March 21st

Dear Readers,

     This week the class is moving from plane shapes onto solid figures.  We have been going on scavenger hunts in the classroom and around the school for solid figures such as cones, spheres, pyramids, etc.  This is a fun activity that you can also do at home or around town with your children.  It is important that they use the correct terminology...a cube is not a square.  The class spent a lot of time correcting themselves on terminology use today.
     In writing we are beginning a writer's workshop all about personal narratives.  Today the students discussed what personal narratives are; a story told from beginning to end about an event that happened to me.  Then we discussed how many events from our lives that we remember have strong emotions tied to them.  The students brainstormed emotions and came up with a great long list.  Then they thought about events in their lives that they remember vividly and matched emotions they felt to the event.  Tomorrow we will make a list of characters in the story, the setting, and the events that occurred.  From there we will turn these memories into personal narratives.  I am very excited to hear what your students have to say about themselves!
     In science we are patiently waiting for Swimmy and Tad to grow their legs and grow into frogs.  This week I am ordering caterpillars that we will be able to observe as they grow and morph into butterflies.  The life cycle is such a fascinating topic for the students.

Word of the Week: synonyms
This week the class is focusing on synonyms and next week the focus will be antonyms.  Although these are our spelling words for the week, this does not mean these are the only synonyms we are discussing in class.  Please feel free to bring up lots of synonyms as you talk with your students throughout the week!

big - large     small - tiny     happy - joyful     mad - angry     many - lots

I know I must sound like a broken record but PLEASE send your child to school with their Go Home Folder.  Also, many students are running out of pages in their writing journals.  Please send a new spiral notebook to school with your student this week.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Our March birthday celebration will happen this Thursday the 24th.

Thursday, March 31st is Family Night at IA.  There will be no school the following Friday and school will resume again on Monday, April 11th after Spring Break.

Please fill out an order form if your student would like a YEARBOOK for the 2010-2011 school year.  The school will receive money back for every yearbook purchased before the end of the month.  If you need another order form let me know!

Thank you for reading,
Jenn