Classroom News
Upcoming Dates/Activities
Hats and Mittens/gloves collection
There is a holiday tree in the hallway where Howard school is collecting new hats and gloves to keep others warm this winter. Just hang it on the tree with clothespin or large paperclip, or just lay it on a branch.
“Pancakes with Santa” is going on this Saturday at the Cherry Hill Presbyterian from 9:00 – 12:00. Tickets are $10.00(2 and under free). Flyer will come home tomorrow.
Holiday Boutique
Tuesday Dec. 12th 10:30 -11:00
Students bring a list of family members they want to buy gifts for.(A list will be coming home for the students to use) Each gift costs $2.oo. There will be tables marked with items for brothers/fathers, sisters/mothers, and also gifts for your pets.
PTA Meeting Wednesday, December 20th 7:00-8:00 pm
Class Holiday Party
Thursday, December 21st in the morning.
Students will be playing games, doing some Arts and Crafts, eating some yummy breakfast items, and participating in a book exchange.
Book Exchange: Students will bring a new book wrapped and labeled “boy” for the boys and “girl” for the girls. Students may start bringing these books starting next week and put them under the class Christmas tree.
“Locks for Love”/ School sing-a-long
Friday, December 22nd at 2:30
While the students/adults who are donating their hair for a good cause are getting their hair cut, the students will be singing holiday songs accompanied by Mrs. Ventura.
Curriculum Update
Math test this Thursday (12.7.17)
Science test this Friday (12.8.17)
Social Studies
This week they are talking about:
How to work together as a family.
What makes families different.
Reading Whole Group
We are listening to a and discussing different versions of the Gingerbread Man. Along with comparing and contrasting the stories, we are describing characters in the stories and finding evidence in the story to back up our descriptions.
Grammar
We are talking about the different types of nouns(person, place, thing, or animal)
Writing “Opinion”
They are finishing up the planning step on their opinion paper relating to the book “Duck Rabbit”. Is it a duck, or is it a rabbit? They are to use evidence or clues from the story to back up their opinion.
Classroom News
Book It Calendar
Sorry I forgot to send the Book It calendar at the beginning of the month. Everyday a a student reads for 20 or more minutes they color the hat for that date. At least 5 days a week a required. Here is the November calendar. doc00355120171110172437
Food Drive
Howard school is collecting canned and boxed food for the hungry. Please give what you can. So far our class has collected 14 items.
Students of the Month
November Students of the Month
Parent Letter
Please read the folded letter that was put in your child’s folder today. Thanks.
*Late Start Day this coming Wednesday (11.15.17)
Classroom News
Halloween
Thanks to the room moms for the fun-filled party. I’m sure the students enjoyed it immensely.
*Remember this is no school tomorrow(Tuesday November 7th).
Conferences
Conferences start this Thursday, November 9th, and continue next week on Wednesday November 15th and Thursday November 16th. I am sending home reminders tomorrow for your specific date and time.
Reading
For comprehension, the students are practicing giving a quick summary of a book they are reading (orally)
For accuracy, the students are making sure the word they are saying matches the picture and the initial sound or chunk of the word.
Math Unit 3
Unit 3 continues counting strategies using base 10 blocks, tally marks, number lines, and now coins (P’s, N’s, and D’s). They will be using number lines a lot to solve story problems. Telling time on analog clocks will also be in introduced in this unit.
Social Studies Unit 1 “What is a Family?”
This unit continues to talk about rules and responsibilities, as well as the differences and similarities of families with respect to culture. They will also be talking about events in their lives in reference to the Past, Present, and Future.
Science “Light”
We are now on to light waves and talking about things/materials we can see through, sort of see through, or not see through at all.
Writing
Writing will continue to be practiced during Work on Writing and process writing (Narrative, Opinion , and Informational) sessions. It will also be used in other subject areas; many times in whole group settings, but also independently to show or explain what they know or feel.
Classroom News
Apple Charlie’s
Apple Charlie’s was a hit. the Students began with a apple cider and doughnut snack, then they looked at some animals. Later they had a Hayride to the apple orchard where they picked an apple of their choice. Finally at the end they received a small pumpkin on their way to the bus.
Student of the Month (September)
Adam Boussi and Lamees Mansour are students of the month for September. Students chosen for Students of the Month are always on task, Try their best, Rarely talk out of turn, and are role models to those around them.
Math Test Unit 1
Parents if you have not signed and returned the test please do so.
Math Unit 2
In unit 2 there is a greater emphasis on story problems and using words like (altogether, more than, less than, sum , and how many are left). Students will be using different ways to solve story problems like pictures, number lines, and 10 frames.
Science test (Sound)
The Science Test is short because we separated the lessons on “Light” and “Sound”. The test will only be multiple choice and circling objects; no writing involved. The test will be on :
*Making sounds ?Vibrations
*How do we hear? ?Pitch
*How is sound made? ?Volume
*Things that make sounds How is Music made?
*Things that can adjust volume
Social Studies Test Unit 5
The Social Studies test is a bit longer with 20 multiple choice questions. I will be doing this test with groups of 2 or 3 students at a time. The test involves a lot of print. The questions usually involve a scenarios involving topics like:
*Rules
*Who has the power to make and enforce rules
*What makes a rule fair
*Being responsible and making good choices
*Comparing school and home rules.
I will start testing on Monday.
ELA(Fairy Tales)
We finished Tall Tales and are now on to comparing and contrasting different fairy tales and different versions of them.
Writing (Personal Narrative)
We finished are personal narratives on what we like. Now we will write a narrative about our trip to “Apple Charlie’s”. We will be working on:
*Adding details to our beginning , middle, and ending events.
*Reading over our writing and circling some words we think are wrong.
Upcoming Dates
Wednesday (Tomorrow) Late Start 9:35
Thursday 10.19.17 Picture Day
Friday 10.20.17 Box tops are due and Potato chip orders are due.
Classroom News
Field Trip Tomorrow
*Chaperones should be here around 9:00. The bus should be leaving around 9:15. Apple Charlies is about 45 minutes away, so carpooling with other parents would be the best way to go.
*Students should bring a bag lunch. We are not eating there but we won’t be back in time for the school lunch.
*Students will be getting cider and donuts as part of the field trip.
*Students will be getting an apple and a little pumpkin as part of the field trip.
*Students should wear boots or gym shoes, and a jacket. The weather should be in the high 50’s when we get there and a little windy.
See You Tomorrow
Classroom News
Homework Sheet
Here is the homework sheet for the week. I will give the students a copy on Monday.homework Oct. 16-20, 2017
Classroom News
Lunch Menu
The selection for tomorrow’s lunch has been changed by the kitchen. Instead of “Shrimp poppers”, first choice is “Bosco sticks”.
Bake Sale
Tomorrow there is a Bake Sale after school. Everything is 50 cents. You need to have exact change.
Math Test Unit 1
Next Tuesday, October 10th, will be their first Math test. The results to their Pretest on Unit 1 is in their Homework folder. Many students did very well. When they take the test I will be reading it to them.
Classroom News
Science “Sounds”
The first unit of study for Science is “Sound Waves”. The students have been participating in some Mystery Science activities that go along with this topic. The students will also be working with Mrs. Ventura the Music teacher on sound activities/projects.
Here is a newsletter to better inform you on this topic.
Reading
In whole group reading the students have been listening to books and then talking about the character, setting, problem, and solution. We also did an author study on some Kevin Henkes books “Chrysanthemum”, “Wemberly Worried”, etc..
I am still testing students one on one for their Reading levels, Word ID and Letter ID. I should be done by Friday. I am going to start giving the students some books at their reading levels in a large clear bag to use during reading groups and individual reading times.
Writing
In writing today we did their first whole group writing prompt. They were writing a narrative about “Something they like or Something they like to do”
I have done a Spelling pretest with them and they completed a “10 Minute Write” where they had 10 minutes to write all the words they know with prompting from me.
Math
Their first unit of Math deals with:
*Ways to make a number. *Writing tally marks
*Identifying a number that is before a number, after a number, and in between 2 numbers.
*Reading graphs and answering questions.
*Identifying numbers that are greater and less than a number.
*Skip counting by 5’s.
Social Studies Unit 5
This unit deals with the discussion of rules at home, work(school), play, and in the community. So far we’ve talked about:
*The types of rules for safety, responsibility, and to be respectful.
*School rules
*Home rules
*What does it mean for you or a rule to be “Fair”
That’s all for now! See you soon!
Classroom News
Open House
Thanks to those who came out and attended the Open House last night. I know some of you were unable to attend because of work or your child’s busy schedules. Feel free to stop in after school to take a look around.
Conferences
If you didn’t get a chance to sign up for conferences, call me at school or send me an email. Otherwise I will try and walk around outside after school with the time slots available for conferences.
Snacks
Please try and remember to provide a healthy snack for your child. They are always hungry. Students were sharing snacks with each other today because many were hungry. (fruits, veggies, yogurt, cheese and crackers) No Junk Food.
School Supplies
Please try and purchase a pencil box for your child if they do not have one. Zippered pouches aren’t really big enough to hold pencils, crayons, glue or a glue stick, scissors and an eraser. It just keeps everything neat and organized.
Also help your child to remember what comes home from school must come back to school. (Book bags, Poem books, Homework folders)
Homework Sheet
Today the students received their first of many homework sheets. It is in the clear pocket on the back of the Homework folder. it contains: Specials for the week, What days the students have Reading , Math, or Spelling homework, Any tests that week, spelling patterns for the week, and challenge activities. Here is this coming week’s Homework sheet.homework sept 18-22 2017
XtraMath
There was a confusion with the xtramath sheets sent home today. Each child has there own online home code, and I forgot to check the names and just passed them out. If you could return the sheet your child received, I will remedy the problem on Monday.