October 8, 2010

Newsletter 10/08

READING
We concluded our “All About Us!” theme in reading. We revisited the Big Books, Here Are My Hands, How Do You Feel?, Let’s Play, and Mice Squeak, We Speak.
We have previewed the entire alphabet. We have practiced words that rhyme and words that begin with the same sound. The students have experienced skills in whole and small groups.
Coming home are two books that your child has read through in small group time: My Room and Going to School. Please have your child point to the words and read the books to as many people at home as possible. Reading fluency and confidence are gained through repeated practice. Pointing to the words as they read will help your child see that word and know it in a different book.

MATH
Math this week centered on shapes and their names with a variety of activities. The students worked in groups to make shape collages. After learning the attributes of the four basic shapes we played a “feely box” game.

SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
We sang “Special, special, special me. I’m as special as can be. No one else is quite like me. I’m as special as can be!” as we discussed being the same and different. Each student has a chance at centers to “create” his/her own face on a cupcake using frosting, chocolate chips, red licorice, and candy corn for hair. It was a YUMMY project. Check out the blog for a few pictures.
In science we discovered that wood floats and a challenge at centers time was to get the wood to sink by attaching paper clips and rubber bands. We are starting the woodworking section now. This week we used sandpaper to change the shape of basswood. We explored what happens to sawdust and shavings when they are mixed with water.

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