Newsletter November 16 - November 20

It's the last full week before Thanksgiving!  I am so grateful for this class and that we are still in school face to face!  I have noticed over the last couple of weeks some great academic growth with my kiddos.  Remember that next week we only have school on Monday and Tuesday.  Last week we finished up our watercolor turkeys and wrote factual sentences about turkeys.  This is one area where I have really noticed improvements (sentence writing).  It didn't hurt that they were very interested in learning about turkeys.  Ask them some questions about turkeys--like do all turkeys make the "gobble gobble" sound?  

Here's are this week's happenings:

• Today I sent home a Scholastic book order (both November and December).  I will extend the date written on the note until this Friday, November 20.  If you would like to order some books for Christmas gifts (they make excellent gifts) I would be happy to "hide" them for you.  Just let me know.  Using the online code and ordering online is the best way to order.  
• This week we started a new unit in math about 2-dimensional shapes.  It's a nice change from our unit on addition.  Today we learned about sorting shapes by attribute and that shapes can be open or closed, curved or have straight sides.  We also learned that the math word for corner is "vertex" or plural "vertices".  In this unit we will learn new shapes such as hexagon and trapezoid.  We will combine and "take apart" two dimensional shapes along with learning about equal and unequal parts, halves, and fourths. 
• Today we read a story called The Two Dogs and are continuing our work on vowel combinations.  Especially the 'oo' (like soon) sound and spelling.  We will continue to work on writing multiple sentences on a given topic.  This week we will write sentences about Pilgrims to go along with a Pilgrim art project.  We will continue to learn about Ancient Egypt.  Today we learned about the Great Pyramid and later this week we will learn about the Sphinx. 
• Take home books were sent home today.  Remember that they are due each Thursday.  If you did not get them turned in on Thursday then your child will not have new books today.  Library books are also due on Thursday! The November reading calendar will be due December 1 the Tuesday after we return from Thanksgiving break. 

Have a nice Monday and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong