PANDA NEWS:

 

Welcome back!  I apologize for the delay in blogging.   I hope you had a restful and fun vacation.  We are getting back into the routines of the classroom.  We are working on organizing our snow gear and getting dressed in a timely manner.  Any practice with this is greatly appreciated.

 

Next week each students will bring home a book to read to someone in your family.  The books will be sent on Tuesday and need to be returned on Thursday.  There will be a detailed note in your child's folder today.  There will also be information in your child's book bag to help you as well.  The books that the children choose are books they have practiced and worked hard on in school.  Please snuggle up and celebrate their hard work!  

 

Often times parent will tell me the book is to easy.  These books should be easy and the students should sound fluent..  Memorizing a pattern in the book is a first step in reading.  The student may also rely heavily on the pictures.  They are reading to show off their new skills!

 

 Language Arts:  

We worked on lowercase c, o, s, v, w, t & a during the last few weeks.  We also worked on the word it,. They practiced the word in several different ways as well as reviewed other sight words.  We also have begun to blend sounds together to decode simple cvc words.  We have been working on mid-year assessments.  This information will be used to complete progress reports, which will sent home at the end of January.

Math:

The Pandas wrote the numbers 1-20 for a math assessment.  We played a sequencing teen number game.  We also worked with the concept of addition and subtraction.  They also worked on number puzzles by finding patterns on the hundreds grid.  We continued to practice counting to 70 and are working on recognizing our teen numbers.

 

Art:  

We are working on a melted snowmen.   We also created painted snowman and stained glass mittens.

 

 

Wish List:

tissues

shaving cream

corn starch

 

Upcoming Events:

Handwriting Letters: a &  d

Phonics Letters: ch & j

Word of the Week: to

No school - 1/18 MLK Day

Early Release - 2/10

PANDA NEWS:

We have begun work on our gingerbread unit.  We have read a few versions of the folktale The Gingerbread Man.  Next week we focused on Jan Brett'sThe Gingerbread Baby. 

Language Arts:  

We worked on lowercase G, S, A, I, T & J.   We also worked on the word is and the.  The students have begun word sorts with a particular phonetic patter.  They work with this sort weekly.  I am sending last weeks sorts home.  Have your child show you how to complete their sort.  We started writing patterned books which matches with our work in reading.  The students are learning they have super powers to be super readers.  They have been reading and writing easy books with language patterns and lots of sight words.  Ask your Panda about their super reading powers.

Math:

We worked on attributes and shape.  We have been practicing counting to fifty by ones.  We continued to work on practicing teen numbers.  We played a variety of games using dice and ten frames.  We also worked on representing hexagons different ways and recording the information we found.

Art:  

The students worked on a winter quilt this week.  They decorated their painted gingerbread men.

Book of the Week: The Gingerbread Boy by Karen Schmidt
Song of the Week:  "The Gingerbread Man" by Jack Hartman
(check out the video on the student resource page)

Upcoming Events:

Handwriting Letters: review of all capital letter

Phonics Letters:  ch

Word of the Week: am

Gingerbread Decorating Party: 12/22 @ 2:05

PJ Day: 12/23

Winter Vacation: 12/24-1/2/16

Panda News:

Next week is National Education Week.  Wednesday, November 18th is dress as your future career (career day) and Friday, November 20th is wear clothing from an institute of higher learning (college day).
 
As you know our Family Breakfast is Tuesday, November 24th.  It will start at 8:00.  We will finish with reciting a poem at 8:25.  I hope all will be able to join us.

Language Arts:  

We have been working on the word so. They have been working on sequencing a story, adding details to their writing and making their writing come to life using speech bubbles. The Pandas practiced diagonal lines in handwriting.  We worked on the letters X, Y & Z.   We also wrote our own version of  I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Pie.  

 

Math:

During math we continue to work on numbers and quantities 0-10.  We practiced positional words with a board game (next to, in front of, on, etc.)  We will work on turkey dice games as well as make a turkey glyph.  The Pandas are creating turkeys with the pattern block templates. The kids can't wait for you to check out their work at the breakfast.

Art:  

The classroom is looking very festive with all the Thanksgiving art work we have been creating!

Book of the Week:  I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Pie
Song of the Week:  "Turkey, Turkey" (tune of Twinkle, Twinkle)

Upcoming Events:

Handwriting Letters:  C, O, & Q

Phonics Letters: u

Word of the Week: and

Book Fair: 11/30-12/4

Thanksgiving Break:  11/25-11/27

Family Breakfast: 11/24 @ 8:00-8:25 (Panda Classroom)

Gingerbread Decorating:  12/22 @2:00 

Early Release: 11/18 Parent Conferences Dismissal @ 12:50

Winter Vacation: 12/24-1/4/16

Panda News

Our Halloween celebration was a success. The children had a wonderful time. Check out the new photos I added to Flickr.  Thank you for all the donations and help.  I couldn't do it without you! 

Here is a glimpse of our week in the Panda class:

Language arts:  The children wrote a piggy back version of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? using their costume photos.  We have focused on the word see & I.  We have been working on reading familiar storybooks. The kids are practicing read the books sounding like the author.   We have worked on the sounds m, n, r & l.  The Pandas are doing a great job with writing the capital letters the school way.

Math:  We played various Halloween math games.   We have begun to introduce writing the numerals 1-10.  Dr. Jean has a great song to help with formation.  I will put a link on the blog.  The students have made great progress this quarter!

Art:  We have begun to make some fall and Thanksgiving art.  The students made an owl last week and have begun their work on a turkey.  



Books of the Week:  Stellaluna and The Carrot Seed
Songs of the Week:  "Wizard's Brew" and "The Numeral Song"

Upcoming Events:

Handwriting Letters X,Y & Z

Phonics Letters: r & l

Word of the Week: so

November Conferences:  11/18  (this is an early release days)

No school: 11/11

Family Breakfast: 11/24 from 8:00-8:25 a.m.

Thanksgiving Break:  11/25-11/27

Panda News:

We had Mrs. Griffith talk about Personal Body Safety on Thursday.  She talked about bathing suit areas on your body and uncomfortable touches.  The students learned if something is making you feel uncomfortable you say Stop (assertively), Get Away, and Tell Someone.  They also talked about "stranger danger."

Language Arts: 

We practiced writing uppercase H & K.  We used wood pieces and our slate boards to practice.  We also worked on the word an.  The Pandas learned about the sound a.  It is the first vowel we have learned.  We began learning to read like a storyteller.  The Pandas used very familiar stories to use the picture, remember the story & read it.  Have them try it with there favorite bedtime story you have read thousands of times!   

Math:

We finished up unit 2 in math.  An assessment of the unit will come home next week.  If there is a skill circled it means your child needs a little more practice with that particular skill.  

Art: 

We made big green monster sun-catchers.  They also drew big green monsters and labelled them.  We painted witches using shapes.

Upcoming Events:

Book of the Week- Go Away Big Green Monster by Ed Emberley
Upcoming Letters-  U & L
Word of the Week- see
Phonics- o
October 29th- Picture retakes
Parent Conferences- 11/5 & 11/18 early release (please sign-up if you have not) 
Halloween Celebration- Students and Staff only 10/30 (please see signup genius for more info)
Nov. 6th & 11th- No School

Panda News:

Thank you to the parents that were able to chaperons on our field trip.  It was a great show.  We all had a great time.
 
October is Safety Month.  Today we had a visit from the Stratham Fire Department.  Look for the safety photos on Flickr soon!

Language Arts: 

We practiced writing uppercase M & N.  We used wood pieces and our slate boards to practice.  We also worked on the word at.  The Pandas learned about the sound qu & th.  It is the only time in school they can stick out their tongue to make the sound.   We started to work with partners during Reader's Workshop.  They enjoy sharing books with one another.   After returning from our field trip at The Music Hall we shared our opinion of the show.  The students told about their favorite part of the show.

Math:

We worked with 10 frames.  The students used an app called 10 Frame Fill.  They also practiced their counting skills with objects that were in different arrangements.  We talked about strategies to help you keep track when you are counting. 

 

Social Curriculum:  

We talked about two characters this week.  They are "super flex" and "rock brain".  They are characters to help the children be more flexible in there daily thinking.  You may here your student refer to these characters throughout the school year.  We talked about what it means to be flexible and what it means if you are being ridged and stuck.
 

Art: 

We made spiders to go along with the Itsy-Bitsy Spider.  They also made Sparky the Fire Dog.

Upcoming Events:

Book of the Week- Good Night Moon by Margret Wise Brown
Upcoming Letters-  H & K
Word of the Week- an
Phonics- a
Parent Conferences- 11/5 & 11/18 early release
Halloween Celebration- Students and Staff only 10/30 (please see signup genius for more info)
Nov. 6th & 11th- No School

 

 


 

 

Panda News:

October is Safety Month.  We will do a variety of activities to promote safety.  We will be having presentations from the fire department, police, and many more.  We will also practice safety drills. 
 

Big News!  Panda of the Day has begun.  Abby is our first Panda of the Day.  Watch for the panda bag and directions to arrive at your house.  Please try and return the panda bag with a share that matches the theme and the necklace the next school day.

Language Arts: 

We have practiced writing uppercase B & R.  We have used wood pieces and our slate boards to practice.  We also worked on the word  in.  We recreated our own versions of Yuck Soup!    We have been focusing on telling stories based on a moment in time.  It is called a small moment story.  During Readers Workshop we learned that readers have fun reading privately and with a partner.   Ask your student what they learned about in there books this week.

Math:

We worked on our first open response problem in math.  The children worked in partnerships to sort a collection of objects using a certain attribute or attributes.  They then analyzed each others work to try and figure out what the sorting rule was.  The Pandas did a great job having a conversation about the math work.

Art:

The Pandas started making spiders to go with the nursery rhyme the Itsy Bitsy Spider .  We have read a few versions of this story.

Upcoming Events:

Book of the Week- Yuck Soup by Joy Cowley
App of the Week- Quick Image (using ten frames)
Upcoming Letters- N & M
Word of the Week- at
Phonics- qu, th & th
October 12th- No School
October 14th- field trip to Portsmouth Music Hall
Parent Conferences- 11/5 &11/18
Halloween Celebration- Students and Staff only 10/30 

Wish List:

wax paper