February 2, 2009

READING
Our next story is called The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story. It is a fable about how the birds and animals play ball to decide who is better. The birds don't allow the bat on their team, but he ends up winning the game for the animals.
In phonics we will be focusing on the vowels pairs oa and ow.
Vocabulary words are accept, advantage, argument, penalty, quarrel, and guarded.
Comprehension strategies are rereading for understanding, cause and effect, and summarizing.
In grammar we will be working on plural possessive nouns.

MATH
In math we finished our chapter on probability. We will take our chapter test on Monday. Our next chapter will be covering money. Please make sure your child has a small container (with name on lid) with the following coins. 20 pennies, 10 nickels, 10 dimes and 7 quarters

Student of the Week
Jeny is the Student of the Week! She likes money, purses and flowers. Jeny wishes that she could get a black dog. Her favorite color is pink. When Jeny grows up he wants to be a Teacher.

Science
Our next chapter will be on the Earth's natural resources. What they are, how people use them and how to protect them. The children enjoyed making fossils in science today.

Social Studies
We will be learning the concept of government – local, state and federal and explore the history of “the land of the freedom”.

Handwriting
Next week we will be working on the letters f, k, and r.

Supplies Needed
wet wipes
donations to a reward bin

Valentine’s Day Party
On Friday,, Feb. 13th we will have a Valentine's Day party. Your child may bring one valentine for every child in the class (19 students). Please have your child sign each card, but
DO NOT write individual names on the envelopes. Bring the cards to school in a bag with your child’s name on it.

Happy Birthday!
Jan. 31 - Sarah

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Feb. 9 -shoe boxes are needed
Feb. 9 – Iowa Testing
Feb. 16 – President's Day – No School
Mar. 2 – Casimer Pulaski Day – No School
Mar. 12 – Early dismissal day
Mar. 13 – Parent/Teacher Conferences – No School

January 23, 2009

READING
Our next story is called Ant. It is a photo essay about the different kids of ants that are found throughout the world. We will talk about how ants work together to get food, and about the kinds of things that ants eat..
In phonics we will be focusing on the word endings -nd, -nt, -mp, -ng, -nk, base words and endings in nouns -s, -es, -ies.
Vocabulary words are antennae, colonies, larvae, cocoons, fungus, and tunnels.
Comprehension strategies are rereading for understanding, cause and effect, and fact and opinion.
In grammar we will be working on singular and possessive nouns.

MATH
In math we are beginning our next chapter on probability. We will predict if an event is certain or impossible, record possible outcomes, and solve problems by making predictions.

Student of the Week
Phillip is the Student of the Week! He likes eating hot dogs, guitars and Pokemon. Phillip wishes that he had could win first place in swimming. His favorite color is red. When Phillip grows up he wants to be a Police Officer.

Science
Next week we will be reviewing the Earth's surface. Tuesday we will have a test. Study the vocabulary cards that I am sending home with your child.

Handwriting
Next week we will be working on the letters l, b, and h. I am sending home homework to practice these letters.

Supplies Needed
Your child will need to bring in for math a small container (with name on lid) with the following coins. 20 pennies, 10 nickels, 10 dimes and 7 quarters. Please send this in as soon as possible.
Each child needs to bring in a shoe box for making a valentine holder. The box needs a lid that fits on the box. Make sure your child's name is on the box.

Thank you to the PTO for the “Rockin' Ronald Mc Donald” Assembly. We enjoyed the assembly and learned that Readers are Leaders!

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jan. 30 – Movie Night
Feb. 9 – Iowa Testing
Feb. 16 – President's Day – No School
Mar. 2 – Casimer Pulaski Day – No School
Mar. 12 – Early dismissal day
Mar. 13 – Parent/Teacher Conferences – No School

January 19, 2009

READING
Our next story is called Officer Buckle and Gloria. It is a humorous fictional story about a policemen who loves to give safety tips to school children, but nobody every listens – until he brings a dog named Gloria.
In phonics we will be focusing on the the vowel pairs ow and oa, r-controlled vowels or and ar, and the endings -tion and -ture.
Vocabulary words are accident, audience, officer, attention, commands, and safety.
Comprehension strategies are drawing conclusions and monitor/clarify.
In grammar we will be working on nouns and pronouns .

MATH
In math we worked on recording data on tally graphs, bar graphs and pictographs. Next week we will be interpreting data to find the range and mode for given numbers. We will follow directions to locate points on a grid. On Friday we will be having our chapter test. Our next chapter is on probability.

Jan. 16 – Megan

Science
We learned how the Earth changes and how landforms are made. Next week we will learn about sand, soil, rocks and how fossils are made.

Handwriting
Next week we will be working on the letters w, e and l. I am sending home homework to practice these letters.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King's Birthday – No School
Jan. 20 – Roller Skating starts – don't forget your helmet
Jan. 23 – Ronald McDonald Assembly
Jan. 30 – Movie Night
Feb. 16 – President's Day – No school

January 12, 2009

READING
Our next two stories are in our Theme Wrap-Up. The first one is called Grandpa's Corner Store It is about when a giant supermarket opens in the neighborhood Lucy tries to help her Grandfather save his small corner grocery store. The second story is called Barrio: Jose's Neighborhood it is about a San Francisco neighborhood. We will be comparing these stories with the other literature we have read in our theme.
In phonics we will be focusing on the the vowel pairs ai, ay and the endings -er and -est.
Vocabulary words are deliveries, grocery store, flyer, success, grand opening, supermarket, burrio, harvest, customs, fiesta and traditions.
Comprehension strategies are summarizing and making inferences.
In grammar we will be working on special nouns .

MATH
In math we finished our chapter on two-digit subtraction. Our next chapter will focus on geometry. We will work on recording tally marks on a table, use tables to find out information and find the mode and range from data given.
As you know, our holiday party was canceled due to the snow day of no school. We still had a little celebration in our class which included our book exchange. The children seemed to enjoy it after the holidays!

Happy Birthday!

Dec. 22 - Phillip
Dec. 30 – Emily
Jan. 1 - Kristina

Science
We are starting a new unit on the Earth's surface and natural resources.

Handwriting
We are starting to learn cursive handwriting. Next week we will learn how to write i, t and u.

Social Studies
Our next chapter in social studies will be about the government and how the voting process works in America.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jan. 16 – Vision and Hearing Screening
Jan. 19 – Martin Luther King's Birthday – No School
Jan. 23 – Ronald McDonald Assembly
Jan. 30 – Movie Night