WRITING
We will put our skills to the test and use our persuasive language to write a book, movie and restaurant review this week! Students will see what a video review is made up of and how to organize it. Many examples of books, movies and restaurants they are familiar with will be presented in class. They will have the choice of what type of review (book, movie or restaurant) to write and select the platform (likes or dislikes) they will use to persuade their audience to believe what they believe.
READING
We will discuss the importance of fact and opinion in media. Students will have the opportunity to listen and watch certain media outlets and identify fact from opinion. Later in the week, we will compare media literacy and traditional literacy. The highlight of the week will be when our class emails a company to let them know what we think of their product using facts and opinions.
SPELLING
We will study the long 'u' sound (u_e, ue). Spelling words will be sent home on Monday and we will test on Friday.
MATH
Thank you so much for all the donated candy for our party and problem solving stations! It was a hit!
This week, we will continue working on our addition and subtraction regrouping. We introduced two step problem solving and will take a little more time going over this process before we test. Along with that, we are working hard on identifying whether a word problem is telling us to add or subtract by highlighting the key words and visualizing the problem happening. The review will be this Thursday and we will assess on Friday.
SOCIAL STUDIES
We will be revisiting natural resources and weather patterns this week in discussing natural hazards and settlement patterns. The class will discover why the locations of big cities are picked and why the environments and neighborhoods around the city, state, country and world are not all the same.
REMINDERS
Don't forget to send your box tops!!!
Library is Tuesday
February 20th - No School (President's Day)
February 28th - Spirit Night Out at Catfish Parlour
March 3rd- Family Dinner Night
March 6th - Kindergarten Round Up
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Feb. 13-17
WRITING
Parents beware! We are learning the art of persuasion this week! The focus will be on persuasive statements and how to use them. In our writing we will practice stating our opinions and giving reasons and examples to make our statements more appealing. Let me know if your child tries any new persuasive tricks this week:)
READING
To go along with our persuasive statements, we will study the purpose of media and the many different types there are. Through diagrams and video clips we will observe the sound, color, image and purpose of media and record how each of these things influences a message.
SPELLING
We will continue the study of the long 'o' sound (ough, ow). Spelling words will be sent home on Monday and we will test on Friday.
MATH
To get in the Valentine spirit, we are having special problem solving, team building stations. If you would like to donate any items (large bags of M&Ms, Hershey kisses or snack size candy bars), please let me know!
We are combining our knowledge of addition and subtraction regrouping this week. As we review, we will continue to practice identifying key words to tell the difference between addition and subtraction. We will review with Jeopardy on Thursday and assess on Friday.
You can practice the 1-18 +/- facts with your children for quicker recall times.
SOCIAL STUDIES
We are studying the timeline this week and building on our knowledge of the past, present and future. The class will create their own timeline of many things: school, themselves, interview each other, and take notes on video and book sources of historical figures. We will extend our learning and brainstorm what we want to be in the future and also what school will be like in the future.
REMINDERS
Don't forget to send your box tops!!!
Library is Tuesday
February 14th- Class Valentine's Day party at 1:45 (all parents are invited!)
February 20th - No School (President's Day)
February 28th - Spirit Night Out at Catfish Parlour
March 3rd- Family Dinner Night
Parents beware! We are learning the art of persuasion this week! The focus will be on persuasive statements and how to use them. In our writing we will practice stating our opinions and giving reasons and examples to make our statements more appealing. Let me know if your child tries any new persuasive tricks this week:)
READING
To go along with our persuasive statements, we will study the purpose of media and the many different types there are. Through diagrams and video clips we will observe the sound, color, image and purpose of media and record how each of these things influences a message.
SPELLING
We will continue the study of the long 'o' sound (ough, ow). Spelling words will be sent home on Monday and we will test on Friday.
MATH
To get in the Valentine spirit, we are having special problem solving, team building stations. If you would like to donate any items (large bags of M&Ms, Hershey kisses or snack size candy bars), please let me know!
We are combining our knowledge of addition and subtraction regrouping this week. As we review, we will continue to practice identifying key words to tell the difference between addition and subtraction. We will review with Jeopardy on Thursday and assess on Friday.
You can practice the 1-18 +/- facts with your children for quicker recall times.
SOCIAL STUDIES
We are studying the timeline this week and building on our knowledge of the past, present and future. The class will create their own timeline of many things: school, themselves, interview each other, and take notes on video and book sources of historical figures. We will extend our learning and brainstorm what we want to be in the future and also what school will be like in the future.
REMINDERS
Don't forget to send your box tops!!!
Library is Tuesday
February 14th- Class Valentine's Day party at 1:45 (all parents are invited!)
February 20th - No School (President's Day)
February 28th - Spirit Night Out at Catfish Parlour
March 3rd- Family Dinner Night
Friday, February 3, 2012
Feb. 6-10
Writing:
This week we focused on writing a legend of our own and next week we are going to review different types of writing we've learned this year by using the theme of Valentine's Day. We will be writing poetry, "all-about" stories, procedural text (a recipe), and letters.
Reading:
We are working on folktales and legends this week. We will read various stories and then comprehend what they are about including the character's words, thoughts, actions and traits. We are getting really good at understanding this genre. Please help your child to remember to write their reading minutes down each night.
Spelling:
This week we will work on long O sounds (-o_e, oe, oa). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
Math:
We will work on 2-digit subtraction with regrouping (borrowing/carrying) this week. We will use our ones and tens blocks and several games to practice the strategies involved with this skill. Continue to practice at home as well.
Science:
Clouds and shadows are going to be the topic this week. We will discover different types of clouds and learn how shadows appear. At the end of the week we will get to research either the moon, sun, moon phases, meteors/asteroids with a group and present our information to the class.
Reminders:
Send your box tops!!!
February 8th- Spirit Night at Mimi's Cafe
February 9th- Valentine's Day boxes due
February 14th- Class Valentine's Day party at 1:45 (everyone is welcome!)
This week we focused on writing a legend of our own and next week we are going to review different types of writing we've learned this year by using the theme of Valentine's Day. We will be writing poetry, "all-about" stories, procedural text (a recipe), and letters.
Reading:
We are working on folktales and legends this week. We will read various stories and then comprehend what they are about including the character's words, thoughts, actions and traits. We are getting really good at understanding this genre. Please help your child to remember to write their reading minutes down each night.
Spelling:
This week we will work on long O sounds (-o_e, oe, oa). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
Math:
We will work on 2-digit subtraction with regrouping (borrowing/carrying) this week. We will use our ones and tens blocks and several games to practice the strategies involved with this skill. Continue to practice at home as well.
Science:
Clouds and shadows are going to be the topic this week. We will discover different types of clouds and learn how shadows appear. At the end of the week we will get to research either the moon, sun, moon phases, meteors/asteroids with a group and present our information to the class.
Reminders:
Send your box tops!!!
February 8th- Spirit Night at Mimi's Cafe
February 9th- Valentine's Day boxes due
February 14th- Class Valentine's Day party at 1:45 (everyone is welcome!)
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Jan. 30 - Feb. 3
WRITING
Our outlaws are running wild, hopefully to be caught soon. Come by and see their wanted posters on the bulletin board!
Last week, we learned in reading about myths, legends and folktales and how to find the theme in the story. This week, we will create our own legend how of something came to be. Students will pick their topic (i.e. how a leopard got his spots, how an elephants trunk became so long, how a mountain became the shape of a triangle, why a rainbow doesn't have brown, etc), then create ways their legend can happen. This is one of my favorite writing projects because the class comes up with ways a legend could happen that I never thought of!
READING
We are focusing on folktales this week. A folktale is story or legend handed down from generation to generation usually by oral retelling (starts as an oral story, not a written story) and does not include the element of magic. We will discuss the origin of the story and the cultural values and themes that the story carries in it.
SPELLING
This week we will work on sounds of Y (y as 'i'-try and y as 'e'-bunny). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
Our fractions unit is over and we are turning back to addition and subtraction. We will quickly review our fast facts and focus on 2 digit plus 2 digit and introducing regrouping. We will continue to focus on adding from the ones column first, then the tens column and word problem strategies (cross out the junk, circle important numbers, underline the questions).
SCIENCE
We will review and test on the water cycle the first two days. On Wednesday, we will introduce the night sky and aspects of the moon (What is it? Where is it? Why is it always changing shape? Why is it always moving?). At the end of the week, we will make our own moons using tasty materials:)
REMINDERS
Jan. 31 - Science Fair
Feb. 1 - Early Release
Feb. 4 - Celebration of Families, RRISD 9am-2pm
Feb. 8 - Spirit Night out at Mimi's Cafe
Feb. 9 - Valentine Boxes due
Feb. 14 - Valentine's Party
Our outlaws are running wild, hopefully to be caught soon. Come by and see their wanted posters on the bulletin board!
Last week, we learned in reading about myths, legends and folktales and how to find the theme in the story. This week, we will create our own legend how of something came to be. Students will pick their topic (i.e. how a leopard got his spots, how an elephants trunk became so long, how a mountain became the shape of a triangle, why a rainbow doesn't have brown, etc), then create ways their legend can happen. This is one of my favorite writing projects because the class comes up with ways a legend could happen that I never thought of!
READING
We are focusing on folktales this week. A folktale is story or legend handed down from generation to generation usually by oral retelling (starts as an oral story, not a written story) and does not include the element of magic. We will discuss the origin of the story and the cultural values and themes that the story carries in it.
SPELLING
This week we will work on sounds of Y (y as 'i'-try and y as 'e'-bunny). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
Our fractions unit is over and we are turning back to addition and subtraction. We will quickly review our fast facts and focus on 2 digit plus 2 digit and introducing regrouping. We will continue to focus on adding from the ones column first, then the tens column and word problem strategies (cross out the junk, circle important numbers, underline the questions).
SCIENCE
We will review and test on the water cycle the first two days. On Wednesday, we will introduce the night sky and aspects of the moon (What is it? Where is it? Why is it always changing shape? Why is it always moving?). At the end of the week, we will make our own moons using tasty materials:)
REMINDERS
Jan. 31 - Science Fair
Feb. 1 - Early Release
Feb. 4 - Celebration of Families, RRISD 9am-2pm
Feb. 8 - Spirit Night out at Mimi's Cafe
Feb. 9 - Valentine Boxes due
Feb. 14 - Valentine's Party
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Jan. 23-27
WRITING
We are going wild in writing! The Wild West that is! The students will find their 'inner outlaw' create a story that goes with their character along with writing a wanted poster. Their story will include their outlaw name, crimes, setting, problem they face and what happens when they are captured.
Our main focus will be creating a beginning, middle and end that flows and is easy to understand. We will post the stories at the end of the week.
READING
We are starting a new unit filled with folktales, myths and legends. The vocabulary words of theme and morals will be introduced and the students will see each day what makes these three types of stories unique. This theme will carry over into our reading groups as well.
SPELLING
This week we will work on long I vowel patterns (-i_e, ie, igh, ind). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
Our fractions unit will come to a close as we review the difference between unequal and equal parts, numerators and denominators, how to read fraction drawings and solve fraction word problems. We will review on Thursday and test of Friday.
SCIENCE
We are moving from weather to the water cycle. The class will dive in to the vocabulary of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. We will make rain makers, water wheels and follow the drops to explore the properties of water and just how much there is on Earth.
THANK YOU!
Thank you for the donations of the Ziploc bags and treasure chest items!
REMINDERS
Start saving your SHOE BOXES for a fun February activity...more to come later:)
Science Fair- Jan. 31
Early Release - Feb. 1
Celebration of Families, RRISD 9am-2pm - Feb. 4
We are going wild in writing! The Wild West that is! The students will find their 'inner outlaw' create a story that goes with their character along with writing a wanted poster. Their story will include their outlaw name, crimes, setting, problem they face and what happens when they are captured.
Our main focus will be creating a beginning, middle and end that flows and is easy to understand. We will post the stories at the end of the week.
READING
We are starting a new unit filled with folktales, myths and legends. The vocabulary words of theme and morals will be introduced and the students will see each day what makes these three types of stories unique. This theme will carry over into our reading groups as well.
SPELLING
This week we will work on long I vowel patterns (-i_e, ie, igh, ind). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
Our fractions unit will come to a close as we review the difference between unequal and equal parts, numerators and denominators, how to read fraction drawings and solve fraction word problems. We will review on Thursday and test of Friday.
SCIENCE
We are moving from weather to the water cycle. The class will dive in to the vocabulary of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. We will make rain makers, water wheels and follow the drops to explore the properties of water and just how much there is on Earth.
THANK YOU!
Thank you for the donations of the Ziploc bags and treasure chest items!
REMINDERS
Start saving your SHOE BOXES for a fun February activity...more to come later:)
Science Fair- Jan. 31
Early Release - Feb. 1
Celebration of Families, RRISD 9am-2pm - Feb. 4
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Jan. 16-20
IN HONOR OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., THERE IS NO SCHOOL ON JANUARY 16TH.
WRITING
We are showing off our poetry skills! This week, we are making poetry books to display our alliteration, rhyming, acrostic and concrete poems. With our knowledge of understanding poetry, we will use our sensory language to "Show and Not Tell" what we are thinking, seeing or feeling in our writing.
The students have the opportunity to share and show off their completed piece throughout the week.
READING
Our focus in reading this week will be in understanding the poem. The strategies we will cover are:
Preview the poem and read it aloud
Visualize the images of what is written
Clarify the words or phrases
Think about the author's heart and message
We will practice these steps with numerous poems throughout the week and give the students opportunities to show their comprehension with an independent assignment at the end of the week
SPELLING
This week we will work on long E vowel patterns (-e_e, ea, ey, ee, -i). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
We are continuing our work on fractions this week. Our fraction fun will involve making caterpillars and fruit salad, a skittle activity and bingo. Our goal is to reinforce the teachings from last week about the numerator and denominator, equal parts and problem solving skills.
SCIENCE
We are starting our unit on weather, climate and seasons. With the crazy weather in Texas, we will explore what is a normal temperature to have during the four seasons and in different climates.
We will carry over our math skills of reading a thermometer, into science. The class will go outside, see what a thermometer is made of and what makes it move up and down (we will be using mercury thermometers, not digital).
The students will get a chance to write their own weather report for a specific region, with a distinct climate. They will experience what it is like to give a weather report, like the forecasters do on the news!
DONATIONS
We need snack size skittle packets and sandwich size ziploc bags for our fraction activities this week! Please let me know if you are able to donate to the class. Thanks for your help!
REMINDERS
Science Fair registration forms- Due Jan. 17th
Holiday (MLK Jr. day)- Jan. 16th
Science Fair- Jan. 31st
WRITING
We are showing off our poetry skills! This week, we are making poetry books to display our alliteration, rhyming, acrostic and concrete poems. With our knowledge of understanding poetry, we will use our sensory language to "Show and Not Tell" what we are thinking, seeing or feeling in our writing.
The students have the opportunity to share and show off their completed piece throughout the week.
READING
Our focus in reading this week will be in understanding the poem. The strategies we will cover are:
Preview the poem and read it aloud
Visualize the images of what is written
Clarify the words or phrases
Think about the author's heart and message
We will practice these steps with numerous poems throughout the week and give the students opportunities to show their comprehension with an independent assignment at the end of the week
SPELLING
This week we will work on long E vowel patterns (-e_e, ea, ey, ee, -i). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
We are continuing our work on fractions this week. Our fraction fun will involve making caterpillars and fruit salad, a skittle activity and bingo. Our goal is to reinforce the teachings from last week about the numerator and denominator, equal parts and problem solving skills.
SCIENCE
We are starting our unit on weather, climate and seasons. With the crazy weather in Texas, we will explore what is a normal temperature to have during the four seasons and in different climates.
We will carry over our math skills of reading a thermometer, into science. The class will go outside, see what a thermometer is made of and what makes it move up and down (we will be using mercury thermometers, not digital).
The students will get a chance to write their own weather report for a specific region, with a distinct climate. They will experience what it is like to give a weather report, like the forecasters do on the news!
DONATIONS
We need snack size skittle packets and sandwich size ziploc bags for our fraction activities this week! Please let me know if you are able to donate to the class. Thanks for your help!
REMINDERS
Science Fair registration forms- Due Jan. 17th
Holiday (MLK Jr. day)- Jan. 16th
Science Fair- Jan. 31st
Friday, January 6, 2012
Jan. 9-13
WRITING
We are continuing to work on poetry this week. We are going to be putting powerful thoughts into tiny packages. We’ll discuss how poems have ingredients like a recipe: one is precise words and another is music. Using expression with a poetry voice will be another focus for the week. We’ll practice “trying on” different voices while reading poems to see how expression makes us feel when we hear them. We’ll write poems using our feelings and share them with our classmates. I can’t wait to see what wonderful poems our class writes.
READING
Our focus in reading this week will be on repetition in poetry. Students will read a variety of poems aloud for fluency.
We’ll discuss the following types of repetition poems:
End Rhyme Repetition: the repetition of the ending sounds in two or more lines,
Alliteration Repetition: the repetition of initial sounds in two or more words,
Assonance Repetition: the repetition of vowel sounds within words.
Consonance Repetition: the repetition of consonant sounds within words, often with a variation in adjoining vowels.
Whole Poem Repetition: when poems have consistent repetition carried throughout the entire poem.
SPELLING
This week we will work on long a vowel patterns (-a_e, ai, ay, eigh, -ea). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
This week, we will begin our unit on Fractions. In this unit, students will be expected to identify fractions up to 1/12. We will do several fun activities this week, including an activity with fraction tortillas and making pizza fractions. Problem solving will be a daily focus so kids will need to put on their thinking caps! Vocabulary words that will be introduced are numerator and denominator. We'll definitely be having fun while learning about fractions!
SCIENCE
We are continuing our unit on natural and manmade resources. We’ll discuss the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Several examples of both will be introduced as well as how we can reduce, reuse and recycle some of our resources. There will be an assessment on Friday over the concepts we’ve learned.
ABSENCE
I will be out for jury duty selection on Monday, January 9th.
REMINDERS
Science Fair registration forms- Due Jan. 17th
Holiday (MLK Jr. day)- Jan. 16th
Science Fair- Jan. 31st
We are continuing to work on poetry this week. We are going to be putting powerful thoughts into tiny packages. We’ll discuss how poems have ingredients like a recipe: one is precise words and another is music. Using expression with a poetry voice will be another focus for the week. We’ll practice “trying on” different voices while reading poems to see how expression makes us feel when we hear them. We’ll write poems using our feelings and share them with our classmates. I can’t wait to see what wonderful poems our class writes.
READING
Our focus in reading this week will be on repetition in poetry. Students will read a variety of poems aloud for fluency.
We’ll discuss the following types of repetition poems:
End Rhyme Repetition: the repetition of the ending sounds in two or more lines,
Alliteration Repetition: the repetition of initial sounds in two or more words,
Assonance Repetition: the repetition of vowel sounds within words.
Consonance Repetition: the repetition of consonant sounds within words, often with a variation in adjoining vowels.
Whole Poem Repetition: when poems have consistent repetition carried throughout the entire poem.
SPELLING
This week we will work on long a vowel patterns (-a_e, ai, ay, eigh, -ea). Your child will get their list on Monday, and the test will be on Friday.
MATH
This week, we will begin our unit on Fractions. In this unit, students will be expected to identify fractions up to 1/12. We will do several fun activities this week, including an activity with fraction tortillas and making pizza fractions. Problem solving will be a daily focus so kids will need to put on their thinking caps! Vocabulary words that will be introduced are numerator and denominator. We'll definitely be having fun while learning about fractions!
SCIENCE
We are continuing our unit on natural and manmade resources. We’ll discuss the differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources. Several examples of both will be introduced as well as how we can reduce, reuse and recycle some of our resources. There will be an assessment on Friday over the concepts we’ve learned.
ABSENCE
I will be out for jury duty selection on Monday, January 9th.
REMINDERS
Science Fair registration forms- Due Jan. 17th
Holiday (MLK Jr. day)- Jan. 16th
Science Fair- Jan. 31st
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