What can I say...we are already coming to the close of January. It seems that we just came back from Winter break! Report cards will be coming home this week and I have reminded students now is the time to begin working hard to start off the new nine weeks with great grades. Please ask your child what they are learning in the classroom and if they have any assignments due. Getting behind is hard to come back from easily and sometimes students have a way of letting things snowball and get far behind before they know it.
Reading
This week our focus will be on following directions in written text. Students will learn what they need to look for when reading in order to keep up with directions written within a text. Their story will be James Forten in the textbook.
Students will also be reviewing Main Idea and Details. This ties in well with our report writing that they are working on right now.
You should also still see their vocabulary study guide and reading log coming home nightly for them to study through the week.
Language
This week students will look at different types of text structures: sequence, main idea/detail, compare/contrast, question/answer, narrative/point of view and decide which text structure will works best with their topic and how they want to present their report. Students will begin writing their rough draft this week at home using the information they gathered last week.
Students have spelling words this week. The focus is words ending with the "el" sound as in sprinkle. The "el" sound can be spelled el or le.
Side Note
A special thank you to parents who supported the class by ordering books from the scholastic book order. This not only gives students books at a great price, but we can also earn free books for our classroom through student's orders. Also, a big thanks to parents supporting the school magazine fundraiser right now! This will help the school earn money to help buy technology for the classrooms.
Last but not least...Valentine's Day will be coming up before you know it. Students may bring in Valentine cards to pass out to their friends. However, I do tell students if they bring a Valentine for 1 person they need to bring one for everybody in the class. I don't mind if students bring candy to pass out with their Valentines either as long as there is enough for everyone and it is story bought and sealed. We will not be having a party- just a short time at the end of the day to exchange Valentines! If students want to bring a Valentine for just a couple of friends, then they will need to pass those out on their own time before or after school-not in class as part of our class exchange.
Again, thank you for all that you do and please if you have questions feel free to ask!
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Updates Week of January 21-25, 2012
Last week we started our new story and focus-Cause and Effect with Katie's Trunk. Since it was a short week last week and another short week this week we are continuing with the same story, focus, spelling and vocabulary lists. Last week also ended the second nine week period. Grades are finalized and report cards will go out shortly.
Reading
Students will continue to work on cause and effect through the week using various texts to find cause and effect relationships. Students will also begin a series of research based lessons from the county which target 3 areas for review before FCAT this year. Ask your child what we are reviewing and what we are focusing on for the week.
Students will also take the second administration of the FAIR test this week. It is planned for students to take it on Thursday so remind them to do their best!!
The weekly spelling, vocabulary and reading tests will be this Friday. Students received the words and study guides last week.
Don't forget to ask your child what they are reading. Reading logs are assigned each night Monday thru Thursday.
Language
Students have chosen a topic for their report. They should now be researching and gathering information for their report. I will show students strategies and practice gathering information for their report without just copying from the text. Students may use the computer, library or other sources to gather information for their report. They need to have their information gathered by Friday.
Dates to remember
January 22...................beginning of Third Nine weeks
January 23...................Early dismissal
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Reading
Students will continue to work on cause and effect through the week using various texts to find cause and effect relationships. Students will also begin a series of research based lessons from the county which target 3 areas for review before FCAT this year. Ask your child what we are reviewing and what we are focusing on for the week.
Students will also take the second administration of the FAIR test this week. It is planned for students to take it on Thursday so remind them to do their best!!
The weekly spelling, vocabulary and reading tests will be this Friday. Students received the words and study guides last week.
Don't forget to ask your child what they are reading. Reading logs are assigned each night Monday thru Thursday.
Language
Students have chosen a topic for their report. They should now be researching and gathering information for their report. I will show students strategies and practice gathering information for their report without just copying from the text. Students may use the computer, library or other sources to gather information for their report. They need to have their information gathered by Friday.
Dates to remember
January 22...................beginning of Third Nine weeks
January 23...................Early dismissal
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Updates January 7-11, 2013
This week we will be getting back to our normal routine in our Readers Workshop. We also will be approaching the end of the second nine weeks already. I will be giving out reminders to students who are missing work. Students are responsible for getting in missing writing assignments and reading logs in time to be graded and entered into the computer before grades are due. I give daily reminders in class and on the homework board so students are fully aware of what they are missing and what they need to turn in. Ask your child if they have any missing writing assignments or reading logs that they need to complete.
Reading
This week students will focus on Author's Viewpoint. This is when they determine what the author thinks or feels about the topic they are writing about. Students will have a vocabulary list and reading tests on Friday. The weekly story is And Then What Happened Paul Revere? Students may bring home a textbook to reread the story at home.
We will also continue to read and log in nightly. Students will evaluate the text they read. This is when they share what they felt about what they read: did the author do a good job writing, for example. Students also need to share examples and give details to support their thinking.
Language
Students will be moving into the report or information writing genre. They will need to choose a topic from the time period we are studying which is The American Revolution. We will go over the requirements in class and most of the writing will need to be done at home. The due date will not be until the end of the month.
Students do have a spelling list this week. The focus is the final "er" sound spelled with er, or, ar. Some examples are pillar, scholar, and dinner. Look for their pretest in the front pocket of their reading log folder.
Dates to remember
January 9..........................Early dismissal
January 17........................End of the 2nd nine weeks
January 18........................Planning day
January 21........................Martin Luther King day
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Reading
This week students will focus on Author's Viewpoint. This is when they determine what the author thinks or feels about the topic they are writing about. Students will have a vocabulary list and reading tests on Friday. The weekly story is And Then What Happened Paul Revere? Students may bring home a textbook to reread the story at home.
We will also continue to read and log in nightly. Students will evaluate the text they read. This is when they share what they felt about what they read: did the author do a good job writing, for example. Students also need to share examples and give details to support their thinking.
Language
Students will be moving into the report or information writing genre. They will need to choose a topic from the time period we are studying which is The American Revolution. We will go over the requirements in class and most of the writing will need to be done at home. The due date will not be until the end of the month.
Students do have a spelling list this week. The focus is the final "er" sound spelled with er, or, ar. Some examples are pillar, scholar, and dinner. Look for their pretest in the front pocket of their reading log folder.
Dates to remember
January 9..........................Early dismissal
January 17........................End of the 2nd nine weeks
January 18........................Planning day
January 21........................Martin Luther King day
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Updates January 2-4, 2013
Welcome to 2013!!!! I certainly hope everyone had a nice Winter break! I know I did! Well, it is time to knuckle down and get back to work. I hope everyone rested, played, and is ready to come back to school. This is a short week but a very important one as we will be taking an assessment to show growth and studying to build up background knowledge for our new reading theme.
Reading
We will start off the week, on Wednesday, taking the state FCAT sample practice test. Students took this back in August. I will compare their performance from then till now. This will help me target students' weaknesses and form small groups to help remediate skills needed.
We will begin a new theme in our reading textbook called Voices of the Revolution. Thursday and Friday we will use the Social Studies book to build background knowledge about the American Revolution. Students will have in-class activities to help learn facts about this time period which will help them to better understand the stories they will begin reading next week in their reading textbook.
Students will not have vocabulary words or a textbook story this week, however they will have their reading logs each night. Students will read and write a summary about what they read. Students may borrow a Social Studies book if they like.
Language
Students will not have a writing assignment this week. However, we will begin to discuss informational or report writing. Students will choose a person or topic from the American Revolution that they would like to learn more about and begin thinking and researching for information to write a report.
Students will not have a spelling list this week.
Welcome back!
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Reading
We will start off the week, on Wednesday, taking the state FCAT sample practice test. Students took this back in August. I will compare their performance from then till now. This will help me target students' weaknesses and form small groups to help remediate skills needed.
We will begin a new theme in our reading textbook called Voices of the Revolution. Thursday and Friday we will use the Social Studies book to build background knowledge about the American Revolution. Students will have in-class activities to help learn facts about this time period which will help them to better understand the stories they will begin reading next week in their reading textbook.
Students will not have vocabulary words or a textbook story this week, however they will have their reading logs each night. Students will read and write a summary about what they read. Students may borrow a Social Studies book if they like.
Language
Students will not have a writing assignment this week. However, we will begin to discuss informational or report writing. Students will choose a person or topic from the American Revolution that they would like to learn more about and begin thinking and researching for information to write a report.
Students will not have a spelling list this week.
Welcome back!
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
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