Seth Paine Elementary Classroom Highlights Lodewyck Room 102 September 29, 2015 50 Miller Rd. Lake Zurich, IL 60047 847-540-4761 K a r e n . L o d e w yc k @ l z 9 5 . o r g “Promise me you will always remember, you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” ~ Christopher Robin to Winnie the Pooh Curriculum Continued Message to PARENTS: If you’re interested in ordering books from Scholastic, please place your order by Wednesday, September 30. Curriculum in Review Reading This week, we’ll complete the Storylord Episodes. It has been wonderful to see the children using the strategies that are discussed in the Storylord series. Last week, the children practiced looking for clues in the text to understand the text better. They also practiced how to stop and check for understanding. Using questions to prompt their thinking has been helpful. Click on the link in the reading section of my web page to see the bookmark that the children are using. Our first Schoolwide Unit not only includes fictional text, but we also begin to learn about nonfiction and poetry. To begin our study on nonfiction, we started using a K-W-L chart. The K-W-L chart allows children to record what they KNOW before reading the text, what they WANT to learn, and finally, what they LEARNED from reading the text. This week, we’ll be working with MyOn. Your child will be able to access many books at their reading level. They will be able to read books of their choice and books to go along with our curriculum. Be on the look-out for more information. Writing We’ll continue to focus on complete sentences. Every sentence should begin with a capital letter and end with the proper punctuation. Throughout the week, the children have several opportunities to write about different topics of their choice and to write about books they are reading. Within their work, they are going back to correct their sentences. We are also trying to focus our writing on one topic. When the children write about their weekend, they should pick one event and include several details about the event. Words Their Way (spelling) The children are working throughout the week on their word sorts and remembering to bring their spelling spirals back and forth between home and school. Your support in learning this process has been very helpful. Please continue to remind your child to turn in the ABC order, Spelling Shapes, and Sort/Glue on Thursdays. In school, the children have the opportunity to practice their sorts, work on their homework and complete additional activities to help learn the spelling patterns. Math We’ve been busy working on a variety of strategies to add and subtract including counting on, doubles facts, doubles plus one, and make ten. We’ve also practiced writing and understanding turnaround facts and fact families. Throughout the week, we’ll review and the children will take a test on Friday. Yesterday, I sent home a letter about our math kits. Please return the letter by Friday. On Monday, I will send home the math kits and a folder with games. The games are ones we have played in class to reinforce the math skills and concepts that we’ve learned. Throughout the year, I will continue to send home games to go along with what we are studying. Social Studies The children are so eager to take the address quiz! I can tell they’re practicing at home. Although we didn’t take a quiz last week, we’ve been doing work in class where they have needed to include their address and are so proud that they know it and can spell it! Our next quiz will be on Friday. We’ve continued to focus on our city, state, country and continent. Talking about these words with your child will help him/her remember that our country is the United States of America and our continent is North America. These two have been tricky for some to differentiate. This week, we’ll work on a landform project to reinforce their understanding of a variety of landforms including mountains, valleys, peninsulas, and islands. Next week, the children will bring home projects that they’ve been working on and a study guide to help them prepare for a test. I will send an email next week with the test date and a reminder to check your child’s folder. Important Dates September 30 – Early Release 30 – Scholastic Book Orders due (if interested) October 2 – Math test 12 – Columbus Day (No School) 22 – Early Release