We have been working on using place value disks to count 3 digit numbers. We are working on knowing when to exchange ones, for 10’s, and 10’s for hundreds. We are using a place value chart to help organize our disks and to help visualize how many we have and how many more that we need before we exchange 10 of a unit for the next unit (1’s to 10’s, 10’s to 100’s). I encourage students to ALWAYS draw their disks in a 10 frame pattern, completing a vertical row(column) of 5 before starting a new column, if needed. That way students can “see” how many they have without counting, and know how many more they need to complete a 10 frame and trade or exchange units.

Here are a couple of videos that go along with each lesson so far using the place value disks. I know this is different than how we learned or even older children have learned. I assure you that it builds a greater understanding of how numbers work so that when we get to traditional math, it will make more sense to your child.

 

 

Greetings!

 

This week we are studying long e vowel teams. The teams are -ea, and -ee. The letter ‘Y’ also makes a long e sound when it is at the end of 2 syllable words, such as baby, and carry. There are also sets of words that sound the same but are spelled differently and have different meanings, called homophones. When this happens, it is very important to understand the meaning of the word to determine which spelling is correct. Please help your student understand the meaning of each word so that they can spell the correct homophone. For example, meet and meat sound the same, but are spelled differently and have completely different meanings as seen in the following sentences:

• My mom went to the store to buy meat for dinner.
• My mom and dad went to meet my teacher for conferences.

Here are this week’s words:

• meat (food)
• beet (vegetable)
• queen
• baby
• mean
• team
• please
• only
• carry
• easy

Remember there are also 5 cold words on the test that are familiar but not specifically practiced.

Wednesday is Halloween. We will be having a few fun Fall themed activities such as BINGO and a math game from 1:50-2:20. Students will then have an opportunity to wear their costumes, if they wish, and walk in the River Oaks Halloween Parade. As soon as the parade is over, we will be going to Gym as usual. Students may bring candy or goody bags to pass out to our class if they wish.

If your child chooses to dress up, please follow the following guidelines:

On Wednesday, October 31st, students will be allowed to bring costumes to school.  Students will not be able to wear their costumes during the morning, but may put them on in the afternoon prior to our Halloween Parade at 2:30 PM.  Weather permitting, we will walk around the neighborhood of the school during the parade and then have time for class parties.  Parents are welcome to participate in the parade around the neighborhood, but must check into the office first in order to obtain a visitor’s pass. If it rains the parade will be around the inside of the school.

Notes about costumes:

PLEASE DO NOT WEAR COSTUMES TO SCHOOL. Instead, bring your labeled costume in a bag, with your student’s name on it.  Students will be able to change into their costumes in the afternoon. Students may NOT dress up as anything that contains inappropriate, bloody looking, or would be considered scary for younger students who may be frightened by these costumes due to images they may have seen in the media. Weapons or toys that resemble weapons are NOT permitted. Most classrooms will have their parties at 2:50 – 3:20, please check your classroom teacher’s blog for more information.

The Pumpkin Raffle is going on! Buy your tickets to have a chance to win one of the fabulously decorated pumpkins that the teachers and staff have donated! Tickets are are only 25 cents each or 4/$1. You can’t win if you you don’t buy a ticket! And the more tickets you buy, the more chances you have at claiming a pumpkin for you to take home! Monday, October 29th, we will hold the drawing to see who wins each pumpkin. One name from each pumpkin will be drawn. All proceeds go toward River Oaks’ classrooms.

 

Trick or Trunk  ticket sales end tomorrow. $5/participant. Come trick-or-treat at the River Oaks parking lot, Tuesday, October 30 from 4:30-6. Families and staff will have their trunks decorated and will be passing out candy to each trick-or-treater. Come see your friends! Come see your teachers! Come see Mr. Martin! It’s a great time for all! All proceeds go toward field trips and assemblies.

This week we are working on vowel teams. A vowel team is when two vowels are next to each other and make one long vowel sound. The vowel in front is “in charge” and tells you what sound to make. This week we have two teams that both make the long a sound: ai and ay.

This week’s words are:

• main
• sail
• jay
• stay
• may
• paint
• clay
• trait

Sight Words:

• why
• when

Here are some videos.

This week we are studying beginning consonant blends. A consonant blend is when 2 or 3 consonants are next to each other and you hear each consonant sound. An example is the “st” in stop. You hear both the “s” and the “t.” We also have 5 sight words this week.

Here are this week’s words.

• slide
• skin
• skip
• step
• spell
• sleep
• fast
• best
• went
• before

Here are some videos to help.

 

Wednesday, October 17 is a Late Start. School begins at 9:35.

We will have Gym and go to the Library for Book Exchange, so don’t forget your gym shoes and library books!

Enjoy your extra hour! Read a good book, have a healthy breakfast, and/or do a chore to help your family!

We are going on our first field trip on October 24 to the Michigan Science Museum. Permission slips went home last week. Thank you to all who have returned the slips and paid for your student. The last day to turn in slips is this Friday, October 5.

Thank you to the parents who volunteered to chaperone. We are only allowed 4 chaperones per class and the spots filled quickly. Thank you to Mrs. Lungu, Mrs. Perez, Mrs. Salame, and Mrs. Alfatlawi. Parent chaperones will need to drive to the museum, as there is no room on the bus with three classes. Feel free to carpool with the other chaperones. If you are willing to drive others, please let me know. Students MUST ride the bus as it is a school activity.

Please remember to bring a packed lunch and a beverage, as well as plastic utensils (if needed) and napkins. There will not be food available to buy. We will NOT have access to a microwave. Please no pop or soda. Water and juice boxes/pouches are fine.

I am very excited about this trip and look forward to discovering and learning along with your student.

This week we continue our study of short and long vowel sounds focusing on the letter o. Short o makes the sound as in octopus; long o makes the sound as in ocean. Our lists focus on CVC and CVCe as well as some sight words. The sight words usually do NOT follow the pattern and need to be memorized . The test does include 5 cold words (unpracticed) that follow the pattern. These are familiar words that we have encountered in our study or are everyday words.

CVC/CVCe o words:

• hop
• hope
• box
• bone
• joke

Sight words

• those
• got
• only
• over
• open

Here are some videos to help.

This week we are working on the CVC and CVCe pattern with “a”.  CVC words have the short a sound as in “cat.” The CVCe has the long a sound as in “ape.” Students need to recognize the short and long a sounds by sound and sight.

The words following the pattern are:

• tap
• bat
• tag
• tape
• made
• cape

Sight words:

• out
• new
• came
• ate

Here are some videos to help.