Here’s today’s reader…

Big brother Kazem Darwiche and Zayn Darwiche

(Kazem is a former student of mine… a double pleasure)

I think Spring is trying to creep into our days!!  Sunshine always makes things happier.

READING-Since we missed Dr. Suess’ birthday because of a snow day, we will be reading one of his books each day.  By Friday we will chart the books, identify our favorite book and tell a detail about the book that makes it a favorite.

WRITING-We will be writing our Opinion about Spring!  Today we made a word web about some “Spring Activities.”  Tomorrow we will begin our writing about Spring Activities and why we like them.

MATH-As you may remember, we are piloting 2 math programs this year.  Since next week is a short week and we are getting close to finishing Module 3, I am going to combine the end of Module 3 and begin Module 4.  Module 4 begins with Number Bonds, which we started today.  I am sending home 2 Math homework packets today…just wanted you to know why.

Another quote from Dr. Seuss…

“YOU have brains in your head.  YOU have feet in your shoes.

YOU can steer yourself any direction YOU choose.”

Mrs. Smith

We’ve had a great week in here!  We ended the week with some math games, using dice and playing with a partner.  Fun!

Next week…

READING-We will work with rhyming.  Since we missed Dr. Suess’ birthday on March 2 due to a snow day, we will use some of Dr. Suess’ books to enjoy rhyming.

WRITING- OPINION writing   We’ll begin with making a list of “Spring Activities.”

On Tuesday, together we will write about why we like spring (our opinion).  We will use our list from Monday to support our writing, using details from Monday’s list.

On Wednesday, students will write about why they like spring and offer 2 or 3 details.

On Thursday, I will conference with each student about their writing.  We will revise and edit the writing.

On Friday, students will publish their writing.

The above writing schedule has been my weekly writing schedule all year long_

Monday-introduce lesson/idea/theme “I” write

Tuesday-“We” write

Wednesday-“You” write

Thursday-Revise and Edit Writing

Friday-Publish

MATH-More than, less than   An awareness of the NUMBER LINE is so necessary.  Practice with page numbers in a book.  Have your child open up to a give page number.  (61)  If they open up to 42, see if they know that 62 is greater than 42 and, therefore, need to go farther ahead in the book.  Likewise, if they open up to page 67 and you want then to find page 25, do they know which way to go in the book to find page 25?  GREATER THAN, LESS THAN concepts

SCIENCE-Weather

Enjoy your weekend.

Another lesson from Dr. Suess…

“Why fit in when YOU were born to stand out?”

We had some fun with dice and partners today!

We also had 2 more readers today for our MARCH IS READING MONTH.

Mr. and Mrs. Philippart and Miles

Today the students took their first Math Test, covering counting dots (greater than 10 dots), what number comes next, writing the numeral represented in the 10 frames, filling in a 10 frame with dots to represent the given numeral, and filling in missing numbers from 1-30.  Most did very well.  I am sending home the test today.  Please go over it with your child.  I will be giving another similar one soon.  If there is a blank test, please complete it with your child and have them return it tomorrow (Thursday).

The students were writing today about “a special play date.”  This will be for their narrative writing this week.  I thought you’d like to see some of them in action as they write.  We took turns writing on the floor and at their seats.

So adorable!

Reminder that tomorrow is LATE START.

Today’s reader was Mrs. Wetzel (and Celia).

We had a great week in here.  The students are making good progress with their reading and writing.  The Spring brings out blossoms in here, as well as outside.

SPELLING:We are focusing on the “un” chunk.  fun  run  sun  bun  where  here

WRITING:We will continue with “stretching out” our story writing.  Stories also need a beginning, middle, and ending. We’ll keep working on those parts too.

READING: Retrieving information from texts.

MATH:Counting and lots of other things!

SOCIAL STUDIES:Maps

Lesson from Dr. Seuss…

“Today you are you, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is youer than YOU.”

Have a good weekend.

Mrs. Smith

I am so pleased with how my students are really making progress with their reading AND writing! They are writing several sentences all on the same topic (they begin their writing in September with a word or two for a sentence and the two words are unrelated.  ie-“play”   “pizza”  2 words for a sentence, not even a sentence and the words are on 2 different topics)

I have been giving them “cold writes,” which are writes on a given topic and they write away.  Yesterday, one of my writers wrote such an interesting Narrative that it turned into a Chapter Writing of 3 Chapters!  Awesome vocabulary, there was a Beginning, Middle, and End to the writing and the narrative was all on the same topic.  I am so proud of each one of my Little Scholars.

Today we began our morning with a reader, Mrs. Hassan, Laith’s mother.  Take a look…

I just love my kids!

Tomorrow is a Spelling Test.  Practice the words tonight and keep up with the reading.  March is Reading Month Reading Log slips are due tomorrow.  When they turn in the reading log slip, I will give them a sticker to put on their “hand” which is on my bulletin board in the hall.

Lots to keep you busy at home, I know.  You are making a wise investment in your child’s life when you stay involved in their learning.

Mrs. Smith

2 packets are coming home today…one is the Math and Spelling Words packet, and the other one is some 100 day worksheets we worked on today.  I wanted today to be about having fun while we celebrated 100 days of being together and new learning.  Please look at these pages-some need to be corrected/completed and returned tomorrow.  Also, last week’s homework packet was due today.

My 100 year old Kindergarteners!

Congratulations to my February Students of the Month

Reem Abdullah  Ayaa Dakkouche  Zahraa Hadla

This week…

WRITING-Personal Narrative “Stretching out their writing” will be my writing focus.  You can help with this at home.  Create stories together or retell a story or an event of the day.  ADD DETAILS to your story.  If you were going to the park, who went with you?  How did you get to the park?  (rode your bike, Grandpa’s truck?) What did you do when you arrived?  What were you wearing?  How did the wind feel on your face as you slid down the slide?  What did you do after your trip to the park?  I have eliminated the overused words like, fun, nice, pretty from their writing.  Encourage your child to be creative and develop a strong, descriptive vocabulary.

MATH-Homework is in the packet

SPELLING- hop  top  pop  two  three  (These should be very easy words for them to spell.)

SOCIAL STUDIES-We will begin learning about maps and globes.

I’m still trying to get the pictures to you of the kids with the worms and the chart that we made…it was so cool!!

Remember to read every night.

Please contact me if you’d like to read to the class for March is Reading Month.  Readings should be about 10-15 minutes.  Choose a book(s) your child would enjoy…chances are the other kids will enjoy it too.

Send me an email about which time slot might work for you.  Thank you.

Enjoy your week.

Mrs. Smith

“Do everything with a good heart

and expect nothing in return

and you will never be disappointed.”

Welcome back!  I hope you enjoyed your break.  I am so happy to be back with my kids.

Too much to recap for the week so just a few reminders…

Tomorrow, Friday-SPELLING TEST.

Book Bags-remember to keep reading every night with your child.  This is so important.  Have them read to Grandma, Grandpa, stuffed animals, their dog, parakeet, the neighbor’s cat, the mailman, UPS guy, anybody…

MARCH IS READING MONTH begins today.  I sent home a packet of information.  Today I traced their hand and arm, they decorated them, and I posted them on my bulletin board titled “REACHING FOR GOLD.”  The hands and arms look like they are reaching upward.

Yesterday a dear friend and neighbor of mine brought in some earthworms.  Boy, did I go off the grid with those worms.  First we created a chart identifying What we know about worms and What we want to know about worms. Their questions were amazing!  We explored and researched all of our questions and we now know a lot about Earthworms!  I took some pictures of the kids with the worms, as well as a picture of our chart, but the pictures are somehow NOT sending to my computer.  I will keep trying because they were so engaged.  Needless to say, they follow  up writing was wonderful.

2 more days until the 100th day of Kindergarten. Kids are excited.

Enjoy the weather!  🙂

Mrs. Smith

“Speak to children

as if they were the kindest,

most beautiful and magical human beings on earth,

for what they believe

is what they will become.”