Weekly Newsletter 1.17.14

KIS ACHIEVE settled back in the routine quite nicely. They were all very excited to see their friends again and get back to work. The students were introduced main idea this past week. The kids traced their handprint on a piece of paper. After reading a story, they wrote the main idea on the palm of their hand. The details that support the main idea went on the fingers. We made an anchor chart towards the end of the week to go over what we had learned about main idea. The students grasped the "Big Idea" because during guided reading, they wanted to trace their hand. I was very impressed.

In Social Studies, we continued making our globes. We are almost done and the students will identify the major locations on a globe and the areas (present day countries) that were inhabited by the Maya, Aztec, and Inca. Student should be able to locate the prime meridian, poles, hemispheres, continents, and oceans as well as Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, and Peru.

Science continued our matter unit. We focused on solids and made a KWL chart. The students performed a scavenger hunt to find only solids in our class. Next week, we will work on liquids only.

In honor of Martin Luther King Day, the students introduced to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in our BrainPop video. We also watched a biography on his life. The students wrote why it is important to work together. They also created a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King. Our focus was on identifying who Dr. King was and that we had Monday off school to celebrate all the wonderful things he did. We talked about working together and being fair.

Thank you for all of the donations for the fundraiser. If you have anything else you would like to donate, it would be appreciated. While the student project in the past used to be a quilt, this years project for the silent auction will be imprinted "medallions" of their foot that will then be baked, painted with metallic powder, and mounted/framed. Miss Lessick will be in charge and I am sure it will be stunning.

Everyone should have received your child's progress reports and report cards were mailed. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me or email.

This week we reviewed:

Word Wall Fry Words: my, than, first, water, been

ELA: Details

Math: Individual Goals and Daily Winter Math Journal Prompts

Writing: Journal

Dates to Remember:

1.24 - APE Field Trip Bowling

1.25 - Family Fun Day at Freeway Lanes

1.28 - STEM Night (5:30-8:00) KHS

2.2 - Groundhog Day