Hello Bear People!
I am sorry I could not update the blog yesterday. We had no access to the outside world due to some TDOT issue with the cable lines or some-such nonsense. But we are back in business now! Not a minute too soon either cause I have a ton of stuff to tell you! HANG ON! Here we go!
Math- We finally got our math workbooks. We have been working in our math journals and doing lessons on the Promethean Board (henceforth called the Board….Promethean Board is just too long to type) until now. We will continue with the Board but we are excited to add our workbooks to the mix. Today your Bear brought home the Student Resources booklet. Just put this to the side and use it as a resource. There’s a great glossary inside, as well as the exact same workmats we will use in class. You do not need to return it to class. It is yours to keep.
Reading- We have met in reading groups each day this week. We are still working out our placements, so bear with us on what is coming home. Some of it is too easy and some of it is too hard. In a day or so your Bear will have stuff that is “just right”. You are doing a fantabulous job of returning all reading materials, the colored/numbered cards and the black clips each day! Thank you! We share the materials and it really helps when you return everything each day. Continue with the reading logs. Volume of reading is a HUGE factor in reading success. The weekly story will come home every Monday on a sheet of paper. We do not have enough Big Blue Readers to send home for every child, plus they are HEAVY. So we’ve done the stories for you. The first story is “Sam Come Back!”. These weekly selections can be found in the first tabbed section in the back of the Bear Binder. We will have our first reading test on Friday…..so practice reading and remembering what the test is all about!
Spelling- first practice test is Friday. We will practice test for 3 weeks and then begin recording grades. The spelling words for the year (and test dates) are now in each Bear Binder in the last tabbed section.
Science-Oh.My.Word….did you hear the excitement in your child’s voice when he/she told you that we are “going to science”? After a yucky year last year with scheduling, Ms. Nevin and I worked hard to get all of our special classes arranged so that we can meet in the afternoons in the lab to “do science”. We are working on mixing colors right now and we have already completed two experiments. Ask your Bear about them. We have science journals, too. We are big time. This is not your Granny’s first grade, people! This week we are also using the Board in center time to do color mixing. You can do it at home, too. Just log into
www.peepinthebigwideworld.com and click on games. Your Bear will know what to do. Have fun!
We are also playing Twister to learn colors and left and right and I can tell you that Ms. Hand and I have grabbed our cameras more than once to capture the hilarity of that little exercise. Fun Times in #221! Fun Times!
We are still learning to do new centers and turn in papers in the correct place and all that jazz. Remember that all graded papers do not always end up in the grade book. Don’t panic over “grades” but do use them as a guide for what needs to be reviewed at home.
And just to show that little people everywhere are learning……my baby girl, Annelise, who turned 7 months old on Monday, crawled for the first time today! I am a little bit sad and a little bit happy about that.
Wordless Wednesday is tomorrow! Check back in! Alicia
