We had a great first week back to school.  I have enjoyed getting to know all of my wonderful new students, and I look forward to learning more about them as the year progresses.

 

Our Curriculum…

MATH: We have already begun to dig into our math curriculum.  Students are working on place value concepts this week.  We will focus on reading, writing, and modeling numbers through thousands, as well as rounding and comparing numbers.  Students will have time in class every day to work on their homework/remembering worksheets.  If these are completed in class, they will not have math homework.  The hope is that students use their time efficiently in class, and can then enjoy their time at home in the evenings.

READING: Our first unit of the school year focuses on analyzing current reading habits and improving them.  We will spend quite a bit of time reading and reflecting on what has been read with partners.  Students will begin to have their reading levels assessed tomorrow so that we can ensure students are reading books that are appropriate for their development.  The goal is to have a final reading level for every student by the end of September, but hopefully even sooner than that.

WRITING: Students will be starting the year off working on extending their personal narrative writing.  Personal narratives are stories written about things that have actually happened in their life.  Our goal this year is to have students truly expand on their ideas, include sensory details, and to tell their internal thoughts and emotions throughout their writing.  This will be accomplished through reading mentor texts, modeling, practice, and workshopping.  Students can help develop these skills further at home by keeping a journal and recording the different things happening in their life.

SOCIAL STUDIES: We will be starting off the school year with our Economics unit.  Students will examine how supply and demand work together to drive our economy.  Students will apply all skills learned throughout this unit with a final Market Day project.  This project will allow students to develop a product that they wish to “sell” to their peers.  More information about this project will be sent home soon.

 

Other Important Notes…

PAPERWORK: Thank you to all families that have returned the student profile sheet and student compact.  If you have not yet completed those forms, please do so and send them with your child as soon as possible.

TRANSPORTATION: As a reminder, if you need to change the transportation arrangements for your child for any reason, please contact the office or myself via email, phone call, or written note.  Even if your child says that they are being picked up rather than riding the bus, unless we receive contact from the parents, we cannot change their transportation.  This is for their safety.  Thank you for your help in this matter.

KEEPING CONNECTED: If you have not already signed up for our classroom Remind, please do so by texting @829f3d6 to the number 81010.  This will allow me to send text reminders for important information such as upcoming field trips, tests, or paperwork that is due.  Also, be sure to subscribe to this blog by entering your email address at the top right-hand side of the screen.  I usually update weekly on Monday afternoons.

A LITTLE REMINDER FOR STUDENTS: Some students have taken a little longer to get back into the routine of school, so if you could help remind your child that recess and lunch are great times to have fun and catch up with classmates, but not during class time, that would be extremely helpful.  We have a lot of important learning to get through each day.