Papers Went Home Today

Many things went home today. Here is the break down of everything.

1) School Science Project packet - last page needs to completed and returned before Winter Break.
2) My Science Project instructions - the last page needs to be completed and returned by Dec 15. - students may not work on their projects until it has been approved by me. The next due date will be announced later this week.
3) I gave the students a list of their missing work. They may find these assignments and turn them in

Study Guides

Three study guides went home today. Just in case they did not make it home or if they get lost, here are copies of the study guides. Let me know if there are any problems with the links.

Science Study Guide - Changes in Heat
Studies Weekly (Social Studies) Week 9 Study Guide
Math Module 4 Study Guide

Click here to find this week's class newsletter
Click here to find this week's spelling list

November is Almost Over

Are you ready for December? It will be here before you know it. As we draw closer to the end of the year, we will be getting ready for more assessments. The excitement that comes with the events in December can cause students to become distracted. There are just a few weeks left until Winter Break. Working together, we can keep the students on track.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving will be here next week and there are exciting things happening.

1) Tuesday - Turkey Trot - Have you collected sponsors?
2) Wednesday - Field Trip
3) Thursday - Thanksgiving Day - No school
4) Friday - No school

Math

The math unit we are currently studying is teaching the students a variety of ways to add and subtract. A lot of the techniques use mental math, but the students show their work so that they can learn all of the steps. These solutions may seem like they take longer, but once mastered, they can be done mentally and a lot quicker than the traditional methods taught 20 years ago.

All students learn differently. By teaching more than one way to solve a problem, the students can identify with the solutions that are the easiest for them to solve on their own. Eventually, they will be given the freedom to choose whichever method they would like to use.

It is important for the students to write down all of their steps so that I can identify where and how they have made a mistake (if or when they make a mistake).

Here are some examples:

Problem:
62-39 =

Solution
39 + ____ = 62

39 + 1 = 40 (add 1)
40 + 20 = 60 (add 2 tens)
60 + 2 = 62 (add 2)

1 + 2 tens + 2 = 23

Solution:
add one to both numbers
63-40 = 23

62-39 is one more than 62-40
62-40=22
22+1=23

Solution:
use place value disks (or draw them)

unbundle one 10

cross out 3 tens and 9 ones

Count the remaining disks
2 tens + 3 ones = 23

Problem:
74+38 =

Solution:
7 tens + 3 tens + 4 ones + 8 ones
10 tens + 12 ones
1 hundred 1 ten 2 ones
74+38 = 112

Problem:
124+38 =

Solution:
add the ones = 12
add the tens = 50
one hundred = 100

Problem:
29+42

Solution:
use number bonds

Problem:
53-30

Solution:
use number bonds

STEM Night

I enjoyed meeting students and parents on Friday's STEM night. I am sorry if you missed me. I felt lonely waiting in the classroom. I stood outside the door, or nearby. I saw lots of parents and students. It was fun meeting everyone.

Lots of people said that if they needed anything, to just let them know. I have an online sign-up sheet for items needed for different class projects. You can go to the page and see what we need and if anyone has already signed up to bring it.

www.SignUpGenius.com/go/10C0E4CAAA92DA0FE3-supplies1 


       

2nd Grade

I am so excited to start teaching second grade again! We are going to have a fun year.

Homework Time

It is very important to make sure you do your homework every day. Getting into the habit now will help you throughout the year.

Time and Place

First, find a place to do your homework every day. It is best to do your homework at the same time at the same place every day. Don't panic if once in a while it needs to be done at a different time and/or a different location. As long as you make sure it is where and when you do your homework most of the time.

Consistency

Next, consistency is the key to success so make sure you do homework every day (at the very least Monday through Thursday). Perhaps your teacher did not assign homework, do something anyway. See last week's and next week's posts for more ideas on this topic.

How Much

The last thing you need to do is spend enough time doing your homework. The following list is just a guide. Some things may take longer for some students. You need to always do the homework assigned by your teacher so if it takes longer, this is the minimum. If you get done with your homework early or you don't have any homework to do, this is the maximum time. Do other things to fill up this time. See last week's and next week's posts for things you can do to fill up that time.

Kindergarten 5-10 minutes
1st grade       10 minutes
2nd grade      20 minutes
3rd grade      30 minutes
4th grade      40 minutes
5th grade      50 minutes
6th grade      60 minutes
7th grade      70 minutes
8th grade      80 minutes
9th grade      90 minutes
10th grade   100 minutes
11th grade   110 minutes
12th grade   120 minutes

New School Year

Welcome to a new school year! 

Here are a few tips to help you have a great academic year!

• Do homework every night. 
• Even if your teacher doesn't assign you any homework, study anyway. 
• Practice spelling words
• Learn new sight words
• Practice math facts
• Read a book
• Get a good night's sleep.
• Go to be early so you can get up early in the morning.
• Eat good nutritious meals.
• Make sure you eat a healthy breakfast and a healthy dinner

Look for more tips coming your way to give you more ideas on how to do your homework, get a good night's sleep and to eat good nutritious meals.

Practice, Practice, Practice

More tips for the summer:

Practice reading sight words
Practice math facts

If you do these two things every day for 5 minutes (each) you will be better prepared for school when it starts again. Your mind will be prepared for learning. You will have reviewed things you learned all summer and so it won't be quite so difficult to start learning again when school starts.

Have a super summer!

Continue to read

Reading during the summer is so important. You don't want to lose everything you learned during the school year. It is important to read for 20-30 minutes every day. 10-15 should be spent reading aloud to someone. The other 10-15 minutes can be reading aloud or listening to someone read to you.

It doesn't matter what you read, so long as you read. It can be a book, a newspaper, a magazine, an online article or online book. Just so long as you exercise your brain and read, read, read.

Kindergartners and 1st graders should try reading Henry and Mudge books or Mr. Putter and Tabby books.

1st and 2nd graders should try reading Magic Treehouse books or Geronimo Stilton books.

2nd and 3rd graders should try reading books by The BFG by Ronald Dahl before they see it in the theaters. Then they can see how well the movie followed the book.

3rd and 4th graders should try reading books by E. B. White. He wrote some classic books. Gail Carson Levine writes some really fun books to read, too.

4th and 5th graders should try reading books by Louis Sachar. He is a fun author.

5th and 6th graders should try reading books by Lois Lowry. She writes very thought provoking novels.

6th and 7th graders should try reading a classic novel like, "To Kill a Mockingbird."

7th and 8th graders should try reading a book by Mark Twain.

High schoolers should try reading a book by one of my favorite authors, Jane Austin (specifically, "Pride and Prejudice") or something by Charles Dickens - he has a lot of good books like "A Tale of Two Cities" and "Great Expectations."


Have fun reading!

Summer 2016

I am sad to be saying good-bye to the Imagine family. I really enjoyed working there and had hoped to be there for many years to come. It will be interesting to see where life takes me now.

In the meantime, my goal is to continue to work on this blog, though with 3 children now, it might be even more challenging to stay on top of things. We'll see how it goes. Fortunately there are lots of things for you to do and read on my blog.

My goal is to post something every week (every month at the very least).

I know my students love to see updates of my children so look for pictures and updates.

Have a wonderful summer!