FALL IS HERE!

OCTOBER 1-5

We've finally made it to my favorite month of the year - OCTOBER!    We have a lot going on this month so keep in touch as many dates will be added to our October Calenders.

DATES TO REMEMBER:

Monday, October 1st                           Artist Series - Story Teller from Zimbabwe 9:00AM

Saturday, October 6th                          Last day to place orders for Scholastic Book Club

                                                                   https://orders.scholastic.com/L3XTM

Friday, October 19th                            End of Quarter.  ALREADY!!!

Monday, October 22nd                        NO SCHOOL!  Teacher work day

Friday, October 26th                            Report Cards!

WEATHER IN HOUSE FIELD TRIP - TBA

AWARDS DAY - TBA

SPELLING:  

A new word sort will accompany your child home on Monday.  Thanks to Mrs. Cole, we now have a handy "pocket" at the back of our spelling notebooks that can be used to store the word sort bags.

Test on Friday.  NEATNESS COUNTS!

Please review your child's spelling homework each night and sign the spelling notebooks to indicate that you have reviewed his/her work.  This is a great time to correct the spelling errors - especially in the sentences they produce.  Thank you in advance.

MATH:

This week we will begin looking at addition word problems.  At this point we will keep it simple, but will begin to add more complicated steps as we move forward.  

MATH FACTS:

PLEASE keep in touch with your child's knowledge of simple addition math facts.  We have been focusing on practicing simple addition math facts this first semester, and will then move on to subtraction.  If your child is still relying heavily on his/her fingers to figure out the answers, that is a caution flag that your child needs to spend some time learning these math facts.  The faster/better they know these facts, the more successful they will be in math as the work begins to get a bit more complicated.  I suggest an online game that challenges the student to think and answer quickly.  See the handout I placed in the homework folders.

READING:

This week we will read a Realistic Fiction piece entitled, Ronald Morgan Goes to Bat.  This text focuses on team spirit and keeping a positive attitude.

We will also look in to Proper Nouns as well as Contractions.

READING LOGS:

September has ended and October has begun.  For the most part the majority of the student had almost a full reading log filled in.  I am giving a bit of grace this time as far as rewarding the children who read.  October, though, the ENTIRE LOG must be filled in to receive credit.  

Every 15 minutes is worth an entry.  If your child reads 30 minutes, you may fill in two reading log slots.  The more your child is exposed to literature, the better reader he/she will become.

IMPORTANT!!

WRITING:

For the past few weeks we have been focusing on writing personal narratives.  This week I would like to extend this Common Core concept to introduce temporal words into the students' writing pieces.   I will need your help.  On MONDAY, OCTOBER 1st your child will bring home a personal Narrative template that you and your child will need to fill in.  The theme is "my favorite birthday".  Please help your child fill this out and send it in on Tuesday.  We will then transfer the information into a published paragraph.

Final Reminders

Please review/correct tests sent home on Monday.  Sign and return them to school.

LAST WEEK IN SEPTEMBER

September 24 - 28

A BUSY WEEK!

****SEVERE WEATHER CARPOOL PRACTICE RUN****

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25th 

Please see the Neuse Charter School Website for a map of the Carpool Route that will be used in case of severe weather.  We will have the students and parents practice this on Tuesday during our regular carpool time.  Please be prepared.

PICTURE DAY!

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27th

DRESS YOUR BEST

If you need another picture form, please stop by the office.

MATH:

This week in math we will review and take a test on Tuesday.  Watch for the review in your child's folder on Monday evening.  Please go over this with him/her so they are prepared for Tuesday's test.  We will end the week with place value flags as well a few games of addition fact BINGO!

If time permits, allow students to practice math addition facts using websites offered in homework folder.

READING:

TARA AND TIREE, Fearless Friends 

This is a true story based on two dogs who rescued their owner from certain death when he fell into icy waters.  I think the students will truly enjoy this text.  We will learn a bit more about rescue dogs along the way.

As you have noticed, our reading tests are a bit more challenging this year.  It is important that the students take responsibility in their education as they prepare for Friday's test by working on a vocabulary quilt and question sheet during our daily center time.  If the students complete these assignments well, they will be able to do well on their test since they may use both the quilt and the question worksheet as a test aid.  I also expect most all of the answers to be written in complete sentences.  

Homework:

**    Monday or Tuesday - Center Bag Book  - Student should read text orally with parent.  Parents

         may "tag team" if student needs a quick break, but ideally students should read most of the text on their

         own.

**    Wednesday/Thursday - Reading Text - student should read text orally with parent.  Student needs

        to finish question worksheet.  Parents please check over the question worksheet helping student with

        spelling/capitalization/ and answers written if complete sentences.

SPELLING

New word sorts this week!  Friday we will have our test.

REMINDERS

Please make certain you sign your child's progress report and send it back in.  I will keep this on file.

Also, please look over, discuss, and sign your child's tests from last week.  Take a minute to see if he/she understands the mistake (s) made.  This is a great way to teach/re-teach so the students are ready to move forward with the next concept given at school.

IN HOUSE FIELD TRIP IN OCTOBER!

We will have an in house science weather field trip in October.  The cost will be $3.00 per student. I will send home a permission slip with more details Monday.

Please feel free to e-mail me anytime.  I will try to get back to you as soon as I can.

A NEW WEEK IN SEPTEMBER

September 17-21

SPELLING:
This week we will continue to attack our word sorts in Words Their Way.  Be looking for a new word sort stapled to your child's spelling notebook.  Please cut out these sorts, but keep them at home since it is quite probable your child's teacher might just misplace them.
If you forget how homework works, just read the inside of the spelling notebook to discover the explanation of the weekly assignments.
Thank you parents for signing the spelling notebook last week.  You all were amazing!
Test on Friday.

MATH:
This week we will be looking at greater than, less than, and equal to.  We will also be observing the place value of various three digit numbers and placing them in order from least to greatest as well as greatest to least.  Make certain your child is understanding this potentially confusing subject.

READING:  
THE GREATEST ONE retold by Joseph Bruchac
                                         illustrated by David Diaz
This week's text is a Native American fantasy story written as a play.  We will investigate ants as well as anteaters. 
READING BOOKS:  Half of the students will bring home a reader on Wednesday so that they can read ORALLY the play with a parent, older brother or sister.  They must also complete a worksheet that was assigned in class.  If your child used his/her time wisely in reading centers, they will not have much to complete.  
Answers must be in complete sentences.  The students will use this completed worksheet to help them successfully complete Friday's test.
The other half of the class will bring this assignment and Reader home on Thursday.   

DON'T FORGET TO MARK THIS READING SESSION IN YOUR CHILD'S READING LOG.

Writing:  Personal Narratives
Social Studies:  Communities/50 States

OTHER NOTES:

Your child's folder will include a form that directs you how to use the reading program

READING EGGS

www.readingeggs.com

This program is new to some of us.  Please feel free to investigate this program for reading practice options for your child.  Remember, though, reading orally will help your child make the most strides forward.

FINALLY - PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN BI-WEEKLY REPORT AS WELL AS GRADED WEEKLY TESTS.

PROGRESS REPORTS GO HOME THIS FRIDAY!

READY! SET! GO! HERE COMES SPELLING!

SEPTEMBER 10-14

Just a few highlights of the week to come!
1.
SPELLING:
WORDS THEIR WAY!
This week we will launch our spelling.  The school is using a spelling curriculum named WORDS THEIR WAY.  Each child is assessed to see where they are at in their personal spelling journey.  After assessed the students are assigned a specific list (word sort) that they will "attack" for the week.  Each list revolves around  spelling norms.
HOW WILL HOMEWORK WORK?
On Mondays the student will bring home a yellow spelling notebook with a specific word list (sort) attached. I have glued the weekly assignments to the inside cover of the notebook.  Each night the student is responsible for various exercises that will be recorded in their yellow spelling notebook.  On Friday I will test the students to see if they have conquered the spelling norms addressed for the week.
NOTE:  KEEP THE SPELLING LIST AT HOME IN A SAFE PLACE!!  (HINT - THE REFRIGERATOR IS A GREAT IDEA!)
NOTE:  MAKE CERTAIN THE HOMEWORK IS DONE NEATLY!!!!!

2.
MATH:
There will be a review on Monday and a quiz on Tuesday that will cover addition facts, odd vs. even,  hundred board, one less, one more, ten less, ten more, place value and place value blocks.
Wednesday we will be working on viewing numbers in:
Standard Form                                ex.  234
Written Form                                   ex.  two hundred thirty-four
Expanded Form                               ex.  200 + 30 + 4

3.
READING:
This week we will explore a expository non-fiction text titled, A Walk in the Desert.  In addition we will review nouns, subject vs. predicate as well as introduce Statement sentences vs. Question sentences.  There will be a quiz on Friday that will cover these subjects.

4.
SOCIAL STUDIES:
We have been investigating maps and have been learning the names of the 50 states.  This week we will continue this quest as we begin to explore COMMUNITIES.

Again, if you have questions or concerns, please e-mail me.

DON'T FORGET TO READ ORALLY EVERY EVENING!!

September 4-7

Just a few notes about our short week.

REMINDER!
Please send in the $10 we will use toward our two magazine subscriptions.  The sooner everyone brings the money in the sooner we will be able to use these amazing subscriptions in our reading block.

HOMEWORK:
Spelling:  Our spelling series "Words Their Way" will begin next week since this week is short.  However, I will be sending home a description of the program and the expectations for the daily homework on Tuesday.  Please read over the expectations so that you and your child are prepared for the following week.  (It is not too bad.)  The students will be recording their homework in a yellow notebook (formally the Social Studies notebook) every evening.  The first "word sort" will come home with your child next Monday, September 10th and the first spelling test will be on that Friday, September 14th.

Math:  This week we will be working on place value up to the hundred's place.  I will be also be introducing the place value blocks as an extra visual aid.
We have been practicing our math addition facts as well.  The students test each other every morning after they have completed their morning math work.  Please encourage your child to practice at home as well.  Fluency is the key!
There will be a math worksheet each night covering/reviewing what we have discussed in class.

Reading: I will be sending home a new reading log this week.  It is a simpler version.  I really want the children to be reading orally every night for at least 20 minutes.  I am not requiring a summary.

BI-WEEKLY REPORT:
Your child will have a small manila envelop in their homework folder on Tuesday.  It contains a brief bi-weekly report of his/her progress thus far.  Also, the folder will contain some graded work.  Please review this work, correct it if applicable, sign and send back in to school.  Also, please note where your child might be struggling so you may aid them in these areas.

  PAINTING FROM ECUADOR