Friday, March 23, 2018

week of March 26, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of March 26, 2018

***In Math, we will continue Topic 9, Composing and Decomposing Numbers to 10.  We will learn different ways to make 4-10.  We will learn to write number sentences to show these different ways.  Our new math words include: whole, part, graph.  We will continue to review: counting to 100, writing numbers to 20, 10 frames, next number, number identification, and addition and subtraction stories.

  ***In Reading, our new story is Mayday! Mayday! and it is a nonfiction story.  Our amazing words are: rescue, pilot, yacht, sailor, mechanic, shimmering.  Our essential question is “What kind of transportation help us in an emergency?”.  We have also started using new listening activities in our morning meeting to improve listening comprehension.  Right now, we are working on yes/no questions such as “Is popcorn a snack?” or “Is a bus a family member?”, but the trick is to listen to the whole sentence before just shouting out an answer.  As we move into different activities, we will add them to the newsletter if you would like to practice at home.

   ***Science and Social Studies-  We are exploring states of matter (solid, liquid, gas) and what are examples of each.  We are also discussing Spring and what activities you can do in the Spring along with some characteristics of spring time. 

***Handwriting/Writing-  We are now exploring how to respond to a given prompt using choices from a category.  We continue to model writing in our Morning Message as well as finding capital letters that start sentences and punctuation that ends sentences in books that we read.

***Important Reminders-  Please don’t forget to read nightly and fill out the AR log because it is due next week.  Also, please continue to practice sight words to increase reading fluency. 
***PTO BASKET AUCTION- If you still would like to donate for our Spa Basket, please have it in by March 26 (Monday).  We pushed back the date a few days due to the snow.  There is a free dress down day on April 6 if you donate to the PTO basket auction.  A coupon for the dress down will be sent home upon receiving the donation.

***Important Dates:
Monday, March 26- Day 5
Friday, March 30- No School, School Resumes April 2

Friday, March 16, 2018

week of March 19, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of March 19, 2018

***In Math, we will begin Topic 9, Composing and Decomposing Numbers to 10.  We will learn different ways to make 4-10.  We will learn to write number sentences to show these different ways.  Our new math words include: whole, part, graph.  We will continue to review: counting to 100, writing numbers to 20, 10 frames, next number, number identification, and addition and subtraction stories.
  ***In Reading, our new story is Max Takes the Train and we will be talking about: realism and fantasy and asking and answering questions.  Our amazing words are: plane, jet way, subway, tunnel, ferryboat, sidecar.  Our essential question is “What are different ways of going places?”.  We have also started using new listening activities in our morning meeting to improve listening comprehension.  Right now, we are working on yes/no questions such as “Is popcorn a snack?” or “Is a bus a family member?”, but the trick is to listen to the whole sentence before just shouting out an answer.  As we move into different activities, we will add them to the newsletter if you would like to practice at home.
   ***Science and Social Studies-  We just started talking about mixtures and what are the different components in a mixture like a salad.  We also heard a nonfiction selection about the Statue of Liberty and discussed what the city is like. 
***Handwriting/Writing-  The narrative writing practice is going well so far.  We have been able to identify what we are writing about, using a capital letter at the beginning, using 2 finger spaces between words, and using a period at the end of a telling sentence.  We are trying so hard to stay in between the 2 lines when writing the lowercase letters and it is really improving our handwriting!
***Important Reminders-  If there are any report card envelopes or red testing folders still out, please sign and return them as soon as possible.  If you have any questions on any of it, please let us know.  Also, if anyone finished their red practice folder and have signed all of the spots on the front, please return it to school and your child will get a prize!
***PTO BASKET AUCTION- Just a reminder, please send in the papers for the basket auction as soon as possible.  We would just like the responses so that we can plan accordingly.  Thank you to those who sent in the papers along with some of the donations we have gotten already!  If you are donating an item, here are some possible ideas for the “Spa Basket”: bubble bath, face masks, nail polish, lotions, scrubs, etc.  We are asking that all donations be in by March 23, just so that we have time to assemble the items and finish the shopping before handing it over to PTO.  Many Thanks!
***Important Dates:
Monday, March 19- Day 2
Friday, March 23- Classroom donations for the Spa Basket are due, Many Thanks!

Friday, March 9, 2018

week of March 12, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of March 12, 2018

***In Math, we will continue Topic 8, Understanding Subtraction.  Our new Math Words include: left, separate, subtraction sentence, minus sign.  We will listen to stories about separating groups.  We will learn about subtraction sentences, the minus sign, and how to find differences.  We will continue to work on counting to 100 by 1’s and 10’s as well as what number comes next in a series (17 then 18), writing numbers from 0-20, and identifying more and less objects.

***In Reading, our new story is: Abuela and it is a fantasy book.  We will be talking about: setting and listening to poems.   Our amazing words are: abuela, adventure, flock, city, airport, harbor.  Our essential question is “What kind of adventures can you have in a city?”.

   ***Science and Social Studies-  We will be reviewing our 5 senses and how we can use them to explore our world.  We will also be talking about upcoming Spring events, Daylight Savings Time, and we also have St. Patrick’s Day this month. 

***Handwriting/Writing-  We will continue to improve our handwriting through writing prompts to instill the importance of 2 finger spaces between words, writing in lowercase letters (except for beginning of sentences and important words), and staying on the line when we write.  We are so excited to see the improvement from the beginning of the year until now.  You may keep the handwriting books as a reference when practicing letters and numbers at home.

***Important Reminders-  When the report cards are sent home, please sign and return just the envelope.  You may keep the contents of the envelope and please contact us with any questions or concerns.  Thanks for your cooperation!

***PTO BASKET AUCTION- Just a reminder, please send in the papers for the basket auction as soon as possible.  We would just like the responses so that we can plan accordingly.  Thank you to those who sent in the papers along with some of the donations we have gotten already!  If you are donating an item, here are some possible ideas for the “Spa Basket”: bubble bath, face masks, nail polish, lotions, scrubs, etc.  We are asking that all donations be in by March 23, just so that we have time to assemble the items and finish the shopping before handing it over to PTO.  Many Thanks!

***Important Dates:
Monday, March 12- Day 7
All Week- Kindergarten Registration at NSE

Monday, March 5, 2018

week of March 5, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of March 5, 2018

***In Math, we will begin Topic 8, Understanding Subtraction.  Our new Math Words include: left, separate, subtraction sentence, minus sign.  We will listen to stories about separating groups.  We will learn about subtraction sentences, the minus sign, and how to find differences.  We have worked really hard on joining and addition in the last topic, so we are excited to go on our next math adventure of subtraction!
***In Reading, our new story is: If You Could Go to Antarctica and it is a nonfiction book.  We will be talking about: classifying and categorizing along with reviewing character.   Our amazing words are: Antarctica, continent, icebergs, penguins, seals, whales.
   ***Science and Social Studies-  We read many Dr. Seuss books to celebrate Read Across America, and one of our favorites was the classic, Green Eggs and Ham.  We even voted to see if we would enjoy green eggs and ham like Sam-I-am.  We will be celebrating Career Week in our school with a little career exploration and discussing the endless career options. 
***Handwriting/Writing-  As we dive into sentences, please review some basic sentence rules while you read at home.  Show your child that there is punctuation at the end of the sentences and that there is only a capital letter to start an important word or to start a sentence.  The rest of the time, we write in lowercase letters while making sure that there is a 2 finger space in between words.
***Important Reminders-  Please make sure to check your child’s folder and book bag daily for any important papers that come home.  There is a lot of information that comes home in notes from the classroom and the school that may get lost in the shuffle of papers.  As always, if you need a copy of something, please contact us.
***PTO BASKET AUCTION- Our class is putting together a basket for the auction.  Our theme is “SPA DAY”.  If you would like to make a donation to the basket, please do so as soon as possible.  If you would like to make a cash donation of 3 dollars or more, please label it in an envelope and we will purchase additional items to put in the basket.  Any questions, please let us know.  Many Thanks!
***Important Dates:
Monday, March 5- Day 3, NSE PTO Meeting at 6:30pm
Wednesday, March 7- Last Day of the Trimester
Hero Day Thursday, March 8- Dress as your hero or what you would like to be when you grow up
Friday, March 9- School Picture Day, Read Across America and PBIS reward day (rescheduled from last week)

Thursday, February 22, 2018

week of February 26, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of February 26, 2018

***In Math, we will finish up Topic 7, Understanding Addition.  We have addition sentences left to cover along with drawing a picture to solve a problem.  We will continue to review joining and have been acting out and drawing problems each day to continue our learning.  We will take our assessment later in the week and then move on to Topic 8.

***In Reading, our new story is: Goldilocks and the Three Bears.  We will be talking about: characters in the story and then discuss what an author does along with what the illustrator does. We also have a few other versions of the story that we will be reading to compare to the original story.  Our amazing words are: bears, cottage, middle-sized, porridge, big, small.

   ***Science and Social Studies-  We have been reviewing the holidays of Presidents’ Day and Valentine’s Day when we do our Calendar in the morning.  We also have been reading books for Dental Health.  We have been talking about how to keep our teeth healthy and why we go to the dentist along with brushing tips.

***Handwriting/Writing-  We are so close to being done with our handwriting books so that we can move onto reviewing letter formations and writing words and sentences with better accuracy.  We stress to not rush, sit with your feet on the floor, use your helper hand to steady the book, and always start your letters at the top!

***Important Reminders-  Please don’t forget a small snack for your child daily.  They are more than welcome to have a drink from the water fountain (so a drink isn’t always needed) but they are very hungry after special and don’t always have a snack packed.  Thank you for your cooperation! 

***Don’t forget about the Red Practice Folders if you have not completed them and turned them back in.  Students can pick from the prize box once all the boxes have been completed and signed. 
***Important Dates:
***The beginning of March is right around the corner.  Be on the lookout for new calendars, menus, and any other information.  Also, the book logs for February are due.
Friday, March 2- Read Across America Day and PBIS reward day

Friday, February 16, 2018

week of February 19, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of February 19, 2018

***In Math, we have just started Topic 7, Understanding Addition.  We will learn to join two groups and tell how many there are altogether.  We will learn how to use the plus sign and the equal sign and learn about addition sentences.  Our math vocabulary includes:  number story, join, plus sign, addition sentence.

***In Reading, our new story is: One Little Mouse.  We will be talking about: setting of the story, characters in the story, and sequence of the story along with problem/solution. We will continue to work on speaking in complete sentences.  Our amazing words are: woodland, vole, comfortable, nest, hollow, shadows.

   ***Science and Social Studies-  We have been making a chart with important information about our Presidents Washington and Lincoln in preparation for Presidents’ Day.  We have gotten our information from: prior knowledge, books, and information from websites.  We will also be working on Dental Health and talking about how and why we need to keep our teeth and mouths healthy.  We have also been working on the concept of “self-talk” and have enclosed some problem solving strategies that are great when working through a difficult situation.

***Handwriting/Writing-  We are working on copying from another source as well as going back to review some of the letter and number formations that we have done previously.  We will also be sending the completed handwriting books home so that you can review at home and look at the progress your child has made from the beginning of the year until this point.

***Important Reminders-  Please don’t forget a small snack for your child daily.  They are more than welcome to have a drink from the water fountain (so a drink isn’t always needed) but they are very hungry after special and don’t always have a snack packed.  Thank you for your cooperation!  Please also read for the book log nightly and practice sight words!  Thanks so much!  Please contact us with any questions and/or concerns. 

***Important Dates:
Monday, February 19- Day 4- We do have school on Presidents’ Day.
Friday, February 23- Movie Night at 7pm at the High School

Friday, February 2, 2018

week of February 5, 2018

Mrs. Borden and Mrs. Jones’ Newsletter
Week of February 5, 2018

***In Math, we will continue Topic 6, Numbers to 100.    We will be looking at a hundred chart, counting by tens, counting to 100, and practicing what number comes next. We were so excited to finally celebrate the 100th day of school (even though it got pushed back due to snow days) and all of our hundred-day fun!

***In Reading, our new story is: My Lucky Day.  We will be talking about: setting of the story.  The essential questions are: Where will our adventures take us? What adventures can you have on a lucky day?  Our amazing words are: piglet, fox, lucky, filthy, cook, scrubber.

  ***Science and Social Studies-  Besides the 100th day fun, we were very busy making predictions.  We made a graph and wrote and predicted whether or not the groundhog would see his shadow on Groundhog’s Day.  We also made a chart for Super Bowl predictions while seeing which team had more fans in our room.  We will then continue on with Physical Science and begin to explore our 5 senses. 
***Handwriting/Writing-  Please let us know if you need an additional copy of any of the Handwriting formations such as: capital letters, lowercase letters, or the numbers.  Just a reminder, when writing at home, use lowercase letters (unless it is the beginning of a sentence or important word, or capital letter I) and always start the letter from the top and not the bottom.  Coloring is an important skill to strengthen hands/fingers and that will improve handwriting. 

***Important Reminders-  Please continue to check the newsletter, blog, and calendars for important reminders.  Please also check and clean out your child’s folder daily.  If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us by note, email, or leave a message on our classroom telephone.  Thank you for all that you do!
***Important Dates:
Monday, January 5- Day 7
Friday, January 9- Valentine’s Day Party (2pm), please send in your Valentine’s (if you finish them before the party day, we can hold on to them until Friday) 
         

Hello Spartan Family,                     I loved speaking with all of you on the phone! I sent an email with everything we talked about ...