Hello there,
Reminders:
Please remember that students are to be dropped off in the school yard in the morning. They should line up at the Primary doors, where I will pick them up at 8:40. Please do not bring your child directly to our class door. If your child is late, they must first get a late slip from the office. Parents are required to sign in at the office and get a visitor pass if they need to enter the school. If there is an important message you need to get to me, please send a note, or phone or visit the office, where it will be passed along to me. In the morning, I am busy getting the class settled for instruction and it is difficult to do that while fielding questions from parents at the door. Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
Please also remember that the deadline for the QSP magazine subscriptions are due on Tuesday. There are some good deals to be had, so have a look.
We had a very busy week last week with the Terry Fox Run, Pizza Lunch, and Photo Day. For this reason, some of the learning activities I had planned for last week are carried over to this week. Here's what we're working on:
Reading: We will continue working on retelling and how visualizing can help us as a reading strategy. Grade ones will begin working on their dramatization of Knuffle Bunny and the twos will dramatize The Giving Tree. Almost all students have had their reading levels assessed and students have been placed into their Guided Reading groups, which will get rolling along this week. Our focus will be retelling strategies. Students began a reading journal in class last week too.
Writing: We continue working on vowels. This week, we're exploring words and vowel combinations that give us the short E sound. We will also be working on simple recounts as shared and guided writing activities.
Media Literacy: We weren't able to get to our newspaper activities last week, so we will try again this week. If you have recent copies of the Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, or National Post (or an international paper), please send them in so that students can have a look.
Oral: Shared poetry read alouds.
Math: Estimation through problem solving. This week, we move from estimating in five sets, to using the ten frame to help estimate and count larger numbers.
Science: How do we know a plant is alive? How do we know animals are alive?
Social Studies: Grade 1s will discuss community helpers and grade 2s will discuss features of communities.
Homework - Due Friday
Grade 1s:
1. Reading each day at home for 10 minutes. Don't forget to fill in your Reading Log! I'm so impressed by the enthusiastic way students are looking for new books in the morning. I'm also sending home a little booklet that features short E words. You can keep this at home and have your child read it to you. If it's "too easy!" you can challenge your child to create a list of other words that have the short E sound.
2. Printing sheet letters E & F.
3. Math problem solving home activity - "How many 10's?"
4. Most Grade 1s completed their number drawing activity from last week. If it is incomplete, please have your child finish it this week.
Grade 2s
1. Reading each day at home for 15-20 minutes. Don't forget to fill in your Reading Log! Keep up the great reading, Terrific Two's!
2. Read Junk Art and answer the comprehension questions.
3. Math Problem solving home activity - "How many 20's?" I'll send along some extra 10 frames. Look in the Homework bag.
4. Complete Numbers 11-20 on the number drawing activity we started last week. I was very impressed by the quality of work. I see a bulletin board display in our future!
Have a great week!
Erin Hawkins
