April 8th -12th

Dear Families and Friends,

Your children did so well with our substitute teacher during STAAR testing on Monday and Tuesday. In fact, they ended up with so many compliments that we earned another 18 cotton balls in one week. Do I smell pop-corn!? :) I am very proud of each one of them!

As you can guess, we have had another week packed full of engaging learning! One of the highlights was when Eric's mom added a special touch to our animal unit by bringing in a trunk FULL of animal pelts, wings, bones, skulls... you name it! The children had the opportunity to examine many animal parts that they may not be able to examine in real life again, such as a beavers jaw bones and teeth. The lesson was a wonderful enhancement to our animal unit! Please ask your child about it if you haven't heard already. 

Reading Workshop:

This week in Reading Workshop, we will begin our unit on Poetry by reading and examining different forms of poetry.  We will begin by discussing Rhyme in poetry.  We will think about how poets see the world in different, fresh and unusual ways.  The students will make inferences with poetry as a strategy to comprehend the poem.  We will also discover sensory language in poetry and understand that sensory images help us visualize the poem.

Writer’s Workshop:

In Writer’s Workshop we will complete our Animal Research Projects and begin our Poetry writing unit.  We will “See with Poets’ Eyes” as we begin writing about ordinary objects in different ways.  We will hear the music in poetry as we discuss how to write a rhyming poem.  We will learn that poems are big thoughts in little packages.  Our poetry writing unit will last for three weeks.

 Math:

In math we will review our math facts and math fact strategies by playing games and solving problems.  We will be “Digit Detectives” as we relate numbers to things like quarters, sides on a hexagon and number of items in a pair.  We will play a game called “Rolling the Facts”.  The students will use dice to make facts and solve them with a partner.  They will discuss whether the fact they rolled could be a Count on 1, 2 or 3 or a Double Fact. 

Science:

As we continue to learn all about animals this week, we will investigate where different types of animals live, and how their colors and body parts help them survive. We will also be taking a couple of days to turn our focus back to the life cycle and celebrate the hatching of our baby chicks!! 

Thank You:

Tuesday Folders - Mrs. Horsey

Homework Helpers-Mrs. Van Metre and Mrs. Bhatia

Computer Lab- Mr. Alagar

Classroom Helpers- Mrs. Rodsari-Sayyar

At home volunteers- Christi Wright

Reminders:

The Eggs are due to hatch on Wednesday!!!

Friday, April 12^th  Family Fun Night

Friday, April 19^th  First grade Field Trip to Elgin Christmas Tree Farm

Monday, April 22^nd Earth Day

**STAAR testing on April 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th.  No Parents allowed in the building!**