Another Week Gone By!

It's hard to believe that we are halfway through October already!!  The weeks are flying by!  We have been very busy in Room 13 this week - keep reading to find out more!

SPELLING
This week, students were reintroduced to “SNEAKY E” (aka: King Ed, or Silent E). Students’ spelling lists had a few short a review words (with the consonant-vowel-consonant pattern) as well as some words with the a_e pattern. This pattern creates a “long a” sound (aayy). The _ (underscore) represents a consonant. Words that follow this pattern include:

game                 slate

made                place

grape                 lane

The e in these words is silent, but it causes the a to “say its name” (aaayyy). Students should be aware that this is just one way to spell the long a sound.


Suggestion: Point out words that follow this pattern as you go about your daily lives. They are more common than you think – and students will enjoy “hunting” for these words. (This activity will reinforce and strengthen students’ ability to identify and recognize spelling/word patterns!)



Reading
This was an exciting week in reading because we read our first Time For Kids article! This week, the selection was titled “Fighting the Fire.” From this selection, students learned all about forest fires and the many different roles that firefighters have. They were even introduced to an old friend, Smokey the Bear! (He was actually a “new friend” to most of them!!) Ask your child to tell you a few interesting facts that they learned about fires this week!
Since this was the first nonfiction story that we have read from this reading program, we spent a lot of time talking about the different features offered by a nonfiction text. Some of these features include:

 Real/authentic photographs
 Factual information
 Captions
 Glossary
 Index

This week, we have been working really hard to identify the main idea and supporting details of a text.  This is a difficult, but important, skill – one that students will need to utilize throughout their academic career.  It takes a great deal of practice and I really encourage you to reinforce it at home.  You can do this by reading a book together and then coming up with a good sentence that tells what the WHOLE story is about.  Then, work to identify 3 details that support/give information about the main idea. (Students sometimes get confused with facts/details that are interesting and facts/details that are important/supportive). 

Centers and Reading Groups

Students were responsible for 4 reading centers this week, including:

Phonics Center - This center focused on Word Families (words that all share the same rime/ending.) Words in the –ame Word Family, for example, include name, game, shame, etc. The ability to identify Word Families helps students read and spell more difficult words. In this center, students worked to create Word Families with the following rimes:  -ame -ate -ack -ash -ake
They then used tangible cubes to create real words and recorded their ideas.

Grammar Center - This week, students were reminded that every complete sentence must have a subject (who or what the sentence is about). In this center, students cut out 2 pictures from a magazine of a person or animal. They then wrote a complete sentence about each picture and circled the subject.

Buddy Reading - With a partner, students read the short story, Let's Bake a Cake, and hunted for words with short a and long a (a_e) patterns!
Writing Center - Students look through photographs from the 2007 wildfires in California and wrote one statement, one question, and one exclamation about the fires.

Graphic Organizer - After reading a story in their small reading group, students created a web identifying the main idea and details. 

Math
We have been focusing a lot on Name Collections these past few days.  Name Collection Boxes are boxes in which we represent a number in many different ways.

On Friday, we connected math to reading with the story, Pumpkin Heads, by Wendell Minor. After reading and discussing the story (and all the great pumpkin faces illustrated in the book), students created their own Name-Collection Pumpkin Heads! You can see a few below - and check out the rest in person at the Harvest Festival!

Science
This week, students learned more about solids and liquids. They should now understand that solids are a type of matter that has its own shape. That’s not to say that solids can’t change their shape, but it is important for students to understand that they HAVE their own shape. Solids can be hard (desk) or soft (pillow), natural (wood) or people-made (plastic).


Liquids are another type of matter. Liquids take the shape of whatever container they are in. They do NOT have their own shape. Liquids can be thin or thick, heavy or gooey. Ask your child about the fun experiment we did with different containers!

Mystery Reader
Our Mystery Reader today was Mrs. Markey - Julia's mom.  She read two wonderful stories.  Take a look at the pictures below!

Book Orders

Students are bringing home several Scholastic Book Order catalogs today and I hope you have a chance to look them over!  There are so many wonderful books, book sets, and literacy games/activities - I hope you consider ordering a few for your child(ren). 

I am trying a new system with book ordering this year.  Parents are now able to order and pay for books themselves on-line. Just visit http://teacher.scholastic.com/clubs/ and log-in as a parent.  Then, type in our classroom code (G2CLN) and order away!  Your order will be sent to me, so that I have a record of it, and your books will be shipped to our classroom.  In addition, our classroom will receive $3.00 in free books for every on-line parent order!   

Some students have told me that their home computers are "going crazy" so if you would rather complete the order form by hand and send in a check, that is fine too!!  Send the order and the check in to school and I will enter the order for you - no problem!

I know that the children are really excited about some of the books available this fall (e.g. the latest book in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series) and it's great to see how enthusiastic they are about reading!  If you would like individual recommendations for your child, I would be happy to provide you with a few suggestions - just let me know!

I am asking all orders to be entered or sent in no later than Thursday, October 21.  If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! 

We're in the News!

Last week, reporters from the Metrowest newspaper came to Elmwood School to learn more about the Witt Fitt balls.  Take a look at what they wrote!

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/education/x427652430/Hopkinton-students-have-a-ball-with-new-seats

Fact Family Fun!

Today we solidified our understanding of Fact Families, a concept introduced and learned back in first grade, that clearly demonstrates the relationship between addition and subtraction.  As a refresher, fact families are 3 numbers that are all "related" to each other.



For example:     2, 3, and 5 are a fact family


With these numbers we can create the following 4 number models/number sentences:

2 + 3 = 5

3 + 2 = 5

5 - 2 = 3

5 - 3 = 2

           

Students often have trouble with the subtraction models, trying to subtract the two smaller numbers and getting a different answer (example: 3 – 2 = 1). The key to Fact Families is that you always use the same 3 numbers. If a child can recognize this, then math facts will become much easier!

Expanding on this idea, students worked today to create 4 different "fact families" in 4 different houses.  Take a look below to see them hard a work!

The Weekend Is Here!

I think we are ALL looking forward to a nice, long, relaxing weekend - especially since students have been working so hard in the classroom this week!

Harvest Festival

As mentioned in the email sent earlier this week, I am planning a "Harvest Festival" for Wednesday, October 27 from 12:30-2:00pm.  All parents are invited and encouraged to come and play math games with their child! I hope to see you all there!

Writing
It's Back-to-Basics this week in writing - with a focus on capital letters and endmarks.  Students have been introduced to the visual of a sentence frame, along with a little chant/hand-motion;  Ask your child to demonstrate it for you!!

"All sentences start with a capital letter and end with an endmark."

I am hoping that this visual and kinesthetic motion with transfer to their writing!!

Reading
This week, students were responsible for 5 reading centers. They included:

1. Art:  Students create a story flag about Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea by identifying the characters, setting, and their favorite part. Students then illustrate/color their favorite part.


2. Games: With a partner, students play Spelling Go Fish. Matches are made with cards that have the same short vowel sound.


3. Grammar: In grammar, students have been learning about commands and exclamations. In this center, students write 1 command and 1 exclamation. They then draw/color a picture to go with each sentence.


4.  Listening:  Students listen to this week's story with a partner and then answer the following question: Why do you think Mr. Putter chose Tabby for a pet - instead of a younger cat?

5.  Phonics:  Students sort various pictures according to short vowel sound they contain - short e, short, o, or short u.

Choice - Buddy Reading:  Students choose another Cynthia Rylant book to read with a partner. 

How does your child think he/she did?


Math
More work with doubles facts, turn-around facts, and fact families this week!!  I can't stress the importance of students knowing their math facts  - especially since later lessons and concepts will be dependent upon this knowledge and automaticity.  Keep practicing at home!!

Science

Students were introduced to the three major states (types) of matter today – solids, liquids, and gases.  After watching our pals Annie and Moby (from BrainPop Jr.), we worked together as a class to come up with a web identifying different solids, liquids, and gases in our world.  Your child brought home his/her work today - take a look! :)

Mystery Reader

Mrs. White, Cassie's mom, was our Mystery Reader today! She read two stories:  Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann and A Bad Case of the Stripes by David Shannon.  See the pictures below!

What's Going On This Week?

Wow! We have been so busy here in Room 13 that I hardly know where to start! :)

The biggest news is probably the fact that students have all been sitting on Witt Fitt balls this week!  Although they are a little "bouncy," the children have been pretty responsible with their new "chairs" and I am very proud of them! 

 

Reading

This is our second week with the new reading anthology and we have been reading some great stories!  The theme this week is“making friends” and all the stories we read are related to this theme. The main selection this week is Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea, written by Cynthia Rylant.  Cynthia Rylant is a very well-known children’s author and this story is only one of the many she has written in the Mr. Putter series.  She is also the author of the Henry and Mudge series and the Poppleton series.   Encourage your child to look into this author next time you are at the library!

Students have been working very hard on identifying the beginning, middle and end of the stories that they read. Determining the main events (the plot) is a very important reading strategy and one that should be practiced and reviewed on a regular basis. Suggestion: Ask your child to tell you about a book that s/he has read by telling you just the important events that happened in the beginning, the middle and the end. (Hint: important characters and settings are usually mentioned in the beginning, the problem in the middle, and the solution in the end.)

Spelling/Phonics

This week, the short vowel spelling pattern has continued. Most students have spelling lists that contain words with the short e, short o and short u sound.  Keep an eye out for words with these sounds as you go about your daily life.  Challenge your child to “hunt” for them while you drive, shop or read!  Don't forget that ALL students must do one spelling activity by the end of the week!!

Science

We have been learning all about matter these last few weeks.  Students should now understand that
matter is anything that takes up space (has volume) and has mass.    So…matter is just about everything!!

Today, we talked a lot about mass and determined that mass is the amount of "stuff" (matter) in an object.

Working in groups, students conducted different experiments with pan balances to compare the masses of different objects and they made some interesting discoveries! See the pictures below:

 

Math
Students' 3D Addition Number Stories are FABULOUS!! Mrs. Glazier and I have already hung them up on our math wall - we are so excited to show them off!! I can tell that students put in a lot of time and effort and they should be very proud of themselves! Thank you for your help and support with this fun project!
We are well on our way into Unit 2 of the Everyday Math program now and students have been working on creating and solving number stories, reviewing “easy” addition math facts, identifying and learning doubles facts and turn-around facts, and even learning the +9 shortcut! On Monday, students were introduced to a fun new game called Beat the Calculator! Challenge your child to play with you at home!!
Math Tests
I sent home the Unit 1 Math Test today. Please take a few minutes to look over the test with your child. You are welcome to keep the top paper for your records (the grade sheet) but I need the test signed and returned to me as soon as possible. Thank you for your help with this!

D.E.A.R.
Drop Everything And Read!  Today was our first D.E.A.R day - "Team Up with a Good Book!"  Staff and students all wore their favorite sports shirts today and at 2:00, everyone at Elmwood School stopped what they were doing and read a good book!  I love D.E.A.R. days!!

 

It was another productive week in Room 13!  In reading, students worked hard to follow the rules and routines for reading centers, most completing all 5 centers by Friday!  This requires a lot of focus, diligence, and good time-management - skills that we will continue to work on throughout the year!

On Thursday, students took their first Math Assessment and did pretty well!  I will send home the corrected test with a grade sheet attached early next week.  You may keep the grade sheet, but the test MUST be signed and returned to me.  If you do not return the test, I cannot send home future tests. 

Students also passed in their completed reading and math fact logs this week - and returned home with prizes!  What "treasure" did your child bring home? 

* A Note About the Logs:  I think it is wonderful when children read more than 20 minutes or study math facts for more than 15 minutes - but in the future, for the purpose of this log, these extra minutes will not count toward their total.  Students should color in the book when they read for at least 20 minutes and the calculator when they study facts for at least 15 minutes.  If they do not meet the minimum, please do not color the icon.  If they read/study more than the 20/15 minute minimum, color it in - but you do not need to track the additional minutes.  Please let me know if you have any questions!

Mrs. Jerrett, Cameron's mom, was our Mystery Reader today (along with her little helper).  Here are a few pictures from her visit!

Reflections Program

Hello Parents and Students,
Please check the Community Projects/Info page (look for the tab at the top of the blog) for information about the Reflections Program.  This is a chance for students' creativity to shine - I would love to see what they come up with!!  Good luck! :)