September 24-28

Dear Parents:

We hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend and are ready for the busy week ahead. Some of us have enjoyed our families, others have been swimming their hearts out, and others have had a weekend escape out of town. Hopefully all have disconnected and found refreshment.

On Monday morning, students will be given their log-in information and password for IXL.com. This is a great site for students to practice their math skills at home. You will find the log-in information in your child’s blue homework folder. This is a perfect complement to our weekly math focus on problem solving, specifically solving word problems.

While we are continuing to enjoy Sarah, Plain and Tall as a shared text, small groups are reading different shared texts. Everyone is building their thinking and reading skills around retelling/summarizing, analyzing a character’s traits, prediction, and author’s craft. We have been working on these together but are now moving to independent practice with less adult support.  We are refining our first piece of writing. Thank you to those of you who sent in photos for writing prompts. We will be printing and sharing these with students this week.

Students are continuing their research on a self-selected country. Together in pairs, they have generated lists of questions and are now using those to drive their research. Pairs will be given different options for sharing their research–for example, a slide show, a pop-up book, or a poster–later in the week. Stay tuned.

Don’t forget about nightly reading homework. Math games and computer programs are optional.

Enjoy this poem with your child. Ask and prod with questions to help your child know what the author, Shel Silverstein is REALLY saying. Maybe this is our homework list for next weekend! 😉

Dirty Face

By Shel Silverstein

Where did you get such a dirty face,

My darling dirty-faced child?

 

I got it from crawling along in the dirt

And biting two buttons off Jeremy’s shirt.

I got it from chewing the roots from a rose

And digging for clams in the yard with my nose.

I got it from peeking into a dark cave

And painting myself like a Navajo brave.

I got it from playing with coal in the bin

And signing my name in cement with my chin.

I got it from rolling around on the rug

And giving the horrible dog a big hug.

I got it from finding a lost silver mine

And eating sweet blackberries right off the vine.

I got it from ice cream and wrestling and tears

And from having more fun than you’ve had in years.

 

Have a great week! We hope you have a few dirty-faced moments along the way.

 

Ms. Rachel

Ms. Meenakshi