Weekly News November 9-13, 2015

Nocturnal Animal Fair: We will have our nocturnal animal fair on Thursday, November 12th at 9:30. I hope you will be able to attend.

Homework: Wednesday homework is optional due to Veterans Day. The math packet and reading log are due on Friday. Please return it in your Yellow Reading Log/Math Homework Folder. Please make sure you sign your child’s reading log.

Language Arts: We will begin personal narrative writing. For our personal narratives we will be focusing on one moment in time and stretching it out. This is also know as a “Small Moment Story.” To help with this at home practice telling stories about a moment in time aloud. For example, if you just went to shop for new shoes with your child talk about the moment he or she knew which pair was the one he or she wanted. Stretch it out and add all the details from the setting and thoughts or feelings that were happening. Say the words you would put in your story. My story would sound like this... Model it yourself. Another way you can help is by gathering up small moment story ideas. As you read together look for parts in stories that are sharing a small moment. Notice how authors begin their stories.

Mathematics: We will be doing word problems that are joining sets and taking away sets. Later in the week we will begin problems that involve comparing to find how much more or how much fewer. The students will learn how to make bar models to show these types of problems. For many students they can figure out how to solve for the answer but are working on learning how to show it with a bar model. Knowing how to do bar models will help students as they progress to more challenging word problems. Students will need to know whether they problem requires adding or subtraction. Practicing at home with your child is encouraged!