Introducing Abigail

Hello Friends! I miss you all so much! I know that you are working hard for Mrs. Thomas. I can hardly wait to hear about everything I have missed.  I know you will all impress me so much with how much you have learned while I've been gone. Abigail and I will come and visit you all soon. Until then, here are some pictures of Abigail:

What We Are Learning

Reading: This week in reading we worked on making our reading more fluent. We practiced changing our rate and voice depending on the text we are reading.  We also set new reading goals. Ask your child about their new goal.

Writing: In writing this week we continued our opinion writing unit. We finished revising, editing, and publishing our pieces persuading our audience which pet is the best to own. Ask your child about what topic they chose to write about.

Math: This week we continued our new math unit on adding numbers to 20. We focused on adding by counting by 2s, 4s, and 5s.

Theme:  During Theme Time this week we looked at how weather can affect water.  Ask your child about the difference between snow, hail, sleet, and rain.  

Valentine’s Day Party

On February 14 at 10:00, we will be having our Valentine’s Day Celebration! Your child is encouraged to create a Valentine’s box at home and then bring it to school. I am asking that your child not bring them to school before February 13^th. The party will start at 10:00 and end at 11:00.  Feel free to come and enjoy the fun with us! Your child may also bring in Valentines for their classmates.  However, if they choose to bring them, please make sure that they bring one for every student.  We have 20 students in our class.

Word Family

Please practice making words with the following pattern:

This week’s Word Family

_ake

Word Wall Words

Please practice reading, writing, and spelling our Word Wall Words. 

This week’s word wall words:

could  have  make  any  into

Dates to Remember

February 7^th-13^th: Book Fair

February 14^th: Valentine’s Day Party 10:00-11:30

February 14^th: Dismiss at 12:40 (Make Up Snow Day)

February 17^th: Make Up Snow Day

February 27^th: Baby Happel is due J  

New Writing Unit

This next school week (January 6-10) we will begin a new writing unit. It will be focused on opinion writing.  To introduce the students to the concept of fairly judging or forming an opinion with reasons for their opinion, we will be using collections.

Each child is welcome to bring in a collection of 5 items that are all in the same category.  Some examples might be 5 rocks or stickers, 5 writing utensils, or even 5 books they enjoy. I ask that all of their items fit inside of a shoebox or Ziploc. 

In order to start our unit on time, I ask that you please send your child’s collection with them on or by Tuesday, January 7^th. Please let us know if you have any questions. 

December 9th - December 14th

What We Are Learning

Reading: This week in reading I have been busy doing benchmark reading assessments to determine your child’s reading level. I have been so impressed with everyone’s progress. Please keep reading at home with your child so they continue to improve.

Writing: In writing this week we finished our nonfiction writing unit.  Your child drafted, revised, edited, and published a nonfiction chapter book.  To celebrate their awesome effort and hard week, we had a writing celebration! Ask your child what their published piece was about.

Math: This week in math we continued a unit on fractions.  We learned how to divide circles and rectangles into halves and fourths. Ask your child what the word partitioning means.

Theme:  During Theme Time this week, we learned the difference between wants and needs.

Tiger Pride Assembly

On December 20^th, your child is invited to wear their pajamas to school. During this day, the whole school will be wearing their PJs! Also, we will have our Holiday Party at 9:00 and our Tiger Pride Assembly at 10:45. Feel free to come and enjoy the fun!

Headphones Needed

We are very lucky to have 5 iPads in our classroom.  Your child has access to these devices on a daily bases. Because they are used so often, we are in need of some good quality headphones that will be able to withstand being used so frequently.  If you would be willing to donate some headphones to our classroom, your generosity would be GREATLY appreciated!

Word Wall Words

Please practice reading, writing, and spelling our Word Wall Words. 

This week’s word wall words:

sat, read, run, she, sit, then, & he

Last week’s word wall words:

not, mom, out, now, of, put, & ran

Dates to Remember

December 20^th: School Wide PJ Day

December 20^th: Holiday Party 9:00

December 20^th: Tiger Pride Assembly 10:45

December 20^th: Dismiss at 12:30

December 21st –January 5^th:  Christmas Break

January 20^th: Make Up Snow Day

February 14^th: Make Up Snow Day 

October 4th - October 9th

What We Are Learning

Reading: This week we learned about character traits.  We used adjectives to describe characters on the inside and the outside.

Writing: In writing this week we really focused on revising and editing our nonfiction chapter books.  I have been so impressed with how much effort everyone has been using.  Ask your child what topic they have chosen to write about.

Math: This week in math we continued to learn about attributes of 2D shapes. Ask your child about how to play the game Guess My Rule.

Theme:  Your child learned about Veteran’s Day.  We incorporated math and writing while learning about this important holiday. We created a soldier using only 2D shapes and brainstormed adjectives that describe veterans.

Prize Box

Our prize box is pretty depleted these days. We are in desperate need of individually wrapped candy, stickers, tattoos, small toys, etc. If you would be willing to donate any of these items, your generosity would be GREATLY appreciated!   

Headphones Needed

We are very lucky to have 5 iPads in our classroom.  Your child has access to these devices on a daily bases. Because they are used so often, we are in need of some good quality headphones that will be able to withstand being used so frequently.  If you would be willing to donate some headphones to our classroom, your generosity would be GREATLY appreciated!

Word Wall Words

Please practice reading, writing, and spelling our Word Wall Words. 

This week’s word wall words:

ball, as, be, by, & day

Last week’s word wall words:

had, they, will, too, & all

Fall Weather

Fall weather is on its way!  Please make sure your child is properly dressed for outside recess. We will go out every day as long as the weather is 32 degrees or above and the wind-chill is 25 degrees or above. There is a strong wind that blows across the playground.  Your child needs to have a jacket so they can enjoy recess comfortably! 

October 28th-November 1st

What We Are Learning

Reading: This week we learned about how to retell a story using story elements (characters, setting, problem, events, and solution). Ask your child about the strategy 5 Finger Retelling. 

Writing: We continued to write nonfiction chapter books.  We focused on how to use illustrations to help our readers understand our writing. 

Math: This week in math we started a new unit on 2 and 3 dimensional shapes. We learned the following terms: vertices, sides, square, rectangle, triangle, rhombus, trapezoid, half circle, and quarter circle.  Ask your child to explain these terms.

Parent Teacher Conferences

I am happy to announce that we had 100% attendance during Parent Teacher Conferences.  Thank you all so much for taking time to discuss your child’s progress.  I hope you found the Student Led format beneficial and it gave you insight into your child’s strengths and weaknesses.   I truly enjoyed meeting with all of you!

Book-It

A couple of week ago, I sent home a note describing a wonderful program called Book-It. If your child reads 20 books they get a FREE personalized pizza from Pizza Hut.  To help your child read good fit books, I also sent home several paper books on your child’s reading level. Please read these books with your child and have them fill out the Reading Record.  Also, your child can visit Raz-Kids.com to access books on their level as well. Happy Reading!

Veteran’s Day Assembly

The Veteran’s Day Assembly is scheduled for Friday, November 8^th at 9:00. We would like to invite all veterans to this memorable assembly.

Word Wall Words

Please practice reading, writing, and spelling our Word Wall Words. 

This week’s word wall words:

had, they, will, too, & all

Last week’s word wall words:

get, come, got, play, & was

Dates to Remember

November 5^th- No School

November 8^th- Veteran’s Day Assembly

November 8^th- Fall Parties 2:00

November 12^th- PTO Meeting

October 14th-October 18th

What We Are Learning

Reading: This week we continued to learn about comprehension strategies.  We focused on how good readers make predictions to help them understand what they are reading.  When you read with your child work on making predictions!

Writing: We continued to write nonfiction chapter books.  While practicing writing informational pieces, we learned how to use commas in a series, and we learned how to combine two sentences using a conjunction.

Math: This week in math we continued our new unit on place value. We learned about the ones and tens place and how to compare numbers using the >, =, and < symbols.

Theme: This week we learned about pumpkins.  We carved a pumpkin and explored what was on the inside. We took the pumpkin’s seeds and are  trying to get them to sprout.  We also researched what pumpkins are, what pumpkins can be used for, and what pumpkins have.  Ask your child about what they learned.

Book-It

Last week I sent home a note describing a wonderful program called Book-It. If your child reads 20 books they get a FREE personalized pizza from Pizza Hut.  To help your child read good fit books, I also sent home several paper books on your child’s reading level. Please read these books with your child and have them fill out the Reading Record.  Also, your child can visit Raz-Kids.com to access books on their level as well. Happy Reading!

Student Led Conferences

Student Led Conferences give your child an opportunity to show you firsthand what they have learned in the first quarter.  This type of conference will give you insight to what your child’s strengths are and what skills they need to continue working on.   The room will be divided into several work centers.  Your child will take you to each center and demonstrate a specific skill they learned in class. At one of these centers, I will be privately presenting each of you with your child’s report card.  I will also discuss any achievements or concerns I have seen. I look forward to speaking with you all!

Word Wall Words

Please practice reading, writing, and spelling our Word Wall Words. 

This week’s word wall words:

went, are, look, this, & for

Dates to Remember

October 19^th- Run for the Orchard 5K

October 22^nd and 24^th– Parent Teacher Conferences

October 25^th- No School