What beautiful weather we have been having. Spring is here, as is spring fever. Break always comes just when needed most.
We are finishing up our fantasy unit in Language Arts. It was a huge hit for the kids and, I have to say, for me as well. It has been fun watching their excitement for reading continue to grow. This week, they are working on end of unit projects which are due on Friday. Each child chose one of four options and should work on completing it at home for DLA this week. I will provide some class time as well on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to ensure they have enough time to complete their projects. On Friday, we will have presentations. When we return from Spring Break, we will dive into historical fiction. I will email you by Thursday with the title of the next book. It will be a book we read as a class.
We have also been doing a lot with non-fiction reading and writing. We are practicing extracting information and meaning from non-fiction text and have been writing non-fiction essays. When we return from break, we will continue with non-fiction reading/comprehension and will move into a poetry unit in writing.
In Math, we have talked about polygons, points, lines, rays, segments, parallel and perpendicular lines, and much more. We will finish out this week with angles and classifying shapes. After break, we will work on symmetry, tesselations, and shape construction and deconstruction. Following Geometry, we will move into decimals and fractions, and will continue with measurement and computation.
In Social Studies, the kids are finishing up with Philadelphia. They have been writing poems about the Liberty Bell, the American Flag, the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Please ask your child to share what s/he has been learning. Once they wrap up, they will be heading to New York and the Northeast Region where they will focus on immigration to the United States.
In Science, we are finishing up our unit on the solar system. The kids are putting final touches on their models of the planets and are preparing for Thursday presentations. Next, we will be moving into a unit Chemistry which is sure to be a ton of fun.
The kids have earned a WOW Day Celebration and we will have our special day on Friday. While ice skating was the first choice, we have agreed on the alternative Free Choice/Read-In/Wear Pajamas Day. So, please encourage your child to wear PJ's on Friday. It will be a fun, celebratory day. Some kiddos are dressing up as a character from their fantasy books for their project presentation on Friday. The pajama version of the character is just fine, or they can bring pj's to change into. We will have popcorn for a snack as well.
This is a week of wrapping up. I am certainly going to miss all of the kids over break. When we return, we will be diving into a lot of new material.
Reminders and Announcements
- Please send your child to school with water every day. As it is warming up, they are quite thirsty throughout the day. Having plenty of water is important, especially on Meade days.
- The kids have been having a blast exploring the creek at Meade Park. Please send your child to school with boots, water shoes, or any other shoe they can wear in the creek without ruining them.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
All the best,
Annelise
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
Is it already March?????
I hope everybody is enjoying the winter wonderland outside. It's hard to believe it is snowing in March, especially with the gorgeous temps as of late. My kiddos are certainly loving it however. I hope yours are as well.
Highlights
We are well into our fantasy genre in Language Arts. Despite the fact that we just started our novels on Monday, there are many who have finished and have moved into another fantasy book. I have seen reluctant readers become avid readers, avid readers going up and above, and all seem to be loving what they are reading. It seems to be an ideal genre for this class. We will be continuing with fantasy through March and will then transition to historical fiction or mysteries. During this unit, all of the kids are reading fantasy books of choice. I sat down with each child, looked at his/her book, and developed a plan for completing the book by the end of March. Because we have such enthusiastic readers, I told the class that they can read ahead as long as they go straight into another fantasy book when they complete their current books. They are expected to read M - Th, completing the reading and vocabulary log each night. Over the weekend, they can certainly read more and do not need to complete the log.
Over the next couple of weeks, I will be incorporating more free writing and independent reading time into the day. This will give the kids a break from the more formal, non-fiction writing they have been doing. In addition, it will give me the opportunity to listen to the kids read and check in with them individually.
In math, we have spent a good amount of time on measurement. Most recently, we have been practicing telling time on analog clocks as well as looking at elapsed time and solving related story problems. Next week, we begin our Geometry Unit. During this unit we will look at polygons, 2 and 3-dimensional shapes, lines, rays, segments, symmetry, tessellations, circles, angles, and more. It is a rich and fun unit as it is very hands-on.
In Social Studies, the kids are in Philadelphia researching and learning about all of the landmarks, people, and events that made Philadelphia such a historical place in our country. From there, they will continue north to the Northeast region. On Tuesday, the Sun Bears and Spirit Bears dressed up like their famous Virginian and taught the K - 2nd graders about our history through the eyes of their person. Their costumes were great and they did such a wonderful job! They were so excited to share what they had learned while in character.
In Science, our studies of the solar system are still in full swing. The kids are learning so much about their individual planets, and are practicing putting all of that information into paragraphs. On Wednesday, we will be working on the introduction and conclusion paragraphs. Once those are complete, each crew will begin the task of creating a 3-D model of their planet. It will be a fun project, and a great way to end this unit. Ask your child to tell you something they have learned. I am sure they will surprise and teach you.
Announcements and Reminders
- Tomorrow is our field trip to the Richmond Science Museum. We will be leaving right at 8:30 AM. Please try to be at school by 8:15. During our trip, we will have a Live Science presentation related to the solar system and will see an IMAX movie about the Hubble Telescope. In between those events, the kids will be able to explore the museum. It is going to be great! Please remember to send your child with a disposable snack, lunch, and drink. We will leave the museum at 3:00 and should return to CDS between 4:15 - 4:30. If you are driving, I will provide you with directions and the itinerary first thing in the morning.
- Conferences are this Thursday and Friday. Please sign up for a time if you have not already done so. The sign up sheet is hanging next to our white bulletin board. These conferences are for parents only. If you need to sign your child up for Kids Camp, please contact Kim.
- March 17th is right around the corner! Have you bought your tickets to the auction? It is going to be a great event. In my opinion, it is going to be particularly special this year given that it is here in our new school. AND, our Art from the Heart is gorgeous as are the pieces from the other classes. It will be a night to remember.
- Don't forget to sign up your child(ren) for the Kid's Dash this Saturday. If you need more information, please contact Kim or Amy.
- I am helping with our next theater production, Annie, on Mondays from 3:30 - 4:45. Therefore, I am going to need to leave the classroom right at 3:30. Hopefully, somebody will be there to help with dismissal but if you could please disregard my previous request to pick up later than earlier on Mondays, that would be great! Thank you!
- Don't forget to order your SCRIPS cards for your everyday shopping needs or for those special gifts.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
All the best,
Annelise
Highlights
We are well into our fantasy genre in Language Arts. Despite the fact that we just started our novels on Monday, there are many who have finished and have moved into another fantasy book. I have seen reluctant readers become avid readers, avid readers going up and above, and all seem to be loving what they are reading. It seems to be an ideal genre for this class. We will be continuing with fantasy through March and will then transition to historical fiction or mysteries. During this unit, all of the kids are reading fantasy books of choice. I sat down with each child, looked at his/her book, and developed a plan for completing the book by the end of March. Because we have such enthusiastic readers, I told the class that they can read ahead as long as they go straight into another fantasy book when they complete their current books. They are expected to read M - Th, completing the reading and vocabulary log each night. Over the weekend, they can certainly read more and do not need to complete the log.
Over the next couple of weeks, I will be incorporating more free writing and independent reading time into the day. This will give the kids a break from the more formal, non-fiction writing they have been doing. In addition, it will give me the opportunity to listen to the kids read and check in with them individually.
In math, we have spent a good amount of time on measurement. Most recently, we have been practicing telling time on analog clocks as well as looking at elapsed time and solving related story problems. Next week, we begin our Geometry Unit. During this unit we will look at polygons, 2 and 3-dimensional shapes, lines, rays, segments, symmetry, tessellations, circles, angles, and more. It is a rich and fun unit as it is very hands-on.
In Social Studies, the kids are in Philadelphia researching and learning about all of the landmarks, people, and events that made Philadelphia such a historical place in our country. From there, they will continue north to the Northeast region. On Tuesday, the Sun Bears and Spirit Bears dressed up like their famous Virginian and taught the K - 2nd graders about our history through the eyes of their person. Their costumes were great and they did such a wonderful job! They were so excited to share what they had learned while in character.
In Science, our studies of the solar system are still in full swing. The kids are learning so much about their individual planets, and are practicing putting all of that information into paragraphs. On Wednesday, we will be working on the introduction and conclusion paragraphs. Once those are complete, each crew will begin the task of creating a 3-D model of their planet. It will be a fun project, and a great way to end this unit. Ask your child to tell you something they have learned. I am sure they will surprise and teach you.
Announcements and Reminders
- Tomorrow is our field trip to the Richmond Science Museum. We will be leaving right at 8:30 AM. Please try to be at school by 8:15. During our trip, we will have a Live Science presentation related to the solar system and will see an IMAX movie about the Hubble Telescope. In between those events, the kids will be able to explore the museum. It is going to be great! Please remember to send your child with a disposable snack, lunch, and drink. We will leave the museum at 3:00 and should return to CDS between 4:15 - 4:30. If you are driving, I will provide you with directions and the itinerary first thing in the morning.
- Conferences are this Thursday and Friday. Please sign up for a time if you have not already done so. The sign up sheet is hanging next to our white bulletin board. These conferences are for parents only. If you need to sign your child up for Kids Camp, please contact Kim.
- March 17th is right around the corner! Have you bought your tickets to the auction? It is going to be a great event. In my opinion, it is going to be particularly special this year given that it is here in our new school. AND, our Art from the Heart is gorgeous as are the pieces from the other classes. It will be a night to remember.
- Don't forget to sign up your child(ren) for the Kid's Dash this Saturday. If you need more information, please contact Kim or Amy.
- I am helping with our next theater production, Annie, on Mondays from 3:30 - 4:45. Therefore, I am going to need to leave the classroom right at 3:30. Hopefully, somebody will be there to help with dismissal but if you could please disregard my previous request to pick up later than earlier on Mondays, that would be great! Thank you!
- Don't forget to order your SCRIPS cards for your everyday shopping needs or for those special gifts.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
All the best,
Annelise
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