2013!

Dear Parents,

    I can’t believe it is already January! This year has completely flown by and I am amazed at how much each child has grown since the first day of school. We have some very exciting adventures coming up in the month of January including our new unit of inquiry, another Junior Great Book Story and the kickstart to our Read-A-Thon. Our last I.B. Unit: “Helping Others” was a true success! The students really gained a sense of ownership as they earned money and collected items for the Ronald McDonald House. It is my hope that their responsibility to serve others will follow them throughout their lives.

     Our next unit of study will be more science-based as we research the Polar Regions and more specifically the animals that live there. Our goal will be to better understand how living things adapt in order to survive. For the first couple of weeks we will study the climate, complete a list of polar animals, define important terms, and discuss the differences between The Artic and Antarctica. We will also participate in a few fun experiments! After the students have a deep understanding of the Polar Regions and a knowledge of which animals can survive in these areas, they will choose one animal to research for an “in school” project. More information will be sent home, however, this will mostly be completed in school.

     This week we will also be diving into another JGB Story!     Hooray! This weeks’ story is “Rumpelstiltskin”.

The students have LOVED JGB so far! Please make sure to follow the homework guidelines carefully and to not go ahead to any other stories J Your extra support at home during JGB has been wonderful! Keep up the good work.

Here’s a look into this week’s curriculum:

Reading: Listening to, discussing and responding to Rumpelstiltskin. Using inferences throughout all reading.

Words to Know:

saw

opened

soon

every

any

Phonics:  /ue/ ex: blue, clue, rue & long “o” ex: tote, poke, probe

Grammar: Using the verbs “was” and “were” correctly. Review Proper Nouns.

Math: Reviewing Fractions and place value and solving story problems using multiple strategies.

Social Studies: Studying Polar Regions and the animals that live there.

Writing: Brainstorming, editing, and publishing a personal narrative about the Winter Break.

 Announcements and Friendly Reminders:

§  *  Thank you so much for the amazing class gifts that you so generously gave to me at our Holiday Party. I am continuously overwhelmed by how appreciated each of you make me feel! I cannot say thank you enough!

* JGB Homework and this weeks’ Spelling Words will be sent home in your child’s Red Folder on Monday.

* We will begin “Small Groups” this month, where you will have the opportunity to lead a group of 6-7 children in a learning activity related to our study of Polar Animals. I will be sending you important information in your child’s Red Folder this Wednesday, January 9^th that may answer any questions that you may have. I am excited about beginning our class’ Small Groups, as it will be a very enriching experience for the children.

*  Please make sure that your child arrives on time or early to school each morning. I know that this first week will be more difficult as the children try to get back into their schedules. However, mornings are a very important and peaceful time for the students to get settled and focused for the day. Mornings are also a great time for students to review important skills, take AR quizzes and study spelling words. We order lunches and send attendance to the Front Office immediately following announcements at 8:05 where we then promptly have our Morning Meeting/Calendar Time. When all students are on time, this allows for a smooth and stress-free start to the day! J

Thank you so much for your continued support. As always please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely,

    Mrs. Peake