain and possibly surpass that goal of 96 words!

Specials:

Monday- Gym Tuesday- Music Wednesday- Computers Thursday- Library Friday- Art

Week of February 16-19, 2016

Our fun-filled February continued to provide exciting learning experiences for us. We celebrated Groundhog Day, Super Bowl, the 100^th Day, Chinese New Year, Doughnut Day, and Valentine’s Day. We even took time to celebrate the snow! President’s Day is the last holiday we will discuss this month. Although some instruction revolved around these special events, we still followed our usual curriculum. This week we will settle back into our normal routine.

Reading: “My Lucky Day” is the new story. This animal fantasy tells about a fortunate adventure involving a piglet and a fox. We will be exploring cause and effect, as well as action parts in a sentence. The Amazing Words for the week are: piglet, lucky, cook, fox, filthy and scrubber. The Sight Words: are, that and so will be rehearsed.

Phonics: The letter of the week is Ll. The sound for this letter is /l/, as in lemon. We will explore this sound in the beginning and end of words.

Math: Topic 7 is introduced this week. The goal of this topic is to understand addition. We will use stories showing how to join groups and count how many items there are altogether. The plus and equal sign will be used to write addition sentences.

Reminders:

~ There is no school for students on Friday, February 12^th, and Monday, February 15^th.

~ Please review sight words daily. Also practice counting by 1’s, 2’s, and 10’s.

Specials : Tuesday- Computers, Wednesday- Guidance, Thursday- Art, Friday- Gym

Have a lovely week!

Week of February 1-5, 2016

We finally have seen the true arrival of winter. Unfortunately, the snow days have delayed our learning plans. Therefore, the week will begin by catching up on some things missed from the previous week.

Reading: “The Lion and the Mouse” will be completed, along with the concept of main idea. We will also continue writing sentences correctly. Once this story wraps up, we will start Unit 4. The stories in this section will discuss adventures. The first story is Eric Carle’s animal fantasy, “Rooster’s Off to See the World.” Sequence (the order of events in a story) will be the skill taught.  The new amazing words to explore are: world, trip, journey, lonely, horizon, and homesick. The sight words to focus on are: are, do, and that.

Phonics: After practicing the /o/ sound, we will move on to letter Hh. Words with the initial /h/ sound start like the word helicopter.

Math: Topic 6 (Numbers to 100) will be introduced. This includes counting to 30; estimating items that are close to 5, 10, and 20; using a hundred chart to count and find missing numbers to 100; and counting groups of 10.

Reminders:

~Friday, February 5^th will be our 100^th day of school. We will be completing activities involving the concept of 100. Students may dress as if they were 100 years old.

~Please review sight words daily. Also, practice writing the sight words and numbers to 20.

Have a happy first week of February!

Week of January 25-29, 2016

The first half of the year is complete! The third marking period is underway. Please take note of any areas your child may be struggling with and try to practice those skills a little more.

Reading: This week’s story is the classic fable, “The Lion and the Mouse.” We will use this story to focus on the concept of Main Idea. (Identifying the important things that are happening in stories.) The amazing words to learn are: jungle, nibbling, trembling, beast, snarled, and entangled. The sight words emphasized will be: they, you, and of. During the week we will also practice how to correctly write sentences. Children should know that a sentence is a complete thought. It starts with a capital letter, has spaces between words, and ends with a period. Rhythm and rhyme in poems will also be discussed.

Phonics:  This week is a continuation of the /o/ sound, spelled with letter Oo. Remember: this is a vowel, it has two sounds! We will be practicing /o/ in the beginning, as well as the middle of words.

Math: Topic 5 (Numbers to 20) will be tested. Topic 6 will begin. This unit will discuss numbers to 100. It will start by counting to 30, and estimating items. Our estimations will determine if objects are closer to 10 or 20.

Reminders:

~ Remember to have your child wear a winter coat to school daily. We go outside for recess as often as possible. It is too cold to wear only sweatshirts. 

~ Please practice sight words daily. Also go over class work that is sent home. This helps to reinforce the concepts learned throughout the day.

Have an optimistic week!

Week of January 19-22, 2016

Reading: The title of this week's story is "Then and Now." It is a non-fictional story that emphasizes how things we use today are different from things used long ago. This selection provides great opportunities for developing lists, composing meaningful word groups, and demonstrating words for opposites. We will also practice how to draw conclusions in a story. The amazing words presented will be: gears, webcams, phonographs, headphones, handwritten, and newspapers. The sight words we will focus on are: they, you, and of.
Phonics: The letter of the week is Oo. The children will work with the short /o/ sound, as in hop, as well as the long /o/ sound, as in hope.

Math: We will begin Topic 5, "Numbers to 20." In this unit we will count, read, and write numbers 11-20.

Reminders:
~ Monday, 1/18/16, is a teacher in-service day. There is no school for students.
~ Please remember to practice all sight words daily. You can go beyond the flashcards.
Specials:
Tuesday- Music,   Wednesday- Computers,   Thursday- Library,    Friday- Art

Have an outstanding week!