Playing Outside

Playing Outside

March 12, 2011

March 14, 2011

A note from Ms. Poteet…

I hope everyone had a chance to go outside and enjoy the spectacular weather this weekend.  I am looking forward to spending our recesses outside (unless it rains) for the rest of the year.  I am sure the kids are too!  Tuesday is Picture Day!  We will be taking our class and individual pictures.  Fortunately we have one of first time slots at 8:10 am so we will still be looking our best! Please make all efforts to send you child to school.  There are no make-up days for spring pictures and we don’t want your child to miss out on our class picture.  This Thursday is Saint Patrick’s Day!  The Irish Dancers will perform for us in the gym.  Don’t forget to have your child wear green!

For the next two weeks we will be collecting buttons for math.  Each day students send in buttons we will add them to our our class collection chart.  The students are practicing counting, collecting data, and displaying data.  Start looking for buttons around your house and send them in! 

Please keep up your nightly reading routines at home.  I know when the weather is nice, sometimes nightly reading gets pushed to the back burner.  Children learn about the value and importance of reading from you.  Whether reading a book, sharing a story, using a recipe, making a shopping list, or reading a stop sign, children observe the value of reading.  If you are running out of books to read, stop by our local library.  Often they will have suggestions of great books for your child to read.  You may also try checking out book on tape or CD. Children can track the words as the tape is playing.  This could be a great activity for your child to do when you are cooking dinner.  The Mahan Library has a great selection of books on tape and a few books on CD.  The Main Oldham County Library (in LaGrange) has an even better selection of books on tape and CD.  Children can even read aloud to you when you are driving in the car or folding laundry at home. 

Several parents have asked be to provide them an updated school calendar.  Click here for the revised calendar.  Hopefully it will not change due to more snow days!  
Important Dates this Month:
March 15th: Class and Individual Pictures
March 17th: Irish Dancer Performance in the Gym
March 23rd: Early Release Day
March 24th: Louisville Science Center Field Trip
April 4th-8th: Spring Break

What are we learning?
Reading Workshop
We are starting our unit on Story Elements.  This week we will focus on two elements: characters and setting.  This would be the perfect time to start asking your child to identify the main and secondary characters and setting during your nightly reading.   

Writing Workshop
This week we are starting our Authors as Mentors unit.  We will read several books by the same author and use their writings strategies as models for our own writing.  We are going to start by reading a couple of books by Angela Johnson and try to stretch our stories and add dramatic tension by using ellipses just like her.  Family journals will be sent home on Friday.   Please take time over the weekend to read your child’s letter to you and respond. 

Word Study
This week, we will explore word families: -in, -ing, -it, -im.  We will also learn how to read and write these words that will be added to our Word Wall: jump, away, by.  Have your child sing you the songs for these words.

Math
In math, we are learning to exchange coins (pennies for nickels and nickels for dimes), write our own number stories, make 2-D and 3-D shapes with marshmallows and toothpicks, and learn about the quarter.

Social Studies
We are continuing our unit on Presidents and American Symbols.  We learn about the Pledge of Allegiance, Washington Monument, Capital Building, and White House.  

Reminders
*Send in a healthy peanut-free snack and water bottle (with a pull up spout) every day.
* Our classroom gets very chilly sometimes.  Please send in a light jacket or sweater for your child to keep in their back pack. 
* Sign your child’s weekly planner every night!
* Library book due every Friday!

Related Arts Schedule
Monday                      Art
Tuesday                     Art
Wednesday               Art
Thursday                   Art
Friday                         Music

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