Trip to the Book Fair Tuesday!

We had a very busy day today! One of the highlights of our day was out trip to the Book Fair. All the children have a "Wish List" coming home today. We will return to the Book Fair tomorrow morning to make purchases. After tomorrow morning, there will not be another time during the day for the children to purchase. However, the Book Fair has after school hours so that you and your child could come and make your purchases as well. There are some terrific books!!!

There will not be a spelling list this week, thus no test! I am sure the children are very upset by this decision! There is a reading comprehension activity, Ice Can Scream, is due on Friday. This reading activity focuses on verbs.

The children and their teacher has a Spanish assignment due tomorrow. We are to write a 4 line verse where the second and fourth line rhymes using the Spanish word first and the English word second. The children were given this assignment on Friday. For example:
Pollito chicken
Gallina hen
Lapiz pencil
y pluma pen

Also included in the homework folder tonight, you will find a letter for you regarding multiplication. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. One of the children brought in a Math Rap CD. We listen to one multiplication table in the morning and practice our facts before we begin the day. It is always amazing how quickly the children pick up on songs and the lyrics.

Please take some time to look over the papers that are coming home today, particularly the Math Test. I was very proud of everyone, but still discovered that many continued to have some difficulty in making measurement conversions. Even if your child got those questions correct, please try and find time to have them calculate feet to inches.. etc.. it is a good mental math practice.

We are publishing our Free Verse poetry this week along with our Diamante poems about the Floridian Native Americans. We will use out T-Charts that we created last week and turn them into poems about the lives of two Native American tribes.

You will want to ask your child about out Picture Lady today and the subject of our picture. The children were very interested and asked a lot of great questions that reflected their interest.

In Science, we are now beginning our hands-on portion of or Motion and Design unit. We have been reading and discussing what each of thinks of motion and design. The children devised two great charts that now hang in the room and should help them with the next steps of our study. Tomorrow they will be exploring the various pieces to create a vehicle/cart that can travel 100cm (39 inches). As the lessons progress, the requirements get more specific and as they are doing in the computer lab, they will make reflections on what works and what doesn't. What they learn from one lesson, they should be able to apply to the next lesson without much teacher direction.
At some point, we may have to have a Show and Tell for parents.

We will be completing our Charlotte's Web book study. We have been using this text to fine tune our skills on how to respond to literature by using sticky notes. We may be increasing the sales of sticky notes, but the children are learning how to think and respond to literature in the following way. Does the book make you:
* feel something
*ask yourself questions
*make connections( to self, to text, to the world)
*make predictions
*can you read between the lines(knowing the point the author is making without he/she really saying it)

I look forward to seeing you at Poetry in the Park. A notice will come home tomorrow regarding the time and sequence of the poets. However, please realize that we have no control over how fast or slow the day progresses. It would be great if you would come and enjoy the entire morning with us. The kids love having you here! I will provide a tarp for the children to sit on. But you feel free to bring your own beach/lounge chairs for your sitting pleasure.