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
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