Welcome to the On-line Buzz
Be sure to visit the book fair March 17 - 20. The best way to get a child to
read, is to allow them to chose their own reading material.
Now that we're almost at the end of the third nine weeks, the children are
growing academically like weeds!!
Imaginative writing has been a blast. The children have loved writing the
crazy stories where anything can happen! We are now learning how to hover
(making paragraphs). Instead of just writing one detail sentence (tmm - tell-
me-more) about each event, we're writing 2 or 3 or more sentences with
supporting details. Natural use of words is very important as well. The
story has to be written so that it sounds just like it would if they were
telling it verbally.
We have now covered the two most important math skills for life- time and
money. They now know that 'Time is money and money is time.' Along with
that we have completed adding and subtracting 3 digit numbers with and
without regrouping. New skills to come are measuring length, multiplication
with repeated addition, and simple division skills.
In reading we continue to study phonics with the sounds of vowel and
consonant combinations and are working diligently on fluency and
comprehension. Thinking while you read is very important! Making
connections to the story about yourself, the world, and other books will help
to build comprehension skills along with questions that require deeper
thinking. Some good question starters are: What do you think...? How
might...? What do you think the author meant by...? What if...? How
could...? Summarize the story and tell why you did or didn't like it giving
at least 3 reasons why. Try making up more of your own! We are also
learning how to use the guide words in a dictionary.
Social Studies has been very productive with our study of People and Work.
This unit will end with our Spring Workshop and Spring Bazaar. We will
experience first hand being producers of goods, consumers, earning money,
saving money, applying for a job, and thinking about our work skills.
Our study of sound has been quiet an interesting science concept. Many
household objects can become instruments and experiments with sound. Be sure
to ask your child about the difference between pitch and volume, what
frequency is, and vibrations - can you always see vibrations?
The snack cupboard is....Good for now. Thank you for all of your generous
donations! No heavy sugary stuff please.
Tooth loss count ...
Our Daily Schedule 2008 - 2009
7:30 - 8:00 Morning work consists of a variety of skills beginning with AR
testing & going to the library to exhchange books which is followed by a
variety of math, writing, and spelling review. This work begins after
unpacking and finished by 8:00. Please be sure your child reads for at least
20 min. nighty and be sure that they are ready for an AR test on Wednesday
and Friday morning. Tests should be taken daily if your child is running
behind schedule to meet their AR goal. Be sure to review TOPS reports
daily to find out how your child did on their AR test and to see how close
they are to meeting their AR goals. After each test, children are sent to
the library to exchange their book(s), so look for a new AR book after each
test too. If AR books are left at home, your child is still able to take a
test on the book if they remember the title (the title is also written on
their homework sheet). The library allows 2 books to be checked out, one book
must be an AR book in their level and the other must be the Genre of the Week
(not necessarily an AR book, though it can be). Once AR and Readers
Wheelgoals are met, they may check out anything they wish "Just for Fun".
Check the TOPS report to see if your child is behind, on, or ahead of
schedule to meet their AR goal. Once goals are met, students must continue
to read 20 min. a night.
8:00 - 9:35 Reading Block 10 minute whole group
20 minute stations (4 stations per day)
9:35 - 9:45 Bathroom / Synergize
9:45 - 10:45 Math
10:45 - 11:00 Snack-n-Read - Your donations to the snack cupboard are very
much appreciated! Students may also take AR tests and exchange books in the
library if needed.
11:05 - 11:45 Specials - Monday - PE
Tuesday - Library
Wednesday - Second Step
Thursday - Art
Friday - Music
11:45 - 12:15 Recess
12:15 - 12:20 Bathroom and Water
12:20 - 12:45 Writing Personal Narrative 1st semester
Imaginative Narrative 2nd semester
12:50 - 1:15 Lunch You are always welcome to join us!
1:15 - 2:00 Science - Tuesday & Thursday
Social Studies - Monday, Wednesday, & Friday
2:00 Data Notebook / Pack up / Quiet reading & Complete unfinished
assignments
SUMMER RECAP.......
I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer with lots of exciting
experiences. If you're checking school websites, I hope that's because it's
raining, your little ones are napping, or for some other reason you have
nothing better to do. If it's a beautiful, sunny day, please go and create a
memerable experience with your child and check websites later.
Summer has been fantastic, hot, and sweaty so far. I began summer with a
week at church camp as a cabin counselor the week after the workdays were
done. Sleeping on a cot to the hum of my fan and chirping crickets at night
and sweat running down my back all day was amazingly rejuvinating. What an
awesome week!
A few weeks later, our family was off to family reunion and a week at Buggs
Island Lake in the tiny, adorable town of Clarksville just across the
N.C./Va. border. While we were there, I went on a day trip to Montecello,
the home of Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the United States. It was
absolutely amazing as I toured Montecello, to know that I was walking in the
same places where he had walked so long ago.
We returned home for the traditional 4th of July celebration on our culdesac
which consists of fireworks, grilling, homemade ice cream, and lots of fun.
Now, at home, enjoying some down time, we're getting ready, with much
excitement, for a family trip to Playa del Carmen, Mexico. More to come
after Mexico....Have fun!
We're back!! Mexico was amazing. Blue water, white sand, iguanas, and all
the ice cream cones you can eat! We stayed at the beautiful Sandos Resort
in Playacar, which I recommend for any family of 5 (most resorts only
register families of 4). We stayed for 6 days which consisted mostly of
picking which pool to swim in or the beach , applying lots of sunscreen,
learning basic spanish, and deciding which restaurant to eat at. The
children loved riding backwards on the golf-cart when they were too tired to
walk, though the walks to and from our room weren't very far. On the walks,
I took hundreds of pictures of the plants and animals of Mexico, amazing
sites, and family fun. My children were very interested in the differences
in our cultures, mainly types of food, though they didn't try a lot of new
foods, and living conditions. Back home now, we look back on the wonderful
memories of Mexico and are very glad to be safe and healthy back in the
comforts of our U.S.A. home.
Next summer is just around the corner!!!! Yea!!!
There'll be more news as it happens in room 302.
As always... a work in progress...
