This week we will be diving into our first chapter book as a class, Stories Julian Tells. This book contains many silly stories that the character, Julian, tells and it is perfect for the introduction of similes which we will be studying this week. We will also use this book to highlight and practice several of the CAFE strategies that were introduced last week. The students have built good stamina during Read to Self and we will be adding Work on Writing as a choice during our rounds of Daily 5. Other skills that we will be working on include similes and sentence fragments (subject/predicate). On Friday each student received a Math and Reading log for the month that included an attached letter explaining the expectations. The students were also told that this should go in their homework folder so that I can spot check their logs to make sure they are continuing to work on their reading and math minutes. If students read more than the required number of minutes for the month they will be rewarded with additional tickets in the classroom. Please encourage them to do some reading and math each night and to not try to to squeeze in the needed minutes the last few days of the month.  The reading and math logs are part of their reading and math grades. They will receive a new log on the first of the month when they turn in the logs for the previous month. 

We are continuing to work on Unit 1 Place Value in Math. This week we introduced rounding numbers to the tens and next week we will work more on rounding numbers to the hundreds. I currently believe we will have this unit assessment on Friday, September 6. If for some reason I feel the children are not ready for the assessment by Friday I will change the date.

New spelling words are coming home today along with a list of ideas for practicing spelling words at home. Students practice their words each day at school in their Word Work Journal but they should also review them each night at home. Word work Journals are checked on Fridays and the students are given credit for their work and spelling tests are on Fridays.

While we continue to learn the classroom routines please take a moment to remind your child that "if it's not their turn to talk it is their turn to listen." This is important all day in every class they are in throughout their school day. 

Reminders:
Each night the only papers that should be removed from the student's DOT are those that are in the mail pocket. The papers that are in the other pocket sections are ones that we are currently using in the classroom and should not be removed, if they are removed your student will not have what they need the next day at school.