News You Can Use!

Hello 1-1 Families! Thanks for stopping by to check in on what we’ve been up to these past two weeks. 

Literacy

During readers workshop over the last two week the readers have been hard at work. They have been practicing building their reading stamina and applying the skills and strategies we have learned during our whole group lessons.

Our lessons have focused on:

-Visualizing 

-Poetry (finding rhythm and rhyme in poems)

-Learning new words 

-Using photos and illustrations to gain information 

Guided Reading

Over the last two weeks, the children have learned about their independent activities for guided reading time. We refer to this time as Daily 5 time. These activities allow every child to be independently engaged in meaningful literacy tasks during our guided reading time. These research-based tasks are ones that will have the biggest effect on each child's reading and writing achievement, as well as help encourage children who love to read and write. The children receive explicit whole group instruction and then are given independent practice time to read and write independently while I provide focused, intense instruction to individuals and small groups of children.

The children are engaged in the following independent activities:

-Read to Self - The children have the opportunity to read books of their choice that they have chosen as “just right books.” They keep these books in their book bins and change them out frequently.

-Work on Writing - The children receive a journal prompt and then decide how they want to respond. The children will think, draw, label, and write to respond to the prompt. They will keep their journal writings in their writing binder.

-Read to Someone - The children have the opportunity to read to a buddy and work on building their fluency.

-Listen to Reading - The children will listen and respond to many wonderful books throughout the school year. 

-Word Work -In word work, the children learned about rainbow words, spelling code, and write 3x. These are some of the ways the children will practice their spelling words in class. The children also have an opportunity to go to the word work table where they work with different manipulatives, sorts, and games to practice the spelling words or spelling pattern of the week.

Guided Reading Groups: 

This week, we started our guided reading groups. During guided reading time, the other children work on independent Daily 5 work while I meet with small guided reading groups. Your child will bring a green book bag home at least one night a week. In their book bag you will find a book they have been working on in class. Please have your child read the book to you and send it back to school the next day. If your child brings home an organizer to go along with their book, have them share that with you as well. You may also find word rings or a word work activity in your child’s green book bag. Please have your child practice reading their words on their ring and complete the word work activity. These also get returned the next day in the green bag. 

Your child may also bring home a sight word sticker book. Have them practice the words that they have not earned stickers for yet. This is a way for the children to develop automaticity of sight words they will find frequently in the texts they are reading. They will move on to the next sight word sticker book when they have earned stickers for every word in their current book. I will assess them weekly on the words they have been practicing. Your child will only place stickers in their book when meeting with me.

During curriculum night, I gave you handouts on reading with your child and a reading strategies bookmark. These will be helpful if you are looking for ways to help your child with reading or ideas for questions. If you have misplaced your copies please let me know - I can make you a new set!

Spelling:

The children have been doing a great job on their spelling tests. I am so proud of how hard they practice the words all week long. Thank you for helping your child review their words at home!

Writing

Last week, the children published their first writing piece of the year, their Autobiographies. The children wrote about their favorite pet, their toy or game, their favorite thing to do, and their favorite place to go. They added a cover page, and an all about the author page. These pages were bound into a book. The children are excited to celebrate their accomplishment by reading to a buddy from Miss Erpelo’s class on Thursday of this week.

Social Studies

Last week, we finished our Map unit. The children enjoyed taking a virtual trip around the world to visit different landforms. After we visited each landforms location the children wrote about it in their landforms booklet. Ask your child to teach you all about the landforms they learned.

Science

This week, we began our first science unit, Collecting and Examining Life. The children learned all about what a scientist does. We read the book, What Is a Scientist and worked together to create a chart listing everything that a scientist does. Then, the children created their own super scientist. Inside the lab jacket they wrote about what a scientist does. 

Math

We started unit 2 in math. A note came home via backpack mail detailing the concepts that will be taught in this unit. The children worked with the number grid to locate numbers and solve math problems. They enjoyed playing the math game, Rolling to 50. The children also worked with ten frames, labeling numbers with units, finding sums of ten, and using calculators.

Fire Safety Presentation

Last Friday, Fireman Andrew from the Arlington Heights Fire Department visited our classroom. He shared a short fire safety video with the children. Then, he talked to the children about important fire safety rules to follow at home and at school. 

The children were excited to learn about his fire safety gear. He told the child that he has to be able to get into his gear in 1 minute when called for an emergency. After, he showed the children what a firefighter looks liked when fully dressed by having me put on all his gear. The children got a big kick out of seeing me all dressed up! They also had a wonderful question and answer session before he left. A special thank you to Fireman Andrew for teaching us about fire safety!

Birthday

Last week, we celebrated Angie’s Birthday. Happy Birthday Angie!

Notes:

-Please be sure to check your child’s red take home folder nightly.  Encourage your child to show you the work they are bringing home. 

-If you would like some new books for your child, please consider placing a Scholastic book order. Scholastic book orders need to be placed by next Wednesday, October 12th. Feel free to order online or fill out the form I sent home and return it along with your payment, I will submit these orders. Scholastic book orders are a great way to build your child’s reading library at home. Plus, every order you place helps us earn books for our classroom library! Happy shopping and reading!

-On Friday, October 21st, all of our students in grades 1-5 will be jumping rope outside during their lunch recess time for the PTA fundraiser, Just Jump! Please read over the red flyer I sent home for more information! Let me know if you need a new flyer. This is a wonderful fundraiser for our PTA. It helps to provide valuable experiences for our students: clubs, assemblies, birthday books, and so much more!