Updates/Challenge Time!

Hi Families, I told the students that we won't have our gumball quiz this week, instead they have an extra week to practice. We will take it next Friday. If your child received new math flashcards they should have come home yesterday. I am so proud of them! Even if they have not gotten a gumball, most of them were able to complete more than the previous week. They are doing so well.

Today we got to fly our paper kites! We have been reading some nonfiction books about kites. The kids learned some interesting facts! We also did an interactive writing piece "How to Fly a Kite". Then the students worked on their own booklets. I have some cute pictures to upload once my camera cooperates.

  This week we learned about oviparous animals. Your child is proud to know what that word means - ask them to tell you about it! We made a class chart of oviparous animals and then the students made their own little books. Today we read nonfiction books about chicks and eggs and the life cycle of a chick. Then they wrote informational text to tell some facts that they learned. We attached them to some cute little chicks hatching out of eggs that are hung in the hallway. Tomorrow we will lean the steps to dying an egg and then we will write our own how-to books. The students will get to dye an egg and take it home!

We are also working hard on learning about opinions in Writing Workshop. The students are writing their own opinions and next we will learn how to write persuasive letters. We have finished up our nonfiction book club unit and next week we will begin the unit of "reading across the genres" which will also involve book clubs.

  Have a wonderful Easter! I will be back to upload pictures as soon as I can!

Here is the challenge!
 1. Which two animals are the only mammals to lay eggs?
2. How many days does it take for a chick to grow and hatch from an egg?
3. What is a group of eggs called?
Please email me your child's answers! Thank you!

Our Opinions Matter!

American Symbols

Here are some pictures of the adorable Statue of Libertys that the students drew! I think they turned out great. We also made bald eagles when we were studying our symbols. :)

 

More Nonfiction Book Clubs

We continue to work so hard in our nonfiction book clubs. I have to say, the students are so engaged and I am proud of the work that they are doing. We have finished up with our first club and the students worked on their posters as their final piece to showcase some of their learning. This week we chose a new book club and have started exploring the books and we will plan out what we want to learn more about within this topic. Some of the topics that the students are learning about include earthquakes, butterflies, volcanoes, firefighters, and dinosaurs!

Our Penguins!

I realized I forgot to post the finished penguin products! Here are some pictures of the penguins that the students worked so hard on. Didn't they turn out cute? They were hung in the hallway for a couple of weeks and tomorrow I will "raffle" off each penguin to be taken home!

Challenge!

Hi everyone,
Time for a challenge! We have been working hard to learn about the American symbols the past couple of weeks in Social Studies. Today we learned some interesting facts about The Statue of Liberty. 
Please email me your child's answers! 2/3 correct earn a small prize. Child's exact answers only please!
1. How many steps are in The Statue of Liberty from pedestal to crown?
2. Which country gave this statue to America?
3. What is she holding in her right hand?
Thank you everyone!

Spring Pictures!

Our class will be getting spring pictures taken next Friday, March 15. We are signed up to go in the morning before lunch.  If you would like your child's picture taken, please send in the forms at some point by then. Thanks!

Nonfiction Book Clubs

The students worked in their first nonfiction book club the past several days. I am SO impressed with the learning and discussion that is happening. The students are really excited when it is time to get into book groups and dive right into those books! We are learning to plan out with our group what we want to learn as well as listen to each other with our eyes/ears/minds/bodies. The students have also begun to learn that we can compare and contrast information among the text that they are reading. The texts in each basket vary by level and it's great to see students helping each other out with the tricky words. We will do a project to complete their first book group and then they will have the chance to be in one new book group starting the end of the week. Here are a few pictures. Soon I will add some video on the blog to capture their fantastic group work!

Next Week

Next week:
Our class will go to the book fair on Wednesday the 13th at 10:00.  

Family Math Night will be on Thursday the 14th! A notice went home regarding this fun night! I hope to see many of my students!

Dr. Seuss/Read Across America!

Friday we celebrated Dr. Seuss Day/Read Across America. The kids had a chance to read Dr. Seuss books with partners. We did a fun writing activity based on creating a silly character like Dr. Seuss did in his books. The students crossed two animals and made up a new one. They turned out cute! Here are some pictures!