Happy Mother’s Day to all you Amazing Mother’s!! 

Dates to Remember:

Monday, May 13 – Class scheduled for NWEA reading assessment.

Wednesday, May 15 – Late start. School starts an hour later.

Thursday, May 16 – Greenfield Village field trip. Please remember to pack a brown bag disposable lunch for your child. We never know what the weather will be like. So, be sure to check out the weather for the day and dress your child appropriate to the weather. We will be outside all day. If you volunteered to be a class chaperone, please meet in class in the morning for group assignments/plans.

Monday, May 20 – Clean-up Parade. Please save any empty paper towel holders for our parade. We will be using them to make Truffula trees in Dr. Seuss Lorax.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words – “ub” family – sub, tub, cub, hub, rub, club, stub, scrub.

Sight words – red, blue

Daily Five/Literacy – Correcting grammar by identifying mistakes in sentences and fixing them. Understanding parts of a sentence along with punctuation. Continuing making words with s-blends; spl, spr (splash, spring)

Writing – This week we will start a new informational writing unit on insects.

Math – Representing teen number compositions and decompositions as addition sentences.

Representing teen number decompositions as 10 ones and some ones, and find a hidden part.

Decomposing teen numbers into 10 ones and some ones and composing 10 ones and some ones into a teen number.

Social Studies – Identifying a public issue and how to resolve it. Environmental issues with our Earth.

Have a great day!!

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

Thank you all for the flowers, cards, and the beautiful bulletin board outside our classroom for Teacher’s Appreciation Week. I have been truly blessed this year with the sweetest and kindest Kindergarten class! 

Dates to Remember:

This week we will prepare for the upcoming NWEA assessments. We are scheduled to take the reading assessment on Monday, May 13. Refer to my previous Blog post for sites to prepare for the NWEA.

I have a few more DRA assessments to do this week and I will be finished. Hooray!! These assessments are very time consuming because I have to test each student individually. As a student passes a reading level I have to continue testing to the next level. The good news is all students are at grade level or above grade level for end of year reading goals.

Book bags did not go home last week as I was doing DRA reading assessments. If a book bag does not go home have your child go to Raz Kids for reading enrichment.

Friday, May 10 – Field Trip Permission slips/money to Greenfield Village are due. 

Thursday, May 16 – Greenfield Village Trip – If you signed up to chaperone for a group of students, please meet in the morning for the field trip information and group assignments. The bus will leave between 9:00-9:10 am. Students will ride the bus and parents will meet us at the village. If you are meeting us at the village, please meet at the entrance to the ticket booths. Remember to pack a brown bag lunch for your child.

Parents can bring their family and meet us at the village. You can also chaperone just your child at the village. Please indicate on permission slip.However, all students must ride on bus to village and back to school on bus.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words – “og” word family – log, dog, frog, jog, clog, smog, fog.

Sight words – some, so, from.

Daily Five/Literacy – Focus on identifying problems/solutions in stories. Identifying key information in informational text. Learning new vocabulary in informational text. Reviewing parts of speech, nouns, verbs, adjectives, word endings, di-graphs, vowel teams.

Writing – Informational writing unit on Frogs. Students will write about interesting facts about frogs with various sources of information on frogs.

Math – students will extend the Say Ten Way and regular count sequence to 100. Practice counting up and down by tens to 100. Count within tens by ones. Count across tens when counting by ones to 40. Count across tens by ones to 100 with or without objects.

Science – study how pollution effects our Earth. We will be having a clean up parade on Monday, May 20 and the class will be walking in the parade with the theme of Dr. Seuss Lorax. We will need paper towel holders for our Truffela Trees from the Lorax. So, don’t throw out or recycle your paper towel holders (tubes). Save them and bring them to school for our parade.

Have a great sunny day!

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

 

Dates to Remember:

Tuesday, April 30 – If you have a child who will be attending Kindergarten in the Fall. Scheduled Parent-Kindergarten Meetings will be held during the school day. Kindergarten Teachers will present at meeting.

Thursday, May 2 – Curriculum Night at Howard – Join us for educational games, prizes and more from 5:00 – 6:30 pm.

Friday, May 3 – Muffins for Mom’s will be held in celebration of Mother’s Day at 7:45 – 8:45 am.before school on Friday. You can bring your child to school and they can join you for refreshments before they go to class. Mrs. Polgar’s class would like to invite you after to come back to our classroom. Your child will have a special remembrance for you in honor of Mother’s Day.

Monday, April 29 – Friday, May 3 is Teacher Appreciation Week. We have an amazing staff at Howard that are highly dedicated to their careers in education. So, I thought it would be nice if the students in my class could draw a picture or make a card and bring it to school to give to their Art, Gym and Music teacher. I feel very blessed to work with the staff at Howard and I know my class loves the staff at Howard too!!!

Thursday, May 16 – Save the date we are going to Greenfield Village in Dearborn. More details will be coming. I thought I would put the date out there for parents who would like to chaperone or spend the day with us at Greenfield Village.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words – “op” word family pop, top, mop, stop, plop, flop, shop, chop. Sight words – down, up.

Daily Five/ Literacy – Reviewing parts of speech nouns and verbs. Learning about adjectives and how we use adjectives in writing. Recognizing nouns, verbs and adjectives in texts. Working on reading words with blends, digraphs, cvce words and vowel teams in fluency passages. I have been focusing on reading fluency along with comprehension for year end.

Writing – Last week we wrote animal riddles and used adjectives and verbs in our writing. They really enjoyed writing riddles and reading their riddles to one another!! This week we will continue with descriptive writing using adjectives in poems.

Science – Last week we learned about ways we can save the Earth and keep it clean. We learned about the 3 R’s – reduce, recycle, reuse. This week we will learn about pollution and more about recycling garbage. We will make posters to show what we have learned.

Math – How to build a Rekenrek to 20. Writing numbers 11-20 and using numbers 11-20 in tower configurations increasing a pattern by 1. Representing numbers 20-11 in tower configurations and decreasing a pattern by 1. Counting and writing answers to how many questions in linear and array configurations. Counting and writing to answer how many questions with up to 20 objects in circular configurations.

NWEA assessments will be coming up in May for Reading and Math. I have the following times scheduled:

Monday, May 13 – 1:15-2:00 pm. Reading

Thursday, May 30 – 12:05-1:10 Math

I have some websites listed that will be helpful for your child to use to prepare for NWEA testing. The sites are very useful to build skills and review concepts we have learned through the year. Please consider using these sites as additional support for learning outside of the classroom. We know students love to work on the computer and play games!!

www.mathgames.com – Questions similar to NWEA assessment. Look at Kindergarten and First grade levels under skills, standards and grade level. There are games that go along with skills also.

www.ictgames.com – Great site for Math and Reading/Phonics.

www.galacticphonics.com – another great site for Reading/Phonics.

www.topmarks.co.uk – math games

www.mathplayground.com – math games

www.ixl.com – another site where questions are very similar to NWEA assessment. Look at Kindergarten and First grade levels under math and language arts for skills.

Lastly, I will be taking the next few weeks to finish up with DRA reading assessments. During this time I will not be doing reading groups. However, I will be putting books in book bags so students will have some books to read during the week. Book bags can be turned in at the end of the week.

I apologize for how long my Blog is. It is the end of the year and a lot is going on. I see so much learning and growth. This time of year is amazing!!

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

 

Tuesday, April 23 – Howard Elementary School Spirit Fundraiser hosted by Famous Hamburger in Dearborn from 3-10 pm. When you visit Famous Hamburger a percent of your purchase goes towards Howard Fundraiser.

Wednesday, April 24 – Late start. School begins an hour later.

Friday, April 26 – Howard Carnival hosted by Howard PTA from 5-7 pm. Everyone is invited! Admission is $5 per person. Admission includes: DJ, games, snack and refreshments held in the gym. A registration form went home on Thursday, please sign and return by Wednesday, April 24. Payment can be made at the door. 

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words: “ot” word family pot, hot, tot, spot, trot, dot, slot, shot.

Sight words – got, not

Daily Five/Literacy – Continue to review different text types, author’s purpose, asking questions about literature, making connections with stories, learning about parts of speech such as; adjectives. Learning how to use adjectives to describe in writing.

Writing – generating an informational writing piece about animals in riddle form. Using descriptive words and forming a riddle. (I am striped with a long tail and I can live in the zoo or tundra).

Math – Lesson 6 – 10.  Modeling objects and representing numbers 10-20 with place value. Modeling and writing numbers 10-20 as number bonds. Modeling teen numbers with materials from abstract to concrete. Drawing teen numbers from abstract to pictorial.

Science – Learning about living and non-living things. Focusing on Earth Day and learning about recycling and keeping our environment/earth safe and clean.

We will be preparing for the NWEA Spring Assessment in reading and math the next couple of weeks.

Have a great long weekend!

Mrs. Polgar

 

Dates to Remember:

Thursday, April 18 – Last day to turn Spring pictures in. We will take the spelling test on Thursday.

Friday, April 19 – No school.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words – “ip” word family – rip, ship, sip, skip, hip, lip, dip, hip.  Sight words – did, do

Daily Five/Literacy – 

Reviewing “s” blends ( new – sk – skip, sm – smart) Learning about parts of speech – identifying nouns and verbs. Continuing are learning about text types – stories, poetry, fiction/nonfiction. Author’s purpose – understanding the author’s purpose; to entertain, inform or persuade. Making connections; How do I connect with a story? What does a story remind me of?

Writing – Informational writing. Students will work on writing information about plants.

Math – Starting a new unit – 5. We will learn about grouping tens and ones for understanding of place value. We have been working on place value during calendar time and on our morning work. So, this will unit will lend to a better understanding of place value.

Science – We will continue our unit on plants. What plants need to survive, parts of a plant, living and non-living things.

I will be testing students in reading. I will let you know what DRA level your child is at by the end of the year. We still have months to go and this gives me time to work on areas for growth. I will also start preparing the class for the NWEA Spring assessment in reading and math. Students will take practice screeners during Media to help prepare.

I am thrilled with the progress in reading and writing in my class. The Spring season is always the time of year where students bloom in different learning areas. Usually the reading and writing all comes together and starts making sense to students – comprehension, building words, recognizing word parts and writing with purpose.

I really have some budding writers and they love writing during writer’s workshop and during Daily Five. The class really enjoys writing and they love sharing stories with their friends. At the end of the year, you will take home your child’s writing folder and journal so you can read their wonderful stories.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

Dates to Remember:

Monday, April 8 – Students return to school from break. 

Wednesday, April 10 – Parent-Teacher Conferences 4-7 pm.

Thursday, April 11 – Kindergarten-Round-up Meeting 5:30-6:30 pm. If you have a child entering Kindergarten next year please attend informational meeting for kindergarten school year.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words for the week: “in” family  in, fin, win, tin, bin, pin, spin. 

Sight words: into, will, this.

Daily Five/Literacy: Reading comprehension – learning and recognizing different text types – story books, poetry, fiction/non-fiction. April is poetry month so we will be introducing poems. Understanding author’s purpose is it to inform, entertain? What is the author’s message in a text. What does the author want you to know? Word work – working on (s) blends – st and sp blends (start, stain, stamp, space, spat, spare)

Math – finishing up with the end of unit 4. Reviewing addition and subtraction with mixed problems. Subtraction and addition up to 10.

Writing – Opinion writing – Spring. Do you like Spring? Plan – writing about what we do in the Spring.

Science – Learning about plants. How do they survive and what do plants need to survive.

I hope all of you enjoyed your break. Looking forward to the Spring weather!!

Mrs. Polgar

 

Dates to Remember:

We are going to celebrate Dr. Seuss in Mrs. Polgar’s classroom the last week of school.Take a look at the activities for the week.

Monday, March 25 – Cat in the Hat. Wear a hat to school.

Tuesday, March 26 – Hop on Pop. Get ready to rhyme with the “op” family.

Wednesday, March 27 – Wacky Wednesday. Crazy dress-up day. Wear your clothes inside out, crazy hair, two different shoes, socks. You choose make it a Wacky Wednesday.

Thursday, March 28 – Fox in Socks. Wear some crazy socks to school.

Friday, March 29 – The student council will be hosting a wear your pajamas to school day. If you would like to wear your pj’s to school donate $1.00. We will be having our end of the month March is Reading Madness assembly in the afternoon.

Spring Break: No school April 1-5. Students return to school on Monday, April 8.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words for week: “ig” family big, wig, dig, fig, jig. Sight words – one, two, come

Daily Five/Literacy – Reviewing rhyming – Dr. Seuss week. Continue with work on “r” blends. (br, tr). Reviewing silent e words and long vowel sounds.

Narrative Writing – focusing on beginning, middle, endings in stories and using transition words such as; once, next, then, last.

Math – Solving addition problems with total unknown and putting together unknown problems with totals of 9 and 10. Represent subtraction problems by breaking off, crossing out, and hiding a part.

Science – Learning about plants. Understanding what plants need to survive. List the needs of plants; water, sun, soil, air and space.

Social Studies – review map directions; cardinal directions – North, South, West, East.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

Dates to Remember:

Monday, March 18 – Math packets and New Spelling list goes home.

Friday, March 22 – I will not be in on Friday. I will have a sub. Please remember to turn in reading minute log for week. Library – return and check-out books.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words – “it’ word family – it, hit, kit, fit, sit, pit  sight words – him, his, little

Daily Five/Literacy – Reading Comprehension – learning about different text types (story book, poetry, fiction/nonfiction). Author’s purpose – understanding what the author’s purpose – message is in a story. Word work – learning about r-blends (dr, wr). Continue with building CVCE words.

Writing – learning about personal narrative writing. Including narrative-story elements; character, setting and events. Using transition words; one day, next, the, finally, first, then, next, last.

Math – learning about subtraction. Identifying how many are left in a story problem. Identifying how many are left in a 5 group drawing. Modeling decompositions of numbers using fingers, linking cubes, number bonds, story problems and equations.

Social Studies – learning about globes and their features. Parts of globe; ocean, continent. Navigating a map. Navigating a map with cardinal directions – coordinates on a map.

Parents, thank you for talking to your child about responsibilities/behavior in classrooms. I noticed a difference last week with talking and listening in class.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

 

 

Dates to Remember:

 

 

Monday, March 11 – Math packets – only Lessons 24-25 will go home. New spelling                   Tic-Tac-Toe will go home.

Wednesday, March 13 – Late Start. School starts an hour later.

Thursday, March 14 – Brainstormers Writing Assembly at 1:30 p.m.

Friday, March 15 – Spring Pictures taken. Picture forms were sent home last week.                     Fill out and return by Friday, if you would like your child to have their picture taken.

Book-mark contest due on Friday. 

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words for week – “ab” family – cab, crab, tab, lab, grab  Sight words – put, with, play.

Daily Five – Comprehension – review story elements, characters, setting, problem and solution in narrative stories. Looking at more CVCE words along with silent e. Reviewing “r” blends – dr, fr, gr, br.

Writing – Narrative. Writing stories with story elements such as; characters, setting, problem and solution.

Math – Represent subtraction story problems using objects, drawings, equations. Decompose numbers 6-9 using 5-group drawings by hiding a part or removing a part.

Social Studies – Geography study of maps, features, globes.

Parents, please remind your child to always remember to follow directions, listen and do their best at school. Last Friday, a number of students were moved to yellow in Art class and in my class for not following directions, listening, talking or not finishing their work. These behaviors need to improve because the PBIS team will only honor students who have been on green or have 4 or more.yellows in a month. Thank you.

Don’t forget to Spring ahead for time.

Mrs. Polgar

 

 

 

March is Reading Month – March Reading Madness will begin on Monday, March 4. 

Last week your child brought home a March is Reading Month packet. Please look over the calendar and encourage your child to read 20-24 minutes a day. (120 minutes a week) Cut off the reading slip and have your child return it on Fridays. Students who earn their weekly goal will earn a sticker for their classroom bulletin board and will be entered into a classroom drawing for lunch with the principal. Your child can read books that go home in their book bags and also read books on Razz Kids online. Just record your child’s daily reading minutes to total 120 minutes a week.

The class K-2 who reads the most books will win a classroom reward too! School minutes will be displayed on a scoreboard outside the office. In addition, there are other ways to win prizes by participating in Spirit Wednesdays. Students that participate earn a prize. Lastly, for students who love to draw we are having a bookmark contest. There will be a winner awarded for K-1, 2-3, and 4-5. The winning bookmarks will be printed and available in the library for students to use. Entries are due March 15th (Friday).

On Monday I will send home a calendar for Guest Readers. Parents, siblings, grandparents, relatives, or other special people may volunteer to read a story to our class. If you would like to be a guest reader and read a book in our class find a spot on the calendar and message me what date works for you. Please note the times of specials, lunch and other events. I will try to accomodate you with your date, if not I will contact you and let you know what is available. You may bring a book from home, or if you would like to borrow a book from our classroom library, you are welcome to do so.

Dates to Remember:

Monday, March 4 – Match packets and new Spelling Tic-Tac-Toe for the month of March go home. PTA running club registration is due. Registration was sent home last week. Every Tuesday and Thursday (March 5-April 11) 3:45-4:30 pm. Students will run in Gym and outside track.

Wednesday, March 6 – Spirit day – Make a Reading Poster.

Thursday, March 7 – Bring a fact in your pocket – Name 3 NCAA college basketball teams.

Friday, March 8 – Turn in reading minutes slip for the week.

Peek at the Week:

Spelling words for the week: “ag” word family – bag, sag, tag, rag. Sight words – said, and, make.

Daily Five/Literacy – last week we learned about “l” blends. This week we will focus on “r” blends wr, cr, pr. Making words with silent “e” – make, take, cute. Reading comprehension – Reviewing story elements – characters, setting, beginning, middle and ends to stories. Understanding the problem and solution in a story.

Writing – We will finish up with our informational writing on Penguins. Start narrative-fiction writing and develop a story about a character (penguin).

Math – adding with word problems, identifying the missing addend, learning about subtraction and understanding how many are left, how many are taken away from pictures or equations.

Social Studies – learning about maps and their features.

Have a great day!

Mrs. Polgar