Weekly News (Apr. 3-7)

I was so happy to see the children back at school this week! It sounds like everyone had a great spring vacation! Take a peek below to see what we've been learning this first week back.

Math
This week we continued to explore the concept of measurement. Students were introduced to a new measuring tool--a tape measure! We spent some time looking at our tape measures, and the students quickly noticed there were different markings and numbers on each side of the tape measure. One side was marked in centimeters and the other side in inches. We practiced opening and carefully closing our tape measure, and then students had some time to measure their supply boxes.

We also played a few rounds of the "Mystery Number" game. For this game, a number is covered on our hundreds chart and students have to figure out which number is covered by looking at the numbers before and after the mystery number. It's a great game to help students recognize number patterns and understand how the number grid is organized.

We also spent some time exploring the penny this week. We used magnifying glasses to take a closer look at the front and back of the penny and read a nonfiction book to learn more about the history of the penny. We learned that a penny is worth one cent and Abraham Lincoln is shown on the front of the penny. We watched the following two videos as well to learn even more about the penny and the other coins we will be learning about!

Literacy
Reading Workshop
This week we began our Poetry Unit and started to explore the exciting world of poetry! We practiced getting ready to read poetry by looking at and reading the title of the book and the poem; looking closely at the illustrations; making predictions; making connections to our own lives; and thinking about how the poem makes us feel. We also learned about the different ways poetry can look and how poets use different features to help us know how it should sound as we read it. We made a chart to help us keep track of our thinking as we talked about how imaginative and creative poets can be! Check us out in action below looking for features of poetry!

We also learned about poetry in the LMC this week as the students used the Nearpod app to learn about the unique features of poetry.

Writing Workshop
The class did a great job writing about their spring vacation adventures. We have been focusing on using lowercase letters when writing and listening for vowel sound sounds in words. To support our poetry unit, we wrote acrostic poems about spring. Check out some of our work below!

You may have also seen some notes come home this week in your child's blue folder from our new class "Post Office." We will continue to use our Post Office during free choice writing time as a way to make writing fun and purposeful. We will also add a new job to our job board--Mail Delivery Person!

Guided Reading
The children continue to do a great job during our small group guided reading time and are always eager to get a new book. Thank you all so much for your continued support at home. I can tell the children have been practicing their sight words and reading their books at home. Keep up the great work K-2!

Indoor Recess
Despite the rain start to the week, the children had a great time during indoor recess!!

Have a great weekend!

Weekly News (Mar 13-17)

Spring is in the air! Can't wait to welcome in the new season this week. Take a peek below to see what we have been learning in K-2.

All About Me
This week we loved learning all about Aylin and some of her favorite things! We learned that Aylin enjoys playing with Barbies, and she has a beautiful collection of Barbie outfits. We also learned that Aylin enjoys playing outside and spending time with her family. She shared her fuzzy "A" pillow too, which the class loved!

Math
We played Guess My Number this week and used our mini whiteboards to record our answers to the clues below:

What number come after 14?

What number is 2 less than 5?

What number is between 7 and 9?

What number has the digits 2 and 4?

What other number has the digits 2 and 4?

What number tells how many legs are on a chair?

We also took a closer look at measurement this week and talked about different measuring tools. We learned that long ago before standard measuring tools were invented, people used their hands, fingers, feet, and even arms to make measurements! Then the students practiced using cut-outs of their own feet to measure the length of our tables and recorded their findings.

Literacy
Reading Workshop
This week we learned that nonfiction books don't always have to be read from cover to cover. We talked about using the Table of Contents and the Index to help us locate a topic or specific information.

We also learned that good readers often use the information found in the back of their nonfiction books to further explore the topic and that authors often include fun facts to help us enjoy and better understand the topics we read about. Fun facts help us react, question, and think even deeper about a topic.

Writing Workshop
The children continue to grow as writers, and they blew me away with their first persuasive writing pieces. Students wrote multiple sentences to convince their audience which season is best. They will be on display for you to read during parent-teacher conferences!

LMC
The students used the Nearpod app in the LMC this week to reflect on what they learned about the book Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown. They did a great job answering comprehension questions about the story and sharing their ideas using pictures and photos. They even took a virtual tour of the jungle using the iPads.

Art Appreciation
A big thank you to Mr. Barbieri who came in to teach the students about the French painter, Georges Rouault. The students learned about his use of color, especially his dark outlines, and then they worked to create their own clown pictures using a similar style.

Recess
It was great to get outside this week. The kids enjoyed the snow and the sunshine!!

Thanks for reading!

Click here for more pictures from the week!

Weekly News (Mar 6-10)

All About Me

A big thank you to Liliana's mom for coming in to read this week!
We LOVED the Liliana book and the Pete the Cat book too!

Math
This week we began Unit 5 in math. Students will explore the following concepts in this unit:
• measurement
• attributes
• addition and subtraction
• identifying equivalent names for numbers
• making changes
• introducing the class number grid
• skip counting by 5
• tally marks
• continued practice with counting, estimation, patterning, and graphing

Early in the week, the students learned how to use ordinal numbers to describe a sequence of events. We talked about our daily routines at home and school and practiced sequencing a series of events using the words first, second, third, next, and last. Take a peek at the game below to practice your sequencing skills!

The students also revisited the concept of patterning this week. They practiced copying and extending a given pattern and then had some time to create their own patterns using pospsicle sticks too.

We also played a game this week with our attribute blocks. I would pick a "mystery block," and then students had to figure out what shape I picked using the attributes of shape, color, size, and thickness.

Literacy
Reading Workshop
This week during reading workshop, we learned how good readers STOP and THINK before, during, and after reading. Using the book How Bees Make Honey, we practiced how to confirm our predictions and identify new information we learned by saying things like,  "Yes! I knew that!" or "Wow, I never knew that!" Students had time to share their new learning with their classmates too.

We also spent some time learning how to use different text features to understand the meaning of the bold words found in nonfiction books. We practiced studying the photographs, reading the labels, and using the glossary to help us learn the meaning of new words.

Writing Workshop
During the LMC this week, the students used the Pebble Go website to learn about the four different seasons. Then they chose their favorite season and identified three things that make that season the best. They will use this information during writing workshop next week as they work on their first persuasive writing piece!

Science
We spent some time this week analyzing our winter weather data and had a discussion about what we observed. Check out our data and observations below!

Weekly News (Feb. 27-Mar. 3)

We were excited to welcome March this week! Take a peek to see what we have been learning in K-2!

All About Me
This week we loved learning all about Charlie and his favorite things! We learned that Charlie is a big sports fan, and he loves collecting mini football helmets. He has the entire NFL collection! Charlie likes owls, and he also enjoys playing basketball and video games. Going to dinner at Benihana with his family is also a favorite!

A big thank you to Charlie's Mom for reading Harry the Dirty Dog!

Math
This week we learned how to describe objects using different attributes. Using a set of blocks, we worked together as a class to sort our blocks by the following attributes: shape, color, size, and thickness. 

Sorting by Shape

Sorting by Color

Sorting by Size

Sorting by Thickness

We also revisited number stories this week and used our interactive whiteboard to create some of our own addition and subtraction number problems. Check out our number stories

Literacy
Reading Workshop
We had our first nonfiction mini lesson this week and learned how good readers get ready to read nonfiction. Then we practiced the following strategies using the book What We Wear: Dressing Up Around the World--a book that uses beautiful photographs to show the different ways children dress for school, sports, play, and celebrations all around the world.

The students also did a great job making connections to the books we have been reading during reading workshop time. They have been practicing using the phrase, "This reminds me of...." and have been making connections to their own lives, other books they have read, movies they have seen, or conversations they have heard to help us make new connections as we read and learn. 

Writing Workshop
In addition to our weekly weekend writing prompt, the students spent some time practicing how to write their first and last name using lined paper from our Handwriting Without Tears program. We will continue to practice writing our full names in the weeks ahead!

LMC
The class loved celebrating Dr. Seuss's birthday in the LMC this week. After learning about his life using Pebble Go, the students had time to play some Dr. Seuss themed games using the following website!

Art Appreciation
A huge thank you to Dhilan's mom for a great lesson on Mary Cassatt. The children learned about her use of color while studying two of her famous works of art.

School Assembly

The children also enjoyed a presentation from Science Alliance called "World Works" that helped the children understand how they can make a difference in the world around them! They learned about the three basic R's (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle), but they also learned about two more R's--how to "Re-new" materials and "Re-think" how we use Earth's valuable resources. Thank you to the PTA for helping to bring this program to Dryden!

Libby helping to recycle

Jaala showing how materials can be recycled to make new things

Thanks for reading!
Have a great weekend!