Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Greetings from New York!  We are here for a long weekend spending time with family.  I  am attending a conference while my boys are eating their way through all our favorite hometown hangouts.  :)  

As we head into the weekend, here's some information for you...

First Grade Music Program:
If you have not yet returned the signed slip indicating whether your child will be attending our First Grade International Music Program, please do so as soon as possible.

Coins for Our Money Unit:
If you have not yet sent your child's coins for our money unit, please send them to school with your child on Monday.  

Project Based Learning Update:
Our class has started a learning project we're calling "The Great Crayon Rescue". We are exploring ways to reduce the number of crayons that end up in landfills each year by reusing or recycling our old crayons.  The kids are loving this project.  Please ask your child about it!

End of Year Literacy Testing:
I am about to begin our end-of-year literacy testing.  Please 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.   

Camp STEAM-tacular:

This summer, Pinebrook will host Camp STEAM-tacular.  This is a fun-filled week of STEAM related learning and exploration, which takes place June 18th - 22nd from 9 am to 3 pm here at school.   Each grade level is aligned to a particular theme. Enrollment is limited and the camp will fill quickly!  You can learn more and register your child by visiting the Camp STEAM-tacular website HERE.

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about similes.  Similes are sentences that compare 2 things using the words "like" or "as".
• Writing:  We will continue our project based learning unit, and this will give us the opportunity to practice many different kinds of writing.  We will continue to focus on editing our writing for mechanics, punctuation, and proper sight word spelling.  We will also continue exploring poetry and poetry writing.
• Math:  We will begin our Money unit.  We will practice counting groups of coins.
• Social Studies:  We will continue our project based learning unit in which we think of ways to impact the environment by reducing the number of crayons that we throw away each year.  

Please reach out with questions, comments, or feedback.  

Tell the kids hello!  I am looking forward to seeing them on Monday!

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday!  We will have a new student on Monday.  I told the kids about him today, and we talked about ways to welcome a new student.  Please ask your child about this new friend, and please talk with your child about how he/she can help our new student!

Please read to the end of this post as I have lots of important information to share with you. 

Next Week is Spirit Week:
In honor of Career Day next Friday, we will celebrate with a Spirit Week next week. Themes for each day are as follows:

• Monday:  Career "Champe" Day - Wear navy or silver (Champe High School colors) to represent the importance of high school.
• Tuesday:  College Pride Day - Wear college gear or colors to support our career goals and readiness for college.
• Wednesday:  Future Career Day - Dress up like your future profession.
• Thursday:  Interview Day - Dress for success like you would dress for an interview.
• Friday:  Our Future Starts Here Day - Wear Pinebrook gear or Pinebrook colors. 

First Grade Music Program:
Please check yesterday's Thursday folder for important information about our First Grade International Music Program on Wednesday, May 30th.  Please sign and return the slip at the bottom of the information letter to confirm your child's attendance and participation in the program.

Coins for Our Money Unit:
Please check yesterday's Thursday folder for a letter requesting coins for our upcoming Money unit.  I would like the kids to have real coins available for this unit, and am requesting that you send the coins to school no later than Monday, April 30th.  

Project Based Learning Update:
Our class has started a learning project we're calling "The Great Crayon Rescue". We are exploring ways to reduce the number of crayons that end up in landfills each year by reusing or recycling our old crayons.  The kids are loving this project.  Please ask your child about it!

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 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!  

I Will Be Out:
I will be out of school next Thursday and Friday.  We have a family commitment in New York, so we are going home for a long weekend.  I'm sorry I will miss the Triple Play!  Mrs. Ryan will be in for me.

Camp STEAM-tacular:

This summer, Pinebrook will host Camp STEAM-tacular.  This is a fun-filled week of STEAM related learning and exploration, which takes place June 18th - 22nd from 9 am to 3 pm here at school.   Each grade level is aligned to a particular theme. Enrollment is limited and the camp will fill quickly!  You can learn more and register your child by visiting the Camp STEAM-tacular website HERE.

Last Call for Pinebrook Yearbooks:

Pinebrook yearbooks are on sale now!  Yearbooks may only be purchased online.  To purchase a yearbook, go to ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter school code 7561118.  You will be prompted through the order and payment process.  The deadline to order a yearbook is April 29th.  You must pre-order a yearbook if you would like your child to receive one.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about the climax in fiction stories.  This is the point when the most exciting events occur, and usually happens before the story problem is solved.
• Writing:  We will continue our project based learning unit, and this will give us the opportunity to practice many different kinds of writing.  We will continue to focus on editing our writing for mechanics, punctuation, and proper sight word spelling.  We will also begin exploring poetry and poetry writing.
• Math:  We will finish our Time unit.  We will practice telling time to the hour and half hour.
• Social Studies:  We will continue our project based learning unit in which we think of ways to impact the environment by reducing the number of crayons that we throw away each year.  

Please let me know if you have questions, comments, or feedback.  

Leo is headed out of town for a men's retreat this weekend, so the boys and I are going to see what kind of trouble we can stir up!  I hope you have a fun weekend planned too!

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

Happy Friday!  We watched a preview of Beauty and the Beast today, which is the play the John Champe HS Drama Department will be performing this spring.  The kids loved it.  We enjoyed some extra time in the warm sunshine too!  😎

Meantime, I have many important things to share with you today!

Spring Picture Day:
Spring Picture Day is this Monday, April 16th.  A whole group (class) picture will be taken on Monday, and your child's individual picture will be taken on Monday too. Please note these 2 very important points:

1. If you would like a class picture (this is the whole group photo), you must order and pay for it by Monday, April 16th.  I sent an order form home on Wednesday for the class picture.  You can fill out the order form, include payment, and return the payment envelope to school, or you can order and pay online.  If you order and pay online, you must return the payment envelope to school with the online payment confirmation code written on the envelope. This means that by Monday, April 16th, you should return either the payment envelope with payment inside, or the payment envelope with the online payment confirmation code written on it.  If you do not order a class photo by Monday, April 16th, you will NOT receive one.  There is NO option to order a class photo at a later date. This becomes an issue every year.  Please, please....if you want a class photo, you MUST order it per the instructions I've just outlined.
2. Individual pictures will also be taken Monday, and you will receive a picture packet at a later date.  If you would like to purchase individual pictures, you will purchase those AFTER you receive the picture packet.

Triple Play Rescheduled:
The Pinebrook Triple Play "Rumble in the Jungle" has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 26th at 5:45 pm at John Champe High School.  Please see your Pinebrook weekly email for more details!

Plastic Lid Goal Reached:
The 3rd grade classes have collected enough plastic lids to reach their project goal and are no longer accepting donations.  Please do not send any more plastic lids. You may recycle these at home.  Thank you!

Career Day:
Pinebrook will host a Career Day on the morning of Friday, April 27th.  We are in need of volunteers to share information about their occupations with students at Pinebrook.  If you can't be with us in person, you can Skype in!  Please consider volunteering by contacting our counselors, Jennifer Nocito (jennifer.nocito@lcps.org) and Heather Ross (heather.ross@lcps.org).

Baby Wipes Needed:
We have run out of baby wipes, which we use to clean our classroom.  If possible, please consider sending a pack of baby wipes to school with your child.  Thank you!

Camp STEAM-tacular:

This summer, Pinebrook will host Camp STEAM-tacular.  This is a fun-filled week of STEAM related learning and exploration, which takes place June 18th - 22nd from 9 am to 3 pm here at school.   Each grade level is aligned to a particular theme. Enrollment is limited and the camp will fill quickly!  You can learn more and register your child by visiting the Camp STEAM-tacular website HERE.

Yearbooks:

Pinebrook yearbooks are on sale now!  Yearbooks may only be purchased online.  To purchase a yearbook, go to ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter school code 7561118.  You will be prompted through the order and payment process.  The deadline to order a yearbook is April 29th.  You must pre-order a yearbook if you would like your child to receive one.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about characters and character traits in fiction stories.
• Writing:  We will begin our project based learning unit, and this will give us the opportunity to practice many different kinds of writing.  We will continue to focus on editing our writing for mechanics, punctuation, and proper sight word spelling.  We will also begin exploring poetry and poetry writing.
• Math:  We will continue our Time unit.  We will practice telling time to the hour and half hour.
• Social Studies:  We will begin a project based learning unit in which we think of ways to impact the environment by reducing the number of crayons that we throw away each year.  

Please reach out if you have questions, comments, or feedback.  

Have a great weekend!  It's finally going to be warm!

Weekly Update

Hi Everyone!

I hope you enjoyed Spring Break.  The kids had lots of stories to share about their Spring Break adventures.  It was sweet to see them greet each other on Tuesday. They've become a little family, and they miss each other during breaks and weekends.  💛

Triple Play Rescheduled:
The Pinebrook Triple Play "Rumble in the Jungle" has been rescheduled for Thursday, April 26th.  Please watch your Pinebrook weekly email for more details!

Pennies for Patients:
Our Student Council Association (SCA) is sponsoring a fundraiser called "Pennies for Patients."  All funds will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help battle childhood cancer.  I sent home a collection box and a more detailed explanation in yesterday's Thursday folder.  If your child would like to participate in this optional fundraiser, he/she may bring in any denomination of money (coins or bills) to school during the fundraising period.  

Career Day:
Pinebrook will host a Career Day on the morning of Friday, April 27th.  We are in need of volunteers to share information about their occupations with students at Pinebrook.  If you can't be with us in person, you can Skype in!  Please consider volunteering by contacting our counselors, Jennifer Nocito (jennifer.nocito@lcps.org) and Heather Ross (heather.ross@lcps.org).

Yearbooks:

Pinebrook yearbooks are on sale now!  Yearbooks may only be purchased online.  To purchase a yearbook, go to ybpay.lifetouch.com and enter school code 7561118.  You will be prompted through the order and payment process.  The deadline to order a yearbook is April 29th.  You must pre-order a yearbook if you would like your child to receive one.  

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will talk about using context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words.  Context clues are hints the author gives us in a sentence to help us find out the meaning of an unknown word.
• Writing:  We will practice paragraph writing as we focus on editing our writing for mechanics, punctuation, and proper sight word spelling.
• Math:  We will continue our Time unit.  We will practice telling time to the hour and half hour.
• Social Studies:  We will finish our Maps unit.  We will explore cardinal directions,  map keys and map symbols, and construct a map of a familiar area.  

Your feedback is always welcome.  Please let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget there's no school Monday due to a teacher workday. Meantime, my boys are headed to a retreat this weekend so Leo and I are going to pretend we have no kids.  We're headed to a concert tonight and we're eating out all weekend!  Woo-hoo!