1. Fundations: We will continue with Unit 1 in Fundations. Our first test will be this FRIDAY! There is NO spelling list to study from until later in the year. Fundations tests the understanding of spelling rules. Family packets will be sent home at the start of each unit. Your child is expected to do a little each night over two weeks. They are due on test days. ***Please have your child practice Level 1 trick words. These need to be memorized. Starting in Unit 3, your child will be introduced to new trick words, and 5/6 words will be added per unit. Homework: Reading Log: “Look in a Book” poem – students read the poem to a lucky listener each night AND reading fluency packet ***directions are attached to the homework Math Log: Mon. – NO SCHOOLTues. – mixed + facts Wed. – money paperThurs. – number grid paper Fri. – mixed + facts paper Fundations packet: U1 packet due Fri., (9/5) AND continue to practice Level 1 words Important Announcements Book fair will be held on Thursday, Sept. 4 6-8pm. Walk-a-thon will be September 12. Donation information packets were sent home. 100% of the money from the walk-a-thon will go directly to South Elementary, and donations are tax deductible!!! Anything you can do to help us raise money for the school would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks to all who could make it to Open House! Everyday Math This week we will continue with Chapter 1. We’ll kick off the week by spending time with the number grids. These number grids will be used A LOT to add/subtract large numbers…we move down and add by 10s, move up and subtract 10s, move to the right to add 1, and move to the left to subtract 1. For now, that is emphasized in this math program because it focuses on place value. As the year continues, students will learn Partial-Sums Addition (so as to add large numbers in their heads according to place value from left to right), and Trade First for Subtraction. You will find in the coming months that YOU might be more frustrated than your child, especially with addition. The program does not teach addition the way you and I learned it as children. If you end up teaching your child the method of addition we learned (with carrying over) and it works for your child, then that’s ok with me. Know that we do not teach that method with Everyday Math. The cool thing about math is that there will always be one correct answer, but there’s lots of ways to get that answer. Simply know that your child must be able to show his/her work. The Daily 5/CAFÉ time/Reading: Reading interviews are completed, and your children have all taken the STAR Reader test. I am in the process of benchmarking for reading fluency and comprehension. Once I’m completed with benchmarking, then I will continue meeting with your children one-on-one to administer reading conferences and assign reading goals on the CAFÉ board. Meanwhile, we continue to add and practice reading strategies. This week I plan to spend time with Officer Buckle and Gloria to review and practice concepts we have learned up to this point. In Fundations, we have created our Word Work I chart, and we have already practiced a round of Word Work in building trick words. In Read to Self time, we managed a round of 10 minutes!!! The Bacher Blog For parents of students in Room 234 Tues,, September 2, 2014 Science/Social Studies: No science/social studies with Mrs. Rogaliner’s class this week (we meet on Mondays). Recommended Website: www.spellingcity.com A great link to practice Level 1 trick words and spelling list words! We practiced in computer lab with this site. The Daily 5/Work On Writing This week we will talk about types of sentences/punctuation at ends of sentences and capitalization rules. We will also begin DOL (Daily Oral Language), which is practice for grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation rules. When I complete the end of a week’s worth of activities, I will send it home. It often takes me a little more than a week to complete one week. Then, the students will be given a DOL quiz…it is made up of questions from the week. I will alternate DOL with a Daily Writing Traits packet over the course of the year.