10 December 2010-3 January 2011
Last Post Until the New Year!!
The upcoming Winter Break is a great time for your student to complete on line homework and read books, then write an entry in their Reader's Response Log for each book read. I will be sending extra books home for over the holiday, so enjoy! Please use the RAZ-kids Reading & IXL Math, especially!
THERE IS NO SPELLING TEST NEXT WEEK (14-17 December)
Remember to wear P.E. shoes on these dates:
17 December: Friday
DoDDS updates:
- An in-service day will be held for teachers on Monday, Dec. 13. There is no school for students.
- Winter break is Dec. 20-31 First Day of School for the new year is 3 January 2011
- A teacher in-service day is Jan. 10. There is no school for students.
- Student/Teacher safety is a priority for the DoDDS faculty. Parents and/or guardians are advised to use designated student drop-off zones when dropping off or picking up children from school rather than the bus parking lot. For more information, call the bus office at DSN 632-5100.
AOCSC hosts Christmas Cottage for children Dec. 15-16
The Aviano Officer and Civilian Spouses Club hosts a Christmas Cottage project for Aviano Air Base children. Children may visit the Christmas Cottage – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
-Dec. 15 if their last name begins with letters A through M.
-Dec. 16 if it begins with letters N through Z.
For a small donation, the project will allow children to choose from a selection of gifts to be gift wrapped and given to their parents.
Remember to wear P.E. shoes on these dates:
17 December: Friday
We welcome Manuel K. to our class! He's come from Mississippi to join us!
We also welcome back Isha K. and Kaliyah W. to school after travelling to see families abroad! We're back to 18 students and possibly growing even bigger as time passes on.
A Winter Weather Greeting to you this week! I was happy to see the students arrive ready for the weather and elements this morning. We're placing umbrellas and boots out in the hallway nearest our classroom, and all other coverings including hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, etc. in our backpacks. The new dismissal rule: If you're not bundled up like you came, you can't leave the building. We'll try to keep them healthy for the upcoming Winter Break.
Keep the water bottles coming, though. We still need to be hydrated to be healthy. Please make certain you call the office when your child is not attending school. It makes our Secretary's life a lot easier. You're also welcome to write me @ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu.
We're working our way through our Unit 2.4 Story LIFE IN THE FOREST. The following skills are covered in this selection for the week:
Genre: Expository Non-Fiction
Comprehension Skill: Author's Purpose
Comprehension Strategy: Preview
Study Skill: Use alphabetical Order
Spelling/Phonics: Long u & e; CVD-silent e and the word ending --ed
Language/Vocabulary: multi-meaning words
Grammar: One and More Than One
Writing: Report
After Winter Break, we'll complete the unit with the last story: Honeybees, also an Expository Non-Fiction selection.
After that, we'll take our 2nd benchmark test. This is a comprehensive assessment with all the skills taught in the 2nd Unit (6 selections). The students have been quite successful with the on-line tests, a few are learning to read ALL the available answer choices before selecting the correct answer. This is an important skill that includes monitoring what you're reading. This Benchmark/End of Unit test in January will also include another writing sample, which will be scored using a rubric to find out if they are retaining and using their Grammar, Usage of the English Language, and the use of Mechanics including punctuation, verb tense, capitalization and sentence structure skills. They will be asked to write about something new they have done this year and describe how it made them feel. I will use a four-point scaled rubric to score these writing samples. When you have your child write in their Reader's Response log, you could help them improve their writing at home by reading along with them to check what they've written and see if their sentences are soundly formed, and correct conventions of writing are used. Thank you for your help.
I will also be assessing their fluency (rate of reading)for the 1st time. This will be a fresh passage (at their level of reading) and will be timed for 1 minute. Their rate of reading will be scored as follows:
total # of words read minus the # of errors, which gives us their number of words read correctly per minute (WCPM). We are looking to have individual students score in the 25 to 35 words per minute for this first measure. Later in the year, students will be expected to increase their rate of reading to 35-45 words per minute and later in the year, 45- 60 words per minute; & End of Year expectations: 60 words per minute.
This is an important consideration, as rate of reading helps to increase their comprehension in longer text. Accuracy and rate of reading work together for readers to be successful in the content areas, that are so very important in the later elementary years.
Math practice in addition and subtraction facts has also picked up momentum in this, the 2nd quarter. We'll be taking some chapter tests and a Unit test before the winter break, so keep on practicing the IXL skills of addition and subtraction from now until the end of January.
Please be aware of our First Grade Musical Program coming to you on:
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Presenting: The Little Bell That Could Not Ring
Where: Aviano Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room (Stage)
2 presentations:
-During school hours: 1:30 p.m.
Please have your child wear any holiday apparel that they may have to school on this day -Thank you!
-After School Hours: 6:00 p.m.
This performance is a little more formal, so if you have a 'dressier' selection for your child, go ahead and 'put on the Ritz' a little.
We're looking forward to their performances and hope to see the families all there to enjoy the show(s)
Please continue to visit the classroom blog and homework links provided to your child. So many students are NOT using this opportunity to widen and strengthen their academic efforts.
Thank you for your support.
Mrs. Petty
