Literature:
In Literature, we have some exciting stories this week! On Monday we will read Kevin Henkes’ Chrysanthemum and discuss what can make us “wilt” and “bloom” and tie this in with our virtue of friendship. Tuesday we will begin our first unit, which is Aesop’s Fables! We will be reading “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” “The Fox and the Grapes,” and “The Dog in the Manger”. As we read each fable, we will discuss the moral of the story and identify common fable components. We will also be introduced to our first idiom “Sour Grapes!” This idiom refers to something a person decides is not worth having only after they find out that they cannot have the desired object.
Spalding:
This week we will be focusing on proper posture, pencil grip, and handwriting features. We will be learning how to form all of the manuscript lowercase letters, focusing on a particular handwriting feature each day. We will also be learning the single letter phonograms associated with each letter formation. We want to have a strong handwriting start, so please make sure your child is holding his or her pencil properly and forming letters in the correct way (left to right, top to bottom, etc.) We will be sending home a “Features Formation” packet to assist you in helping your child with homework!
Writing:
We’ll be starting week 1 in Writing with Ease. We will do copy work and narration exercises from Little House in the Big Woods.
Grammar:
In Grammar, we will be learning what makes up a complete sentence! The five components are: subject, verb, makes sense, has a capital letter at the beginning, and a punctuation mark at the end! We will be using both Shurley English and First Language Lessons for grammar this year. We are so excited to be introducing Shurley, as there are catchy jingles and it makes grammar fun for the students! This week we will be learning the Sentence jingle!
Poem:
“The Caterpillar” by Christina G. Rosetti (The poem will go home this week to practice at home, and we will also practice in class! We will recite in partners or small groups on Friday, September 2nd. More details to come later!)
Math:
In this very first and exciting week of math we will start off our first unit on Monday with some gummy bear fun as we practice sorting by color and counting within the number “10”. Throughout the week we will continue to practice counting and comparing numbers within “10” using different items and fun visuals. On Friday, students will have a chance to get up and be active as they practice putting numbers in order by organizing themselves into lines. Please practice counting and sorting at home too! I recommend having your children help in the kitchen or at the grocery store so we can continue having fun! This week’s homework will be very light; we will only have to finish any workbook pages that are not completed in class. By the end of the week pages 7-14 should be completed in the workbook. Please let me know if you would like a copy of the number cards we use in class to help your students count at home.
Geography/History:
This week in our Geography unit we will be studying maps and globes and how they represent places on the earth. We will discuss ordinal directions through the use of a variety of games and activities. Students will learn about map keys, decode simple symbols, and find those symbols which are represented on a map. Students will enjoy creating their own Compass Rose after learning about its usage on maps and globes, and how a compass in general, is beneficial to people in a variety of circumstances.
Science:
This week we will begin science by discussing what a scientist is and what a scientist does. Students will learn about and describe the steps of the scientific method. At the end of the week, students will apply what they have learned to conduct a science experiment!
We look forward to seeing everyone's bright and smiling faces tomorrow! Have a wonderful week!
