Weekly Email 11.6.15
Dear Families,
We hope you had a great week! It’s been great meeting with a few of you this week and I
look forward to talking with the rest of you next week at our conferences!
Marking Period 2 began this week! We will begin learning about the skills of Fluency and
Intellectual Risk Taking. These skills are described below:
I think fluently.
 I come up with lots of new ideas.
 I express the ideas or thoughts in my head by writing, drawing, talking, or acting.
 I show the same thing in many different ways.
 I know many ways to answer a question.
 I ask a question in many different ways.
I take intellectual risks.
 I ask questions to help me understand—every day.
 I share what I am thinking in my group.
 I share my ideas and answer questions, even when I am unsure.
 I challenge myself to rise to the next level.
An important note about Words their Way Assessments: Students will be taking assessments
on the word patterns that they have studied over a two-week period. While you may see a
number correct on the top of the paper that they take home, these assessments are not
graded or recorded in the gradebook. They are a way for us to monitor progress on spelling
patterns and make instructional decisions for our students. Additionally, these assessments
differ from traditional spelling tests in that we are looking for students to correctly use the
spelling patterns on which they have been working rather than to spell an entire word
correctly. For example, if your child worked on short “a” and short “o” this week, and was
asked to spell the word “plot,” we would be looking for the “o” in the word and if the “o”
was there, this item on the assessment would be considered correct.
Here’s what we will be learning next week:
Reading:
We will read a poem from Junior Great Books called The Land of Counterpane. We will
continue to ask and answer questions to help us comprehend the poem. This week we will
also discuss the importance of Veteran’s Day and begin our author study of the amazing
Ezra Jack Keats. We will use his texts to retell stories using key details and identify the central
message in the story.
Writing:
For the first three weeks of Marking Period 2, we will be focusing on the way that we play in the
classroom, at school, and at home as we write informational texts based on personal
experiences. Play is an important part of culture and we are using our writing topics as a springboard
for studying culture later in Marking Period 2.
Math:
We will be continue to show our understanding of place value by representing 2-digit numbers using
tens and ones. We will also begin composing and decomposing 2 digit numbers in multiple ways. We
will use Digi Blocks, pictorial representations and equations. Decomposing means to break down
(subtract) and composing means to put together (add). By doing this in a number of ways students
are able to think fluently and understand why 8 + 3 = 11 instead of just “knowing” it.
Here is a GREAT website for balancing both sides of the equal sign!
http://www.wldps.com/gordons/Calc_balance.swf
Science/Social Studies:
In science we will be studying how objects move. Some objects move back and forth, some in
circles, and some side to side. We will explore with various objects to see their movement patterns
and how outside forces impact this movement. In social studies we will continue to talk about culture
and the similarities and differences of the way people celebrate their cultures in their families and
they community.
How can you help at home?
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Use the information in this email to ask your child questions about the books that we read and
the topics that we study.
Read with your child nightly!
Identify the central message in books that you are reading at home.
Create number riddles to support a deeper understanding of place value.
Practice writing and spelling Word Wall Words and Words Their Way word patterns with your
child.
Important Reminders and Information:
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Nov. 10- Fall Principal’s Tea, 9:15-10:15
Nov. 11-12- Early Dismissal, 12:55—Parent conferences
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Nov. 12- Report Cards Distributed
Our crossing guard has reported numerous accounts of speeding and running the stop sign
during arrival and dismissal. Please obey the traffic rules and crossing guard’s directions. Make
sure that you are driving at a safe speed and stopping at stop signs to ensure that all children
are safe.
Take photos and make memories! The Yearbook needs your help to capture photos of
Stonegate students this year. Follow this link to sign-up to take pictures at events that interest
you: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4babad2fa13-stonegate/
Our November social-emotional theme is friendship. The kindergarten through second grade
book is Crazy Hair Day by Barney Saltzberg. Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson is our thirdfifth grade book. Parents are encouraged to check out the Book of the Month from the local
library to read and discuss it at home.
If you pre-order your yearbook by 10/31, you can get 10% off! Contact Linda Morris
at [email protected] for more information.
When your child is absent, please call the office after 8:30 a.m. letting the school know the
reason for the absence. You can also send an email to the office staff at:
[email protected]; [email protected]
Please remind your child to have a book in his/her backpack to read in the morning.
Interested in an additional half-day learning experience for your child? George B. Thomas, Sr.
Learning Academy has started! Here is the link to register:
http://www.saturdayschool.org/programs/enroll.shtm
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Have a wonderful and safe weekend!