An Amazing 100th Day of School

Students enjoyed celebrating the 100th day of school last Friday.

Hello, here is the update for the week:

Paper Towel Rolls
We need some empty cardboard paper towel roles and toilet paper roles for an upcoming art project.  Please bring in any you have this week.

Early Release This Wednesday, February 27
This Wednesday students will be dismissed at 12:52 PM.

Extra Clothing
Repeated from last week: If you have any clothing that your children have grown out of, we welcome it here.  The office is looking for clothing as well as the young fives classroom.  Please send it in to me and I will distribute where it can be best used.

Curriculum Overview

Science -  We are in the middle of a project-based-learning unit on living things.   The questions driving our learning are:  What do plants and animals need to survive? AND What do I need to survive? This week we will finish diagramming a plant and begin to learn about animals, what they need to survive, how their needs are both similar and different to the needs of plants.  Hopefully our classroom pets will arrive this week and we will begin taking care of them.

Reading -  We are reading non-fiction books about plants and animals.  Ask your students about the parts of a plant and the function (or job) each part does.

Writing - We will continue our non-fiction writing.  We will diagram plants and write about some of the experiments we have set up in the classroom.

Math - In our PBL unit we will be measuring some of the plants we have growing.  This week we will study different ways to break apart the number ten (i.e. 5+5=10, 7+3=10, 9+1=10).  We will also compare numbers using 'greater than' and 'less than'.

Word Study - Students are learning to count the syllables in words.

Living Things / Send In Your Outgrown Clothes / Friend-SHIPS

Students really enjoyed exchanging valentines last Thursday.

Friend-SHIPS
In order to raise money for solar panels, the middle school students are are having a fundraiser.  They have been busy making paper boats. The fundraiser is called "Friend-Ships".  Middle schoolers will write a custom message on a paper boat and delivered it to the recipient's classroom.  It cost's 50 cents a boat, but if you want to donate more that would be appreciated.  If you are interested purchases are best facilitated at lunch.  They are working on a way for parents to be able to order them for their kids.  You could also sit down with your kindergartner, choose someone to send one too, write out a message and send in 50 cents (or more!).  Putting the whole thing in an envelope would be really helpful.

Home Reading Bags
Keep sending in those Home Reading ziploc bags so I can change out the books.

Valentine's Day
Thank you for helping your child complete those valentines.  They really enjoyed passing them out to each other.  I posted a video on Seesaw.

100th Day of School
The 100th day of school is this Friday!  Bring your 100th day projects by that day.

Extra Clothing
If you have any clothing that your children have grown out of, we welcome it here.  The office is looking for clothing as well as the young fives classroom.  Please send it in to me and I will distribute where it can be best used.

Curriculum Overview

Science -  We have begun our next Project Based Learning unit!  The questions driving our learning are:  What do plants and animals need to survive? AND What do I need to survive? Last Thursday we had a classroom discussion about what plants need to survive and I challenged the students to come up with ways to prove that plants need water, light, and air to survive.  From those ideas we started an experiment to prove what plants really needed in order to live.  This week we will be learning more about the different parts of a plant and their functions.

Reading -  This week we will read some more fiction books that show friendships and caring classrooms.  We will also read some non-fiction books about plants.

Writing - We will do some non-fiction writing.  We will diagram plants and write about some of the experiments we have set up in the classroom.

Math - This week we will read and create graphs.

Word Study - Students are learning the long and short sound of each vowel.

It snowed a lot in Ann Arbor yesterday!

Lacrosse in Gym Class!

Students have been learning the basics of lacrosse in gym class.

Hello, I hope this week finds you well!

This Friday, February 15th
We may or may not have school this Friday, February 15th.  Unfortunately we won't know for sure until tomorrow, February 12th.  Due to the election laws, the district is unable to confirm a May election until the filing deadline of February 12th--after which point we will immediately notify families about the status of the school day on February 15th.  The school is asking that families prepare for either eventuality.  Monday, February 18th, is definitely a no school day.

Home Reading Bags
Send in those Home Reading ziploc bags so I can get some new books for you to read with your children.

Valentine's Day
Please remember to bring in a valentine for every Room K-3 student this Thursday.  No candy or food please.

Curriculum Overview

Science -  We have begun our next Project Based Learning unit!  The questions driving our learning are:  What do plants and animals need to survive? AND What do I need to survive? Last week we discussed living and non-living things and examined a plant that had died.  We also planted seeds that we will grow in our indoor vertical garden.  I will post some photos on Seesaw.

Reading -  This week we will read some more fiction books that show friendships and caring classrooms.  Ask your students about the book The Rat and the Tiger.

Writing - Students have been eager to write each messages so we are taking some time to learn how to write a personal letter.  We also have been designing and writing cards to each other.

Math - We are covering simple computation and how to use and interpret the addition and subtraction symbols.  Later in the week we will also look at and discuss graphs.

Word Study - Students are learning the long and short sound of each vowel.

Living Things

Students in the snow last week.

Hopefully this week ends up more predictable then last week.  Last week Ms. Thomas and I worked hard to make sure the two days of school we did have were predictable and engaging for kids.

Valentine's Day Cards and 100th Day Project
Don't forget to work on these two assignments.  Right now Valentine's Day cards are the most important.  Because of all the snow/cold days the 100th day of school has been pushed to Tuesday, February 19th.

Silent Auction Basket
This is repeated from last week: The Room K-3 families have been asked to donate a basket to the A2STEAM PTO silent auction.  The theme we have chosen is 'All Things Ann Arbor'.  I am going to add a Kerry Town giftcard to the basket.  If you can help please respond to the emails that have been sent out by our room parent Rebecca Noland. 

NAAPID Parent Involvement Day
NAAPID Parent Involvement day is next Monday, February 11th.  There are activities you can attend that are both school-wide and in my classroom.  Use the form I sent over email on Tuesday 2/5 to sign up for the parts of the day in my classroom you would like to attend.  If you don't have much time (especially with all those snow days last week) I recommend coming to the family read-a-thon I have scheduled at the end of the school day.  Siblings are welcome in my room for that last part of the day.  No matter what part of the day you attend you need to check-in with the office first.

Home Reading Bags
Send in those Home Reading ziploc bags so I can get some new books for you to read with your children.

Curriculum Overview

Science -  We will be preparing for our next big EXPO unit.  We will stat by discussing the differences between living and non-living things.  More information to come in the coming weeks.

Reading -  This week we will read some more fiction books that show friendships and caring classrooms.  Ask your students about the book Best Friends.

Writing - Students have been eager to writer each messages so we are taking some time to learn how to write a personal letter.

Math - We are covering simple computation and how to use and interpret the addition and subtraction symbols.

Word Study - Students are learning the long and short sound of each vowel.