Happy Fall!!! It's hard to believe that October is right around the corner!
Reading:
This week we started working in our guided reading groups. Our books were non fiction which fit in with our writing prompts. We read The Stranger by Chris Van Allsburg and introduced inferencing. We will continue adding to our comprehension strategy bank throughout the year. So far we have made connections and inferences. An inference is when you take your background knowledge, the information from the text, and make an educated prediction that has the probability of coming true.
Math:
Our problem solver focus is on Discrete Math. Discrete Math is when you have to make combination of choices and see how many combinations we have. For example, if we have ham and cheese and PB&J sandwiches for lunch and we can choose apples, oranges, or pudding for a side, and milk, or juice for a drink how many possible combinations can we make? The formula for solving this type of problem is multiplication. We multiply the sandwiches X sides X drinks to find out how many combinations.
We also continue to work on Geometry. Check out the math page to find games to help understand flips, slides and turns.
Writing:
Informational writing is our current focus. We worked together to find information on the butterfly, fill out a graphic organizer, and begin an information expository essay. This weekend the students can choose a topic and find information to bring in or they can choose from the many National Geographic Magazines that I have in the classroom. Students can also choose to use their stories from guided reading to find information for their essay as well. Students DO NOT have to research at home.
Science:
Our first science unit will be Earth Materials. We started the notebooking process with a small activity. The students predicted which color tooth pick would be the easiest to find in the grass and which would be the hardest to find. We will work with mock rocks for our first investigation to try to find out what rocks are made up of.
Social Studies:
Our first test will be on Friday October 1st. The test will be on the 7 continents, 4 major oceans, the equator, and prime meridian.
Other notes:
The Reading NECAP will be held on October 5, 6, and 7th. Math NECAP will be held the following week on October 12, 13 and 14th. Please make every effort to have your child here on time as they will not be allowed into the classroom once testing has begun. If they should miss any part of the test they will have to make it up on a make up day.
Hopefully it will feel like fall soon! Have a good week!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Week in a Peek for Sept 13-17th
It was great to meet so many of you on Monday at Open House.
Reading
We have been very busy getting use to our Reader Response Journals. What I have decided to do this year is send home the rubric after a Journal entry has been corrected. The rubrics for the first 2 journal entries will not grade vocabulary as we are easing into our new routine. I will write the rubric scores into the Reader Response Journals so we have a record in school and you have one for home. The main thing I want to focus on is supporting their responses with evidence from the text.
This we we finished the story Mandy Sue Day, and we read another story about Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher. We also used our morning work story, Hearing vs. Seeing, to help us make Text-to-Text connections.
Writing
We are finishing our All About Me writings. We are focusing on writing 3 paragraphs, each with a main idea and 4 details. Next week we will move on to research expository. The next writing unit will guide the students through the research process and ending with the students researching their own topic and completing their first 5 paragraph expository essay.
Math
We continued with Parallel, Intersecting, and Perpendicular lines, as well as naming polygons. The students will need to know these terms to help identify shapes. For example, what shape has 2 pairs of parallel sides? (square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid). This question can be taken a little further by adding: shape also has at least 2 acute angles.
Social Studies
We are continuing to learn the continents and oceans and their locations on the globe. A study guide will go home this week and we will have a test on Friday September 24th.
Other News:
The volunteer schedule is a work in progress!! If you sent in the weekly volunteer form look for an email from me soon. I am hoping to use parents to help read with students, do flashcards for math facts or vocabulary, for fluency practice, and of course the typical copying!! I am creating folders to help with all of these activities (which I may need some help creating!!!) but they are coming along! Thank you again to all who volunteered their time!!!!!
Dates to remember:
Reading
We have been very busy getting use to our Reader Response Journals. What I have decided to do this year is send home the rubric after a Journal entry has been corrected. The rubrics for the first 2 journal entries will not grade vocabulary as we are easing into our new routine. I will write the rubric scores into the Reader Response Journals so we have a record in school and you have one for home. The main thing I want to focus on is supporting their responses with evidence from the text.
This we we finished the story Mandy Sue Day, and we read another story about Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller's teacher. We also used our morning work story, Hearing vs. Seeing, to help us make Text-to-Text connections.
Writing
We are finishing our All About Me writings. We are focusing on writing 3 paragraphs, each with a main idea and 4 details. Next week we will move on to research expository. The next writing unit will guide the students through the research process and ending with the students researching their own topic and completing their first 5 paragraph expository essay.
Math
We continued with Parallel, Intersecting, and Perpendicular lines, as well as naming polygons. The students will need to know these terms to help identify shapes. For example, what shape has 2 pairs of parallel sides? (square, rectangle, rhombus, trapezoid). This question can be taken a little further by adding: shape also has at least 2 acute angles.
Social Studies
We are continuing to learn the continents and oceans and their locations on the globe. A study guide will go home this week and we will have a test on Friday September 24th.
Other News:
The volunteer schedule is a work in progress!! If you sent in the weekly volunteer form look for an email from me soon. I am hoping to use parents to help read with students, do flashcards for math facts or vocabulary, for fluency practice, and of course the typical copying!! I am creating folders to help with all of these activities (which I may need some help creating!!!) but they are coming along! Thank you again to all who volunteered their time!!!!!
Dates to remember:
- Friday September 24th is PTA "Make a Friend" Movie Night - Look for information from the PTA - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED. LOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE NEW DATE!
- Math masters celebrations will begin soon. Our first Math Master's celebration will be on October 21st. Invitations will be sent home as your child passes each level!
- Nickelodeon's 7th Annual Worldwide Day of Play is on September 25th. Log on to www.planetexplore.com to find outdoor events in our area.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Week in a Peek for Sept 6-10th
The children are beginning to learn the routine of the room!
Reading:
We began working in our Reader Response Journals this week. Our first Comprehension strategy that we will focus on is connections. We look for "WOW" moments during reading that make us think of text to text (T-T) connections, text to self (T-S), or text to world (T-W) connections. Ask your child to describe each type of connection. We read Mandy Sue Day by Roberta Karim from our Signatures book aloud and in partners. Our read aloud book is Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar and we've read I Hate English by Ellen Levine. Some connections we discovered as we read I Hate English was that even though there are things we hate to do, they still need to be done. We also realized that the reason why Mei Mei hated English was because she was afraid she would forget where she came from.
Math:
We completed our Geometry dictionary and I've posted a copy under the math section on my web page. The students were also given a quick assessment to see how well they remembered the terms. Many did very well. I will post some helpful websites on the website which will reinforce topics taught in class. Math Masters is set to begin next week. All students will begin at addition and work their way up! I've included a Math log in the homework folder this week. You may have your child practice addition facts to help with Math Masters.
Writing:
Our All About Me bags have been helpful in generating ideas for our 1st essay. We will focus on Main Ideas and details in this first essay! We discussed how our main ideas and details need to match.
Social Studies:
We are continuing with our globe and map skills. This week we've discussed hemispheres, equator, prime meridian, and the 7 continents. I will send home a study guide before we take our 1st test in a few weeks.
Reminders:
Mrs. Kiernan
Our books this week:
Reading:
We began working in our Reader Response Journals this week. Our first Comprehension strategy that we will focus on is connections. We look for "WOW" moments during reading that make us think of text to text (T-T) connections, text to self (T-S), or text to world (T-W) connections. Ask your child to describe each type of connection. We read Mandy Sue Day by Roberta Karim from our Signatures book aloud and in partners. Our read aloud book is Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar and we've read I Hate English by Ellen Levine. Some connections we discovered as we read I Hate English was that even though there are things we hate to do, they still need to be done. We also realized that the reason why Mei Mei hated English was because she was afraid she would forget where she came from.
Math:
We completed our Geometry dictionary and I've posted a copy under the math section on my web page. The students were also given a quick assessment to see how well they remembered the terms. Many did very well. I will post some helpful websites on the website which will reinforce topics taught in class. Math Masters is set to begin next week. All students will begin at addition and work their way up! I've included a Math log in the homework folder this week. You may have your child practice addition facts to help with Math Masters.
Writing:
Our All About Me bags have been helpful in generating ideas for our 1st essay. We will focus on Main Ideas and details in this first essay! We discussed how our main ideas and details need to match.
Social Studies:
We are continuing with our globe and map skills. This week we've discussed hemispheres, equator, prime meridian, and the 7 continents. I will send home a study guide before we take our 1st test in a few weeks.
Reminders:
- Open house is on Monday September 13th. I look forward to meeting you all then! There will be 3 - 20 minute sessions. We are also offering a PBIS information session for those parents interested in learning more about PBIS at Washington Oak.
- There is no school on Tuesday September 14th for Primary Day
- Picture Re-takes are scheduled for October 5th.
- NECAP will take place in October, look for more information to come.
Mrs. Kiernan
Our books this week:
Friday, September 3, 2010
Great 1st Week of School!
We had a wonderful week getting to know each other. The class worked very hard on our pre-assessments and are gearing up to get in the grove of things next week! Here is a quick peek into our week:
Reading:
We created our Discussion Guidelines for Literature Circles and group work. We role played how NOT to have a reading discussion and will be working on how to discuss books as the weeks go on.
Math:
Our Unit 1 Pretest and our Problem Solvers have been completed. The students understand that the purpose of our pretests are so we can create flexible groups and know where they need to begin and what we already know!
Writing:
We are in the process of completing our writing assessment. Our focus in writing will be on expository essays. The students will learn how to create lead and thesis statements and create conclusions to wrap up their essays. The pre-assessment will give us a very good starting point!
Social Studies:
Some vocabulary words that we are learning are Geography, Erosion, Region, Natural Resources. Globes will also be a large part of our discussions in the coming weeks. Look for information on our Pumpkin Globe Project in October! Lots of volunteers will be needed as it is a very fun and messy activity!
Science:
Our science kits have arrived! Our first science kit will be Earth Materials!
Reminders:
I have truly enjoyed getting to know your children! I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend and hopefully we will not have a visit from Earl!!!!!
Mrs. Kiernan
Reading:
We created our Discussion Guidelines for Literature Circles and group work. We role played how NOT to have a reading discussion and will be working on how to discuss books as the weeks go on.
Math:
Our Unit 1 Pretest and our Problem Solvers have been completed. The students understand that the purpose of our pretests are so we can create flexible groups and know where they need to begin and what we already know!
Writing:
We are in the process of completing our writing assessment. Our focus in writing will be on expository essays. The students will learn how to create lead and thesis statements and create conclusions to wrap up their essays. The pre-assessment will give us a very good starting point!
Social Studies:
Some vocabulary words that we are learning are Geography, Erosion, Region, Natural Resources. Globes will also be a large part of our discussions in the coming weeks. Look for information on our Pumpkin Globe Project in October! Lots of volunteers will be needed as it is a very fun and messy activity!
Science:
Our science kits have arrived! Our first science kit will be Earth Materials!
Reminders:
- Tuesday is picture day! Envelopes went home Wednesday!
- Open House is Monday September 13 from 6-7:30
- Our classroom has the good fortune of receiving sun all day long, during the winter months this is an added benefit, however, on very warm days it gets very warm. Please pack a water bottle with your child to keep them hydrated!
- Homework will go home Tuesday and will come back on Friday!
- Dates to remember in September
- 9-7 ~ Picture Day
- 9-13 ~ Open House
- 9-14 ~ Primary Day no school
- Please remember to send in the signature forms and the emergency cards. The signature forms let me know who has read over my policies and who has yet to do. Emergency Cards are needed back in the office and nurse's office incase you need to be contacted.
I have truly enjoyed getting to know your children! I hope everyone has a wonderful Labor Day weekend and hopefully we will not have a visit from Earl!!!!!
Mrs. Kiernan
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