September 14

Last week we made very cool mosaic names to help us compare the number of letters in our names.  We made this bar graph and then plotted the data on a paper graph.  It was neat to hear them interpreting which had the most, fewest, and reading all of their new friends' names!

 Last week we officially kicked off our blended learning model!  The kids worked at their own pace with partners to learn from a prerecorded math lesson.  It also helps grow the students' math vocabulary as they explain strategies to their partner.  This frees up teachers to check for understanding, reteach concepts, and work with small groups for differentiated instruction!

On Friday they had fun during a morning team building exercise to build the tallest cup tower!  It was great to watch the kids interact, try new strategies, communicate with their peers, and even use technology to figure out directions!

This week we will be using inferences to help us understand our reading.  Our letter sound is short /i/ so be sure to practice those spelling words!  Pin and pen are hard words to decipher!

We are going over routines in writing workshop to be sure that everyone knows the expectations.  I am excited to say I am already seeing growth in their writing!  I even have kids writing and illustrating books at home to share with their classmates!

In math we will continue talking about addition strategies and equations.  We will also focus on the routines that help us be successful in a blended classroom.

This week is safety week at Sunflower!  We will be practicing all of our emergency drills.  We will also be focusing on character traits.  Today we learned about TRUSTWORTHINESS.  We decided that we have to tell the truth, keep our promises, and do what we say we are going to do in order for people to trust us.  The kids loved playing "caterpillar."  The "head" of the caterpillar had to safely guide the rest of its body safely through the classroom.  The body keeps their eyes closed and TRUSTS the leader to make safe choices!  We will also be going over respect, responsibility, and fairness.

Don't forget that Thursday is PICTURE DAY!  Send in your orders or order online before Thursday.

Friday is our Learning Celebration day!  We will learn about the constitution, U.S. symbols, what it means to be free and the responsibilities that it brings.  Please have your child dress in red, white, and blue.