Opinion Writing

Students were excited to begin an opinion writing unit.

No School Next Monday, January 21st
In honor of Martin Luther King there is no school this coming Monday, January 21st.  We will be studying Martin Luther King Jr. this week to better understand the reason for the holiday.  A list of activities at U of M and across Ann Arbor was emailed out to families, so there are plenty of choices if you are looking for something for your kids to do.

February 15th
We may or may not have school on February 15th.  Unfortunately we won't know for sure until 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.  February 18th is definitely a no school day.

LEXIA Login Cards
LEXIA is an iPad app we use school wide to help kids with reading and literacy fundamentals.  The app adjusts its content based on the learning needs of each individual child.  Tomorrow I will send home Lexia login cards with all students.  If you would like to have your child use Lexia at home you can download the CORE5 Lexia app and log in with the username and password listed on the card.  Alternatively you can also download an app called CLEVER and it will scan one of the badges I send home and log students into the app automatically with no typing.  I would recommend using this app 10 to 20 minutes at a time a few times a week.  I find that my son often does not do well with too much screen time.

Visit The Library
Even better than Lexia (see above) is a visit to the library.  Here at Northside we are close to both the downtown library and the Traverwood library.  Visiting the library and reading books as a family has amazing benefits for kindergartners.  I am writing about this now because it came up in a book we were reading as a staff.

Upcoming Dates
January 21st - No School
January 30th - Early Release Day, Students Dismissed at 12:52 PM
February 11th - NAAPID Parent Involvement Day - All Parents Invited
February 15th - School To Be Determined
February 18th - No School

Curriculum Overview
STEAM Project - This week we will begin a new project on forces.  We will study pushes, pulls, and other aspects of basic physics like magnetism and friction.  The overall goal of the unit to design a vehicle that can push or pull rocks to help clear space for a hypothetical playground.

Reading - We are reading books to help better understand Martin Luther King Jr.

Writing - We have begun an opinion writing unit!  Last students wrote about what was, in their opinion, the best pet to have.  We worked on stating our opinion clearly and using the word 'because' to explain our argument.

Math - We are studying the teen numbers and basic place value.

Word Study - We are covering the concept of rhyme. 

Hopefully it will snow soon.