This+Week


 * = **Math** ||< We will continue to work on mastering our addition strategies to quickly "join sets" (adding). The main addition strategy we are focusing on right now is making "friendly tens". We are also working on sharing our thinking and reasoning when solving math story problems. We continue to explore the attributes of 3D shapes! The reasoning skills and mathematical thinking everyone is doing is amazing! Many of the students have reached the end of the year math goal!

Our clinical teacher, Miss Siesco, will be teaching a lesson on symmetry on Friday, April 20th! ||
 * < **Reading** ||< Our Daily Five is going better than EVER! Your children are doing a GREAT job at looking and using new words and practicing their comprehension skills! When we read new words we have been practicing rereading our pages to make our reading SMOOTH (//swooping//)! We are working especially hard on our retelling strategies to build our comprehension! We have added a big skill to building our comprehension and that is making CONNECTIONS and INFERENCES while we read! So you can be asking your child to share their thinking (METACOGNITION) while you are reading together at home! Thank you for your support in your child's development in reading by reading with them at home! We have been very lucky to have received iPod Touches to use in the classroom from Marian University. We are using the iPods to help us learn new vocabulary words, listening to books, and practicing sight words. The students love using the iPods!

Many students have reached the end of the year reading goal of DRA 16!!! We are working very hard to improve our reading every day! ||
 * = **Science** ||< We have completed our science units for the year so we will continue to review and revisit them for the remainder of the year through our reading of nonfiction text. ||
 * = **Social Studies** || ===We have begun our mapping and land/water unit! We are having a lot of fun in exploring the various maps we use to find our way and learn about our land! We will also be moving into our Community Unit. We have field trips planned for Pick 'n Save, FDL Public Library and Post Office! ===

There is a website MapMyRun that I shared with the students to find their way around town. If you choose to explore with your child that is great! ||
 * = Writing ||< We are becoming great writers! Our sentence structure and penmanship is improving! We are now writing about "small moments"! We are working on adding details and interesting words to our writing! We are also working on improving our spelling when we write and using our spelling strategies! We will begin to explore poetry in March. I would love to host an Author's Tea Party for each child to share a published piece of their writing with you. More information will come towards the end of the year. ||
 * = Homework** ||<  Every night, Monday through Thursday, your child will bring a homework bag home. These activities include Reading and Math Practice with their number. This homework is great daily practice to support your child's needs in reading and math. Have fun with your child and feel free to be as creative with the activities as you want. Please be sure to sign the homework coupon in your child's bag so they get credit for doing their homework. There are rewards your child earns for completing his/her homework. ||