9/2-9/9

So, 30 feels...different. But, our classroom families and my own at-home family did a phenomenal job of helping me celebrate this change. Thank you so much for the generous gift. I'll post pictures of my culinary creation for you to salivate over. From day one last year, I have appreciated the support and encouragement that you guys shower me with, but the real gift (not to sound too cheesy) is the time I get to spend teaching and learning alongside your kiddos. Thank you for entrusting me with them!

This Week's Homework
1. Math packet with regrouping practice due Monday. I would encourage your child to show their work and to review it with them, looking for common miscues like not regrouping or "subtracting up".
2. Our first spelling check-in will be Friday. When we do these, the students will come up with the list from noticing common words in their reading. I'll have a sentence that they will put that word in to help with some context. My major assessment on spelling is a spelling index which I collect from drafts of pieces they do in Writer's Workshop. Words are: difficult, minute, knife, difference, favorite, incredible, tremble, fire, picture, and could.
3. Play one game of Regrouping Madness!!! I would like for your child to teach the game to you. It takes about 20-30 minutes to play a round. But, it provides a great opportunity to have conversations about math strategies. If you choose to play more than one round, extra scoresheets can be made on a sheet of regular notebook paper split up into sixths. The scoresheets that I made copies of are due Monday.

What Are We Up To This Week?
1. We are still working on cursive and writing for understanding in Writer's Workshop. Students are independently authoring choice pieces.
2. We are beginning to think about the reading process and how authors craft fiction texts during Reading Workshop. We are reading Indian in the Cupboard as a chapter book this nine weeks.
3. In Math, we are talking about fluency, reviewing regrouping with more than 2 digits, and looking into reading word problems/charts carefully.
4. In Science, we are using our notes from the trip to Hunter's Pond to help us construct an environment, including what things have to be present for life to exist.

Notes for the Upcoming Weeks (As Far As I Know)
1. MAP Testing is next Wednesday (Reading) and the following Wednesday (Math). September 10th and 17th. This is that assessment that the district uses to help "pinpoint" how your child is doing. It also provides me with valuable information that guides some instructional decisions. It's not the most authentic piece of data, but it is something that we take seriously.
2. Curriculum Night is Thursday, September 11th.
3. Classroom Jobs will be posted by next week. Well, sometime in that week.

Well, I hope you all enjoy your abbreviated week! Maybe Carolina or Clem5on (see what I did there?) will choose to show up this weekend? Sigh...

-B