For the Week of February 18-22, 2013

Spelling/Literature: In spelling, we will be focusing on instant letter recognition, unblending sounds in words, and changing sounds to make new words. Our spelling pattern for this week will focus on the letter m. As we practice the spelling of our words for the week, we will also be discussing and learning proper handwriting. We will continue to discuss “closed syllables,” a syllable that ends in at least one consonant. The vowel in a closed syllable is short.

In literature, we will be discussing the sequence of a story. We will discuss that a story has a beginning, middle, and end. This week we will also be learning about the first three mental actions: checking for understanding, making connections, and predicting. We will listen to narrative, informative, and informative-narrative literature selections and the author’s purpose and the basic elements of each selection. We will also be reading in unison and individually. Keep your eye out for the new decodable reader in the Green Folder on Mondays. Please help your child to read the decodable reader at least two times, and return the book on Thursday.

Unit Study: This week we will be moving to Israel, on the Asian continent. We will learn that the capital of Israel is Jerusalem. We will identify Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Jericho on a map. We will learn a song about the Middle East and study maps of the region. Our landmark for Israel will be the Western/Wailing Wall. We will discuss the location and structure of the Wailing Wall. We will also observe photographs of this landmark and discuss that men and women are separated when praying at the Western Wall. On Friday, we will be discussing the way that people leave written prayer requests in the cracks on the wall. We will be discussing our prayer requests in class.

Math: In math, we will continue Chapter 14: Number Facts. In this chapter, we will count numbers to 20, write numerals to 20, and count on to find how many more are needed. This chapter goes into familiarity with numbers, composing and decomposing as well as number bonds, and how they lay the foundation for basic facts.

 

Nature Study: This week, we will be learning about snakes. We will review the characteristics of reptiles (1-vertebrate, 2-cold blooded, 3-dry, scaly skin that sheds as it grows, 4-breathe through lungs, 5-hatch from eggs). We will post a photograph of a snake on our nature wall, under the correct column. We will also be drawing pictures of snakes in our nature journals.

 

Bible: This week, we will be reading the stories of “Saul, the First King of the Israelites” and “Saul’s Downfall.” Please feel free to read and discuss these stories with your child.

 

Show and Tell: This week we will be discussing prayer. For Show & Tell, each child should bring a drawing of something for which they have prayed.

For the Week of February 11-15, 2013

Thursday: Parent-Teacher Conferences

Friday: Winter Break

Spelling/Grammar/Literature: In spelling, we will be focusing on instant letter recognition, unblending sounds in words, and changing sounds to make new words. We will be reviewing the phonograms and spelling patterns we have learned. As we review the spelling of our words for the week, we will also be discussing and learning proper handwriting. We will continue to discuss “closed syllables,” a syllable that ends in at least one consonant. The vowel in a closed syllable is short. We will also be working on alphabetizing words by the first letter.

This week we will be introducing the first three mental actions: checking for understanding, making connections, and predicting. Good listeners and readers check for understanding of words, phrases, and sentences; make connections between their prior knowledge and what is stated in the book; and predict type of writing. We will also be reading in unison and individually.

Due to the short school week, we will not be sending readers home on Monday.

Unit Study: This week we will be moving from Italy to the country of Russia. We will discuss that part of Russia is on the continent of Europe and part is on the continent of Asia. The capital of Russia is Moscow. Our landmark for this unit is St. Basil’s Cathedral. We will look at pictures of St. Basil’s Cathedral and learn about the top sections, which are called onion domes. The cathedral was built on the edge of Red Square between 1555-1561, and was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible.

Math: In math, we will complete Chapter 13: Patterns. We will create and extend patterns of shapes. Our vocabulary for this chapter includes repeating pattern (a design that recurs uniformly) and pattern unit (the root unit of a repeating pattern). In Chapter 13, the children will learn to recognize, extend and create a repeating pattern, to identify a missing portion of a repeating pattern, and to create ABAB, AABAAB, ABBABB, and ABCABC repeating patterns.

Nature Study: This week, we will be reviewing the all of the animal class characteristics we have learned this year. We will match animals with characteristic cards to correctly identify which class the animal belongs in.

Bible: This week, we will be reading the stories “Samuel is Called to Serve God” and “The Ark is Captured.” Please feel free to read and discuss these stories with your child.

Show and Tell: This week we will not have Show and Tell, due to Winter Break on Friday, February 15th.

For the Week of February 4-8, 2013

 

Spelling/Grammar/Literature: In spelling, we will be focusing on instant letter recognition, unblending sounds in words, and changing sounds to make new words. Our spelling pattern for this week will focus on the letter pair, or consonant cluster, ng. As we practice the spelling of our words for the week, we will also be discussing and learning proper handwriting. We will continue to discuss “closed syllables,” a syllable that ends in at least one consonant. The vowel in a closed syllable is short.

 

 

In literature, we will be discussing informative-narrativeliterature. We will discuss that this type of literature contains many facts (content). We will listen to informative-narrative literature selections and identify facts. We will also be reading in unison and individually. Keep your eye out for the new decodable reader in the Green Folder on Mondays. Please help your child to read the decodable reader at least two times, and return the book on Thursday.

Unit Study: This week we will be continuing to learn about to Italy. We will review that the capital city of Italy is Rome and the official language is Italian. We will study the map and flag of Italy. Our landmarks for Italy will be the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Colosseum. This week we will be learning about the city of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, and learning how the city was buried by ash. We will then travel to Venice, and learn about the streets of water and gondolas. We will review the key ideas of Italy:
*Italy is shaped like a boot.
*The capital of Italy is Rome.
*Italy is a peninsula and juts into the Mediterranean Sea.
*Mount Vesuvius is a volcano near Pompeii, Italy.

*Important landmarks in Italy are the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Colosseum, and the city of Venice.

 

Math: In math, we will complete Chapter 12: Counting On and Counting Back. In chapter 12, we will count on to 10 and count back from 10. The children will build an understanding of, and familiarity with, number pairs that make 10. After completing Chapter 12, we will begin Chapter 13: Patterns. We will create and extend patterns of shapes. Our vocabulary for this chapter includes repeating pattern (a design that recurs uniformly) and pattern unit(the root unit of a repeating pattern). In Chapter 13, the children will learn to recognize, extend and create a repeating pattern, to identify a missing portion of a repeating pattern, and to create ABAB, AABAAB, ABBABB, and ABCABC repeating patterns.

 

Nature Study: This week, we will be learning about the Hummingbird. We will review the characteristics of the different animal classes to determine to which class the Hummingbird belongs. We will post a picture of a hummingbird on our Animal Kingdom wall, under the correct classification.

 

Bible: This week, we will be reading the story of “Samson and the Temple” and “Ruth and Naomi.” Please feel free to read and discuss these stories at home.

 

Show and Tell: This week, we will be sharing items that represent our favorite weekend activities. This could be a photograph, drawing, or an actual object from the activity.