The week of Dec. 10-14!

It is amazing how we are just about done with the semester!  It has just flown by and your kids academics have improved greatly since day one!  I'm so proud of how hard they have worked and you are working at home with them!

We continue each day to remember our class rules and are reminded of being respectful to all, taking ownership of our actions, and following directions.  These are all behaviors that we work on our first year of school, however I do notice that we fall backward when I'm gone or when we've had extra days off.  Please revisit appropriate behaviors before coming to school each day.  Thank you for your support at home!  It is much appreciated!

Job day is this Friday!  The kids will love hearing dads talk about their jobs, and whether you are a producer or consumer, buy/sell goods or do a service!  Thank you all for volunteering!

Social Studies!  We are finishing up our Economics Unit learning more about "Goods and Services", "Producers and Consumers", "Saving and Spending", and Job Day!  It's been a fun unit!

Reading/Social Studies:  Our reading unit is over Economics also.  Our big book is called, "Needs and Wants".  We have had many conversations about making choices on what should be bought first over wants. We have also talked about saving our money for what we really want, so we help mom and dad out on buying our wants.

Letter of the week:  short u (pointing up), long u (make a unicorn sign with pointer finger)
sight words:  but, with (these are the last two 2nd quarter sight words)

Math:  We are finishing up Topic 16 this week, Analyzing, Comparing, and Composing Shapes.  Today's math was a challenge.  Check it over and see what we had to do!  It looks easier than it is tracing shapes to make other shapes.

Handwriting this week:  We are now writing the lowercase letters.  They are much harder to write correctly!  This week we are writing the letters, "s, v, w".  

Coming up!

Dec. 14      Job Day--please fill out the form and turn in asap if you're interested!

Dec. 18      Winter Party--2:45-3:15

Dec. 19     Last day before Christmas Vacation--half day

Crazy Hair Day for those that chose to participate!

The week of Dec. 3-7.

This weather is definitely preparing us for the winter season beginning on Dec. 21!  Brrr! 

Thank you for making sure your child is dressed for the weather if we go outside!  I appreciate it!

  

I heard Winter Wonderland was fun for all that went!  I was sorry to miss it.  

I have a few reminders as we are getting close to the end of 2nd quarter.  

1.  Please make sure to have your child return little readers and the homework sheet the next day of school.  I would like for them to get in the habit of knowing that homework needs to come back when it's due to prepare them for first grade on up.  I totally understand when things come up. But, pretty much I stick with the same day I have your child's reading group, so you can plan on homework that night each week unless we have a snow day or I have to be gone.  Also, there are times that I'm using the same book for another group and may need it that week.  Thank you!

2.  Snack and waters.  I would love it if you would send five bags of snacks in your child's backpack on Monday each week, so they always have a snack.  Also, I am happy when they have water bottles, so please send them.  I think it's okay if they leave their water bottles a day or two and just refill them.  Then, they don't have to remember them each day.  I'll continue to offer that to the kids.

Fastbridge testing--This is a new test for reading and math that will be given three times a year to watch for progress in certain areas.  If needed, we will be doing progress monitoring in areas that your child may need extra help in.  Progress monitoring is when you retest in-between testing after working on a skill to see if there's improvement or if more reviewing needs to happen.   Your child will be taking the test one-on-one with myself or other teachers this week and next week.  You will not see any results I don't believe, but I just wanted you to be aware of it if your child tells you about it.  Grades 3-5 have always taken the MAP tests.  This test is replacing that one and all grades will be taking it.  If you have any questions, please ask and I'll do the best I can to answer them or find out for you.

Reading this week!

We are reading fiction and non-fiction stories about community helpers.  Today we reviewed our 4 basic needs.  1. food/water  2. shelter  3. clothing  and 4.  air.

Needs and wants will be our next topic in Economics.  This is farely easy for the kids to grasp, but it would be a good conversation at home especially with Christmas coming!  :)

Letter of the week!  Bb --The lower case "b" and "d" confuse the kids when writing them.  As a reminder at home, the "b" is written beginning in the sky or top, and the "d" starts like a magic c!

Does your child have a bear ready for bear day on Friday?  Some have mentioned that they do not have a teddy bear.  That's okay!  Just send a stuffed animal that fits in their backpack!

Sight words:  and, you----We learned today that "and" is a conjunction with the important job of connecting two words together like: in and out, black and white, cake and ice cream! Yum!

Job Day!  I have two signed up for Job Day on the 14th and would love a few more if you are able to take a little time from your busy day!!

Math this week!  Topic 16  

We had fun reviewing 3D solid shapes by doing a shape sort with food today!  First they were given Trix for spheres, marshmallows for cylinders, cheese cubes for cubes, and Bugles for cones.  The class had to sort them on to their shape sheet, count them, and fill out the shape graph before they could eat them!  

Then we categorized different objects with the same shapes on the board.  We will review more tomorrow and take a test on Wednesday.  Review the names of the shapes at home and look for those shapes around the house!!

Coming up!
Dec. 4        Troll Day- crazy hair day!
Dec. 5         Wacky Sock Wednesday
Dec. 6         Traveling Thursday
Dec. 7         Forest Friday--wear green

Dec. 14      Job Day--please fill out the form and turn in asap if you're interested!

Dec. 18      Winter Party

Dec. 19     Last day before Christmas Vacation