We are embarking on our 4th week of school--I am excited that we continue to be face to face. I think it's the best way for little ones to learn.
Here are this week's happenings:
- There are several things in your child's homework folder today (please make sure that comes back everyday). The first is an opt out letter for my Master's research project. I am in my last semester of my master's program at SUU. For my thesis I am gathering data about rereading books at home and it's effect on a student's reading fluency. I sent home a letter explaining that project a little and allowing your child to opt out if desired. Let me first say that students will not be asked to do anything that I won't already ask--when take home books start I will encourage those books to be read three times (I've done that for a few years now). Student information will be kept confidential and there will be no judgments whether you do the reading at home or not--any evidence I gather will be so helpful for my thesis project. I appreciate your help and if you see that I am frazzled at times you will know why :) getting a Masters is not for the faint of heart :)
- The second is sheet outlining our take-home library books and how that will look this year. Please sign the bottom portion of that sheet and return it with your child. I am super excited about the take home library to start. It really helps to have books on your child's independent reading level at home to read. Take home books will start coming home next Monday, September 21.
- The third is a list of sight word and an explanation for our Sight Word Soldiers program. I was given help from two SUU students so they will be passing off those sight word lists as soon as they come in. On the note it said every day but Wednesday, but today I learned I will have help on Wednesday too. You can cut the sight words up into little flash cards or simply just point to them out of order until your child can read them automatically. I have noticed since returning to school that my students need extra sight word practice so this program will be especially helpful this year.
- The scholastic book order that I sent home last week is due tomorrow if you'd like to order some the best way is to do it online using the online code I provided.
- SEP conferences (parent teacher conferences) are just around the corner. They will be held September 28 - October 2. We will be conducting these through ZOOM this year. Next week I will send home a little packet of information that I would like you to look over before our ZOOM appointment. I will also share with you a google form where you can sign up for a ZOOM time. These will be for 15 minutes and will give us a chance to talk about your child and how they are doing in school. It will also be a good time to ask any questions you might have.
- We are working our way through the kindergarten review chapter in our CKLA (reading) program. Today we reviewed the digraphs 'ch' and 'sh'. Students are getting better at blending sounds into words. We learned too that nouns are words that not only name people but also things. On Wednesday we will start our first reader called SnapShots. We will follow two friends Beth and Nat as they have adventures here and in the UK. Reading groups will start this Thursday. Groups are being moved around a bit still so I will inform you if your child will be going to a reading group outside of my classroom by the end of the week. All students will be in a small reading group from 9:45-10:30 daily except Wednesday.
- In math today we learned about ways to "make 5 and make 9" (think 0 + 5, 1 + 4, 2 + 3 etc. for 5). We took a little quiz today on adding in any order and my students seem to understand the concept based on the results of that quiz. For the remainder of this week we will work more on ways to make a number especially "ways to make ten", we will practice addition to 10 (sums up to 10) and will take another quiz on Friday to test their understanding of ways to make 10.
- We are continuing our unit on Fables and Folktales. Today we read a Jewish folktale called the Crowded Noisy House where we learned to be happy with what we have because "it can always be worse". Students learned a couple of yiddish terms "oh vey" and "kvetches". Ask them about the story. We will also read two more folktales The Tale of Peter Rabbit and All Stories are Anansi's before the end of the week.
Please let me know if you have any questions--I'm happy to take phone calls or you can send me an e-mail or a REMIND.
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong
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