Red Ribbon Week Picnic

We loved spending time with our families today! 

Text Features

We are learning to identify and analyze text features. I want everyone to understand how text features connect to support the main idea of the book or article they are reading.

For Example.. In a book about Sammy Sosa that some students read recently, there is a chart showing the number of home runs that Sammy hit. How does this chart, a text feature, add to the students' understanding of the text? Notice text features in each nonfiction book you read. Ask what they are showing you and how they help support the main idea. 

We are busy using text features in our science books! 

Writing Circles

We are doing writing circles each week! During writing circles, we come to the carpet and I set the timer for 10 minutes. Everyone writes the entire time (including me!). I choose several students to share what they have written. We continue to work on our pieces of writing throughout the week and focus on certain skills during our writing lessons. 

Here are some fabulous writers reading what they wrote today! 

Regrouping

We started something BRAND NEW today! We are learning addition strategies to help us with regrouping. Today we drew base ten blocks to show the numbers we were adding together. If the numbers in the ones place equal 10 or more, we regroup them to make a ten. We have learned throughout the year that ten ones is the same as one ten, so they can be swapped out or interchanged for one another. 

Encourage your child to use scratch paper for homework tonight. They do not have to use the base ten strategy, but it might help them if they are struggling. 

Here is our chart from today showing how we regroup ten ones for a ten. The blue are our original numbers, the red shows where we regrouped. 

Coming up this week!

We have an exciting and busy week ahead in Rm. 202! We will be looking at nonfiction text features in guided reading groups. We will continue learning how to read (and write) like a writer, as we look at powerful parts of stories and decide why and how the author makes certain parts of stories stand out. Please use the chart below to study nonfiction text features. There will also be a copy coming home this week in your child's binder. 

In Math, we will wrap up comparing numbers (greater than and less than) and begin learning to add 2 digit numbers! Be sure you are practicing addition facts to 20 with your child each week. Flash cards, practice fast fact sheets, calling out facts and online games are some ways to do this!

We will continue to learn about habitats this week through out research stations, shared read alouds and looking at videos. We will begin comparing different habitats to see how they are alike and different. I encourage you to compliment what we are learning at school by doing some research at home as well. We are comparing Rain Forests and Woodland Forests, Deserts and the Arctic, Saltwater (ocean) and Fresh Water (rivers, streams, lakes and ponds) habitats. 

Watershed Animal Program

Here are some pictures from our Watershed program on animals. It was a lot of fun and we learned so much! 

Rewards!

Congratulations to everyone who has a filled up their first cub card! I am so proud of you!!! Parents, keep reminding your child about the importance of following rules and listening. I am attaching our list of rewards, so that everyone can decide what they want once they fill up their card.

Here are some cuties showing off their rewards! Bringing in your favorite doll/stuffed animal and taking shoes off for the day.