Hello, Hello!
Happy Spring Break! We made it! We ended our week by making our "Spring Break Bucket List" reading incentives, and watching the Champe High School Drama Department perform Cinderella. As we head into some rest and relaxation, I have many important things to share...
End of Year Literacy Testing:
I can't believe I'm about to type this, but I am...Our end-of-year literacy testing will begin in May. This means we are at the most critical part of our entire instructional year, as we make our final push toward our testing dates. Please, please, please (how many times am I allowed to type please before you roll your eyes?) be sure your child is reading every day...weekends included. Your child should read out loud to practice decoding and fluency, and then practice retelling the story in sequence using characters' names and providing as many details as possible. Ask your child to make a connection to the story. Ask about the author's message...What is the author trying to teach us in the story? Ask your child to identify his/her favorite part and state why. I truly cannot overstate the importance of your child not only reading everyday, but discussing what he/she read!
Practicing Our Math Facts:
To better prepare for second grade, and to work toward the goal of fluency with math facts, we will begin timed addition and subtraction tests in the 4th quarter. Once per week, I will give the students a math facts page with 50 problems. Students will have 5 minutes to complete the page. Students who miss (either by a wrong answer or by not answering) 3 or more problems will repeat the same test the next week. Students who miss 2 or less problems will move to the next level the next week. Students will start with addition, and move to subtraction from there.
How to Incorporate Reading and Math Practice into Everyday:
Please use your child's electronic device to reenforce critical math and literacy skills! I know they each have a device, or at least have access to one. Require your child to use any combination of the following apps before playing any games on his/her device, or on your device. We use these in class, so they already know how to use these programs. It's just as easy to use these apps as it is to play a game. I promise I practice what I preach... at 11 and 13, our boys are (still!) required to do "something" before they use their devices for gaming.
Our Flat Students have left to explore the world! If your child did not bring in an address or stamps to mail his/her Flat Student, I sent all the materials home. You may choose whether to mail your child's Flat Student.
Wilson and Ditch = LEARNING FUN!
In our study of the USA, I found a really fun program on PBS Kids called "Digging America." In this program, 2 gophers are brothers named Wilson and Ditch. They travel America learning about many of our national symbols and historic landmarks. They are cartoon characters superimposed over actual footage of the place they're exploring. We watched Wilson and Ditch travel to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell, and to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. The kids absolutely LOVED these 2 goofy gophers, and keep asking to watch more. Wilson and Ditch talk in a fun accent and act generally silly, all while teaching about the place they're visiting. You can find them online at pbskids.org or on the PBS Kids app. :)
Happy Spring Break! We made it! We ended our week by making our "Spring Break Bucket List" reading incentives, and watching the Champe High School Drama Department perform Cinderella. As we head into some rest and relaxation, I have many important things to share...
End of Year Literacy Testing:
I can't believe I'm about to type this, but I am...Our end-of-year literacy testing will begin in May. This means we are at the most critical part of our entire instructional year, as we make our final push toward our testing dates. Please, please, please (how many times am I allowed to type please before you roll your eyes?) be sure your child is reading every day...weekends included. Your child should read out loud to practice decoding and fluency, and then practice retelling the story in sequence using characters' names and providing as many details as possible. Ask your child to make a connection to the story. Ask about the author's message...What is the author trying to teach us in the story? Ask your child to identify his/her favorite part and state why. I truly cannot overstate the importance of your child not only reading everyday, but discussing what he/she read!
Practicing Our Math Facts:
To better prepare for second grade, and to work toward the goal of fluency with math facts, we will begin timed addition and subtraction tests in the 4th quarter. Once per week, I will give the students a math facts page with 50 problems. Students will have 5 minutes to complete the page. Students who miss (either by a wrong answer or by not answering) 3 or more problems will repeat the same test the next week. Students who miss 2 or less problems will move to the next level the next week. Students will start with addition, and move to subtraction from there.
How to Incorporate Reading and Math Practice into Everyday:
Please use your child's electronic device to reenforce critical math and literacy skills! I know they each have a device, or at least have access to one. Require your child to use any combination of the following apps before playing any games on his/her device, or on your device. We use these in class, so they already know how to use these programs. It's just as easy to use these apps as it is to play a game. I promise I practice what I preach... at 11 and 13, our boys are (still!) required to do "something" before they use their devices for gaming.
- Log onto RAZ Kids or Download the RAZ Kids app...If access to books is difficult, download the RAZ-Kids app for free. Your child can log into his/her RAZ Kids account to read just right books. You can also use the web-based version of RAZ-Kids by going to www.raz-kids.com. We use RAZ-Kids in our classroom. *See the Online Resources section of this blog for log on instructions.*
- Log onto Reflex Math or Download the Reflex Math app...Your child can practice math fact fluency by logging into his/her Reflex Math account. You can also download the Reflex Math app, and your child can log into his/her account there. Reflex Math will be required homework in second grade, so now is a great time to begin regular use. We have used this program in the Computer Lab at school. The kids know what to do. *See the Online Resources section of this blog for log on instructions.*
- Download the Timed Test app...There are 3 versions: Timed Test Free, Timed Test ($0.99), and Timed Test Arcade ($1.99). (Download whichever suits your budget.) We use Timed Test (the $0.99 version) on our classroom iPads. You can start with addition only, subtraction only, or a mix of problems. You choose how many problems, and the allotted time. At school, I have each child set up with his/her own account. When they log on, they complete one Timed Test that matches the parameters of our weekly in-class tests...50 problems with a 5 minute time limit. I can view their tests, their progress, and adjust their levels right on the iPad. I highly encourage you to download any version of this app. After downloading, the app will walk you through inputting users and setting the test parameters. I did this for all 23 of my students in about an hour, which means it will take you minutes to do it for just one child. Once finished, I promise your kiddo will know what to do!
Our Flat Students have left to explore the world! If your child did not bring in an address or stamps to mail his/her Flat Student, I sent all the materials home. You may choose whether to mail your child's Flat Student.
In our study of the USA, I found a really fun program on PBS Kids called "Digging America." In this program, 2 gophers are brothers named Wilson and Ditch. They travel America learning about many of our national symbols and historic landmarks. They are cartoon characters superimposed over actual footage of the place they're exploring. We watched Wilson and Ditch travel to Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell, and to South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore. The kids absolutely LOVED these 2 goofy gophers, and keep asking to watch more. Wilson and Ditch talk in a fun accent and act generally silly, all while teaching about the place they're visiting. You can find them online at pbskids.org or on the PBS Kids app. :)
Focus Areas for the Week of April 17th - April 21st:
- Reading: We will learn about similes. Similes are a comparison of 2 things using the words "like" or "as". For example..."A first grader is as busy as a bee." Our study of similes will help us as we begin our Poetry unit.
- Writing: We will begin our Poetry unit. We will look at objects with our Poet's Eye, learn about line breaks, listen for the music in our poems, and learn about various types of poems. We will focus on editing our poems for mechanics, punctuation, and proper sight word spelling.
- Math: We will begin our Money unit. We will explore features of coins, learn about coin equivalencies, and practice counting groups of coins. If you have not sent your child's bag of coins, please do so on Monday, April 17th. Students will need coins that day.
- Social Studies: We will learn about our great state of Virginia...its capital, climate, people, and symbols.
Please reach out with comments, questions, or concerns. I am excited about our 4th quarter together! Happy Spring Break, and for those of you celebrating...Happy Easter!
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