Rested and Ready!

I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend.  It was so nice to have an extra day off to get rested up.  I was exhausted after a full week of school!

Unfortunately, we have had a few sick kids already this week. Be on the watch for upset stomachs and a fever.

This week we will continue to learn new centers and work on center rotations.  The kids will learn how to do spelling search, picture search, stamps, pocket chart, and roll-a-word.  It is nice to get the kids trained on the centers and rotations now, so when we start reading groups they know what to do and I do not have to stop teaching reading groups to help them.

During our whole group reading time will learn our final two reading strategies, Flippy Dolphin (flip the vowel sound) and Chunky Monkey (look for chunks in words).  We will also be working on answering questions using text evidence.  Our poem for the week is "The Getting Along Song" and we will work on the high-frequency word like.

In writer's workshop we will be working on stretching out words, using our alphabet chart, writing words we know, and word patterns.  I am blown away at how well the kids are doing with their writing.

In math, we will continue to work on chapter one, addition concepts.  This week we will be working with bar models, adding zero, and adding in any order.

Did you remember to sign and send back your child's poetry binder?

Wishing you well

A Whole Week in the Books!

We survived the one whole week of school!  We stayed busy this week learning new procedures, rules, and expectations.  We also jumped right in to handwriting and spelling.  We worked on the letter m, s, b, and f.  We also learned how to spell the word can.  We made "I can" boxcars and did an art project with our names.  You will be able to see what we have been working on at open house on September 15.

Earlier this week your child came home with the PTA fundraiser information in their backpack.  Orders are due on September 14.  Coupon books will be delivered September 16.  I love these books.  I get my moneys worth after only using a few coupons.  It was a great fundraiser last year and hopefully we will do just as well this year.

Green folders will come home most Wednesdays.  Homework and items that need to be returned will be on one side and items to stay home will be on the other side.  Both sides of the folder are labeled. Please return the green folder on Thursday or Friday.  Thanks!

On Friday, your child will be coming home with their poetry binder.  The first page will contain the directions for you and your child.  Each week we will practice reading a poem together.  They will have this poem in their binder and will read it to you.  Make sure and sign the BACK of the poem and return it on Monday.  When they return their signed binder on Monday, they get a sticker to put on back.  Their goal is to fill up the entire back with stickers before the year is over.

I am still missing a few beginning of the year packets. Please sign and return ASAP.  There is also a green student info sheet that I keep in my room.  These were on your childs' desk on the supply drop off night. If you were unable to attend, it will be in the green folder that comes home every
Wednesday.

Also, would you please send a family picture(s) to add to our Friends and Family Wall.  The kids love showing off their families.  Thanks!

Today we started in our new math series, GO Math!  We will also introduce a few reading strategies and start some writing.  We have lots of learning to do!

Book orders are due Friday, September 18.  There is a Scholastic link on the blog.  Book order forms will come home on the 2nd.

Have a great rest of the week!