Stillmeadow Elementary School

Your child may come home from school talking about how many paws she has, or a prize she received.  The paws and prizes are part of the class positive behavior support system that recognizes when children are following classroom expectations.  We are building a positive classroom environment.  We developed a simple list of class rules that are easy for all of the students to understand and follow.  When a student is following the rules, they earn a paw print.  The class rules are:  (Need to add these).   PBS is part of a school wide plan, and our class is one of the pilot classrooms.   The PBS plan will be introduced across the school next year.

Writing

We are drawing and writing stories with a beginning, middle, and end and using transition words in our stories.  Transition words include:  first, next, then, after that, finally, in the end.

Mrs. Contuzzi’s Kindergarten class visited us for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich making session.  We used transition words as we talked about how to make the sandwich and looked at the ingredients.  Then children paired up to make their sandwiches.   Each child tasted their own sandwich.  After this tasty snack, children drew pictures and wrote about making the sandwich.  Children used words such as first, next, then, after that, and finally.   Stay tuned for a class bulletin board with our work.

Illustrations to Go with Stories

It is important for the students to show details in their pictures.  For example, the children’s pictures should show who is in the story, the characters.  The characters should be clear and show their expressions.  Also, the picture should include the setting, where the story is taking place.  If a picture is supposed to be the kitchen, we should see a stove, refrigerator, counter, and other things that tell the reader that it is a kitchen.  If a picture is supposed to be outside, we should see the grass, plants, sky, clouds, and other things that tell the reader that it is outside.

Using What I Know About Sounds to Write Words

We are encouraging children to gain independence to write on their own.   We ask them to say a word slowly to hear the sounds.  Then we ask children to write the letter that goes with what they hear.  Children are using what they know about letters to write.  This writing may not be what you would read in a book; however, this is an early stage of writing.  Developmentally, children will hear the first sound of a word, and then the last sound of a word.  The middle sounds are harder for them. 

Here is a sample of a story from one child.  (Need to insert the examplar.)

Reading

We are in a Narrative Genre unit.  A narrative is a story.  We have read, Whistle for Willie, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Flower Garden, Officer Buckle and Gloria. 

Good readers think about what they read and gain meaning and understanding from what they read.  Some of the comprehension strategies that we are using include:

• Making a connection to a character’s feelings

I feel  _____ just like _______ in the story does when she/he __________.

• Retelling the story

Start at the beginning of the story and tell important events in order.

• Making a prediction about what will happen next in the story, based on the story so far and the pictures.

I think ____________ will happen next. 

Good readers use questions as they read.  Insert text from EB Jan. 27 parent letter.  (Insert picture of hand w/ questions.)

Remember to work on the monthly calendar activities for homework and to complete the Home Links pages.

Recent activities include:

• Making snowflakes and discussing symmetry

• Playing Top It game

• Creating patterns with pattern blocks

• Playing Roll and Record with two dice (Roll, add the dots, record the number on a chart)

• Counting down to the one hundredth day of school

Stay tuned for more information about the 100^th Day celebration.

Remember to use your login to play games on the Everyday Mathematics website.  The games reinforce important skills.

Add numeracy skills that will be on March RC

We started a Wood and Paper unit with hands on discovery in the classroom.  Children were detectives and found things made of wood in the room.  We discussed that wood comes from trees.   Upcoming activities include comparing different kinds of wood, sinking different types of wood, changing wood with sandpaper and by adding water.  Students will use a Science Notebook to record observations.