Our Weekly News

We had fun talking more about fall this week and thought with all the colors, it was a great idea to work on learning some color words too!  

Literacy

We had fun reading Otis and describing his character traits.  We read other Otis stories and students made connections between all of them.  One thing they noticed was that Otis was always kind, caring and helpful.  This week we also learned to retell the story of Otis but we did it in a different way.  Each table took one part of the story and had to work together to draw and label what was happening in their one part.  Then I worked with each group to help them make a sentence and write the sounds they heard.  I couldn't believe how SO unbelievably engaged students were and how well they did with working together!!  I am so proud of them!  Here are a few of their pictures.  (I also tried to have each group practiced standing in front of the class to share their part of the story but, we need a little more to practice this before we record it and upload it on SeeSaw :)  Look for it soon!)

 

This week we learned the sight words "it" and "you".  We reviewed letters and sounds, continued to work on phonemic awareness skills and started actual center time (modified this year of course).  One of the centers we are doing this year is called Lexia.  It is a literacy based program that students do on their Chromebooks.  Each child plays various games at his or her own level and it modifies the different skills when needed.  Students are allowed to use this program at home, but it is something they will often be doing in the classroom too.  

Writing

We worked hard this week on writing about places we love.  We also learned that we could take one of those places, such as school, and create a plan where we write about the different parts of school on different pieces of paper.  For example, one page could be about recess, another page could be about art, etc. 

In handwriting this week we learned how to write the letters B/R/N/M using the correct formation with big lines, little lines, and little curves.  

Math 

We continued to work on identifying numbers, writing numbers with correct formation, counting forwards and backwards, and identifying/making/describing a given number using a ten frame.  This week we also learned the greater than, less than, and equal to symbols.  We had fun comparing numbers with cards and playing a game working on this skill with our table partners.  

We also started to explore another new program called Dreambox.  This is much like the literacy program Lexia where it gives students math skills, in a game format, based on their own ability level.  This program however, is connected to the Bridges math curriculum that school district uses.  Dreambox can also be found on each child's Clever pages once they log into their Chromebook.  Students may use this program at home as well.

Friday Fun...I wish I took a picture! 

If your child didn't tell you... at the end of the day on Friday we had a Google Meeting with Mrs. Kuck!  They got to see her and her dog Bear (baby Luna was sleeping), show Mrs. Kuck the following directions-scarecrow drawing that they were finishing up, and even ask her questions.   I plan to do this a few more times over the next three weeks to help students with the transition!  Mrs. Kuck will be coming back on Monday, November 9th.  

Also, we are now having library class every Monday so please have your child read the books he/she brings home and send them back to school on or before the following Monday.  We are also done with art class and as of Monday we will be starting physical education, which takes place outside as long as the weather cooperates!  Please make sure your child has tennis shoes and warm clothes!