10-16 January 2010
How does your child 'say' the new year's number? Two-thousand ten, or twenty-ten? We held a discussion on Monday and decided they're both right, so ask them tomorrow evening which they prefer, then mark their answer on the weekly survey on this post!
A busy week and very productive in improving and practicing the Writing Process.
Here are the four steps we practice:
1. Pre-write: setting the topic, determining what we know about it.
2. Brainstorm vocabulary and words that might be used, list them for reference.
3. Rough draft: Compose a main idea sentence, and connect it to other details on topic.
4. Self-edit (re-reading each sentence that's written), and final check with Mrs. Petty
5. Publish: Final copy with all corrections in place.
6. Re-read and post for others to enjoy!
I'm pleased with their efforts on the self-edit step. After each sentence is read they check for: 1. capital letter at beginning of sentence, 2. Reading the entire sentence monitoring their print and correct any missed or incorrect words, 3. Fix up the parts needing corrections, and, 4. Write another sentence on topic.
Our work is posted in the hallway, along with other fun activities on the theme: "What do you do in the Wintertime?"
GREAT NEWS: IXL Math now has audio support!!! This will make it so much easier for your child to complete math assignments. Even though the voice is computer-aided, it still reads the question orally, and can be repeated as many times as needed by each student. Please begin to use the web-site more often. We're adding a chart of how many medals students have earned as they use the program and will post it in the classroom for all to see.
Assessment for 2nd quarter benchmarks has begun and is going slow. I'm proud to announce that most students have acquired more mastery over the list of 100 sights words, and have increased the level of reading over the past 6 weeks. I ask that you monitor your child's reading of the list and word cards you've made. This is helping with fluent reading and improved comprehension. The "SEE-IT/SAY-IT" rule is in place with these words. For those with evidence of mastery there will be a new Sight Words activity for use at home. Please look for this in their reading bag. I have also begun to send home different books for reading at home. Reading Response Logs and Reading Logs will be sent home Monday for homework. Look for directions inside the front cover. Thank you so much.
Next Monday, we will enjoy a day off of school to commemorate Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday. We will encourage and discuss peaceful ways of solving problems, and practice acts of kindness throughout the rest of the month to show our understanding of Dr. King's principles and beliefs he stooed for.
Enjoy the links for the week!
Mrs. Petty
