Hi all,
It was so nice to see so many of you at Curriculum Night. Here are the answers to your questions:
Q: When do the kids get tested to see what grade level they are at?
A: Assessments I administer in class are at the second grade level. I just finished assessing the kids' reading on the DRA level 18 (First grade 8th month)
Q: Can you help my student get papers into the Take-Home folder?
A: The students are given instructions to put their papers in their folders, as well as time to do so, each afternoon.
Q: What do we do with our childs' pocket bean?
A. If the bean has germinated, you can plant it in a pot and wait for warmer weather to plant it outside. If the bean has rotted, just toss it. My bean rotted too!
Q: When is correction of work due?
A: Corrections should be made and returned within the next day or two after the papers come home.
Q: How do we track how our student is doing?
A: Please review papers that are brought home. This should give you a very good idea of your child's understanding of classwork. You can always email me if you have specific questions.
Q: Do they have snack time?
A: No. We have an early lunch at 11:15. Please encourage your student to eat all of his/her lunch so he/she doesn't get hungry before the end of the day.
Q: Are there any extra challenge projects they can work on for class and home?
A: Currently, students were invited to add to our seed museum. Also, as we're having class discussions, I make suggestions of topics the kids might want to research on their own. Ex: chameleons, plants...anything we're currently studying.
Next week we'll add word work to Daily 5. Watch for pink or white spelling lists to come home on Mondays of full weeks. We will be reading Get Up and Go! This is a math-based story dealing with telling time within the timeline of a girl's daily routine. I encourage you to talk with your child about the timeline of his/her own daily routine.
In math, we will continue to learn the touch math approach to addition facts, along with working on addition and subtraction strategies for problem-solving.
In science, we will finish our plant assessment. The students are writing books using their knowledge about a plant's life cycle.
In writing, we will write more friendly letters and paragraphs, including topic sentences, closing sentences, capitals, and endmarks.
In social studies, we will begin the first chapter in social studies: What is a Community?
Finally, the class will have individual pictures taken on Sept. 30. Please send back their picture envelopes before that day if you want to purchase the pictures. Buying pictures is optional, but all children will have their pictures taken for our cummulative files.
Enjoy your weekend!
jd
