Weekly Update

Hi Everyone,

Before we start our long weekend, I'm passing along your weekly update.  Today, I'm going to prove to you that I can write a short weekly update!  :)

Interim Progress Reports:
A friendly reminder that interim progress reports went home on Wednesday.  Not all students received an interim.  If your child did receive an interim, please review the interim, sign the bottom, and return the signed slip to me.  

We Filled Our Marble Jar!
The students have been working hard to be ready, responsible, and respectful.  We filled our class marble jar today and, as a reward, the students voted to wear their pajamas and bring a stuffed animal to school.  We will have our stuffed animal and pajama day on Wednesday, October 12th.  I'll send a reminder home on Tuesday.

Decoding Strategies Series:
This week, we studied the decoding strategies good readers use when they come to tricky words.  I published a short post each day highlighting the strategy learned that day.  If you missed them, please scroll down to see these posts.

Important Information About Written Homework:
Your child completed his/her first written homework sheet this week.  Our written homework will always be the same:  in addition to nightly reading, your child will spend one night practicing writing each of our words of the week 3 times.  He/she will then use each word in a sentence.  There are 5 words of the week.  Please note:  our 5 words of the week are in your child's agenda.  He/she writes those 5 words in the upper right corner of the agenda each Monday.  Those are the words your child should practice writing for written homework.  Those are the words your child should use in a sentence for written homework.  Those are the words posted here on my blog under my picture.  Your child should not be using any of our sound of the week words for written homework.  Those are the words pre-printed on the paper your child glues in the lower right corner of the agenda each Monday.  Please let me know if you need further clarification. 

I also completed the homework this week.  :)  Here's what my completed homework looks like.  I think seeing mine may help you ensure your child is completing his/her homework correctly:

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will examine the differences between fiction and non-fiction texts, and explore ways to determine whether a text is a fiction or non-fiction selection.
• Writing:   We will finish learning the routines and procedures of Writer's Workshop as we explore the idea that "writing is just telling on paper".  We will begin to wind down this first writing unit. 
• Math:  We will begin our patterns and sorting unit.  In this unit, we will talk about ways to sort objects (using attributes like color, size, shape, and thickness).  We will talk about how to extend and grow patterns, how to isolate a pattern unit, and how to label patterns.  We will predict what comes next in repeating patterns, growing patterns, and number patterns.  We will solve word problems with patterns.  This unit will last approximately 2 weeks.  You can help by helping your child identify patterns in the world around us!
• Social Studies:  We will learn about Columbus Day.

Please reach out with questions, comments, or feedback.

I hope you enjoy the long weekend!  We are going to put up the Fall and Halloween decorations.  I.  AM.  SO.  EXCITED.  I may just be as excited as a 6-year old, and that may just be why I always say 1st graders are "my people"!!!