Pumpkins!

Below are some snapshots from our Fall Celebration!  Thank you to all families who donated craft supplies to our room to help make this possible!

Fall Celebration Tomorrow!

Dear Parents & Guardians,

To celebrate the fall season, tomorrow room 201 will paint mini-ish pumpkins. We will paint them first thing in the morning.  Hopefully the pumpkins will be dry and ready to bring home by the end of the school day.  I have already purchased a pumpkin for each child.  Tonight, I will be purchasing some paint and paint brushes.  However, if you have any extra paint supplies at home that you wouldn’t mind donating, the students and I would really appreciate it.

Students will also be invited into the room during lunch to watch It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (G). 

Just a friendly reminder that students cannot bring in candy for the class; however, if you’d like to pack them a piece or two for lunch or snack, you are more than welcome.

As always, please email me at honeill@battle-creek.k12.mi.us with questions or concerns.

Homework:

• Math homework
• Read 20 minutes

Reminders:

• Parent/Teacher Conference: A notice regarding parent/teacher conferences went home last Friday.  Please sign up for a conference slot and return to school at your earliest convenience.  

Supplies:

• Paint supplies :) 

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill

Parent/Teacher Conferences

In Readers' Workshop, students are learning to think about theme through the lens of characters.  So, how can we use what we know about characters and what they learn to identify possible themes?  One way we are doing this is by analyzing characters' big mistakes.  When characters (and people) make big mistakes, they learn from them.  Usually we can generate a theme if we infer what the character learned from their mistake. 

In Writers' Workshop, we are revising our personal narratives.  Students are learning to add at T.A.D.D. (Thinking, Actions, Dialogue, Description) more to the heart of their narratives to stretch out those important parts.

In Math Workshop, we are reviewing and practicing for our test on Friday.  A review will come home today.  Students need to complete the even numbers for homework (due Friday).  Remember, if your child is visibly frustrated, write me a note at the top of their homework and I will work with them in the morning (your child will still receive full credit on homework). To help with homework tonight, show your child this anchor chart (below).  We use this in Math Workshop to solve real world problems (AKA word problems). 



Homework:

• Math review: Due Friday
• Read 20 minutes

Reminders:

• Math Test: Friday, October 20
• Parent/Teacher Conference: A notice regarding parent/teacher conferences went home last Friday.  Please sign up for a conference slot and return to school at your earliest convenience.  
• Planners:  I check planners for signatures every Friday.  Please make sure you have signed days Monday-Thursday by Friday morning. By signing your child's planner, you are communicating to me that your child read their 20 minutes each school night. 
• Snacks: If possible, send your child to school with a healthy snack.  We have a late lunch.
• Water bottles: Students are allowed to keep a water bottle at their desk if they'd like.

Supplies:

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill

Spirit Week Schedule

I apologize for not posting this yesterday! Below is BCPS's Spirit Week Schedule.  Students are encouraged and invited to participate.

• Wednesday: Flashback to the Past Day (Pick a decade)
• Thursday: Flash Forward to the Future Day (Career Day)
• Friday: Blue and Gold Day

In Readers' Workshop, this week we're working on paying attention to the things characters say, think and do (their actions) to infer and grow ideas about them.  While your child is reading tonight, ask them to identify something their main character says.  Based on what they said, have them grow an idea about a trait or feeling.

While reading, students are encouraged to use sticky notes to make predictions, ask questions, make conections, retell.  This helps readers monitor their comprehension and fosters critical thinking.  Books should look like this (see below)!

In Writers' Workshop, we're analyzing mentor texts like Saturdays and Teacakes and learning how to hook our readers.  Instead of beginning our narratives with "One beautiful day...", writers  can hook their readers by...

• ... using our 5 senses to describe the setting
• ... writing back and forth dialogue
• ... using an onomatopoeia (sound word/s)
• ... including internal thinking 

In Math Workshop, we're working on adding by "making new groups" (what we know as carrying a number). Later on this week we'll also subtract by "un-grouping" (what we know as borrowing).


Homework:

• Math homework
• Read 20 minutes

Reminders:

• Snacks: If possible, send your child to school with a healthy snack.  We have a late lunch.
• Water bottles: Students are allowed to keep a water bottle at their desk if they'd like.

Supplies:

• Sticky notes:  We use sticky notes in every subject area and therefore are chronically low.  I've ordered a bunch more, but if you see any on sale and would like to donate to our room, our students would greatly appreciate.

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill