GO CATS!

First of all, GO CATS!!!  This is going to be a late, late, night for me.  It's almost 10:00 and the game STILL has not started.  I'm doing my best to stay up---(all the lights are on and I'm blogging!)   I can't WAIT to see the new team real live action!

READING

Last week in reading we focused on -ed and -et with our phonics work.  Students sorted, created, and used -et and -ed words in sentences.  They found the words in books and played interactive online games to reinforce the skill.  

Finding words together in our book of the week!

vocabulary game!

phonics sort online

spending time with our journals

We started a new book that is actually an interview.  The interview is all about jobs so we have been talking and discussing jobs and services.  It has been interesting hearing what the kids want to be when they grow up.  Very sweet and cute!

Our main comprehension skill has been inferencing.  We did a really fun activity where I put an object in our mystery box.  I gave students bits and pieces of information (clues).  They had to use this information to make inferences.  We also did a game where we walked around the classroom.  Sometimes we would walk like turtles, sometimes we would slither like snakes.  When I said STOP!  I gave the students a sentence with SOME information.  They had to use the information from the sentence to INFER what was happening.  One sentence was, "you hear a truck in your neighborhood that is playing sweet music on a very hot day."  Most inferences were ice cream trucks!!  The students really enjoyed these activities.


Another skill that we worked on in small groups was FLIP THE SOUND.  This is an accuracy strategy to help students when they get to a word that they have trouble with.  This works for vowel sounds.  All students did great with this skill.  If they get a word that has a vowel they know that they can try the long and the short sound to see which word makes sense.  The students also do a hand motion to reinforce this.  Ask them to show you!!!


This week in phonics we are working with -ick and -ack word families.  It is SO important for students to understand HOW to use these word families to identify, create, and recognize new words.  Please reinforce this at home while you are doing your nightly reading.  Today, I called words out and asked students which word family would help them to spell the word.  One challenge word was wicked.  The kids thought this was pretty neat.  They used the -ick word family and their knowledge of letters and sounds to help them spell wicked.  


We are continuing to work on inferencing this week and I have a really fun "investigation" project planned for the students.  I am SO excited to see their responses.  I plan to do this activity Thursday.


Students have also started to work this week with common and proper nouns.  They will continue to work with nouns the next few weeks.  


We continue to work on IDEAS during writing.  Forming them and how to make them more exciting has been the focus so far!


Students continue to do well with DAILY 5 :)

MATH

We started our new unit this week with numbers to 20.  So far students have done well.  We also have a new structure in our math class where the students make rotations around the classroom.  They see myself each day in a small group and Ms. Smith in a small group.  This is great.  We are able to adjust instruction to meet their needs.  The other rotations are seat work and computers/games.  Seat work is usually a review of previously taught skills or the skill from that day.  Students have really seemed to enjoy this structure and will only get better when it becomes more of a routine for them!

**Math games**

Science

We finished up with food chains and OWL PELLETS.  I promised pictures but my camera is at school.  I promise to add soon.  The students thought this was THE COOLEST THING!!  It was very neat.  The students found bones and fur and were able to make predictions based on evidence of what the owls most likely ate.  They also made adorable food chains that are on display in our hallway!  

sorting through their owl pellets--bones and fur :)

BONES!!!

Social Studies

We started our My Country unit in Social Studies.  So far we have discussed the U.S. symbols, flag, the statue or liberty, the white house, and George Washington.  We will continue to learn more and more about our country!!!

George Washington's in the hallway!

REMINDERS

*Don't forget that Thursday is Thanksgiving Lunch.  Please remember that lunch that day will begin at 11:05.  The cost of lunch is $3.50 and they ask that you bring exact change.  If you are eating with your child, you will be eating in the cafeteria.  Please try to be there a little early and plan for crowds!  We anticipate it to be VERY busy :)


*The playground dedication is Thursday afternoon!  You are all invited and welcome to come.  


*If you are participating in Great Leaps training don't forget it will be Thursday right after school.  The students may come and work on homework, read, play games, etc. while you are being trained. 


Again, I can't thank each of you for the support you provide!!  I appreciate each and every one of you!


GO CATS!
Ms. Jervis