Weekly Update 08/31/12

Important Announcements:

*There will be no school on Monday, September 3^rd because of the Labor Day Holiday.  I hope you all enjoy a safe and fun-filled holiday weekend!

*Math tests were sent home Thursday.  Part A is the part that is assessed for a grade in the gradebook.  Part B is graded just to see how your child is progressing in those concepts.  Mastery of Part B concepts are expected later in the year. 

*Since next week is a short week, we will be doing reader’s theater plays in the classroom.  Your child’s reading homework will consist of him/her practicing his/her part Tuesday evening.  On Wednesday evening, I will be sending home a rubric home where you rate how your child performs his/her part.  We do reader’s theater to improve reading fluency and expression while reading.

*Today I am sending home a paper that has information about how to register your child on www.xtramath.org.  This is a website that helps with the mastery of math facts.  We watched a short video about the website today during math.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

*We will have our annual Dog Jog convocation on Friday, September 7^th.  Information will be sent home about Dog Jog after the convocation.  We will participate in Dog Jog on Friday, September 14^th during our specials time. 

*The first PTSG meeting of the year will be held on Thursday, September 20^th at 6:30 in our cafeteria. 

*Mrs. Kraus will be in our classroom on Friday, September 21^st.  She will be teaching a character education lesson. 

*Homecoming is Friday, September 21^st!

*Smile!  Picture Day has been scheduled for Thursday, September 27^th.  Order forms will be sent home soon. 

A Look at Next Week:

Science/ Health
Life Cycles

Spelling

No spelling!  Enjoy the week off!  

Reading

Reader’s Theater Plays

Skill: Fluency; speaking clearly and loudly

Daily Five: Read to self; build stamina; finding a good fit book

Math

Doubles Facts; Turn-Around, Doubles, and +9; Addition Facts; Domino Facts

Social Studies

Geography; send Miss Whisman pictures of your child around town

English

Review of topics already taught (types of sentences and subjects)

Writing

Gathering topics to write about; building writer's muscle

Weekly Update 08/24/12

Important Announcements:

*I had a writing workshop that I attended on Tuesday.  I was very proud of the note that Mrs. Grubb, the substitute teacher, left about the students’ behavior! 

*Our first math test will be on Tuesday, August 28^th.  Your child will bring home a study guide that we worked on in class to help review for the test on Monday. 

*We go to the library every Monday.  Please make sure your child brings back his/her library books on Monday! 

*We are continuing our unit on Geography.  Part of that will include discussions about Brownsburg and landmarks (including neighborhoods).  As you are out and about in town, will you take pictures of your child and send them to me?  For example, if you go out to eat at So Italian, take a picture of your child in front of the restaurant and send it to me (using a camera phone and e-mailing it to me is fine).  Thanks for your help! 

A Look at Next Week:

Science/ Health
 

Life Cycles

Spelling

Words that end with –ed (change y to I and add –ed)

Reading

Story:  Days with Frog and Toad

Skill: compare and contrast

Daily Five: Read to self; build stamina; finding a good fit book

Math

Review for Unit 1 test; Unit 1 test on Tuesday, August 28^th, Addition Number Stories, and Addition Facts

Social Studies

Geography; send Miss Whisman pictures of your child around town

English

Naming parts of sentences (subjects)

Writing

Review of traits that were introduced; create writing rubric

Weekly Update 08/17/2012

Important Announcements:

*Math homework will begin next week.  This will be in addition to our reading, spelling, and English homework. 

*The pizza party for summer reading was today during lunch.  Congratulations to Mia Espay and Ben Sylva for turning in summer reading packets!

*We go to the library every Monday.  Please make sure your child brings back his/her library books on Mondays! 

*Today your child was given his/her log-in information for Everyday Math.  We taped it in the front cover of our assignment notebooks so it is easy to take back and forth from school to home.  You can access the website using: www.everydaymathonline.com or clicking on the link to the right of the blog.  This website can be used for your child to play electronic games of some of the games we play in class.  It also has access to the math reference book if you need that to help with homework. 

*We started our Geography unit on Tuesday.  Part of that will include discussions Brownsburg and landmarks (including neighborhoods).  As you are out and about in town, will you take pictures of your child and send them to me?  For example, if you go out to eat at So Italian, take a picture of your child in front of the restaurant and send it to me (using a camera phone and e-mailing it to me is fine).  Thanks for your help! 

*We are still working on procedures and routines.  We have been working on talking only at appropriate times. 

*Spelling words were sent home with your child today.  Your child can practice the list using the Spelling City website: www.spellingcity.com/awhisman. 

A Look at Next Week:

Science/ Health
 

Life Cycles

Spelling

Words that end with -ed

Reading

Story:  Henry and Mudge Under the Yellow Moon

Skill: Story elements with a focus on setting

Daily Five: Introduce read to self; build stamina; three ways to read a book

Math

Counting Patterns, Relations (<, >, =) and Home Links (homework begins), Exploring Temperatures, Base-10 Structures, and Dominoes; looking ahead to the week of August 27^th, our Unit 1 test will take place on Tuesday, August 28^th!  

Social Studies

Geography; send Miss Whisman pictures of your child around town

English

Sentences that are commands and exclamations.

Writing

Review of traits that were introduced

Weekly Update 08/10/12

Important Announcements:

*We have a new student!  Corbin Harris joined our class on Tuesday.  Welcome, Corbin!

*We took our first reading test today.  Since reading tests are testing reading comprehension, I do not read these (or any tests) aloud to students.  We will be working on test taking skills and strategies throughout the year to help us be better test takers. 

*We are starting our Geography unit on Tuesday.  Part of that will include discussions Brownsburg and landmarks (including neighborhoods).  As you are out and about in town, will you take pictures of your child and send them to me?  For example, if you go out to eat at So Italian, take a picture of your child in front of the restaurant and send it to me (using a camera phone and e-mailing it to me is fine).  Thanks for your help! 

*We are still working on procedures and routines.  We have been working on talking only at appropriate times. 

*Spelling words were sent home with your child today.  The test will be Friday, August 17^th.  Your child can practice the list using the Spelling City website: www.spellingcity.com/awhisman. 

A Look at Next Week:

Science/ Health
Life Cycles

Spelling

Words with –ame and -ake

Reading

Story:  Get Up and Go!

Skill: Author’s Purpose

Daily Five: Introduce read to self; build stamina; three ways to read a book

Math

Math Boxes, Working in Small Groups, Number Grids, Equivalent Names for Numbers

Social Studies

Finish Olympics; begin Geography; send Miss Whisman pictures of your child around town

English

Telling sentences and question sentences

Writing

Special Presentations from Princess Willow Word Choice, Flo Fluency, Veronica Voice, Captain Conventions, and Ms. Perfect Presentation

Weekly Update 08/05/12

Important Announcements:

*Wow!  We have had a great couple of days!  I am very excited about this school year and working with your child and you this year. 

*If you indicated that you were willing to volunteer on a regular basis, I will send home a form on Monday asking for more information.  Please fill it out and return it to school when you get a chance.  Thanks!  In the meantime, if you want to volunteer and tear out and organize some workbook pages for me next week, let me know what day and time you want to come in! 

*Next week I will be administering the Dibels test to your child.  It will assess your child’s nonsense word fluency, reading fluency, and reading retell. 

*Spelling words were sent home with your child on Friday.  The test will be Friday, August 10^th.  Your child can practice the list using the Spelling City website: www.spellingcity.com/awhisman. 

*Your child will have reading, spelling, and possibly writing homework next week.  Math homework will not start until later in Unit 1. 

*If you have not returned the forms that were mailed to you over the summer or sent home at Meet the Teacher night, please do that by Monday.  Thanks!

A Look at Next Week:

Science/ Health
Life Cycles

Spelling

Words with –id and -ide

Reading

Story: The Mixed-Up Chameleon

Skill: main idea and details and parts of a book

Daily Five: Introduce read to self; build stamina; three ways to read a book

Math

Begin Unit 1: Numbers and Sequences, Tools and Coins, Calendars and Clocks, Partner Study Routines, and Grouping by Tens - $1, $10, $100.

Social Studies

Olympics

English

Sentences

Writing

Beginning of the year prompt; organizing writing binder; Teacher of the Week writing; special presentations from Imogen Ideas and Olive Organization