Newsletter September 27, 2013

September 27, 2013

Language Arts

·     Writer’s Workshop – In response to reading Wilfred Gordon MacDonald Partridge by Mem Fox, the children wrote about a special memory.  After a lesson which modeled how to listen for the beginning sound in a word and to label a picture, they were asked to write at least one letter sound independently which described their picture.  The rest of their writing was dictated.  This week we wrote in our journals about another special memory.  The children know that journal entries must be true.  Again, the children wrote at least one beginning letter sound to go with their picture.  The rest of the entry was dictated. 

·     Guided Reading – The words “I”, “a”, and “the” have been introduced.  Word rings will start coming home next week.  Please practice these words at home and return the word rings to school on Monday so that I may add more words to send home with the children on Tuesday.  Next week the children will start bringing home a paper copy of a book we have been working on in school.  Each highly predictable book focuses on a sight word that has been introduced.  Please encourage your child to point to each word as they read to you.  You can also ask your child to point to different words on each page.  Please keep these books in a special place at home so that your child can continue to practice their reading. 

·     Fundations – We have been working on the letters Tt, Ff, and Bb.  The children sorted objects beginning with B, T, and F.  They practiced writing the letters as well.  This week we worked on Mm and Nn.  Please continue to refer to your Home Support Packet regarding important information about how you can help your child at home.  To help children practice fluency, we used a letter fluency practice sheet.  The children pointed to each letter and said its name, continuing in a left to right direction.  We practiced until we could say the letters accurately and quickly.  As a variation, some of the children practiced pointing to each letter and saying the letter sound.  You may continue to practice this activity at home.  Fluency while reading is an important skill which we will be working on all year long.

Math

·     We have been working on important math skills during our Calendar Math time each day – days of the week, months of the year, counting, number recognition, vocabulary, and problem-solving.

·     We have been working on the numbers 1 – 5, recognition and number formation.  Vocabulary and routines for our new math program are being introduced and established.

Science and Health

· We are learning how to use our observation skills like a scientist.  We have been recording things we have observed, making sure to include important details. 

· We reviewed the importance of the buddy system.

· The children were introduced to Olweus, our bullying prevention program.  After a discussion of what the term bullying means, the children were introduced to the first rule of bullying, “We will not bully others.”  Students understand that bullying is being mean or hurtful on purpose, it happens over and over again, and it involves an imbalance of power.  We will have weekly class meetings to discuss the four rules of bullying prevention and will have many opportunities to discuss and role-play what to do to prevent bullying and what to do if ever in a situation where bullying is involved.

  

Literacy Centers

·     We illustrated an apple poem in which we needed to recognize several color words. 

·     We did a fine motor activity using a push pin to outline a picture of an apple.

·     We worked on our cutting skills as well as our understanding of story sequence as we illustrated a short poem about what happens when we eat an apple.

Volunteers

Many thanks to all who have volunteered to help in our classroom.  In case you did not sign up to volunteer but think you might want to consider helping at some point this year, here are the volunteer times:

Monday – Writer’s Workshop 9:45 – 10:30

Friday – Literacy Centers 9:45 – 10:30

             

Please do not feel you need to commit to every week.  Let me know your availability, and I will fit you into a schedule.  If you would like to volunteer to help at some point this year but can’t make any of these times, please let me know and we can work something out.  If you plan on volunteering in our classroom at any point this year, even as a chaperone, please go to the office to complete a CORI form.  This process does not take a long time.  Just bring a license with you when you come.

I am working on a volunteer schedule for October and will send it home this week.  Volunteers will start the week of October 7^th.  Going forward, if people know in advance which dates will work best for them each month please let me know.  Also, it would be helpful for all volunteers to have a listing of phone numbers and e-mail addresses in the event you would like to switch your volunteer time.  Please let me know if I can include your information on a master list of volunteers.

We are off to a great start!  I look forward to working with you this year.