7-13 February 2010
Welcome to our new week. Report cards were sent home to those students who were present at school on Thursday. If you have any questions about anything, I'm always available to speak with you. I look forward to the selected conferences on Monday, 8 February. I hope to remain on schedule, so as not to inconvenience anyone.
I was pleased as some of the student's 100 Days Bottle Project were delivered to school this past week. We're all excited about the "GRAND OPENING" scheduled for a few bottles each day this coming week. From Tuesday-Friday, we'll open 4 bottles a day and guess the contents based on the bottle clues. Thank you, once again, for making it possible to have these fun learning activities made at home. Bottle Projects are due NLT Tuesday, 9 February, at 8 a.m. in the morning.
Here's our schedule:
8 Feb.-Monday: Scheduled (selected) conferences No School for Students
9 Feb.-Tuesday: 100th Day Bottle Project Due-8 a.m.
11 Feb.-Thursday: 100th day of School Activities: 8:45-10:30 AES Gym-Parent Volunteers Welcome!
12 Feb.-Friday: Valentine Exchange: 16 Valentines in Ziploc by a.m.& Spelling Test
15 Feb.-Monday-NO School: President's Day observed
19 Feb.-Pizzeria Study Trip: PLEASE send in Permission and 7 Euro
Keep on reading books and writing in the reader's response journal in the reading bag. Most students are now taking a quiz on the book(s) they read daily. I'm very pleased with this and it shows their independence when reading and understanding the books. Some students are working on the rate of reading (fluency) and phrasing (how it sounds) so that they show understanding, also. They are also selecting books they are interested in, at their level of instruction, or easier books, if they choose. We'll begin the reading of student books to other students soon. Reading to yourself as one choice, and reading to another student(1 on 1) as another choice to encourage this work of fluency and phrasing. As your child reads outloud to you, please encourage these two skills: fluency and phrasing.
We've also worked on mental math strategies in addition to 20 this week. We improved on COUNTING ON when add 1, 2, and/or 3 to a larger number-and doing this in our head; and, we've worked on doubles (1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4,5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8, 9+9, & 10+10. Try it at home at the dinner table. They've had a lot of fun racing and earning points for their 'team' with these two strategies. We'll begin working on subtraction strategies this next week.
I'm still concerned about writing composition. Try having your student think of a sentence about their day. When they say the sentence, ask them how they could add more information to the sentence (adjectives, adverbs, and/or details. After they write their sentence down, ask them if their sentence has what it needs: capital(s), spaces between words, & punctuation. Their spelling should be invented, except where the sight words they've practiced on their various 16 previous spelling lists. Those should be accurate. Many of them are still working on their sight words and the correct spelling of them.
We're full throttle in behavioral expectations, work production, listening and following directions, and working toward 2nd grade expectations in social skills and academic/behavioral performances. I'll be watching for responsible students who fluidly work through their day by completing their work, choosing appropriate activities from the many offered in the room at 'centers', wise use of time, and neat, accurate work with a positive attitude.
Thank you for all your support! ............and Happy Valentines'Day on Sunday, 14 February!
Mrs. Petty
