Homework Helper

Today, each child received a resource to help them not only complete each homework assignment, but also to remember to bring all of their homework materials back to school! Please check your child's gold folder tonight for two copies of the Homework Helper: the green copy should be kept in the gold folder and the purple copy should be hung on a wall near where your child completes his/her homework. Thank you for helping to support your child be a more responsible and independent student!

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Homework Helper!

Use the following steps each time you complete your homework.

1. Unpack your backpack, and lay all your school materials on the table. This includes your HW folder, HW agenda, and book baggie.

2. Open your HW agenda to today’s date. Read each assignment, and place the materials for each assignment on the table.

3. Choose one assignment. After that is complete, place a ✔ next to that assignment in your agenda. Then, place the HW in your gold folder.

4. Choose the second assignment. After that is complete, place a ✔ next to that assignment in your agenda. Then, place the HW in your gold folder.

5. Complete step 4 until each assignment is finished.

6. Clean up your HW area by placing your HW folder, HW agenda, and any other materials in your backpack.

It is always a good idea to have an adult at home check your backpack to make sure you have all your materials ready for school the next day.

Next Read Aloud!

We recently completed our first chapter book, Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. Our final writing assignment for this book will be an extended response essay. The assignment will be attached to next week's reading log. The children will have one week to complete this assignment.


Our next read aloud will be The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Just like Because of Winn-Dixie, students will have reading comprehension assignments and quizzes throughout the read aloud. Students may bring in a copy of the book to follow along while reading in class. The book can be found in the public library, the local bookstore, and on Amazon.

Please feel free to get a copy of the book if you would like to follow along at home with the class.

Reading Response Bingo!

This week, we are beginning a new method for students to respond to their weekly reading. In addition to completing their log after reading for 30 minutes each night, students must also complete a weekly reading response due each Monday. We are giving the children many options for how they wish to complete their reading responses. Today during school, each child received a Reading Response Bingo Board on purple paper that should live in their gold folder for the next few months. Please view the Bingo Board and instructions below:

The reading response should be completed on the second page of the reading log. In class today, we also reviewed a model reading response in class together so each student is aware of the expectations for their response. Please read our mentor reading response below and review it with your child if they need a refresher:

Title of Book: Because of Winn-Dixie

Reading Response I Chose: Compare and Contrast

Reading Response:

     Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo is a heartwarming story about a ten-year-old girl named Opal who rescues a stray dog and names him Winn-Dixie after the grocery store where she finds him. At the beginning of the story, Opal is lonely as she has just moved to a new place in Florida. She does not have any friends, and her father is a preacher who keeps his feelings very guarded. However, throughout the book, Winn-Dixie helps Opal to make new friends and connect with new, interesting people.

One way the preacher and I are similar is that we both care about those who are not as fortunate or lucky as we are. For example, the preacher allows Opal to keep Winn Dixie, a “Less Fortunate.” He also helps people in his church. I also care about people and animals who do not have as much as others. I rescued two stray dogs who needed a home. I also raise money for UNICEF, which helps kids in need get medicine, education, clean water, and healthy food.

On the other hand, the preacher and I are different because the preacher keeps to himself while I am more outgoing. For example, in Chapter 2, Opal says, “Sometimes he reminded me of a turtle hiding inside its shell, in there thinking about things and not ever sticking his head out in the world.” I am the exact opposite! I always talk to my family and friends about my feelings and problems, and I think it is important not to bottle things up inside. Luckily, the preacher is starting to come out of his shell more because of Winn-Dixie.

If your child has any questions about the reading response prompts, please encourage him/her to speak to us about it in class before the assignment is due.

October Curriculum Update

Dear Families,

Class 4-312 has been working very hard and we are excited to share what we have been learning with all of you. Please take a few minutes to read through each section below for a brief overview of our current and upcoming curriculum plans.

Math
This past Tuesday, the children took the Topic 1 Multiplication and Division: Meaning and Facts assessment. The test will come home on Tuesday, October 9, to be signed by a family member. Please review the test with your child.

On Wednesday, we began our second topic in math, Place Value. The class began learning how to represent numbers and the relationships between place values. Next week they will learn how to compare, order, and round numbers.

Please continue to review multiplication facts with your child when you have spare time. As we discussed at our Curriculum Meeting, there are various ways to study times tables with your child, from reviewing them on the way to school to having your child practice their times tables on digital apps.

Writing
Last week, we published our All About Me essays. This Monday, we began our second writing unit, Personal Narrative. A Personal Narrative is a small moment story that relates a personal experience told in the first person. The children read three mentor texts to prepare themselves for the unit. They have spent the past few days collecting ideas based on times in their lives that are meaningful. After collecting is complete, we will move through the writing process of planning, drafting, revising, editing, and finally publishing. Please encourage your child to talk with you about the small moment they choose to write about in class and help add specific details to the story.

Social Studies
This year, the essential question guiding our Social Studies inquiries is, "What does it mean to be free?" In studying the history of New York through this lens, the class has started learning about the Native Americans of New York. They have read through two social studies-based newspapers and answered short response questions. Next week, we will begin sending newspapers home for students to read for homework. Those newspapers may be used as the 30 minutes toward students' reading homework and may be written in the students' reading logs. Please review the short response questions with your child to make sure they answer each part of each question.

Reading
The class is halfway through reading Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. The students are loving the book! Through this read-aloud book, the children are learning reading strategies such as retelling/summarizing, predicting, inferring, and analyzing character feelings and traits based on evidence. The children have been completing in-class assessments to test reading comprehension.

Our next read aloud will be The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. Although it is not required, please feel free to borrow the book from the public library or purchase a copy for your child to follow along during class.

Field Trips and Important Dates
Please note the following field trips:

Tuesday, October 9, 2018:

• Museum of Natural History 
• Free trip 
• Snack and lunch will be at school 

Tuesday, October 30, 2018:

• Urban Park Rangers 
• $5.00 per child 
• Bring lunch to eat in the park 
• Permission slips will be sent home next week.

Friday, October 19:

• Picture Day!

Cards of Kindness

Last Friday, we kicked off Cards of Kindness in Class 4-312, in which each student writes a thoughtful and kind card to another randomly chosen student. Please ask your child about the cards they wrote and received from their classmates. 

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Best,

L & R