Parent Involvement Week!

Our Parent-Involvement Activity was a huge success. The children sure had a lot of fun playing "Counting-on" and "Make Ten" math games.  I hope you'll continue to play these games at home to reinforce the strategies.  I really appreciate the positive and the honest feedback.  Your concerns and suggestions will help us to improve in the future. 

Here is a summary of what happened in our classroom:

​In Langauge Arts...​

• Students are publishing their writing.  This quarter students learned that writing is a process that takes a lot of time.  Let's recap the writing process students went through this quarter.  They started with a circle map and decided on an event to focus on and jotted down any relevant idea that came to mind.  Students categorized the ideas on their circle map into three "big ideas" on a tree map.  Using each branch of their tree map, they drafted them into separate body paragraphs. Along the way, students had mini lessons about transition or linking words and how it helps to organize thoughts, so they added those, where appropriate.  Students learned how to add vivid verbs and exciting adjectives. They conferenced with me, got feedback, drafted again or published with revisions.  Students learned a very important thing this quarter:  Writing is a process that only improves with each revision or draft they make.  

Circle Map (brainstorm)

Tree Map (Classifying)

Draft #1

Draft #2

Circle Map (brainstorm)

Tree Map (Classifying)

Draft #1

In math...

• Students were introduced to three-digit numbers with internal 0 and teens.  They first represented these numbers using the most concrete method with base-10 blocks.  In this way students could physically touch and manipulate the number.  Next, they represented these numbers using more abstract methods like base-ten pictures, then finally using symbols like numbers, digits, and representing the number in various ways such as expanded form, number name, and place value. ​

• Students explored the relative position of three-digit numbers on a number line.  Then they explored the concept of a thousand.  We will be continuing this through the next week.  

In Social Studies...

• Students were put into groups and began to sketch their comic draft about responding correctly to Stranger Danger in various situation such as the mall, at a playground, walking home from school, and even at home.  Next week students will be using a Comic Book app to make it digital! 

REMINDERS AND ANNOUCEMENTS

• A pink Parent/Teacher Conference Forms appointment form went home on Thursday.  Please mark your calendars for your child's conference time. 
• Culture Day is coming up this Thursday.  If you would like your child to participate in the mandoo making and tasting, please be sure to sign and return the yellow half sheet permission form. 
  
• Spelling test is tomorrow!