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Class Schedule~2009-2010~

Time

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

7:45—8:20

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge

Daily Editing

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge

Daily Editing

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge

Daily Editing

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge

Daily Editing

Morning Work, Check Homework, Attendance, Pledge

Daily Editing

8:20—9:50

9:50—10:00

Math

Differentiated Math--

Snack-Bathroom Break

Math

Snack/Bathroom Break

Music—9:50—10:30

Math –8:20-9:40

9:40-Snack/BB

Art—9:40-10:20

Math—8:20—9:50

—Snack/BB

Math--

Differentiated Math-

Snack/BB

10:00—10:58

10:30—Word Study

Language Arts-

Whole Group Lesson

Language Arts

Whole Group Lesson

Language Arts

Whole Group Lesson

Language Arts

Whole Group Lesson

Word Study Test

10:58—11:28

Lunch

11:28—11:35

Bathroom Break

11:35—12:50

Language Arts

Making Meaning

Flex groups

Language Arts

Making Meaning/Word Study

Flex Groups

Language Arts

Making Meaning/Word Study

Flex Groups

Writer’s Workshop

Language Arts

Word Study

Flex Groups

Writer’s Workshop

Language Arts

Flex Groups

Writer’s Workshop

12:50—1:30

Content Area

Social Studies/Science/Health

Content Area

1:30—2:20

Physical Education

2:20—2:30

Closing

DRA Testing- I have completed my DRA testing on all children and have placed each child into his/her appropriate differentiated reading group.

Guided Reading is an approach where the teacher works with a small group of students who can all read similar levels of texts and demonstrate similar reading behaviors. Each session lasts 30-40 minutes and begins with the teacher introducing a book, eliciting prior knowledge, and building background. The goal of Guided Reading is for students to become fluent readers who can problem solve strategically and read independently.

Guided Reading Parent Helpers

Mrs. Sisler and Mrs. Sriraman have volunteered to assist with guided reading groups this year.

Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the success of our children.

I appreciate your support. See you each Thursday.

Word Study

The first couple of weeks with the new Word Study program have been a success.

Please remember to review your child’s nightly Word Study homework. I have placed a copy below and on our HW section of our web page. Children also have a copy in their folder. Thank you for your support with this new program.

Weekly Word Study Homework:

Monday—Cut words and sort them into categories like we did in school. Write them (in categories) in your homework notebook. Be sure to put the rule at the top of each list. Save your words in a baggy at home.

Tuesday—Take the words out of the baggy and sort them as fast as you can. This is called a Speed Sort. Then choose 5 words and write them in sentences in your homework notebook.

Wednesday—Assist your child with a word hunt. Look for words in books or magazines that have the same rule of the week. Write the 5 new words in your homework notebook. Put them under the correct rule.

Thursday—Ask someone to call out your words while you write them in your hw notebook in a written sort. Write the words in lists according to their rule. Label the rule at the top. Check and correct any mistakes.

Unit 1 Selection—

Objectives for this unit include the following:

1. using phonetic strategies when reading and spelling

2. using meaning clues and language structure when reading and use knowledge of sentence structure

3. demonstrate comprehension of fiction and nonfiction

4. use oral communication skills to inform, persuade, and entertain

5. edit writing for correct grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling

6. student will also recognize and use complete sentences

Individualized Daily Reading--

Individualized Daily Reading is a structure for classroom independent reading in which students read books at their appropriate level for at least 30 minutes daily. I will be conferring with individual students to monitor and support their reading comprehension. An IDR library has been created in our classroom to institute proficient comprehension of text.

The library consists of several titles that include a balance of fiction and nonfiction. As students practice reading books at the right level, they increase their fluency and academic vocabulary and become naturally able to comprehend more challenging text over time.

Making Meaning~ Strategies that build comprehension and community~

What is Making Meaning?

The Making Meaning program combines the latest research in reading comprehension with social development strategies that foster students’ growth as caring and principled members of the classroom community. Reading comprehension strategies are taught directly through read-aloud experiences. The students learn to use these strategies to make sense of their own reading through guided and independent strategy practice.

The following comprehension strategies are taught directly in the Making Meaning curriculum.

~Retelling~

~Making Connections/Using Schema~

~Visualizing~

~Questioning/Wondering~

~Making Inferences~

~Determining Important Ideas~

~Understanding Text Structure~

~Summarizing~

~Synthesizing~

Research has shown that proficient readers tend to use these strategies naturally as they make sense of text, while weaker readers tend not to use them. All readers will benefit from this program; weaker readers get stronger by learning to use the strategies to understand their reading, and stronger readers learn to recognize when they are using them.

(~Developmental Studies Program)

Ask your child to share each read-aloud with you. We are already achieving significant results in reading comprehension, cooperation, and learning how to be a respectful classroom community.

http://teach.fcps.net/talk/activities/sniffy_fluffy/MakingPredictions/activity1makingpredictions.htm

Making Predictions –Whole Group Activity

We will be testing on unit 2 skills this week ( 10-26) in math and beginning unit 3. The parent unit letter will come home explaining the content of each lesson/hw assignment. Please refer to this if you need guidance with a particular “vocabulary math word” or nightly homework.

Unit 3 concepts include numeration, place value, money, time, and data collection/analysis.

Math Games are Loads of Fun

Kings and Queens of Addition—please visit our Kid’s Corner Page to see how your child is doing…

This in- class activity enhances students recall of basic addition facts. Children are given a series of addition problems to complete in a

set amount of time. Once the student completes all 50 problems( three times) in the 3 minute time frame, he/she will earn the title of King or Queen and will also earn a special recognition on our class web page. This activity will begin after we have reviewed all math strategies in addition. We will carry this activity over into subtraction, and multiplication.

I can’t wait to see who my first kings and queens will be…!!

Accelerated Math Group

I will be working with a small group of children on accelerated math skills and concepts. Children in this group will differ from time to time based on abilities and strengths. There have been times in previous years where I’ve had 5 children in this group and then ended up with 9 or 10. There is not a cap on the number of children that can participate due to individual needs and abilities.

I plan to begin this group by the end of October. A list of participating students will be added to this section of the web-page. All skills and concepts we review will also be included.

This Accelerated math group meets two times a week for 30 minutes each day…

Accelerated Math Group—The following students will participate in the accelerated math group starting the week of October 26^th…

Shaughn

Meghan

Sydney

There are a few others that I’m still observing and monitoring. I will add new students to this group as I notice a need for differentiation..

Former Challenge Math Students –Plotting Points on Graphs

Everyday Math EM Games Link~

Great Job- boys and girls… Keep playing those math games~

Our Everyday Math series includes a link for children to visit for reinforcement of basic math skills.

I have placed the link below.

Please have your child log in using his/her password…

Passwords have been given to your child.

https://www.emgames.com/index.html

We will review citizenship and diversity for the next couple of weeks in social studies.

Children will understand that the people of Virginia are DIVERSE but are united by common principals and contribute to their community.

Seasonal Changes is our next unit of study. Children will become familiar with the following language of the discipline (vocabulary)

Adaptation

Dormancy

Migration

Hibernation

Camouflage

Erosion

We will also review the 4 seasons and the changes that take place in both plants and animals.

Children will engage in many forms of writing this year. We will practice basic writing skills through lessons taught in our basal and through daily practice. Cursive will also be introduced to the children in April.

Paragraph writing, letter writing, and journal writing will be reviewed on a weekly basis. Students will be introduced to resources such as dictionaries, and thesauruses to aid them with word choice and creative writing. We will publish our very own books during Writer’s Workshop and hold an Author’s Party for our parents to attend.

I have also implemented an Accelerated Thinking Program which encompasses the 4 highest levels of Blooms Taxonomy. In this program children are encouraged to write in many different forms to describe a selection they have recently read. I started this program two years ago and my former students have absolutely loved it.

Children will also be exposed to many different poetry forms and poetic devices. We will have a special Mother’s Day Poetry Reading in May.

Update on Accelerated Thinking Program:

This program will start in early November. I am in the process now of having student folders made. Once I go over the program with the children, I will send a parent letter home explaining it further. Look for your child’s AT folder to come home in the next couple weeks.

Word Study

This year, we are using a developmental spelling program in our Language Arts classes. The program is called “Word Study” and was created at the University of Virginia.

Your child has already been given a spelling inventory that determined his/her stage of development.. This screening also allowed me to identify the exact spelling pattern/sounds that your child has mastered and those features that he/she is in the process of developing. There will be a spelling list each week for your child based on his/her level of development.

Your child will be bringing home the list of spelling words each Monday that has been introduced in his/her Word Study group.

Each week, he/she is expected to do different activities to assure that these words and the spelling patterns they represent are mastered. I have sent home a WEEKLY WORD STUDY HOMEWORK SHEET for you to refer to.

We will test each Friday and get new sorts each Monday.

Lions Group : Nate, Blake, Tabitha, Mark, Clayton, Marco

Wolves Group: Mikah, Cole, Sahara, Skylar, Meghan, Sydney, Matt, Jamarian, Elise, Victoria

Snakes Group: Serene, Shaughn, Kyle, Ellie