Busy First Full Week

   This week has flown by!  I told the kids that and they totally agreed.  I guess time really does fly when you are having fun!  Thank you to everyone that sent extra supplies this week and last.  Here is what was happening this week in our room.

Reading
   This week we really worked on routines.  We specifically worked on expectations and reading stamina during reading time.  I spent time reading individually with each child getting to know their reading levels and each of them as a reader.  I LOVED listening to your children read.  I was beyond impressed and can't wait to get book groups up and going.  We started a new Read aloud, Zach's Lie.  Be sure to ask your child about it.  They LOVE it so far!

Math
   Math has been so fun!  We started math groups this week and the students always groan when I tell them math is over.  They love working together and in small groups.  This year, I am teaching math in small groups.  This is going to be perfect so I can challenge each student at their appropriate learning level.  Students have been learning/reviewing place value, standard, word and expanded forms, comparing large numbers, rounding and more.  Be sure to ask you child what their favorite part of math is.

Writing
   The weekend journals were a HUGE success.  Your child's face lit up reading the notes you all wrote them.  Thanks for taking the time and helping me teach the importance of letter writing.  The students also had to think about a really good friend and write a story about that friend and a specific event about why this friend was important to them.  This was their pre-assessment personal narrative piece.  This week we have been reading great examples of personal narratives both from famous authors and other students.  We have noticed characteristics of these pieces and shared them together.  We can't wait to start writing our own.

Social Studies
   Before we begin diving into Social Studies, we have taken time this week to look at geography, maps and vocabulary surrounding this.  Students should be able to tell you what planet we live on, hemisphere, continent, country, county and city we live in.  Students are studying the 50 states, seven continents, four major oceans and cities in Missouri.  Be watching next week for this to come home to study for a quiz!

Word Study
   Students took the word study inventory this week.  This looks a lot like a spelling test, but helps me as a teacher understand what patterns within words students need to work on.  We will be starting some word study work very soon!  You might notice on work coming home that I don't mark/circle words at this point in the year that they misspell.  I have a sheet that I keep for each kiddo called Words to Learn.  Each time a notice a word misspelled, I add it to their sheet.  Once we start word study, they will be responsible for learning a few of these at a time.  Once they have, they will be responsible for spelling in correctly.

Classroom Behaviors
   I have absolutely LOVED getting to know your child.  In our room, we have four major rules.  #1- Follow directions quickly.  #2- Raise your hand for permission to speak.  #3- Treat others the way you want to be treated. #4- Make smart choices.  They have done an awesome job with this.  Several students are working on rule #2, at the carpet.  We have quite a chatty class.  : )

Parent Volunteers
   I have had several people email me asking about volunteering.  Right now, I have one person lined up to work Thursday mornings.  Volunteers can make copies, laminate, create class games for us and more.  Please let me know if you'd like to help or would like a consistent time.  Thanks in advance!  I have never had parent volunteers before and am loving the help!

Friday Folders
  This Friday, please be watching for Friday folders to come home.  Each week, there will be several sheets of in class work that students have completed.  Please know there might be a grade or comments on several, but MOST of the pages are ones your child has done within groups as practice and were more of a teaching point.  This week we will start Weekly Updates coming home.  This is a way for you to see how your child has done this past week.  Every other week, your child will be making comments and setting goals for themselves.

Reading Log

   Starting Monday, students will be bringing home a reading log.  Students are to read 25 minutes Monday-Thursday and have it signed nightly.  This is the only "homework" I will expect of them.  There might be a random page that comes home they'd like to finish or a quiz they want to study for, but that will not happen often.

Have a wonderful weekend!!