Week 8

This week OPA will be hosting a Book Fair.  Check your child’s backpack for a flier that came home on Friday.  Because it will be set up in the library we will NOT have library on Monday.  Your child can turn their books in (if they choose to), any day this week but will not be checking books out until the following week.

Gg is for guinea pig!  Camilla brought hers to school and she was so much fun to observe!  Thanks Camilla for sharing her with us!

We learned about the letter Ll.  We went on a leaf hunt and used our leaves to make Lovely Leaf crayon rubbings.  We also used our 5 senses to drink lemonade and explore a lemon.  Then we discovered that uppercase L, lowercase l, and the number 7 are similar.  We practiced making them using a straw.

Ii is for ice.  We observed the properties of ice with our 5 senses and put ice cubes in our lemonade.

Last week we started our Words Their Way spelling program in class.  I have leveled each of the children and placed them in a group that will best meet their abilities at this time.  At home I hope each of the children cut apart their sort and worked on sorting it and writing the beginning sounds or words (if they are in the short vowel or digraph groups) every day. 

On Friday they took a test to “show what they know and where they did grow”.  Their test also came home on Friday.  If you haven’t seen it check your child’s backpack.  Each test is worth 10 points. 

Because this week is a short week we will not be doing a homework packet or spelling sort.

They also had a “sorting mat” where they will practice writing the beginning sounds or words.  THIS MAT WILL NEED TO BE RETURNED IN THE ENVELOPE WITH THEIR HOMEWORK EVERY THURSDAY.  The sort stays home so that they can practice it and be ready for the test.  Please take time to look at any notes I wrote on last week’s mat.  If your child is working on Picture Sorts – 2, 3, or 4 they DO NOT write any words.  They only write the beginning sound for each picture.

Take a look at this 2 Letter Sorting Mat that one child completed last week.

 

This is a great example of how to do it.

Remember to KEEP the sort at home each week to practice each Thursday night.

At times I will be moving children onto the next level as they show proficiency.  The levels go in this order:

·        2 Letter Sorts

·        3 Letter Sorts

·        4 Letter Sorts

·        Short Vowel Words

·        Digraphs

We are learning that words have parts that we call  SYLLABLES.  We learned 4 different strategies that we can use to find out how many syllables there are in each word.  This is important to know when we start learning how to sound out words.

We can…

            Clap the parts

       Tap the parts (using our body)

       Say the word ROBOT STYLE

       Put our hand directly under our chin and say the word

Have your child show you how many syllables are in these words using one of our strategies: flower, apple, elephant, dog

We are learning what it mean to be a 4 STAR illustrator.  I saw some great examples this week of kids who are on their way to getting those 4 stars.  We celebrated Dominic as our STAR STUDENT and each of the children made a page of some of his favorite things for his book.  

A 4 STAR illustration has details

A 4 STAR illustration is when I color objects their real color

A 4 STAR illustration is outlined in black

A 4 STAR illustration has more than 1 object in the picture

We have now learned how to read and write the numbers 0-10.  We know that the numbers 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 all have a “5-group” in them.  Have your child show you the numbers 1-10 “The math way”.  You will see how we are learning about number combinations with a group of five and some extra ones.

On Thursday we took a quiz “To show what we know and where we did grow.”  And everyone did grow!  I was so excited to see their progress!  I will share it with you at Parent Teacher Conferences this week.

We will be having a FALL ACTIVITY on Oct. 31st.

To do this we are in need of the following donations:

·        1 PUMPKIN PIE from COSTCO or 2 smaller pies from any grocery store

·        Apple Cider - 2 gallons

·        2-32oz. containers of KARO SYRUP

·        1 box of food coloring

·        1 can of whipped cream

Thank you so much for helping me out with donations!  You have been so generous but, before you purchase anything on the donation list make sure you contact me to see if another parent has already volunteered for that item.

Have a tremendous week and I will see you and your child at your Parent-Teacher Conference on Wed. or Thurs.  

Remember...
WEDNESDAY is a MINIMUM DAY &
NO SCHOOL THURSDAY or FRIDAY

Mrs. Scalise