Room 235 Newsletter
21-25 November 2016
Interactive Read Aloud
Workboard
Writing: continued writing/art project for our families as we think
Bear Says Thanks
Giving Thanks
A Turkey for Thanksgiving
about the people and places we love
Math: story problems
The importance of family and friends, using what we know to
make a prediction and using the illustrations for greater
understanding. Giving Thanks is a beautiful story about having
gratitude for the natural world. The children were asked to ponder
what the author wants the reader to know after reading his story?
What does it mean to “make a difference”?
ABC: trick words
Also: browsing boxes, write around the room (finding words with
bonus letters), chart reading, independent reading, additional
math activities (Before & After, Top-It with higher numbers)
Interactive/Shared Writing, Word Study
Math
Fundations Unit 4: Continued work with bonus letters (f l s), onesyllable words that have a short vowel and end with one of these
letters. We reviewed the part all (called a glued sound) and wrote a
list of words that can be made with this word part.
Continued work with story problems. We’re using white boards to
figure out solutions while working on a problem together and then
share our strategies. Reviewing time on the hour, analog and
digital clocks and what am and pm signify. Telling time to the half
hour; working with dimes, dollars and cents notation; counting
combinations of pennies and nickels and then exchanging them
for dimes.
Word study: working with high frequency words: was, one, said.
Writing Workshop
Science, Social Studies
Small Moments: continued work on bringing our stories to life.
We’re making people move, making them talk or think and
showing how they feel. We’re trying to tell our stories in small
steps so the reader gets a clear picture in her/his mind. Friends
took turns reading a story they ‘re considering publishing while
their partners listened carefully and offered suggestions to make
the stories more interesting.
During a math lesson about time, we reviewed analog and digital
clocks. I shared a biography about Benjamin Banneker who is
credited with building the first clock. This is one of a few sites to
check out:
http://blackinventor.com/benjamin-banneker/
Special
Notes
We got together with our 3rd grade buddies (Ms. Cameron’s class)
to express our gratitude to the PTO for the new playground and
the wonderful book selections at our recent book fair. After a
discussion about planning what we wanted to say, buddies worked
together to compose letters.
*All the best for a happy Thanksgiving! We return to school
Monday, November 28h.
I hope you enjoy your child’s Thanksgiving present! We began
working on this project last week in conjunction with our
interactive read aloud stories, and especially influenced by
Nonna’s Porch. This project entailed discussions, planning,
sketching a drawing, writing a draft and then creating our ”quilt
squares” along with a final writing piece. I was touched by the care
each child took to make his/her project a gift for you.
*The coat drive continues next week. We are collecting clean,
gently used or new coats (for children and adults), along with
winter hats, gloves and mittens for families in need this season.
Thank you for your generosity.
We’ve been discussing positive character traits regarding
characters in stories and have been noticing when friends are kind,
thoughtful, generous and working carefully in class.
*Thursday, December 8th is an early release day. Dismissal is
12:30 pm.