It feels like it's been awhile! :)

Although it has been over a month since we've had a full week of school, I feel that students are right on track and have kept most of their reading stamina and knowledge, as well as their math understanding.  Thank you to parents for continuing all of our hard work at home over the break and on snow days!

Fun times:

    






Social Studies:
Students are taking all that they know about the United States and using it to understand the American Indians.  Students used computers to research the Powhatan tribe.  The Powhatan's were located in Virginia (Pocahontas was Chief Powhatan's daughter), lived in longhouses, walked or rode in canoes for transportation, hunted deer and grew gardens.  Students are now learning about the Lakota tribe through videos and pictures.  They have learned that the Lakota tribe lived in the Plains, near Wyoming and the Dakotas.  Buffalo was the main food for the Lakota people.  The Lakota tribe lived in teepees because they were easy to take down and move to a new location because they followed the buffalo!  We will soon learn about the Pueblo tribe with Mrs. Hartman.  By the end of the unit, students will know the difference between the three tribes in the areas of location, food, shelter, and 

 
   

Ways to help at home:
- Find books or videos on the American Indians.  Make a teepee (when Bree was in 2nd grade, she begged us to make a teepee!) or pick berries in the wild.  This summer, grow beans (a popular crop of the Powhatan tribe) or maize (aka corn!). 


Word Study:
We began word study last week, but have had a few "snow days," so we haven't had a chance to get into the groove yet.  :)  Students continue to sort their words with me, write their sort once, and then do an activity.  They have enjoyed writing their sort in alphabetically!


Writing:
Students are writing stories, letters, notes, and even poems!  Most students enjoy writing time.  We will begin a fun new writing project next week.  Students will write stories as small groups next week.  Once completed, we will give our stories to Henley Middle School's drama department.  They will make them into plays, which we will watch in March! 

Students were also introduced to cursive.  They love practicing it!

 

Ways to help at home:
- Give your child a simple picture and ask them to describe it using lots of details.
- Ask your child to write a letter to a grandparent or relative who lives far away.


Reading:
We continue to spend time on visualization. When you read deeply, you create a series of pictures in your head.  This helps you to comprehend what you are reading.

Last week, we began reading with a partner.  Both students are reading on the same level.  At the end of each session, students share their favorite part, a part they have visualized easily, new details about the character, and even drawn pictures to share with one another.

         

Ways to help at home:
- As always, continue to have your child read between 20-30 minutes per day. 
- Make reading fun and interesting.  Search for "Readers Theater" scripts online and have your children and friends create costumes and star in one of the plays!

Math:
Students continue to grow as mathematicians!  Students are solving problems using pictures, numbers, and even words.  I have introduced them to many different strategies and students have been able to explore them and then determine which strategy is right for them at that time.

To make sure students are gaining an understanding of the concept of adding numbers, we play games.  Students are able to add and subtract by ones, fives, and tens in these games.

We are currently working on problems with a sum of up to 100, but in the next few weeks, we will get to the point where the two addends are in the hundreds with a sum up to 500.

Lastly, we have computers on Friday afternoons in which we spend time on ST Math.  Most students are making progress, but the concept of adding is building throughout each level they play on ST Math.  Continue to allow your child to work on ST Math at home, which will greatly build their number sense!

   

           
  
Ways to help at home:
- Ask your child to show you how to solve a problem a few different ways!