Yipee…I think Spring is really here! Daffodils are blooming, walkers and joggers are out and even dogs are enjoying some warmer temperatures and fresh air.  I hope that you too are enjoying our Spring.

READING-Unit 9  Week 3     Week 3 is always the review week of weeks 1 & 2. Our theme for the week is ANIMALS THEN AND NOW.  We’ll begin with dinosaurs and sea turtles. Sea Turtles were here when the Dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Dinosaurs no longer live here but Sea Turtles still exist.  Hmmm???

WRITING-We’ll be using our imaginations to create sentences about how dinosaurs might help us if they were still here.  To get us started, we’ll read a book titled “If the Dinosaurs Came Back.”

LETTERS-Review   X x    W w   V v   G g

WORDS-come   away

SPELLING-“og” chunk    9 words this week

dog  jog log  smog   frog  

come  away  (new reading words this week)

has  look  (review words from last week)

MATH-Clocks   Money (coins)  and number families

SCIENCE-Living and Non-Living Things

I also hope to catch some caterpillar eggs and have the students enjoy watching the process from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly!

Over the next several weeks, I will be assessing the students’ reading levels.  This past week they had the district writing prompt and most did quite well.  I told them that now I have a lot of homework–I have to read and grade ALL that writing!

Enjoy your week.

Mrs. Smith

Reminder that tomorrow is our weekly SPELLING TEST. Please review those words.  If you haven’t tried Spell City, give it a try. It’s easy to use and helpful too.  The students are doing quite well with their spelling words.  We use the words a lot during the week, writing, reading, using magnetic letters, dry erase boards, markers, creating sentences in discussion groups, etc.

I think we are still recovering in here from our zoo trip!  Lots of excitement and discussions in here.  🙂  I know that Mondays are the lightest day for visitors at the zoo and April is less crowded than May/June.  So I’m glad I was given a Monday in April for my bus date.

READING-Unit 9 The Amazing Ocean

WRITING-Descriptive Sentences

Their focus question will be…”If you had a pet fish, what would you and your pet fish do?”

Wednesday they will do their Prewrite.  By now they should be writing a sentence using descriptive or interesting words.  For example, “My fish and I would ride on our jet skis” or “My fish and I would eat ice cream on a park bench” or “My fish and I would ride on a Merry-Go-Round.”  They should be writing more than just “…go to the park”  or …”play.”  Do what at the park?  or Play what?  Where?

Thursday is Revise and Edit Day for their writing conference with me.

Friday is Publish Day.  They will write their final piece and share with the class.

SPELLING-“ig” chunk     big  wig  pig  wig  fish  has  look

I reminded them that big and dig start with different letters!  Make sure they write the correct letter.

MATH-Unit 8  We’ll work with Number Families.  What are some different ways to make 9?  Get out some spoons and give it a try.  2 + 7   6 + 3   0 + 9    7 + 2   What are some other ways to make 9?

SCIENCE-Fish Characteristics!  We’ll also talk about Living and Non-Living Things.

This week the students will also have their third Writing Prompt for the year.  They already know that it will be about Plants.  Remember, it’s a writing assessment so their writing will be what is graded.

Have a good week.

Mrs. Smith

  Can you spot the 2 polar bears?

  the new baby calf giraffe, born Sept. 30

  Mom (left) and baby following

  the zoo’s other new baby, a zebra with mom

 Can you spot the 2 Rhinos?

Thanks to all the parents who chaperoned.  I hope you enjoyed the day with your child.  🙂

See you tomorrow Kindergarten!

We had a great day at the Detroit Zoo.  The weather cooperated, the rain showers held off, and the sun even showed its face.  Here are a few pictures of some of the animals.

    a Bush Dog

  For Gus, the Flamingos

  lazy lions, male and female

  a Vulture

  Look closely…2 brothers, Great Apes

  a mother and her 3 year old who just loves to snuggle

  check out that foot!

  brother and sister watching Dad warm himself on the warming rock

  Hayden and Gabriel on the ride back to school

Yes, we are going to the Zoo!!

Remember…

pack a lunch

wear comfortable shoes

dress for weather 🙂

We will leave around 9:15.

Parents,

If you have a zoo membership and will be attending the trip, you will need your membership card to enter.

If you have a membership and are NOT attending this trip, please send in a photo copy of your membership card, along with the permission slip and money.

Welcome back from Spring Break!  A quick look at the week…

READING-Unit 9  Interesting Insects

LETTER- G  g  

WORDS-he   she

WRITING-Questions and Answers

SPELLING WORDS-he   she   bag   rag   tag   flag insect   beetle

MATH-What’s My Rule?

NOTICE-Late Start for tomorrow has been CANCELLED.  Students are to report at regular time.

Field Trip Permission Slips to the Detroit Zoo will go home today.  In order to get the group rate of $5.50 per person, I need to pay by Thursday.  Please have the money and signed permission slip back to me by Thursday.  Parents only (NO SIBLINGS) may attend this trip. $5.50 per person. The students will ride the bus. Parents may follow the bus or meet us there. We will leave school about 9:15-9:30 and leave the zoo around 1:30-1:45.  Students may bring a sack lunch.  There are places to eat.  Wear comfortable shoes and dress for weather.  This is always a fun trip and I’m looking forward to it!

Have a good week!

Mrs. Smith