Newsletter 16

Upcoming Dates to Know!

*February 5, 12, 19, 26 -Late Start Days

*February 6– 100th Day of School Celebration

*February 12 Count Day

*February 14-Valentine’s Party

*Feb 28 -Half Day

Solid Shape Museum

We have started learning about the 3D shapes cube, sphere, cylinder, cone, and pyramid.  If you have items at home that have any of these shapes, please send them in with your child so we can practice recognizing these shapes in our environment by making a solid shape museum in our classroom. (Please label the items if possible and please do not send in fragile and/or valuable items as the children will be touching these).   

Folders

Please remember to check/clean out your child's folder EVERYDAY!!! It is not easy for me to see if there is anything you are sending in or back when the folder still has all of the papers that were supposed to stay at home in it. It also makes it difficult for them to get the new papers in at the end of the day and keep things organized! Thank you!!!

100th day/Valentines Day Volunteers

Please see last week's blog and the papers sent home for information about the 100th day and Valentine's Celebrations! If you are on the volunteer list for the 100th day party, please be here at 10:20 am- 12:00 pm.  If you are on the list for the Valentine party, that also will start at 10:30 and go until about 12:00. I will be emailing those parents to organize snacks and games or crafts. 

At Home Reading Program

Starting tomorrow, I will be sending a book home with your student. 

The idea of this program is for your child to practice using picture

clues, letter sounds, and high-frequency words to read each book independently. They may need your help and encouragement in this process. You can help by:

1. Read and point to the title of the book.

2. Tell your child a little about the book using any vocabulary that you think

may be difficult (for example, if the book uses the word couch but you

call it a sofa, be sure to point that out).

3. Have your child to point to the first letter in each word as he/she is

reading. This helps to focus on each word and make the connection

between what they say and what they see in print.

4. If your child gets stuck, you can:

Say “Look at the first letter and make the sound.”

Say “Can you think of a word that makes sense there?”

Books can be returned as soon as your child has read it a few times and is ready for a new one. They can return it everyday to pick out a new one or just a couple times a week. I am excited for you to see their reading grow as the year goes on!

Homework!!!

I know with the homework calendar, the math bags, the websites and now the take-home books, it seems as though there is a lot to do! First of all, I don't plan on introducing anything else for the rest of the year! Secondly, please don't feel like you HAVE to do these things every night. Your child will not get in trouble at school if they don't do one of these or bring it back. I am sending these home because they are good enrichment/practice for the things we are learning and doing in class.  Also, most children at this age find it 'fun' to do homework and some families don't have the resources or ideas to do learning activities at home so I am providing you with some options and ideas. Please use as these activities as much or as little as you have time for and your child has interest in. Although these activities can only benefit your child's learning, I don't want them to be a source of stress or conflict for your family! PLEASE let me know if you have any questions or concerns!!!

February Calendar