Weekly Update

Happy Friday!

We are settling back into our normal classroom routines.  As much as I love to spend endless days in my workout clothes over Winter Break, I have to admit it feels really good to see the kids (they always grow so much over a break!), begin to reestablish procedures, and get back to business!

I have just a quick update for you this week.

Mid-Year Literacy Testing
Over the next month, I will administer the mid-year Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA).  Remember, the DRA tests a student's ability to decode words, read fluently, and retell / comprehend a story.  In preparation for our mid-year testing, please ensure your child is reading each night at home.  Please use the discussion guidelines on your child's weekly homework sheet to talk about his/her nightly reading.

In Need of Disinfecting Wipes:
We are in need of disinfecting wipes to keep our classroom tables, chairs, and surfaces clean and germ-free.  Please consider sending disinfecting wipes (NOT baby wipes) to school for our classroom use.  Thank you!

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We have started our "Readers Have Big Jobs" unit, in which we talk about ways readers can support their own growth, such as stopping at an unknown word and trying different strategies to solve it.
• Writing:  We will continue writing our All About Books, and begin to add non-fiction text features to our books, such as captions, diagrams, and tables of contents.
• Math:  We will continue our money unit.  We will count groups of like and unlike coins.
• Science:  We will talk about winter changes and adaptations people, plants, and animals make to prepare for winter.

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

I hope you have a relaxing weekend planned after the intensity of the holidays. Enjoy!