News You Can Use!

We had a wonderful week back after Thanksgiving break. Enjoy catching up on everything we did!

Literacy

This week, our close reading lessons focused on two books, Night of the Moon and Celebrate Diwali. After listening to Night of the Moon, the children worked on retelling the story including key details. Before, during, and after the reading of, Celebrate Diwali, the children worked with generating questions. They created a long list of questions they had about Diwali. The children answered the questions they had created and were able to support them with evidence from the text. 

Grammar Notebooks:

The children were introduced to nouns this week. They learned that a noun is a word that names a person, place, or thing. The children worked with identifying and labeling different types of nouns. 

Writing:

This week, we started our letter writing unit. The children learned the five parts of a friendly letter: heading, greeting, body, closing, and signature. They learned a song to help them remember the parts, ask your child to sing you the song (it’s to the tune of The Adam’s Family). As we read the story, Dear Mr. Blueberry, the children worked together to identify the different parts of a friendly letter. On Wednesday, we wrote a friendly letter to author, Audrey Penn, author of The Kissing Hand. The children came up with lots of great ideas to include in the letter. On Friday, each child wrote their own friendly letter to author Mo Willems. The children will mail their letters at the end of next week. 

Snow Globes:

This week, the children listened to the book, The Snow Globe Family by Jane O’Connor. After, they wrote their own story about what they would do if they lived in a snow globe. The children wrote some very creative stories about life in a snow globe. They also created their own snow globe to attach their writing to. Our room now sparkles with beautiful snow globes hanging from the ceiling. 

Reindeer Application:

After listening to the book, Who Will Guide My Sleigh Tonight?, the children were very excited to learn that Santa was in need of a new reindeer. Each child applied to the position by filling out a reindeer application. They wrote about why they would make a good reindeer. To go along with their writing the children also turned themselves into a reindeer, complete with antlers and a shiny red nose!

Math 

This week, the children finished up Unit 3. They continued their practice with counting combinations of dimes, nickels, and pennies. On Tuesday, we had a Data Day. We created a tally chart and then turned it into a line plot. The children used the line plot to answer questions. On Wednesday, they worked with dominoes. They began by placing them in order according to their dot patterns. Then the children sorted the dominoes by even and odd numbers. After, they found the total of different dominoes using the parts and total diagram. 

The children enjoyed playing two games this week to help them apply their math skills: Coin-Dice Domino Top-It.

On Thursday, the children enjoyed using Mimio Vote to review all of the concepts they learned in Unit 3. Our room once again turned into the set of a game show as each child answered questions using their very own clicker. 

The children completed their unit 3 test on Friday. I am proud of how hard they worked on their tests. I will send home the tests next week. 

Social Studies

This week, we started our Winter Holidays unit. The children learned about how people celebrate Diwali and Eid. We read several books, and used Pebble Go to research each of the holidays. After learning about the traditions and celebrations for each holiday, the children worked together to fill in a holiday celebrations chart. 

On Tuesday, after learning about Diwali the children decorated Rangoli. We hung them on our classroom door to welcome friends and relatives into our classroom.

Star Student

Nikhil was our star student this week. Thanks Nikhil for sharing all about you!

Royal Reader

A special thank you to Nikhil’s Mom, she joined us this week as our Royal Reader. The children loved listening to the two stories that Mrs. Naik read, Spike’s Best Nest and Duck on a Bike.

Notes:

-Now that the weather has turned cold be sure to send your child to school each day with a warm jacket, hat, and gloves. On snowy days, please remember to also send snow pants and boots. The children will continue to go outside for recess each day, unless it is to cold. Be sure to label your child’s hat, gloves, and boots. Many children have similar items and labeling them helps to make sure each child keeps their own!

-This Friday, December 12th is Crazy Hair Day. Your child may create a “Crazy” hairstyle to wear to school!

I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!