Bring an Apple to School

Any size any color is acceptable.  We are going to be doing some fun apple activities!

Officer Buckle Inspired Safety Rules

We read this story together today.  We have been talking about friendship and choosing good reading partners this week.  Have your child retell the story to you tonight!  They loved it!  Afterwards, we made our own safety rules and illustrated them.
Here are their "Rules":

Never talk to strangers.
Never surf when you see a shark.

Never go in a lake when you see alligators in it.

Never play baseball in the house.

Always ride your bike with a helmet.

Don’t play with guns.

Don’t go swimming in a pool when it is green.

Never go surfing when a shark is there.

Stay away from cars.

Don’t smoke marijuana.
(Yeah, this one stopped me in my tracks too...but I chuckled to myself and moved on.)
Never run across the street when cars are coming.

Never jump.

They loved creating these!  Only one child had heard this story before today.  I love when I can bring a funny, good story to them!

Scholastics Classrooms Care Program

Dear Parent,
This school year, thousands of classrooms across the country
will be participating in Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare
literacy campaign—a unique reading motivation program that
teaches children the importance of reading and giving.
Every student in your child’s class will pledge to read ten books—
and when they’ve finished, Scholastic Book Clubs and its charity
partners will donate One Million Books to Kids in Need in
all 50 states!
By encouraging your child to read today, and by empowering
him or her to share resources with those in need, we can
shape a brighter future where all children benefit.
Visit www.scholastic.com/ClassroomsCare with your child
for more details and fun activities.
Thank you!

PS: We do so much reading in the classroom, we will reach the goal of 10 books per child by the end of next week!  The deadline is December 17, 2010.  Thank you for all your support in creating children who love to read!

How to Study for a Comprehension Test

It's Wednesday night, the reading book is home and your child is telling you they need to study for the reading test.  Time escapes you during the evening, so you have your child read to you in the car on the way to school.  What???? .... you think I didn't go through the same thing you are going through each day!?!  :o)  I know how it gets sometimes.  Rest assured, we have gone over it and over it this week. 

Here are some ideas to help you go over the story the night before the test:

• go over the "words to remember", this is for the vocabulary portion of the test
• discuss the genre, title, author, illustrator
• take notice of any phonics rules and discuss(such as -ck in Jack and Rick)
• listen to your child read the story
• make sure it is read fluently~if it's choppy, they have no idea what they are reading and are just spitting out words
• reread if necessary
• retell the story
• answer questions at the end of the story
• allow the child to ask you the question and check your comprehension

Hope this helps!

Mid - Week Review

Life is coming at you fast and furious, I understand that fact! I am a parent just like you. The after school meetings, open houses, evening meetings, cooking dinner, cleaning house, and responsibilities of the day to day wear me out as much as they do you. I appreciate you taking the time to assist your child with homework, reading skills, and sight word recognition. Anything you do at home is above and beyond what we have done here at school already. I am thankful for your support! It is not an accident that I am able to teach this great group of children. It is because of your hard work and dedication that they have come to the place where they are today!

The ants are confused and ready for release. I caught my ants for the ant farm vs. buying them from the company who sells ants. They have been trying to get out the top more than they have been digging in the gel. Another teacher bought the ants and they dug happily content to do what ants do best. However, this brought up a wonderful conversation dealing with capturing wild animals and trying to make them tame for pets. The consensus was we need to let the unhappy ants go and catch some happy ones. I do not think they got the point! :o)

We started our study of the five senses. The children learned yesterday that sounds traveled like waves and caused the inner ear to vibrate which in turn sends a message to the brain. It just so happened I had a life like pop up book about the human body that actually allowed me to pull a tab and it showed the ear "vibrate"! It was very cool for the children to see it in action. We played sound games and even went outside to list the sounds we heard.

In math, we are continuing our study of subtraction using manipulatives and
pictures to show subtraction. If you missed the Math Information Night on September 16th, here is the information.

1. The Next Generation Sunshine State Standards were reviewed.
2. A tour of Go Math! website was done.
https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do
3. If you have difficulty with this link, go to www.thinkcentral.com, click on mathematics, then click on Go Math! Florida. This will take you to the login page.

Your child's login is his/her student number.(email me if you need this #)
Password is YYYYMMDD(his/her birthday).


Book fair is this week. You are welcome to come in and check out the fair with your child!
Here are our scheduled times:
Tuesday, Thursday: Book Fair Browse 12:40-1:00
Wednesday: Book Fair Browse 10:30-10:45
If you are unable to make those exact times, contact me and we can arrange something that works better for you!

Have a great day!

Upcoming Dates and Reminders:

School Yearbook Photos:
September 29, 2010 (Wednesday) 10:20-10:50 am
Book Fair:
September 20-23
Tuesday and Thursday 12:40-1:00 
Wednesday 10:30-10:45

Ask your child about our ants!  No, we don't have ants in our pants.  We have an ant house that is made out of a gel that the ants can tunnel through, eat, drink, and stays clean from bacteria and fungus.  In 2003, the astronauts on the space shuttle took ants into outer space to study them.  They needed to come up with a gelatin material that kept the ants safe during take off.
Ask your child what a Myrmecologist studies.   

We have been observing the ants and learning a great deal about ants.  I will post pictures very soon!  In the meantime, here are some photos taken from this website where you can learn more about our ant farm! 

Sight Words for Reading Fluency!

The words are listed here from most frequently used sight words to least used.  Review these with your child and write down the ones your child does not know.  Practice these sight words to build your child's reading fluency. 



Dolch List 1 

---

 

the to  and  he  a

I  you  it  of  in

was  said  his  that  she

for  on  they  but  had

Dolch List 2 

---

at him  with  up  all

look is  her  there  some

out  as  be  have  go

we  am  then  little  down

Dolch List 3 

---

 

do  can  could  when  did

what so  see  not  were

get them  like  one  this

my  would  me  will  yes

Dolch List 4 

---

big  went  are  come  if

now  long  no  came  ask

very  an  over  your  its

ride into  just  blue  red

Dolch List 5 

---

from  good  any  about  around

want  don't  how  know  right

put  too  got  take  where

every  pretty  jump  green  four

Dolch List 6 

---

away old  by  their  here

saw  call  after  well  think

ran  let  help  make  going

sleep  brown  yellow  five  six

Dolch List 7 

---

 

walk two  or  before  eat

again  play  who  been  may

stop off  never  seven  eight

cold today  fly  myself  round

Dolch List 8 

---

tell  much  keep  give  work

first try  new  must  start

black  white  ten  does  bring

goes write  always  drink  once

Dolch List 9  

---

soon made  run  gave  open

has find  only  us  three

our better  hold  buy  funny

warm  ate  full  those  done

Dolch List 10 

---

 

use  fast  say  light  pick

hurt pull  cut  kind  both

sit  which  fall  carry  small

under  read  why  own  found

Dolch List 11 

---

wash  show  hot  because  far

live draw  clean  grow  best

upon these  sing  together  please

thank  wish  many  shall  laugh

What does math look like?

I am truly enjoying the new Math program we have implemented this year!
I love all of the hands on activities and how in depth the curriculum goes into addition. The format is set up in a way that the children practice over and over again each "skill".
As a whole group we explore the skill with manipulatives and think about the "why" of the skill. The children then participate in a hands on manipulation of objects to make the skill more concrete for their developing minds. After I have introduced the skill, we work together on a few problems. Then, the responsibility is released to them. I have the children work in pairs. Most of the children have mastered the days skill and are then available to "teach" each other. By teaching others, they are solidifying the skill in their own minds. The ones who were on the fence about the skill usually get it through this working time. They have time to practice it with a partner. I make my way around and help those who may be confused. We come back together and discuss what we learned, clear up any remaining confusion, and then complete a task on their own to show mastery. It is at this time I am able to stop at the one or two children who still did not get the skill and work one on one with them.
The material is well organized, developmentally appropriate, and introduced in a manner that makes it understandable. The one skill that gave children a bit of trouble was ways to make a number.
If you remember the homework last week, it was when they had to color the uni fix cubes red and blue.
10+0=10
9+1=10
8+2=10
7+3=10
Overall, I am looking forward to our math series which introduces the skills in order in a developmentally appropriate manner!
How is math homework going?
Do you find your child struggling?
The homework is a reinforcement of what was taught at school that day.
If you saw your child struggle as they completed the work, please make a note on the homework for me.
Thanks for all your help and support!

What is it about "readers workshop"?

It's reading. It's listening to reading. It's writing about reading. It's talking about reading. It's practicing reading. It's learning phonics. It's conferencing about reading. It's thinking about reading. It's sharing about reading.

The books I read to them all teach a lesson of some sort or another that goes along with our reading workshop. I perfected a series of mini lessons that gradually releases responsibility to the children for their reading. Thus, allowing me the time to conference with each one during the week as a means of keeping them focused on their individual reading needs and goals without being interrupted. I am teaching them how to read, listen to, and comprehend books. I make mistakes when I read such as saying wall instead of hall. I stop and say wait a minute. Did that make sense? They say no. I reread that sentence and fix up the mistake I had made and then talk about how easy it is to make a mistake. I then explain how easy it is to fix the mistake. They are doing a very good job during the reading portion time of class. They have learned quite easily which are the "just right" books for themselves. Some are still working on this, and I conference with them to help them through this learning process. Not to mention they love our "I PICK" song. I am not so sure it is about the words to the song or if it is how I have taught them to dance to the song. I believe it is the latter...but I figure whatever it takes to help them remember how to pick just right books! They are up to about 25 minutes of sustained reading time.(This means they are quiet, nearly silent, and reading their just right books.) The goal is at least 45 minutes of which I will not demand silence. After all, talking about books and sharing your learning is how we all learn best! I keep reminding them that reading is like a sport and that they have to practice, practice, practice reading! I tell them that they are becoming voracious readers. They love the new and exciting words I point out such as indignant, voracious, and gleamed. I write them in my words I use when I write book because I love them so much and want to remember to use them in my writing during writers workshop. Modeling for them the exact way I want them to write these words they find as they read in their "words I use when I write" book. Next time you hear your child read...tell them they are becoming a voracious reader! They will probably faint that you recognized in them what their teacher has been telling them all along!
So many things happen in our day, I can not even begin to name them all. I do know that it is my goal to make their learning fun and meaningful in a developmentally appropriate way. You CAN NOT rush these things...so you might as well have a lot of fun along the way! I also can not stress enough how very much I care about each student, what they are learning, and if I am teaching it to my utmost ability! Besides, they are just children...life can get difficult and troublesome down the road...for now its about having fun and learning to love to learn!

I tweaked an email I had sent out earlier to a parent and placed it here on the blog.  Good information for all!

Building Comprehension Skills

Parents,
This is a helpful tool for you to use to ensure that your child understands what he/or she is reading. Use this as a guideline while your child is reading to you at night.
BEFORE READING
Discuss the title and cover of the book
Make predictions about what you think the book may be about, or what might happen in the story.
Take a picture walk. Look at the pictures carefully, and discuss them. This gives them a sense of what the story will be about and gets their mind ready to read the book.
DURING READING
Help your child read unfamiliar words by using the “comprehension”strategies.
Encourage your child to make connections by asking, “Has anything like that ever happened to you?” or “Does this remind you of another book you’ve read or heard?”
Ask higher level thinking questions by asking…
• What would happen if…?
• Why did that happen?
• What would you do?
• What do you think might happen next?
AFTER READING
Have your child retell the story.
Be sure they include:
o Characters
o Setting
o Beginning
o Middle
o End
o Have your child tell you his/her favorite part and why.
Talk about why they think the author decided on the title.
Hope this helps you help your child become a reader who understands what they read.

Scholastic Online Ordering!

Online Ordering Information
Web address: www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
Class Activation Code: GTGDG

Dear Parent,

Now it's easier than ever to find the right books for your child — and help us earn FREE books for our classroom library at the same time!

With new online ordering from Scholastic Book Clubs, you can choose from a much wider selection of books than in the printed flyer. Plus, you can send your orders directly to me online and use your credit card.

Best of all, our class earns a FREE book every time a parent places their order online.

It's so simple! Here's how it works:

* SIGN UP at www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs. On the parent page, click the "Don't have a User Name and Password?" link, then register for your own username and password. When prompted, enter the one-time Class Activation Code shown above. This code ensures that your order is sent to me.

* SELECT the books you'd like to order from over 500 titles available online...and take advantage of online-only specials and discounts.

* SEND your order to me online by the due date. Books will be delivered directly to our classroom, as always.


Of course, you can still order using the form from the printed flyer. But why not experience for yourself how convenient it is to order online?

Ordering online is fast, easy, and secure. Plus our whole class benefits thanks to the FREE books we'll earn with every parent online order.

Go to www.Scholastic.com/bookclubs now to get started.


Thank you,