Week 26

This week we are reading a non fiction story called "On the Job with Dr. Martha Smith." This story is written in the interview style to gain information about her job at an animal shelter. The phonics focus this week is /ou/(what you would say if I pinched you) made by the letter ou and ow. The new vocabulary words are:

any

Dr.

busy

care

eight

took

Questions-of-the-Week

Monday - Tomorrow is a new month. What one is it? How many days are in it?

Tuesday - Use the word busy in a sentence.

Wednesday - Today is Pick Up the Phone Day. Who would you call? What is your phone number?

Thursday - Tell me 5 words that name animal sounds.

Friday - List 5 words with /ou/ sound.

Math this week will be time to the 5 minutes, which we do not have to master but only introduce, and quarters. The touch points are two at the top, one in the middle, and two on the bottom for a quarter. They will still count money by 5's. We will continue with problem solving, graphing, and timed tests on math facts.

We are going to spend some time on handwriting. Ours seems to be deteriorating rather than improving. We are almost second graders so this has to improve.

Spelling is going pretty well. You child should be on List 18 this week. If not, he/she will be in during morning recess working on spelling.

I will be sending out conference schedules this week. Please be on the look out for yours.

Reading fluency seems to be improving. This is a really important skill and we have been working hard on it. The kids that are getting to AR every day are really doing better. Their fluency speed is building and they will probably meet benchmark by the end of the year. Reading practice is so important. I don't know at this time how the kids are going to be tested, but if they are not on grade level by third grade they will be retained. This is a state mandate, not a local one. This means the pressure is on for all of us. Your help at home is so important.

Congratulations to Gage. He earned a shirt on Friday. I didn't have my camera so no picture yet. MacKenzie will get a zipper pull on Monday. I am so excited to see the enthusiasm for reading. It is showing in their reading ability.

Have a great week!

Two more AR Stars

Valentine Party

Week 25

This week we are reading a science fiction story called "My Robot". It is by Eve Bunting. The phonics lesson is c sounding like s as in cent. The new vocabulary words are:

almost

always

does

even

once

pretty

say

sound

Questions of the Week:

Monday - holiday

Tuesday - What did you do over your long weekend?

Wednesday - The first bathtub was installed in the White House in 1851. How many bathtubs are in your house?

Thursday - It is Wilhelm Grimm's birthday. What is your favorite fairy tale?

Friday - Use the word always in a sentence.

On Friday I taught the kids how to play a math game by using a deck of cards. Remove all face cards, jokers, and 10s. Lay out the cards in three rows of three cards each. Then pick up each partnership that adds up to 10. When you can make no more pairs, replace the missing cards to make the 3 by 3 grid. Keep going until you have picked up all the cards or can make no more moves. The kids loved it and it was great practice for addition facts of 10.

This week we will be measuring by centimeters, reviewing "What's My Rule?", and adding the quarter to our study of money.

The kids loved the Valentine Party. Thanks to all of you who stepped in to help. Wish I could have been there. I think I am finally on the mend. If only this cough would go away!!!

Congratulations to Race for earning her AR shirt. It does my heart good to see these kids pick up books and read. It will definitely help build our fluency skills, which is what we are judged on at the end of the year.

Have a great week!!!

Week 24

This week's story is a fiction story called "Tell Me a Story." It is about a little girl who likes to listen to her Abuelita (grandma) tell her stories of times gone by. The phonics sound is long i as in the word time. The new vocabulary is:

because

cook

front

listen

most

picture

why

young

Questions of the Week

Monday - What does your favorite valentine say?

Tuesday - The first public school was established, 1865. What is the name of our school?

Wednesday - List 5 words where the c sounds like/s/.

Thursday - The US Weather Bureau started in 1870. Write about today's weather.

Friday - List 5 words with the long i sound.

Math is going well. We are in the second book. It has fewer lessons than the first one so we will have plenty of time to finish. This week will center on fact families.

Congratulations to Caden for earning his AR shirt. We just keep doing better. The kids are really getting the hang of it and I am already seeing reading improve. This is a good thing.

I have the crud!!! I will not be there tomorrow since I still have a fever today. I hope the kids have a good party. Thanks to all you moms who have stepped up to help me out. I am taking this day by day. I feel better today than yesterday so maybe this won't be a long term thing.

Have a good week.

Monster Sandwich Day

Monster Sandwich Day

Monster Sandwich Day

Monster Sandwich Day

AR Stars

Addie managed to get a Sonic card before she left. She passed 150 AR tests.

AR Stars

Week 23

This week's story is a non fiction one called "At Home Around the World." The phonics emphasis will be on y making the long e sound as at the end of the word bunny. We will also review the long vowel sounds we have had so far. The reading level of this story is much higher than the one we had last week. The vocabulary words are:

above

hold

warm

different

old

water

years

Questions of the Week:

Monday - It is School Nurse Day. List some ways she helps us.

Tuesday - Use the word above in a sentence.

Wednesday - Tell me 5 words that end with y making the long e sound.

Thursday - Use the word different in a sentence.

Friday - It is Chocolate Month. What is your favorite thing made from chocolate?

We will start our new math book this week. We will be doing probability, turn around facts, the addition/subtraction table and number collection boxes. Along with this we will continue working on problems solving, graphing, and building speed with math facts.

Many have really worked hard to catch up in spelling. We should be on List 16 this week at the least. That is only passing one list per week since we have started spelling. I would hope that many can accomplish more than that.

AR is moving along well. Several have really caught the bug to earn a shirt or a watch or more. Trevor has earned his zipper pull but is having to wait until my new order comes in. I'm glad he is being patient. I'm sure Jessica has her watch now and Addie earned a Sonic card for passing 150 tests before she moved.

Please start sending valentines before next Monday. It is really hard to get them all passed out on one day. Our party will be on Monday, Feb. 14 at 12:10. Please have your child put his/her name on the card, so we can do an activity with the cards after recess.

Remember Friday is an Early Release Day.

Have a great week.