Season's Greeting and all that Jazz!

What a busy month!  I can't believe that we only have 1 week left until winter break.  Students have been busy with the following concepts along with a little fun!
Math:  We have been practicing addition and subtraction stories.  We got to use a great app on the IPads called "Educreations" to make our own addition or subtraction stories.  Each student got to record them and share with the class.  Click on the links below to see a few of the math superstars in our room.

Colton's subtraction story

               

Emma's subtraction story

                  

Cullen's addition story

                  
This week we have also been talking about teen numbers.  For example, 11 is really 10+1.  12 is 10+2 and so on.  Our focus has also been focusing on five groups for numbers less than 10.  For example 6 is 5+1, 7 is 5+2 and so on.  Students sometimes have a difficult time with switching their thinking so practicing these skills at home is crucial.  Students have a homework page for math this weekend that is working with 5-groups.  Please complete it and return!

Reading:  Students are really taking off with their take home reading.  If you have not been reading, please try to incorporate this into your evening routine.  We have now introduced the following new star words-he, she, we, me, on.  We talked a little about the "Power of E" went it stands alone at the end of a word.  We also focused on gingerbread stories and story elements.  We discussed the beginning, middle, and end of these stories.  Ask your child to tell you about one of them.

 

 

Writing-We have been sound spelling like crazy!  Our journals are now looking more complete with an attempt at sentences.  These will be sent home next week so you can see the progression.  Students are also busy making cards for friends and family in the "Holiday Hallmark House".  Maybe you will be lucky enough to receive one.

 

Next week we will enjoy more gingerbread stories, Winter Wonderland in gym (hopefully), and BINGO.

Take Home Reading

TOMORROW your child will begin the Take Home Reading Program.  Students are very excited about "star words" and blending sounds together to read words.  Students will be bringing a baggie with a bookfrom our Get Ready series, Scholastic Sight Word Readers, and/or Harcourt Leveled Readers.  Your child will be able to recognize many of the words, but if he/she does not know the word simply tell it to him or her.  I have listed some tips.

Please have your child do the following when the book comes home:
1.  Read it at least 3 times!
2.  Make sure he/she is pointing to the words.
     If the sentence is "The big dog is brown", but your child read "The dog is brown." ask them to    
     count how many words are in the sentence.  Ask them to read it again.  Tell them to look at the
     beginning letter for the sound b not d.  What word could it be?
3.  Have your child read every night and return the book once they have mastered the text.  Then I 
     will exchange the book after I listen to them read.  :)

I will also be sending home a December homework calendar and reading record sheet.  Please take a look in your child's folder!

Give Thanks

Last Wednesday we completed a bunch of activities with TURKEYS for Thanksgiving. We read The Most Thankful Thing and wrote what we were thankful for to make a turkey.

In math, we read Hide and Seek Turkeys and practiced adding one more.  We played a partner game.

 

 

In reading, we were "thankful for reading" star words!

 

Turkey Disguises

Our turkey disguises turned out great!  We have some very creative families.  Thanks for all your hard work.  Here are a few of my favorites:

WOW, What a week!

We have been extremely busy this week!  Monday we celebrated Veteran's Day by reading Pepper's Purple Heart and making a marble painting project.  We say a BIG THANK YOU to all that have served our country!

In math, we reviewed numbers to 10, shapes including paralellogram, hexagon, and trapezoid, and addition and subtraction stories.

In reading we learned about the letters Bb and Tt.  We blended words with the -ot family.  For reading comprehension we learned about asking QUESTIONS.  We read a few great books.

Ask the students to sing their "I Wonder" song for you.  I encourage you to read with your child and ask questions.  See if you child can recognize the question word-Who, What, When, Where, Why???

 

We continued talking about friendship and how to be a good friend.  We also talked about how to solve problems.  We talked about small vs. BIG problems.  Small problems are ones kids can tackle on their own.  They can STOP, THINK, and FIX IT.  Examples of small problems are a missing glue stick, marker, broken pencil, papercut on my finger, completed work.  Big problems are ones where kids need help from an adult.  They need to STOP, TALK IT OUT, and FIX IT.  Examples of big problems are bullying, hurting, teasing, etc.

Introducing Reid Gunderson and Anna Hickey.  They are SCSU students in their first practicum experience.  They have been helping every afternoon.  They will be here through November.

HAPPY 50th Day

We had a great 50th Day of school!  The kids said I was "freaking them out" a bit this morning as I was dressed differently and was dancing to some strange music.  They caught on once I said it was the 50th day and this was how girls dressed in the 1950's.  We completed a comparison between the 1950's and TODAY.  We played "Race to 50" in math.  We got to have an extra special snack-rootbeer floats!  It is what kids had in the '50's.  See some fun pictures below!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everybody needs FRIENDS!

This week we have been learning about feelings. We read The Way I Feel and practiced reading friends body language.  Practice playing feelings charades at home using the faces given below.

We also reviewed good manners on the playground, school bus, lunchroom, and classroom.  We talked about how friends are alike and different.  We interviewed a friend by answering some simple questions. 

In math, we practiced telling and solving addition and subtraction stories.  We went to the computer lab and played an addition and probability game.  We also reviewed numbers 1-10 and patterns.

Carnival stories with addition

Probability game



In reading, we learned the vowel Ee.  We practiced syllables or word parts.  We also learned new star words-can, is.

Remember to "Disguise Your Turkey" over the weekend!  They are due on Monday.  Another family project will be coming home next week.  :)