week of December 18, 2017 and January 2, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Weeks of December 18, 2017 and January 2, 2018

*This is the last newsletter of 2017 as we will be continuing topics after the Christmas break. *

***In Math, we are continuing Topic 4, Comparing and Ordering Numbers 0-10.   We will learn how to compare and order numbers   0-10.  Our new math words include: greater, less.  You can practice identifying numbers 0-10 and putting them in order.  You could also practice picking a number between 0-10 and identifying what comes before and after the number.  Please practice counting to 100 and writing numbers with correct formation.
***In Reading, our new story is: George Washington Visits and we will discuss cause and effect in the story. Our new amazing words are: celebration, soldier, barn, arch, sprinted, blacksmith.  We will be working on identifying initial and final sounds in words.  We will also recite rhymes and work on producing rhyming words.
  ***Science and Social Studies-  We will look at characteristics of winter and what plants and animals do during winter.  We will also examine different habitats of animals and their climates.
***Handwriting/Writing- We are finishing up the last few lowercase letter formations and we will be reviewing capital and lowercase letter formations throughout the rest of the school year.  We have been formulating complete thoughts into a sentence around a topic.  We have been talking about capital letters at the beginning, lowercase letters throughout the writing, 2 finger spaces in between words, and punctuation at the end as well as sounding out words as we write.

***From our school family to yours- We hope that you have a lovely holiday break and enjoy the time with your family.  Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year.  We are excited to see the continued progress for the remainder of the school year and appreciate the hard work and cooperation thus far.  Happy Holidays! ***


***Important Dates:
Wednesday, December 20- Polar Express Day for Kindergarten Students
Thursday, December 21- PBIS reward day
Friday, December 22-12pm Early Dismissal
***January 2, 2018- School Resumes

week of December 11, 2017

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of December 11, 2017
***In Math, we are starting Topic 4, Comparing and Ordering Numbers 0-10.   We will learn how to compare and order numbers   0-10.  Our new math words include: greater, less.  You can practice identifying numbers 0-10 and putting them in order.  You could also practice picking a number between 0-10 and identifying what comes before and after the number.  Please practice counting to 100 and writing numbers with correct formation.
***In Reading, our new story is: Little Quack and we will discuss the plot of the story. Our new amazing words are: duckling, plunged, pond, proud, paddle, brave.  We will be able to compare and contrast between last week’s story (Little Panda) and this week’s story because one is nonfiction and one is fiction and one happens at a zoo and one happens in a pond.  Please continue to review sight words, all letters and their sounds, and rhyming.  All of these skills will help your child become a reader!
***Science and Social Studies-  We will finish up the living and nonliving section of science and work on what living things need to survive.  We will also look at various winter holidays and traditions people have around the world.  We will also discuss the characteristics of the winter season.
***Handwriting/Writing- We will continue with our lowercase letter formations and copying words, phrases, and simple sentences from one line to another.  We will continue to work on using our helper hand to hold the paper, correct formation of letters, and pencil grip and hand strength.
***Please Note:
-Please make sure that you are cleaning out your child’s folder every night and watch out for notes and reminders that may come home because there are a lot of activities happening this month.
-Please also practice sight words along with reading for the AR log each night.  Thanks!
-Please make sure that you are wearing a heavy coat to go out for recess.  We go out as much as possible.

***Important Dates:
Friday, December 8- Report cards sent home (please sign and return envelope only)
Saturday, December 9-  Holiday Concert (10 am)
Monday, December 11- Day 9
Wednesday, December 13- 2-hour data delay
Friday, December 15-Dress Down ($1 donation)

week of December 4, 2017

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of December 4, 2017
***In Math, we are continuing Topic 3, Six to Ten.  We will learn how to read, write, and count numbers from 6-10.  We will learn how to show 6 and other numbers from 6-10.  Our new math words include: six, seven, eight, nine, ten. We count the days of school and review counting by tens, ones, and writing a two-digit number (for example, 64 is a 6 and a 4).  Please review concepts of more, less, and same as/equal and 2D and 3D shapes.
***In Reading, our new story is: Little Panda and we will discuss comparing and contrasting within the story as well as the plot of the story. Our new amazing words are: weigh, healthy, curious, measure, bamboo, explore.  We will continue to build our phonemic awareness by identifying all sounds in a 3 sound word (for example the word dog is broken up by the sounds /d/ /o/ /g/).  Tips and tricks- As the foundation for all written words, letters are important because they are the symbol for the small actions your mouth makes as you say words.  What’s equally important, however, is that your child learns the sound associated with each letter.  These individual sounds are called phonemes, and children who know about the connection between a letter and its phoneme have an easier time learning to read.
***Science and Social Studies-  We started Unit B, Life Science, and focus on: Chapter 3, Living and Non Living Things.  Our essential question is: What can you tell about living things?  We started distinguishing between plants and animals.  We looked at some characteristics of plants and animals.   We also named plants and animals.
***Handwriting/Writing- We are trying to increase our writing stamina by copying a simple sentence along with a simple illustration to correspond with the sentence.  We are still working on lowercase letter formations. 
***Please Note:
-Please make sure that you are cleaning out your child’s folder every night and watch out for notes and reminders that may come home because there are a lot of activities happening this month.
-Please also practice sight words along with reading for the AR log each night.  Thanks!
-Please make sure that you are wearing a heavy coat to go out for recess.  We go out as much as possible.

***Important Dates:
Week of December 4- PTO Holiday Gift Shop
Monday, December 4- Day 4
Friday, December 8- Report cards sent home (please sign and return envelope only)
Saturday, December 9-  Holiday Concert (10 am)