Friday Letters, Grandma Sue, and More! 10/10-10/14

Friday our learners wrote their first Friday Letters to their families. They come home in a black composition book.   These letters tell a little snippet about our week.  They are a great way for families to learn more about our week and watch our learners progress as writers throughout the year.  Sometimes our Friday Letters might be a bit tough to read. If you can't read your child's letter, just ask them to tell you about their week.  Please write a note back to them, they love to read your letters! Help your learner remember to return the notebook by next Friday so they can write back to you.

 We also welcomed Grandma Sue to our all school morning meeting to thank her for the beautiful mural art she sponsored. Grandma Sue sang songs with us and shared her love of art and music with our learners.  She is truly a special part if the UCS community! 

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders are beginning work on Place Value.  We have been building 10’s and 1’s with unifix cubes and using those tools to help us solve math problems.  First Graders are continuing with their geometry unit and will wrap that unit up next week. 

• Literacy- Wow, literacy stations are going so well.  Students are engaged, working hard and doing some great reading.  I have started book clubs with a few students.  During these book clubs we will work on comprehension skills and look at author’s craft.  Other students are working on skills such as blending words together, recognizing and sounding out digraphs, beginning and ending blends and automaticity of all short vowel sounds. 

•  Writing-We created our “big adventures” stories, and we’re looking forward to writing about the silly, funny and memorable moments in our lives. 

Mindfulness- As always, mindfulness is a big part of our day at school.  We have been talking about the parts of the brain, especially the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex or the PFC.  We have also been talking about courage and what it means to be courageous.

 

Mindfulness, Routines and Smiles 10/3-10/7

 

Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders continued working on “enough for the class” problems.  

 Example:  Ms Green has 24 students and 16 pencils.  Does she have  enough pencils for the class?  How many more does she need?  I am looking for students to not only solve the problem, but to represent it   with an equation and show proof of their thinking. 

First graders continued to work on solving addition and subtraction problems using equations. We will begin a new unit on Tuesday focusing on geometry.  

• Reading- Our Reading Workshop is broken down into 4 stations.  Everyday students do at least 3.  They are Read to Self, Listen to Reading, Word Work/phonics, and working with Mrs. Hackett.  Students have done a great job learning our routine.  

• Writing-We have been talking about what makes a sentence this week.  We have discussed that a sentence needs a capital letter at the beginning; a period, exclamation point or question mark at the end and it has to be a complete thought.  In addition we started to write personal narratives.  These are stories about things that have happened or things we like to do.  

• Mindfulness- This week we focused on ways to self regulate.  We learned that you must be in the green zone to be just right for learning.  We learned ways to help keep your body calm and focused.  Check out our focus in these pictures!

 

Butterflies, Zucchini and More for the Week of 9/26-9/30

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders continued to review their strategies for adding 3 numbers.  We will be  continuing that discussion next week.  First graders learned strategies for solving subtraction problems. Students also used a math computer program called Happy Numbers.

• Reading- We started our reading and word work groups this week.  Each group received their spelling sort that includes words or sounds to sort and learn specific phonics patterns.  In addition we are starting book groups.  Sometimes a student might bring home a book to practice with you.  This is just to share.  They can read it and return it when they are finished sharing it at home.  

• Mindfulness - Our class is starting to work more on self regulation.  They are learning how to recognize where their energy level is and how to adjust it to be in the green zone which is just right for learning. 

• Science - We said goodbye to our last butterfly on Thursday.  We will be wrapping up our monarch life cycle unit this coming week. 

 

Adventures With Our UCS Nature Cats- 9/19-9/23

 

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders continued to review their combinations to 10 and today we discussed order while adding 3 or more addends.  We will be  continuing that discussion next week.  First graders learned strategies for adding and solving story problems.  Next week first graders will start strategies for subtraction.  First graders also have been enjoying this counting by 10’s song (warning… it’s catchy and sticks in your head)

• Reading- We continue to build our reading stamina and we're slowly stretching our reading times as well. We learned about using our schema and connecting new information to things we already know. This helps strengthen our comprehension. 

• Mindfulness - We read Your Fantastic Elastic Brain and learned what our brain does for us!  We made brain hats to help us learn more about our brain. We made our classroom expectations: Be Kind, Be Honest, Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect Our Classroom and Supplies.  We created thumbprint promises to help remind us to follow those expectations. 

Science - Recycle Rhonda came to visit us on Friday reminding us of the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling! Here is our 3 R’s Recycling Song that we are learning to sing. 

Adventures From 9/9-9/16

What a fantastic week!  We have had another week of playing, laughing and learning.   We are getting to know each other and the routines and expectations of the classroom.  I can honestly say that every day we feel more and more like a community.  I am looking forward to an incredible year. 

Important Information:

Communication:

Please notify both myself and the front office for pending absences and tardies. This can be via email, note or phone call.  Also, if by any chance, end of day plans change, please send a note to both myself and to Connie at connie.arceneult@mmuusd.org.  I do not always have a chance to check my email in the afternoon, so this way we will be sure to see the message.

Calling All Large Zucchinis:  Our Zucchini Relay will be held on Thursday September 29th.  If you have an overly large zucchini growing in your garden that you would like to contribute to our race, we would love to have it.  Don’t pick it yet!  Let it grow and we’ll be in touch when we would like them brought to school.  If you would like to come see the race it begins at 1:45 sharp!

Picture Day:  September 29th.  Picture envelopes are in home folders today!

Open House Morning:  We will be holding an Open House Morning on Thursday October 13th from 7:30-8:30.  Come in if you can and see what your child has been working on!

 Learning highlights from the week:

• Math- Second graders are working on combinations of numbers under 20 as well as an exploration of coin names and their value.  First graders have been practicing counting to 20, playing Roll and Record and One More/One Less

• Reading-  Because we will be running literacy time using skill stations this year, the focus of our time right now continues to be how we function within a center model.  This includes; rotating through stations, building stamina and keeping our voice level low while reviewing letter sounds.  

• Writing-   This week we started creating our own books.  Students are drawing and writing about adventures that have happened to them or things they do!  They enjoyed building their books this week. 

Celebrations- This week we celebrated International Dot Day!  We read the story The Dot by Peter Reynolds, sang the song and created Dot Art to help inspire everyone to make their mark! Here is the link to the book and the song!               

The Dot (story)                              The Dot song w/ motions