This week during our Character Counts meetings we will be discussing caring and what it means so care for someone. We will work on this through filling each others' buckets. We will also be discussing fairness.
In reading this week we are actually diving into Lead 21 and will be reading our first couple chapters in our story Growing and Changing. We will be focusing on the skills of determining important information, using synonyms, determining author's purpose, and prefixes meaning "not." At the end of the week we will also meet in our first inquiry groups. Last week we discussed inquiry and what it really means. Part of inquiry is teamwork and we will start with a teamwork activity to get the kids working together.
In writing this week the kids will finish their writing from the heart activity. Once finished they will choose one idea from their heart for their first writing project, a personal narrative, or a story about an experience they have had in their life.
Last week in math we worked on rounding to the nearest 10 or 100. The kids did a great job on this and I was very happy with their quizzes from Friday! This week in math we will be looking at addition properties (commutative, associative, and identity) as well as beginning to look at some addition strategies like break apart numbers and using 10's to add. I always tell the kids that I will teach them all the strategies and during whole group time I expect them to try and practice them, but when it comes to an assignment they can use whichever one works best for them.
Break Apart Numbers Example:
43+25
43=40+3 25=20+5
40+20=60
3+5=8
60+8=68 So, 43+25=68
Using 10's to add example:
28+7
You can think of 7 as 2+5
So 28+(2+5) I can then take the 2 to bring 28 to 30, or help to make a 10
(28+2)+5
30+5=35 So, 28 +7=35
We will also be starting Number Talks this week in math which is a way for kids to work on their mental math skills when adding and subtracting. We will be applying many of these strategies during our Number Talks.
In science this week we will begin our unit on Earth's Water and in Social Studies we will take in a view of Earth looking at our hemisphere, continent, country, and finally our community.
Lastly in art this week we will continue our study of Vincent Van Gogh and we will be using his techniques to paint a replica of his Sunflowers painting.
Homework: Math review of rounding and I will make sure that everyone has the correct paper this time :)!! We will also start our reading logs this week. I expect the kiddos to be reading at least 15 minutes every night at home, reading is that important!! For their reading log they are required to initial that they read on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. Later in the year it will be a short summary for each night.
Saturday Live: September 27th
- Books
- Gift cards to places that you could buy books
- Stuffed animals
- Blankets
- Mugs and hot chocolate
If you are able to contribute that would be wonderful! Please have everything to school by September 23rd so that we can put it all together in a basket!! Thanks so much and please let me know if you have any questions!