Week of September 4th

Thank you so much for coming to Back to School Night. I enjoyed getting to meet those of you who came and enjoyed sharing with you what we will be doing this year! I am sure some of you still have questions, and that is okay. Please send them my way via email.

Thank you as well for reading the blog. It is a very important communication tool that will be used all year long! 

You should have all received an email inviting your to our Shutterfly Share site, where I will be posting pictures throughout the year. If you did not receive it, please check your spam. If you are still having trouble, let me know and I will try again!

Please hop online and look at the Scholastic Book Ordering. I set the due date kind of late in hopes it would give you some time to try it out. In the upcoming months, it will not be as long of a wait. If you look on the right side of the blog there is a link to online ordering as well.

A note about spelling words:
 

Last week and this week your children had the same 10 spelling words based on the phonics skill we are working on this week. Next week, your child will have 10 words, they will just have choice in those words. I will give them a list of 10 words (based on a specific phonics rule) and they will choose the 5 they want to learn. In addition to those 5 words, they will choose 5 high frequency words that they would like to learn to spell.

Spellingcity.com is a great site to use to help your child practice their spelling words! I have already entered our words for this week on the site. Parents can register for free. Take some time to explore the site and see how it can be used with your family. I have attached the link to my "homepage" so that you do not have to search for my name: http://www.spellingcity.com/HMcKenzie/ .

** Next week when your child has an individualized list, they can type in their own words into a list on the homepage.

Your children did a great job with the spelling homework last week! Please keep up the great work this week.  Make sure your child circles the day and writes the activity they chose to do. Remember, if they chose to do something that does not have a "hard copy" please make sure to sign their paper.

Your students will need to complete at least one Reading Response Log each week. I will send some home with them each week.

Week at a Glance

Language Arts:

• Theme: Count on Me (Friendship and Relationships)
• Phonics/Spelling: Short vowels /e/e; /o/o; /u/u
• Vocabulary: reference, wondered, impossible, illustrator
• Grammar: sentences, statements, and questions
• Inflections -s, -es
• Reading assessments

Math:

• Partner Study Routines
• Grouping by Tens - $1, $10, $100
• Math Boxes
• Working in Small Groups

Science:

• Introduction to our unit on Changes

Social Studies (continuation of):

• Introduction to the seven continents
• Seven continents poem for program
• North America

Writing Workshop

• Introduction to Writing Workshop procedures
• We are all writers!
• Question of the week: What is a Small Moment story?

Reminders:

• Please note the page tabs at the top of the blog. I added some new pages.
• Current Events will start this week!
• Spirit Wear every Friday!
• If you have not turned in the Handbook form please do so.
• If you have not filled out the Parent Survey, please do and send back as soon as possible.
• Picture Day is September 11th
• Library books need to be brought back to school on Tuesdays. We have library checkout that afternoon.  We are still in need of parents to help with library checkout. If you are interested, please let me know!
• If you did not attend Back to School night and would like to be a parent reader at some point this year, please email me. This will take place on Wednesdays throughout the year at 10:20.

Town Hall meetings are every Monday morning at the flag pole. Feel free to join us any time!

http://w4.shorecrest.org/ebytes/ Check out Ebytes each week!!