Week of February 11-15

Hello parents!

We had another wonderful week together in the Youngest Friend's room!

Discussing the Kindness Boomerang video with the Oldest Friends during Synergy Day. Check out this video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU

Decorating Valentine's Day cookies!

In reading we continue to practice and learn about the short vowels. During centers we did an activity where we matched pictures to the correct short vowel. This was a cut and paste activity which also helps with fine motor skills. The short vowels go nicely with our spelling words as each spelling list focuses on a particular short vowel. We practice breaking apart the words and listening for the short vowel we hear. We also continue to practice our fix-its and focus on punctuation. This past week students learned what a comma is used for. Great job readers!

Practicing our short vowels during centers.

In writing this week students continued to focus on writing about small moments. We brainstorm ideas to write about and then narrow it down to one fine small moment. Students are practicing writing in detail so we can really "see" what they are trying to convey on paper. I am so proud of how far these writers have come since the beginning of the year!

Bryce and Micah reading during silent reading time.

This week in math we continue to focus on teen numbers and using the number ten. Students practiced making partners of ten to understand that they can add two numbers to make the number ten. We then focused on creating teen numbers using ten sticks. Students took a centimeter stick representing the number ten and added centimeter cubes to make teen numbers. They then wrote the equation they had created. 
Ex: 10+ 4=14. 

We love going to the JRL library!

In Science we are continuing our unit on Motion. We finished reading the book Move it! Motion Forces and You. This book helped us learn about pushes, pulls, force and gravity. In partners we experimented with ping pong balls and investigated motion. In our science journals the students drew a picture of themselves on their favorite playground equipment. They then went on to label the picture using some of their new vocabulary words: up, down, slow, fast, etc.

Practicing patterns in Brain Blast with Ms. Brenda!

Missing something? Come check out our lost and found!

Notes/Reminders:

-Please continue to send your child to school with the appropriate winter gear

-Please continue to send your child to school with a morning snack

Have a great week!

Ms. Monica

Week of February 4-8

Greetings from the Youngest Friend's room!

We began the week by diving into Habit 4: Think Win-Win. Thinking win-win is about balancing courage for getting what you want while considering what others may want. It is about filling the buckets of others and looking for different alternatives when conflicts arise.

In the story, Lily wanted to plant her own garden after visiting her teacher's garden. Lily's mother agreed that having a garden would be fun, but it takes a lot of work and responsibility to keep up with a garden. Lily proceeded to write her mother a letter describing what she would do to take care of the garden and how her mother could enjoy the garden as well. After reading the letter, Lily's mother agreed to the garden. Lily explained to her mother that she would get to enjoy all of the fruits and veggies while Lily took care of all of the hard work. Lily's mother agreed this was a win-win situation. We will continue to talk about win-win situations and how we can find win-wins both at home and at school. Each day we apply the 7 habits vocabulary at school. This is something that can also be used at home as the students learn more about using the 7 habits.

In reading this week we studied the short vowel /e/. We learned a new song for this vowel as well. Students did a great job! Students did a short vowel picture sort, sorting pictures that had either the short /a/ or short /e/ sound. We also made short /e/ books together. This week we also introduced the /ck/ ending pattern as it was found in this week's spelling test. We continue to focus on breaking apart words and identifying short vowel sounds in words. The kiddos are doing excellent with this and each week I am seeing improvements in their reading!

In writing this week we focused on writing about small moments. The example I gave the students was my nephew's birthday party. I explained to them that we did lots of things at his birthday party. We played games, we opened presents, we ate cake and ice cream, and we watched a movie. I told them I was just going to write about the part where we sang happy birthday and ate cake. I described each detail: what the cake tasted like, how we were laughing and singing, how many candles he blew out, etc. I explained how you can really focus on details and how a small moment can create a great story to read. They did a great job narrowing down fun experiences to a small moment!

In math this week we began unit 4. We began by using the grocery store to tell math stories. We talked about different ways we could sort the fruits and vegetables and came up with multiple ways of sorting. The students also worked on finding partners of the number 10. We out ten squares face down and pretended that ten bugs were sleeping. We would flip over one bug and say that now 9 were sleeping and 1 was awake, therefore 9 and 1 were a partner of 10. This will help with both addition and subtraction. We also talked about how the number ten relates to teen numbers. Students found they could take a group of ten, add a few to that and they would have a teen number. For example, a ten stick plus five more equals 15. They also found it to be faster using two ten groups to make twenty rather than twenty individual pieces.

This week in Science we discussed motion on the playground. We talked about all of the different types of motion used and then students journaled about what they wanted to investigate about motion. The students added new words to their vocabulary about motion this week, including push, pull, up, down, forward, toward, backward, fast, slow, beside, etc. We also read the book Move it! Motion Forces and You which introduced the concept of force and defined the difference between a push and a pull. Students used a ball as a class to investigate pushes and pulls and test their different theories.

Notes/Reminders:

-Please pack a snack for your child every day

-Spelling tests will be given this Thursday due to Synergy Day being this Friday

-Please continue reading each day with your child. Book-It calendars will be collected again at the end of the month to receive a personal pan pizza!

-Please send your child with appropriate winter attire as we go outside to recess a few times each day

Have a great week!

Ms. Monica

Week of January 28-February 1

We had yet another great week in the Youngest Friend's room!

A few of our friends practicing sight words and spelling words together!

In Reading this week we continued to review our letter names and sounds. We reviewed the short /a/ sound along with our Aunt Aggy song. This week we really focused on the short /i/ sound. This sound is found in many of the new spelling words. We also learned a new song to go with this sound called "Cousin Izzo." We also learned a few new word families this week: the -in word family, the -ig word family and the -ad word family. Students sorted their spelling words into the correct word family and also brainstormed new words for each word family. This is really going to help with both reading and writing as students begin to find patterns in word families by changing the beginning sound.

In Writing this week students worked very hard on editing their final pieces of writing. We worked on "fancying up" our writing and adding any last minute finishing touches, including punctuation, spelling and neat handwriting. On Wednesday we began our Writer's Celebration. Each student had a chance to stand up and present their final piece of writing to the group. I am so proud of each and every one of these kiddos for standing up and sharing their hard work with everyone!

Aliana sharing her writing during our celebration.

On Wednesday of this week we began our Unit 3 math test. Prior to taking the test we reviewed math equations, 10 groups, 5 groups, sorting and classifying shapes, building teen numbers and seeing ten in teen numbers. This math test is a little longer and more complex than the previous ones. We will finish our math tests on Monday and begin Unit 4 on Tuesday.

Centers!

This week we began our Science Unit! This unit is the study of motion. On Wednesday each student took a pre-assessment test. This helps us to understand any prior knowledge students may have and areas in which they could improve or learn more. On Thursday we had a class discussion about what we already know about motion and recorded it on the board. Students made their first journal entry by drawing and labeling them moving on the playground.

Doing partner sit-ups during our indoor recess activities.

Notes/Reminders:

-Spelling tests will be given Monday

-Please pack a snack with your child every day

-Please sned your child with proper snow attire. We will be going outside unless the wind chill is below zero.

Have a great week!

Ms. Monica

Week of January 21-25

Hello from the Youngest Friend's room! I hope everyone enjoyed their week!

As you know, this week was a very short week. We have been busy learning and completing assessments for upcoming report cards.

In Reading this week we continued to focus on letters and sounds. We are currently working on the short vowels. This past week we really focused on the short /a/ sound. This upcoming week we will focus on the short /i/ sound. We have a song for each short vowel. Ask your child to sing you the "Aunt Aggy" song! They are doing a wonderful job with these. Word families go right along with learning the short vowels. This week, we focused on the -ad and -ag word families. Students are beginning to recognize patterns with the same word endings. This is helping them with their spelling tests as well. Great job readers!

Every week we continue to go over our sight words. Thank you for practicing the sight words and spelling words at home with your child. Studying makes a big difference! I love hearing form the kids that they studied at home. Even at this age, learning to study and "put first things first" is very important.

In Writing this week we have been working on the editing process and "fancying up" our writing. We are getting ready to present our writing pieces in our Writer's Celebration. We have been working very hard at editing and fixing our writing. Students have been conferencing with me, checking for spacing between words, spelling, punctuation and sequencing. We are so excited to share our hard work with each other. Way to go writers!

In Math this week we focused on 5-groups, 10-groups and creating equations from them. Students are beginning to form connections between the number ten and teen numbers. They are beginning to understand that the number ten is in each teen number and that we can see that in certain equations. For example, 10+4=14. We have been sorting manipulatives into groups of ten and the remainder makes up the teen number. After we sort these objects, students practice writing the equation. This coming week we will have our math test for Unit 3. This will be the most challenging math test yet but I am confident that these mathematicians will do great!

Group collaborating on their presentation during Social Studies.

This week in Social Studies we wrapped up our Public Discourse Unit. We began the week by talking about opinions. We talked about what an opinion is, that all people have them, and that it is okay to share opinions even if ours differs from others. We discussed how to decide what your opinion is and how to share it while respecting the opinions of others. We broke into small groups, each group having the same opinion on something we should change about our school day. Each small group discussed how they were going to present their opinion to the class. They did a great job not only working together, but being respectful while listening to the presentations of their peers.


Next week we will begin Science. I am so excited to see these little scientists in action!



Notes/Reminders:

-Please continue to pack a snack with your child each day, even if they are having hot lunch

-Please send your child to school with proper winter attire each day

-Thank your for working with your child on their sight words and spelling words. If your child does not receive a score of 80% accuracy or higher on their spelling test we will send that list home again. We want to set high goals for your child and give them a chance to master each list.

Have a great week!

Ms. Monica

Week of January 14-18

We had a wonderful week in the youngest friends room!

This week we had our second youngest friend's field trip. We went to see the play Hansel and Gretel. This was a presentation from the Grand Rapids Symphony. We learned about all of the instruments in the string family and even the woodwinds! Students had a great time experiencing a real symphony experience!

View of the Grand Rapids Symphony

In Reading this week we began learning about the short vowels. This past week we really focused on the short vowel /a/. We learned a song to go with this and even created books with words that had the short /a/ sound. We practiced breaking up words and putting them back together. This technique will really help with reading and writing. You can practice breaking up words with your child at home!

We also focused on sequencing this week. We practiced sequencing the events of a story and putting them in the right order. We talked about how the story began, how the events occurred and how they ended. We even created a class story together! Students viewed a picture of two little boys in a boat. As a group, we created a story from the picture. Students did a great job collaborating to write a wonderful story.

This Friday we had our very first spelling test! The youngest friends did amazing! Ms. Heather and I are so proud. Every Friday we will continue to have spelling tests. Please continue to study these words with your child. This process will work a lot like the sight words in the sense that students will stay on a list until they master it. Thank you for being a such a big part of your child's education!

In Writing this week we worked on the editing process. We are practicing "fancying up" our writing. We talked about spacing between words, using punctuation and remembering to break up our words for correct spelling. Many of the students are now working on their final drafts of a favorite piece they have chosen. This upcoming week we will have our first Writer's Celebration. Each writer will be given the opportunity to present their final piece of writing to the group. Awesome job writers!

In Math this week we continued to work on addition and subtraction math equations. We talked about the many ways to solve equations. Students may use math manipulatives, their fingers or pictures to help them. Eventually, they will be able to solve equations quickly by just viewing the numbers. We also learned about the teen numbers and seeing the number ten in teen numbers. Great job mathematicians!

This week in Social Studies we began our Public Discourse, Decision Making and Citizen Involvement Unit. As a class, we collaboratively discussed and identified public issues in the classroom and school. This was a student-led discussion. We talked about things we could change to make a positive difference in our day at school. Many of the students talked about our daily schedule at school and that we should change it. We talked about having snack first and many of the students in the group agreed this would be a great idea. Later in the week we talked about the effects we would feel if we made this change. We finally decided that this was probably not a good idea since we would be very hungry by lunch time. It was so much fun to see the students working collaboratively to make a group decision!

Using the Chromebooks in Technology class!

Notes/Reminders:

-Please continue to study sight words and spelling words with your child every night. Sight words will be tested every Tuesday. Spelling tests will be every Friday.

-Please make sure your child has an extra set of clothes that stays at school.

-Please continue to read with your child every night with their JRL book. If you need a new JRL book, the cost is $4. Let me know and I can help get you a new one!

Have a great week!

Ms. Monica

Week of January 7-11

I hope everyone had a relaxing break spent with family and friends! We had a wonderful week back in the youngest friends room!

Ms. Lindsay and friends teaching us about Cocoa the hedgehog and Franklin the tortoise!

Doing Yoga in Brain Blast!

This week we reviewed letter names, sounds and sight words. I am so proud of these students! I was amazed at how much they remembered and even grew during break. Thank you for practicing reading and your child's sight words at home, it makes a big difference! We learned two new sight words this week as a group: said and come. In reading we are working on initial sounds and breaking apart the individual sounds in words. Students then out the sounds back together to form the word. Practicing this technique will not only help with reading but writing as well. You can practice this skill at home with your child. Here is an example: break up the word "wind". /W/I/N/D. Wind. This skill takes practice and will strengthen with time. We also worked on concepts of print and the different parts of a book. Students designed and shared with peers their very own book jackets.

Students sharing their book jackets with partners.

Practicing our motions with our sight words!

In Writing this week we learned how to write letters! We talked about how writers write all kinds of writing, including stories, lists, letters, etc. We practiced thinking about who we could write to and why. We then thought about what we should put in a letter. We could include things that are happening in our lives and questions we may ask the person we are writing to. We practiced writing dear_________ and love__________. We also learned that people use different types of writing all day long throughout the day. You may need to write a to-do list in the morning, then a letter to someone for their birthday, and maybe a story about vacation. Students thought about what was going on in their daily lives and chose the type of writing that would best fit into their day. Way to go writers!

Aliana, Maylee and Ava writing letters.

In Math this week we began by reviewing math stories. We did review of math equations and practiced addition and subtraction. We reviewed a plus sign, a take away sign, an equal sign and a not equal sign. We reviewed shapes and practiced sorting shaped by color, size, how many sides the shapes had, etc. We also practiced counting by using five groups which speeds up counting when students initially organize manipulatives by groups of five. 

This week in Social Studies we completed our Economics Unit. As a group we discussed goods and services that our families use and that we as individuals use. We looked at pictures of different service providers and talked about when we had used those services in our lives. We also learned that people may trade for goods and services. As a class we practiced trading with play food. Students had to decide who they wanted to trade with and why. They thought about if the trade would be a good trade or a poor trade. This also tied in with needs and wants. Although they may want to trade their vegetable for an ice cream cone, it would probably be more of a want than a need.

Ava and Olivia making a trade during Social Studies!

Notes/Reminders:

-This Thursday is our field trip to see a play. Please provide your child with a car seat or they will not be able to attend the trip. Also, we may not be back in time for lunch so please provide your child with a sack lunch that day just in case.

-Every Wednesday your child will be sent home with a sight word list. Please practice this with your child every night. 

-Spelling tests will be starting this week. A list will be sent home Monday with your child. Please practice these words for Friday's test.

-Please make sure your child has an extra change of clothes at school. This is not just for accidents but mud as well. We don't have extra clothes to provide your child with so please make sure they have some in case something happens.


Thank you and have a great week!

Ms. Monica

Week of December 17-21

A big thank you to all of the parents that volunteered to drive for our field trip on Wednesday! Our field trip to Appledorn Living Center was a big success and we could not have done it without you. We were able to practice the common good and brighten the day of some of the seniors living there. We sand carols and delivered cards. The kids did a great job!


This past week in reading the students continued to work on punctuation, including the question mark, the exclamation point, the period and quotation marks. We practice these daily and the students are doing a great job! When we come back from break we will really be focusing on concepts of print and where we see these symbols when reading. We learned a new sight word this week: come. We continue to practice these sight words and students are tested every Tuesday for growth. They are doing so well!


In writing this week we learned about writing lists. We talked about how writers not only write stories, they write lists and letters too. The students had so much fun practicing their writing in list form! They were given choices of different types of lists to write. We practiced writing grocery lists and they did a wonderful job.


Due to the Christmas Extravaganza, field trip and Synergy Day, we only had Math once this week. Students practiced graphing by cutting out gingerbread men, sorting them, and graphing them by category. They did a great job with this!


In Social Studies we discussed differences between goods and services. We used the interactive Smartboard to help us differentiate between the two. Students would point to each item and determine if it were a good or service and explain why.

Notes/Reminders:

-We will begin weekly spelling tests soon after we return from break

-Please continue to review sight word lists with your child. They will be tested every Tuesday for growth and will be given the next list once they pass the one they are on.

-Please continue to pack your child a snack every day as well as keep a pair of extra clothes in his/her locker

-The Beta high school is hosting an upcoming talent show. If your child would like to be a part of this, sign-ups are outside of the high school room. Please let me know if I can help you with this.


Ms. Monica