Saturday, April 30, 2016

Week in Review--Plants


 Reading:



Our CAFE strategy this week was focused on Monitor and Fix-Up. Good readers often stop to think about if what they are reading makes sense. They make sure they understand what is happening in the story or what the selection they are reading is about. If meaning breaks down during a story, good readers have strategies to go back and fix the problem. Some strategies a reader may use to assist in making sense of a story include: summarize text, go back and adjust the reading rate, reread text while thinking carefully, skim and scan the selection to gain meaning, or ask for help. Readers who monitor their own reading know and use these specific strategies when meaning breaks down and fix their reading to improve their comprehension. Your child is working on the comprehension strategy, monitor and fix up. This strategy will help your child identify when meaning breaks down and will give him/her tools necessary to regain comprehension.



How can you help your child with this strategy at home?
1. When reading with your child, stop periodically and ask your child, “Does this make sense?” If not, ask your child what he/she could do to help gain understanding of what is being read.
2. Read to your child and model what it sounds like when you stop to monitor your reading. Let him/her hear the process you go through. Ask yourself the following questions: Who is this story about? What is happening in the story? What is the author trying to tell me? Let your child hear you answer the questions and go through the process of monitoring your comprehension.
3. Ask your child to create a list of his/her favorite fix up strategies. Remind your child to use these strategies when meaning breaks down. The goal is to coach your child to monitor comprehension and use the strategies until they become a habit.

During our Accuracy lessons this week we learned all about contractions!




 
 
 
 
Our vocabulary words this week were:
  • creatures: animals
  • firmly: in a strong and steady way
  • kite: a light frame covered with paper that you fly on a string
  • launched: sent off into the air
  • light: weighing very little
  • replied: answered; said something back to someone


For our Thursday review lesson, we chose one of these three words “kite”, “launched” or “creatures” and tested out a new app called Buncee. We chose a background picture that went along with the word we chose and illustrated along with the background. After drawing, we typed a sentence using the vocabulary word within the sentence. Next week, we will take the Buncee app one step further and add our photo to Book Creator to record our voice and upload to Google Classroom!








iPad Fun:
Reading
  • We used the app Educreations this week to record ourselves illustrating and explaining the process of a seed growing into a plant!
  • We used the app Pic Collage to go on a picture and label hunt around the room! We rolled a die that told us a letter. We used that letter to find something in the room that begins with that same letter. We had to have at least 6 pictures and 6 words in the collage before sending the final copy to Google Classroom.
  • We then had Reading Eggs, Raz-Kids, QR listening books and Epic! as the other choices when we completed our first tasks!
Math
  • This week we reviewed several math concepts using a few apps. We used the app Number Rack to review ways to make 10! We then used the app 10 Frame Fill to also review the same standard.
  • We scanned QR codes around the room that revealed an addition or subtraction problem that we had to solve using one of our solving strategies. We wrote the problem and the answer down on a separate paper. There were 23 problems around the room, most students did not finish so we will continue completing this assignment next week.
  • We also have our choices from previous weeks to complete tens/ones using the Number Pieces app and scanning QR codes to reveal subtraction and ten frame problems and where we scan a QR code that gives an addition sentence to 10 with a missing addend. The students then open up the DoodleBuddy app and complete the problem practicing their ways to make ten!








 
Writing:


We continued into our last week working on Opinion Writing. We focused in on not leaving any piece of the writing out. Each day we talked about a different aspect of the writing...we talked about the O-opinion, R-reason, E-example and O-restating the opinion at the end. During writing time I have noticed students tend to leave out the example when they are writing their opinions. We also have been focusing in remembering to add in punctuation. We listen for the end of the sentence or for a pause when we read it back and add in a period or another type of punctuation.  


Below are a few examples of published opinion writing books from Book Creator.


 
 
 
 
 
 
Math:
We are starting our end of the year review! We began this week by reviewing ways to make 10, addition, subtraction and two ways to make a number. We will continue next week with these topics, as well as counting, addition/subtraction stories, 3D shapes and more!

Content:
 
This week was all about plants!
  • Monday we completed our final entry into our Butterfly Journals. We let our butterflies go outside on the playground and were sad to see them go but we know they are happy to be flying free!
  • Tuesday, we read a story about ways to stay green and keep our plants and Earth clean. We learned ways we can help the Earth every day both at home and school!
  • Wednesday, we completed a page where we labeled different words that describe something a plant needs or a plant part.
  • Thursday, we made our own greenhouses! We took a greenhouse out of paper, two bean seeds and two wet cotton balls and put them in a baggie. We hung them in the hallway and are excited to watch the beans sprout and begin to grow!
  • Friday, we began working on a special surprise for Mother’s Day. I can’t say anything else about the project :).






Our ABC Countdown to Summer started this week! Here is the fun we had:
  • F Day-We brought fruit for a snack!
  • G Day-We played board games...Chutes & Ladders, Candy Land, Ants in My Pants and Hi-Ho Cherry-O!
  • H Day-We wore hats to school today!
  • I Day-We ate a yummy ice cream treat!
  • J Day-We enjoyed telling each other our favorite jokes!










 
 

PRACTICE AT HOME:
Have your child tell you his/her opinion on what they want for dinner, where they want to go for a treat, a TV show they want to watch, their favorite snack...or anything. Be sure to have them add in all pieces of the OREO!
Next Week:
  • In reading we will focus on Retell Story Elements and Compare/Contrast
  • In writing we will finish up our Opinion Writing Unit and begin with other types of writing
  • In math we will begin reviewing main concepts taught in the past quarter/semester.
  • Our theme next week is continuing to learn all about Zoo Animals!
 
Important Dates/Information:
  • ABC Countdown to Summer continues this week with F, G, H, I and J. Be sure to check your calendar each night to see what the next day’s letter and activity is!
  • 5/5 Muffins for Mom-please return the purple paper ASAP to reserve your spot!
  • 5/10 Field Trip to Indy Zoo (more info to come next week)
  • 5/16 Kindergarten Graduation 10:00AM (more info to come next week)
  • 5/17 Field Day 1:00PM
  • 5/19 Talent Show
  • 5/20 Last day of school!