My apologies. I have the flu so this will be a brief newsletter.
Word Study
This week's spelling words are: piece, circle, slice, giant, gentle, page, come, cane, can't, given, gallon, gifts. The four general categories for the sorting are:
- c words with the soft sound (piece, circle, slice)
- c words with the hard sound (circle, come, cane, can't)
- g words with the soft sound (giant, gentle)
- g words with the hard sound (given, gallon)
- c words with the soft sound (piece, circle, slice)
- c words with the hard sound (circle, come, cane, can't)
- g words with the soft sound (giant, gentle)
- g words with the hard sound (given, gallon)
When c is followed by e, it makes a soft c or /s/ sound. When c is followed by o or a it makes a hard c or /k/ sound. When g is followed by e, it makes the soft g or /j/ sound. When g is followed by a it makes the hard g or /g/ sound. When g is followed by i it can make the soft or hard g sounds.
Additional words you may want to use for at home spelling activities which support our generalizations include (see earlier post http://3rdgradehudson.blogspot.com/2011/09/parent-information-highlights.html): since, face, age, gem, car, cash, give, get, twice, force, huge, stage, candy, civic, goes, gasp, niece, punce, bulge, charger, calf, copper, circuit and garage.
We completed the following "clock shapes," so named for how the beginning of the shape is like climbing a clock: c, a, d, g, q. We also practiced their connections from one letter to another. Students who are not in the classroom during cursive for additional services (e.g., speech, enrichment, intervention, etc.) will receive the day's practice in their mailbox. They should complete it as homework and return it the following day. Suggestions for practicing cursive were posted in the previous newsletter.
Students continue to have time to practice keyboarding skills in the computer lab. However, due to limited opportunities to go to the computer lab and priority curriculum, I recommend students practice typing at home using the district's Type To Learn 4 license (information and login I.D.'s were shared during Parent Information Night). Please let me know if your student does not remember their login. Their password is "type." Students should practice a few minutes each night using this engaging keyboarding program. A few minutes each night will see them progress much more than longer sessions only a few times per week. Students should be aware of their posture and use the appropriate finger for the appropriate key with their index fingers resting lightly on the home keys of F and J.
We are focusing on present and past tense in grammar.
Reading
Students completed their African American research and organized their cards in chronological order. This represented the planning stage. They began their drafts on Friday and should be finished by Monday. We will use this same approach to research again in March when we study famous women for Women's History Month.
Skills including cross checking facts with other students for accuracy, using the text for correct spelling, rewriting facts in their own words and developing linking sentences to connect or further explain facts were focused on.
A colleague shared the following link for non-fiction book suggestions. Enjoy.
http://nonfictiondetectives.blogspot.com/
Writing
We are focusing on tense and convention with our read aloud responses.
Math
We started geometry, the study of shapes, this week. We are focusing on two dimensional shapes now, but will introduce three dimensional shapes in a week or so. I introduced lines (which go on infinitely and cannot be measured in length), line segments (distinct portions of lines that are represented by endpoints along a line and can be measured in length), and rays (which have a distinct starting point, but no end point and cannot be measured in length). We practiced naming and drawing lines, line segments and rays. We discussed that all lines, line segments and rays are straight and one does not need to say "straight line." All other shapes are made with curves. We also looked at parallel (which has a set of parallel line segments in it's first two l's) and intersecting (which has two intersecting line segments in its t's) lines, line segments and rays.
We are starting math with the previous night's challenge problem and are identifying key words and numbers to underline that help us to understand the problem and organize our information. We use one of two strategies, occasionally both, drawing a picture or writing a number model, to solve challenge problems.
Important Dates and Reminders
January 30 - February 3 - Box tops collection
February 2 - am school only
February 7 - Kindergarten open house at 7:00pm
February 8 - Early Release, dismissal at 1:15pm for staff development
February 13 - 17 - Jump Rope for Heart
February 14th - Valentine's Day party at 2:00pm: Please refer to earlier post regarding collecting donations for the Ohio Wildlife Center. Students can bring their donations to school on Friday, February 10th.
(http://3rdgradehudson.blogspot.com/2011/10/ohio-wildlife-center-wish-list.html)
(http://3rdgradehudson.blogspot.com/2011/10/ohio-wildlife-center-wish-list.html)
February 17 - School Spirit Day, students wear their Hawk-wear
February 20 - No school in honor of Presidents' Day
February 21 - Field trip to Kelton House for Underground Railroad tour. We have room for ONE more chaperons. Please email if you are interested. Thank you.
April Assessment Dates - Please do not schedule appointments and trips on these dates if possible.
April 2-5 - Terra Nova and InView
April 30 - Ohio Reading Achievement Retakes (only for students who did not pass in fall)
May 1 - Ohio Mathematics Achievement Assessment
