Halloween

Today we celebrated Halloween! Children decorated pumpkins with stickers and paints.  Thank you so much parents for organizing such an awesome activity!  After our craft we paraded around the blacktop and danced to Monster Mash!  I hope everyone has a safe and fun evening!  

Science

In Science we have been learning about solids, liquids and gases!  We have explored properties of these states of matter. We did an experiment that involved dropping a solid into a liquid that created a gas. The children worked hard and were very engaged. I asked them to look around at home this weekend for solids, liquids and gases and explain to someone how they know which state of matter they found!  

Bartlett Arboretum

This morning we visited the Bartlett Arboretum!  We explored many different kinds of seeds and how they travel. The children had a chance to observe seeds close up as well as take a nature walk!

Open House

Thank you for attending Open House last night!  Your children were very excited to see the note you wrote to them that was on their desks this morning :).  Most of them kept it in their desks so they can look back at it throughout the year!  Below is some of the information requested from last night.  Have a great weekend!

DRA Expectations

September - DRA 18 (fiction) - predicting, fluent reading, oral retelling, most important event, author's message.

January - DRA 24 (fiction) - predicting, fluent reading, oral retelling, most important event, author's message.

May - DRA 28 -  (nonfiction) - turning headings into questions, fluent reading, nonfiction text features, written summary (pulling out important facts), interpretation, reflection (most important thing you learned).

Dream Box

 

Dreambox Details

1-Each Stamford elementary student now has access to Dreambox at school or outside of school.

2-Computer or tablet with internet connection is required.

3-Teachers will be able to provide parents with a “Dreambox Parent Letter” that has the web address for student log ins and the the ipad code for those student’s using ipads.

Student Routines

1.Complete 1 or 2 unique lessons first

(Always finish opened lessons and use the help or hint button as needed)

2.Explore other areas or practice

Recommended Usage

•Recommended Session Length: 10-20 minutes

•Minimum Lessons/ Session:  1 lessons

•Each lesson:  5-8 minutes average





Reading Buddies

Today we were able to sneak outside at the end of the day to practice some partner reading with Miss Gray's fifth grade class!  The students were very excited that they got to sit "shoulder to shoulder, knee to knee" and partner read with a fifth grade buddy!  We will be continuing buddy reading with Miss Gray's class once per week.  Have a great long weekend!  Please have your child read :).

Using Adjectives to Describe Monsters

Our math objectives for the week included giving equivalent names for numbers, exploring calculator patterns, comparing numbers using the relation symbols, and exploring number grid patterns.  Students continued to practice math skills through the use of games, technology and small group work during math stations.  We will be having our Unit 1 Math Assessment on Wednesday, September 24.  Assessment review homework will be sent home Monday and Tuesday.  Please be sure to go over the homework with your child.  If your child has difficulty with any skill please let me know so I can review it with him or her before the assessment!

During reading we continued to practice the routines and rituals of Reader's Workshop.  Objectives included using background knowledge from the text to determine if a story is real or imagined, keeping track of reading habits and responding to what they read, and writing a good reader's response that includes a belief statement, evidence, reasons and connections.  Our read alouds for the week included Miss Nelson Was Missing, The Pout-Pout Fish, and Tar Beach.

Objectives that we worked on during writing were including important events in sequential order, using illustrations to develop ideas for stories, writing letters to communicate a message, and using adjectives to make a piece of writing more interesting.  Today students practiced using adjectives to make writing more interesting by drawing a detailed picture of a monster and using adjectives and nouns to describe their monster to the class!  Please check out some of our monsters below :) .

Math Stations

Room 112 had a great week! Students learned the routines and rituals of math stations in addition to many new math games including penny plate, number line squeeze, and the money exchange game. All students were engaged and working hard! Penny plate is a game you can play at home with your child. All you need is 10 pennies and a plate! I'm sure your child would love to show you how to play :).