FEBRUARY 2012
READING: We are in the middle of the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA2), during which students have to read a story, retell it in their own words, and answer reflection and interpretation questions. We are studying nonfiction and students are learning about the parts/features of nonfiction books. You can help by reading to and with your child every day. When reading nonfiction, talk with your child about the important ideas and facts they learned.
WRITING:
Children are working on a nonfiction writing unit. They just published a How To book. We are currently working on writing nonfiction books about school and a topic of choice, during which children will incorporate the nonfiction text features they are learning about in reading. You can help by asking your child to write down facts they learned after reading nonfiction books.
PHONICS/WORD WORK:
We have been focusing on consonant blends (sh/ch/th/ph/wh) and vowel digraphs (ai/ay/ea/ee/oa) . We continue to have weekly sight words and spelling tests.
You can help by practicing the spelling words every day at home with your child and by helping your child to recognize and use blends and digraphs as they read and write.
MATH:
Math skills/concepts include: measurement, graphs and data, time-telling, counting and number scrolls, place value, relations (greater than, less than, equal to), number stories, addition facts and applying rules to numbers. We will be taking a mid-year math assessment.
You can help by practicing math facts (e.g. 5+5, 8-3) with your child, reviewing math skills and discussing the nightly math homework.
SCIENCE:
Our young scientists continue to study
balance and motion. We are doing balance explorations in class and working in our science journals.
You can help by encouraging your child to explore the concepts of balance, spin/rotate, push/pull and roll while at home and outdoors at play.