Week of August 29-September 2, 2016

Last week we were able to begin the Daily 5. The class learned what Read to Self looks like and feels like and we were able to practice the right and wrong way to participate in Read to Self. We were also able to begin learning some strategies that will be useful during our reading. In the area of Comprehension we learned how to check for understanding and to back up and reread when we don't understand. We also learned how to cross check if the word we are using is correct or not. In the area of Expanding Vocabulary we learned to tune in to interesting words and we were able to add quite a few words to our Wonderful Word Wall. This week we will be adding Work on Writing to our Daily 5 activities. We will learn where we can go in the room to work on writing and what we can write about. We will do a quick power write in order to develop a list of writing topics. We will learn how to choose Good Fit Books and why choosing Good Fit Books helps us build fluency in our reading. We will learn another fluency strategy called Voracious Reading and learn why this can help us to improve our reading fluency. We will also learn the comprehension strategy of Back up and Reread. We will have opportunities to participate in Read to Self and Work on Writing in order to build our stamina in these two areas. 

This week we will begin learning the routine for our spelling words. The students will participate in a variety of Word Work activities in their Word Work Journals to practice their spelling words and spelling patterns. A spelling list will come home this week with activities that students can do at home to practice their words, however, all graded spelling work will be done at school in their Word Work Journals. Spelling lists may become more personalized as we progress to adapt to each child's needs. Spelling tests will be given on Fridays beginning this Friday, September 2.

Last week we began our first Math chapter about Place Value. We reviewed place value, comparing numbers and ordering numbers. On Tuesday we will do a Check My Progress quiz over these first three topics. This week we will work on rounding numbers to the tens and hundreds place. We will also do a Math About Me Activity.

In Social Studies we will begin learning map skills. We will be working in our Social Studies Interactive Notebook adding vocabulary and map learning activities. 

Please remember to sign your child's agenda each night and check that they have completed their homework. Friday Folders came home on Friday, please make sure that you take out all papers in the Leave At Home pocket and return the signature page in the Return to School pocket on Monday.

Upcoming dates: 

9-5 Labor Day - No School

9-14 - Picture Day

August 22, 2016

Week of August 22-26, 2016

We have successfully completed our first three days of school. During those days we got familiar with the new classroom routines, rules and friends. We have been practicing classroom expectations and setting daily behavior goals. One goal we worked on last week was when one person is talking we are listening and looking at the speaker. Please reinforce this classroom expectation at home also. 

This week we will begin the launch of the Daily 5 during our reading and writing block. The class will review where the gathering spot is in the classroom, we will learn what Read to Self looks like and feels like and we will begin building reading stamina. We will learn how to choose good spots that allow us to do our best work and help us continue to build stamina. We will also begin working on strategies within the CAFE menu (Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding vocabulary). The strategies we will add to our CAFE menu include: Check for Understanding, Cross Checking, Tune in to Interesting Words, and Back Up and Reread. 

This week we will also begin computer based diagnostic assessments as part of the iReady program we will be utilizing throughout the school year.

This week we will be practicing place value, comparing numbers and ordering numbers. The framework we will be utilizing during our Math block is Math Daily 3. The students will have opportunity for independent work, small group instruction and partner work. This allows the students to practice and reinforce skills in a variety of ways.

This week students will begin bringing home homework. On Monday they will be bringing home their writing journals. They will be decorating and individualizing their journals, this helps to build a sense of personalization and ownership of their journals. Tuesday-Thursday they will be bringing home their Simple Solutions Math and Reading for homework. 

The children brought home their DOTs this weekend and shared with you what it looks like, its use and the expectations for use. We will be using this tool daily to assist your students with their organizational skills, please make sure they return homework and any mail to school in this tool. Their agendas will also be kept in this so that they can be reminded of what their homework is, please make sure to sign their agenda's nightly. Your signature in their agenda lets me know that you checked their homework and saw how their day went at school.

This week we did several team building small group activities. In this activity the children were given uncooked spaghetti noodles and a bag of large marshmallows, they had to build the highest structure they could in the time given. I think they found out it was a little harder than they thought and sometimes they had to try different strategies.

I am looking forward to a great second week of school!