Week of May 16-20, 2016

Reading:  “Building Beavers” is our story for the week. This informational text discusses how beavers build their homes. We will practice how to identify the main idea in stories, and continue to write telling sentences. Our amazing words are: beaver, paddle, stream, lodge, river, and lake. The targeted sight words are: the, was, like, to, and from.

Phonics: The vowel Ee will be reviewed this week.

Math:  We completed our kindergarten math lessons last week. We will now begin the “Step Up to Grade 1” lessons. These topics will preview some important content areas that will be taught in first grade.

Reminders: 

~ Please continue to review all sight words daily. We are getting so much closer to our 96 word goal!

~ Kindergarten Graduation will be held on Tuesday, May 24^th at 6:00pm in the High School auditorium.

Specials:

Mon. Art        Tues. Gym         Wed. Music         Thurs. Computers         Fri. Library 

Week of May 9-13, 2016

Reading:  “Old MacDonald had a Workshop” is our story for the week. This animal fantasy answers the question, “What tools do you need to build things?” Characters will be discussed and prepositional phrases will be introduced. The amazing words are: saw, hammer, file, drill, screwdriver, and chisel. We will concentrate on the following sight words: where, that, is, come, and go.

Phonics: Vowel sounds are revisited, with the focus on Oo. The letter will be presented in the beginning, middle, and even the end of words. The short and long sound will be practiced.

Math:  Sorting, Classifying, Counting, and Categorizing Data in Topic 13 will be completed this week. Students will make and read real graphs, as well as picture graphs. All ideas will be reviewed and then tested.

REMINDERS:

~ The Book Fair is this week. Parent buying night is scheduled for Monday, May 9^th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Our class buying day is Friday, May 13^th. If you are sending money to school, please place it in a labeled envelope.

~ The reading teachers will soon begin their end of the year testing. Remember, your child will be required to write dictated sentences. (They must use capital letters at the beginning, finger spaces between words, and punctuation at the end. Words can be spelled phonetically.) They will also need to identify, write, and give the sound (along with a word) for each letter of the alphabet. Another assessment will determine how many words can be written correctly in a 10 minute time frame.

~ Please continue to practice sight words daily. Ten students have met the 96 word goal. Many are very close!

Specials:

Mon. Art         Tues. Gym        Wed. Music        Thurs. Computers        Fri. Guidance

Have a good week!

Week of May 2-6, 2016

Reading:  Unit 6 starts this week. The stories will explain different ways of building structures. Our first story is “Building with Dad.” It is an informational fiction book that tells how a school is built. We will practice how to compare and contrast to identify how things are the same and different. The pronouns I and me are used throughout the week. The amazing words presented are: groundbreaking, foundation, water proof, trenches, welding, and gleaming. Sight words to focus on are: here, do, little, with, and what.

Phonics:  Qq and Yy will still be practiced this week. The vowels Aa and Ii are also reviewed.

Math:  Topic 13 begins this week. The lessons teach the students how to sort, classify, count, and categorize data. The ideas include same and different, sorting by one attribute, sorting the same items in different ways, sorting by more than one attribute, and graphing.

Reminders:

~ Please continue to practice ALL sight words daily. The 96 word goal is definitely in reach!

~ Review all letters and sounds. Students also need to name one word that begins with each sound.

~ Practice word writing regularly. Remind your child to use sight words, word families, colors, numbers, familiar names, etc.  

~ Also practice writing dictated sentences. Remind children to use a Capital letter at the beginning, finger spaces between words, and punctuation at the end. For words they do not know how to spell: have them sound out the word and write the sounds they hear.

Specails:

Mon. Art         Tues. Gym         Wed. Music         Thurs. Computers         Fri. Library

Week of April 25-29, 2016

Reading:  The title of this week’s story is “This is the Way We Go to School.” It is an informational fiction story that explains the ways children around the world get to school. Drawing conclusions is the comprehension skill taught this week. We will also revisit how to identify verbs as action words in sentences. Our amazing words are: cable car, horse-and –buggy, Metro line, trolley, skis, and vaporetto. The sight words to focus on are: where and come.

Phonics: This week presents two letters. Yy makes the /y/ sound, as in yak. Qq’s sound is /kw/, as in quilt.

Math:  Measurement lessons will continue in Topic 12 this week. We will compare items according to length, height, capacity, and weight.

Reminders:

~Please continue to practice writing words and sentences.

~Remember to review all sight words daily. 96 words should be mastered by the end of May!

Specials:

Mon. Art       Tues. Gym       Wed. Music       Thurs. Computers       Fri. Guidance

~ Thank you to all who donated to our Chocolate Basket. Your support helped us earn an ice cream party this Friday!

Week of April 18-22, 2016
Reading: "On the Move!" is our story this week. This informational text discusses how people in different parts of the world travel. Main idea is the comprehension skill to focus on. We will also learn more about nouns in sentences. The amazing words from the story are: travel, llama, submarine, kayak, dogsled, and double-decker bus. The targeted sight words are: when and come.
Phonics: Two letters will be taught this week. We will learn letters Vv (with the /v/ sound as in van) and Zz (with the /z/ sound as in zebra).
Math: We are beginning Topic 12 this week. Measurement is the focus. We will compare objects by length, height, capacity, and weight.

Reminders:
~ Please continue to practice all sight words daily. Congratulations to the studetns who are able to read all 96 words!
~ Remember to practice writing words and sentences.
~ DIBELS testing will begin soon. Continue to review letter naming, segmenting, and nonsense words for these 1 minute assessments.
Specials:
Mon. Art       Tues. Gym        Wed. Music        Thurs. Computers        Fri. Library

Week of April 11-15, 2016

Reading:  The story for the week is “The Little Engine That Could.” This classic fantasy is used to teach about the work done by trains. Students will identify plot in stories to build their comprehension skills. We will revisit the concept of nouns and learn about writing formal letters. The amazing words this week are: engine, passenger, mountain, tracks, roundhouse, and valley. The sight words featured include: what, said, and was.

Phonics:  We will continue working on Uu with the initial and medial /u/ sound, as in umbrella and tub. Vv will also be introduced this week.

Math:  Topic 11 will be completed and tested this week. These lessons break the numbers 11 through 19 into parts made up of ten ones and some further ones. Number sentences will be written to show how the numbers were broken down.

Reminders:

~ Remember to practice ALL sight words EVERY night. Time is winding down to learn the 17 lists of 96 words!

~ Please continue to practice writing words and sentences. Repetition leads to success!

~ United States projects will be presented this week.

~ Thank you to all who donated to our chocolate basket. Don’t forget to visit the Chinese Auction this weekend to support the PTO!

~ Monday, April 11^th will be a dress down day to cheer on the students taking the PSSA tests. Staff and students are encouraged to wear Spartan shirts, along with jeans, sweatpants, or gym shorts.

Specials:

Mon. Art          Tues. Gym          Wed. Music          Thurs. Music          Fri. Computers

Have a very good week!

Week of April 4-8, 2016

Reading: This week’s story is called “Trucks Roll!” It is a rhyming, nonfiction book that discusses what types of transportation help people do their jobs. Throughout the week we will compare and contrast to build comprehension skills. Prepositions will be introduced and poems will be practiced. The amazing words in the story are: trailers, cabs, haul, steering wheel, truckers, and headlight. The sight words to focus on are: what, said, and was.

Phonics: This week’s letter is Uu.  The short /u/ sound, as in umbrella, will be taught in the initial and medial position of words.

Math: Topic 10 (Composing Numbers 11 to 19) will be tested before moving on to Topic 11. This unit decomposes numbers 11 to 19. The students will be using ten frames to break apart the numbers into parts that show ten ones and some further ones.

Reminders:

~ Kindergarten Graduation Pictures will be taken on Wednesday, April 6^th. If you wish to purchase a package, please send in the envelope along with your payment as soon as possible. Keep in mind that ALL students will be photographed for the class photo. Therefore, children must wear white collared shirts that day.

~ Thank you for your donations to our PTO Chinese Auction chocolate basket. Your generosity is greatly appreciated.

~Please continue to practice sight words and word writing daily. I am seeing great improvements!

Specials:

Mon. Art         Tues. Gym         Wed. Music         Thurs. Computers          Fri. Library

Have an upbeat  week!