DELAYED OPENING MONDAY.
SCHOOL STARTS TWO HOURS LATER THAN USUAL!!
Just wanted to make sure you all knew that!
Many things to share this week...but first, a new link has been added under Social Studies...Time For Kids is our weekly magazine and they have a wonderful website. The link will take you directly to information about the election...written in kid friendly terms. It has election vocabulary, articles about each candidate, and of course, games to play! This is just an FYI kind of site...not one kids have to visit, just if they choose.
It was a short week, but a week FULL of curriculum...here's a run down of our week.
We concluded our numeration/place value study in Math this week...the children have composed and decomposed HUGE numbers, recorded their values, compared and ordered the numbers, and worked with number lines. They will have an assessment some time next week. This is not an assessment to study for...all of the prep work has been done in class. We are headed into money and finding the exact change using the least amount of coins and bills...as well as problem solving. Thanks to the parents who have sent in old socks...and thanks for sending them washed! :-)
In Social Studies we are moving into the physical geography, climate, natural, and human resources of a particular area. The students are reading from their textbook to gather facts about each geographic characteristic, and will be transferring that learning when they construct a travel brochure of their own next week. Each child picked one of the 50 states and did some initial research in the computer lab. We were using a research portal titled "Culturegrams" and they were able to find out anything and everything about their particular state. This coming week they will be researching the physical geography, climate, human and natural resources found in their state. They will design a travel brochure that will entice someone to visit "their state". This will be an in school project and I look forward to seeing what these amazing kids come up with!!
Speaking of projects...the "Follow Your Team" project is due this Tuesday, September 23. We will not be able to have EVERYONE share on Tuesday...so some will share Wednesday and possibly Thursday. Please have your child practice presenting their information to the class. I do not think the project sheet indicates whether they will be presenting orally...but THEY WILL. And they will be expected to speak clearly and loudly in front of the class as they tell us about their project.
In Language Arts we finished our "during reading" strategies...we covered Inferring and Synthesizing this week. The students continue to amaze me with their ability to work independently. I work with 6 students at time (isn't that awesome!) and the other 10 or so work at their desks on independent practice of the language arts skill we're focusing on or social studies activities. They are all doing a wonderful job...some need reminders, but for the most part, they are all making great choices.
Speaking of great choices...the bi-monthly checklist went home yesterday. Please sign it and send it back in on Monday. I have talked with the kids about the fact that it is "their choice" which symbol I put next to the behavior statements. I just record them, but they EARN them. If they see a slash mark or number sign and would rather have an X, they are the only ones who can choose to change their behavior. I am working especially hard with a few of them on following directions the FIRST time. We move at such a rapid pace (we have SO much curriculum to cover and have a shorter day than the average student) that there is no time for missed directions...we try very hard to keep distractions to a minimum...but there is only so much that I can control...some of it is up to the individual child. Sooo...please discuss the checklist with your child and if there is an area where your child would like to improve, brainstorm different ideas with him/her on how to change the behaviors. Thank you!
Thank you to the recent donation of kleenex and hand sanitizer...it was VERY appreciated!
Have a great weekend and I look forward to seeing your lovelies on Monday!
