Curriculum Focus

In math, we have been working on odd and even numbers. We have also been working on finding equal partners for even numbers. For example, 8 can have equal partners because it can have the partners of 4 and 4. But 7 and 9 cannot have equal partners. We have also been working on finding 1 more, 2 more, 1 less, and 2 less than a number between 0 and 20. In Daily 5, we began building our stamina for read to self and work on writing. We made an “I-chart” for each of these rotations and have talked about what the expectations are for students and for the teacher during this time. We started with 3 minutes for each of these rotations and have built our stamina up to 10 minutes so far. Our overall goal is to be able to work independently for 20 minutes. In writing, we have been focusing on stretching out words and writing down the sounds they hear. This is a great tool to use for homework too. As the year goes on, we will learn more about phonemic rules and our spelling will improve, but this is a great tool to always use. The last thing I want a student to do is stay stuck on a word. We started a phonics based program called “Letterland”. This week we are focusing on the letters a, b, c, d, f, h, l, m, n, p, r, s, and t. We learned the “character” that goes with each letter and the motion for each letter. Ask your child about these letters and their characters name and their motion. In Social Studies, we are learning about our community. We are focusing on the 3 different types of communities (rural, urban, and suburban). Be sure to ask your child what type of community they live in? What type of community they would like to live in and why?