Newsletter January 2nd- 15th

Volunteer Schedule for January

 

In Reader's Workshop we are currently learning all about nonfiction texts. Here's what we've learned so far!
Good Readers...

* Know the difference between fiction and nonfiction and can sort their books
* Read Nonfiction differently because it teaches rather than entertains
* Are familiar with the "elements of nonfiction" and how to use them:

• title 
• table of contents
• author/ illustrator
• headings
• glossary
• index
• fun facts/ text boxes
• captions

 

1/2 - 1/10

new words:  them, let, could, about, when
Practice

review words: ask, into, good, out, ran
Practice

Alongside our Readers' Workshop unit on nonfiction, we are currently working on a unit of nonfiction (expert- "expository") writing!
Good writers:
* Choose a topic they know ALL about, something they are "experts" on
* Use "expert" expository paper (paragraph writing instead of story writing)
* Introduce their topic with a "topic sentence"
* Add MANY important details that they KNOW (must be true, not what I think but what I know)
* Wrap up with a "closing sentence" which restates the topic sentence using different words

Example:

Nonfiction is an interesting genre. When you write about nonfiction, you must tell facts. One way to become an expert on your topic is to read nonfiction books about it first. Then you can share what you learned using the fancy vocabulary words that you read. Just remember to use your own words for the rest of your paragraph. Nonfiction is an important genre of reading and writing!

In Math Workshop, we are using what we know about fact families, doubles, counting on for addition, and counting back for subtraction to answer questions with numbers up to 20. 

Please continue practicing facts such as doubles:

and reviewing sums of 10 to help us add and subtract fluently (quickly and accurately):

An  interesting shift in the way math is taught under the common core is that children should understand the "=" as "the same as (equivalent to)" rather than as the answer sign. This is especially important as they are asked to find ALL of the correct solutions to a problem, rather than the traditional 1 right answer. They may need to find a missing number in an equation like the IXL homework assignment this week, OR they might have to match together 2 equations that are equal (ex: 2+3 = 1+4). Tricky, tricky, tricky... algebra is so important to practice!

Social Studies focus this month:

Science focus this month: