Structure and Function

After a reading Jack and the Beanstalk we built a model of beanstalk that can hold up a golden egg.

I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving break.

Boots
When your child wears rain boots or snow boots please also send a pair of shoes with them in their backpack.  If you would like to leave an extra pair of shoes at school permanently that is fine too.

Yellow Report Card Envelope
Thank you for getting those envelopes back to me.  If you haven't already please send back the yellow envelope that was used to send home the report card.  You keep the report card, just send back the envelope.

Book Fair
As I wrote last week, A2STEAM is having a book fair, it begins tomorrow November 29th.  The book fair will be set up in the Media Center.  Preview days are Tuesday and Wednesday; Room K-3 students will visit the media center and create a wish list of books on Tuesday, November 29th.  Purchase days are Thursday and Friday.  On Friday, December 2nd, Room K-3 students can bring in money and purchase books.  If you would rather purchase books on your own you can do so on Thursday afternoon.  On Thursday, December 1st the media center will stay open after school until 6 PM. All purchases help raise money for the school.

Online Book Fair Open Now
The physical book fair that starts next week has an online component that is open now!  If you order books online it helps our school just as much as buying books in person.  Here is the link to the online book fair.

Curriculum Overview

Science - We have begun our first Project Lead The Way (PLTW) module on structure and function.  As I wrote last week, structure refers to the way something is built, including shape, size, and the way the different parts work together (for example, a chair has four legs, a seat, and a back).  Function is what something does or is intended to do (the function of a chair is to give people a place to sit).   This week students will be challenged to build different things that have a specific structure and function.  After a reading Jack and the Beanstalk we built a model of beanstalk that can stand on it’s own and hold up a golden egg.  This week, after reading The Three Little Pigs student will use different materials to build a model of a house that can withstand wind.

Reading - This week we will begin reading books and stories, both fiction and non-fiction, to support our Project Lead The Way unit on structure and function.  This week students will read The Three Little Pigs, examine the structure of the houses in those books, and see if we can make a model of a house that can withstand severe wind.

Writing - Students will be writing about the different experiences they have with our Project Lead The Way unit on structure and function.  They will be sketching and writing about the beanstalk they build, as well as the house they construct.

Math - We will play some games to help us learn the different ways to break up ten.  The students will also survey they class and make a graph showing the favorite colors of their classmates.

Word Study - We are learning how to read and write simple 3 letter words.  This week we will look at the -ed word family.

Thank You For Coming to Our School's STEAM Expo

Students and parents look over the videos we created about being safe in the classroom.

EXPO
Thank you for coming to Expo.  The students were so excited to have you there to see their work.  I hope you got a chance to visit some of the other classrooms too, every room I went to had some really intriguing work to showcase.

Thanksgiving Break
There is no school this Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving.  Have a great Thanksgiving break!

Important Information About Report Cards
Report cards go home tomorrow, Tuesday, November 22nd.  They will be in a 9 x 12 yellow envelope.  The envelope needs to be signed and returned to school on Monday, November 28th.  You keep the report card.  Please do not throw out the envelope.

Welcome Back Ms. Maier
You may have noticed that we finally have Ms. Maier back in our classroom full time.  The students and I are lucky to have her.

Book Fair
A2STEAM is having a book fair, it is after Thanksgiving, beginning November 29th.  The book fair will be set up in the Media Center.  Preview days are Tuesday and Wednesday; Room K-3 students will visit the media center and create a wish list of books on Tuesday, November 29th.  Purchase days are Thursday and Friday.  On Friday, December 2nd, Room K-3 students can bring in money and purchase books.  If you would rather purchase books on your own you can do so on Thursday afternoon.  On Thursday, December 1st the media center will stay open after school until 6 PM if you want to come in to view and purchase books. All purchases help raise money for the school.

Online Book Fair Open Now
The physical book fair that starts next week has an online component that is open now!  If you want order books online it helps our school just as much as buying books in person.  Here is the link to the online book fair.

Curriculum Overview

Science - We have started our first Project Lead The Way (PLTW) module on structure and function.  Structure refers to the way something is built, including shape, size, and the way the different parts work together (for example, a chair has four legs, a seat, and a back).  Function is what something does or is intended to do (the function of a chair is to give people a place to sit).  More information to come as this module gets going.

Reading - This week we will begin reading books and stories, both fiction and non-fiction, to support our Project Lead The Way unit on structure and function.  This week students will read Jack and Beanstalk, examine the structure of a beanstalk, and see if we can make a model of a beanstalk that can hold up a golden egg.

Writing - We are writing and reflecting about our experience at Expo, what parts of our presentations we were happy about, and what aspects need more work next time.

Math - We are working with numbers up to 30.  We want all students to understand how our numeral system works and how numbers build on groups of tens.  We will also try to iron out any reversals we have when we write numbers.

Word Study - This week we are learning how to read and write simple 3 letter words.  This week we will look at the -it word family.

We now have Ms. Maier back in our classroom every day!

STEAM EXPO This Thursday!

Students from the other kindergarten classes came to our class to share what they learned about the different adults that work at STEAM.

STEAM EXPO Is This Thursday!
Here is the schedule for the night:

5:30 PM - 6:00 PM   Grades K, 3, and 6 Present
6:00 PM - 6:15 PM     Transition Break
6:15 PM - 6:45 PM   Grades 1, 4, and 7 Present
6:45 PM - 7:00 PM    Transition Break
7:00 PM - 7:30 PM     Grades 2, 5, and 8 Present

Kindergarten will be presenting the learning we have done interviewing all the adults at STEAM and practicing ways to be safe and respectful at school.  Room K-3 students need to be in our classroom as presenters from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM.  Check out the STEAM Expo promotional video.

How Should Students Dress For STEAM Expo?
The goal for our STEAM Expo is to have all students dress up and look nice.  Students are presenting the learning they have done and we want them to feel the importance of the night.  After school on Thursday, have your students change into dressier clothes but don’t feel like you need to be super fancy; a nice pair of slacks, a collared shirt, blouse, or dress etc. are all good choices.

Conferences
Thank you so much for meeting with me last week.  It was really a pleasure talking to you all.  Thank you for taking the time out of your schedule to fit into those available days.

Curriculum Overview
STEAM Project - This week we are getting ready to present what we have studied and created at our STEAM Expo this Thursday, November 17th.

Reading - This week we will begin reading books and stories, both fiction and non-fiction, to support our Project Lead The Way unit on structure and function.  You will be able to see some of our work during the STEAM Expo.

Writing - We are practicing taking what we have learned about letter sounds and syllables and using that to sound out and write simple words.

Math - This week we will study different way to represent numbers.

Word Study - This week we are learning how to read a write simple 3 letter words.  You may have seen some work with the -at family come home last week (cat, hat, rat, mat, bat).

No School Tomorrow on Election Day

Students loved the October 31st reading party we had last Monday.  Thank you so much to our room parent for setting it up and all of the volunteer readers.

No School Tomorrow
Tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8th is Election Day.  There will be no school tomorrow.

STEAM Expo
We are preparing for our STEAM Expo where we will showcase what we have learned about the A2STEAM community.  On Thursday, November 17th at 5:30 PM the school will come together to share all of our learning across all of the grades.  I will post the full schedule for the night next week.

Volunteer with the PTSO
The A2STEAM Parent Teacher Organization is looking for volunteers in a lot of different areas.  Check out this document to see where you can help.

Shoeboxes
We are collecting shoeboxes for an engineering project we are planning.  If you have any please send in to our classroom.

Parent Teacher Conferences
I look forward to seeing you this week.  Here is the link to conferences I have scheduled.

Curriculum Overview
STEAM Project - Last week the students and I created photos and video clips demonstrating how to be safe and responsible in the lunchroom.  This week we are getting ready to present what we have studied and created at our STEAM Expo scheduled for Thursday, November 17th.

Reading - This week we will begin reading stories to support our Project Lead The Way unit on structure and function--more information to come.

Writing - We are practicing taking what we have learned about letter sounds and syllables and using that to sound out and write simple words.

Math - This week we will study different way to represent numbers.

Word Study - This week we will practice quickly hearing and identifying the beginning sound in words.