Reading With and To Your Child

Children and Parent Reading Books Together

Suggestions for Parents

• Choose a variety of types of books to read and include stories with long text, stories with rhyme, picture books, chapter books and factual scientific books.
• Read books over and over again. Increase familiarity with the story and content of the book opens doors for more complex discussion.
• Discuss some aspect of the book before and after reading. It helps to be familiar with the book before starting to read it to your child.
• Vary intonation: use different voices to enhance comprehension and interest.

 by Jeanne DeTemple

Presentations - Reading Together.pdf

Resources

Hello Parents,

The December newsletter is now up.  As the break approaches, please remind your child that even with all the excitement of the holidays, at school they still need to be practicing the 3 R's daily; Be respectful, ready and responsible.  Please check their December calendar to see what color they have been on a regular basis.  It's hard to contain all the excitement of this time of year, but I know they can do it!  If you have any questions, email me or call.   

If your child heard about the incident in Conn. or you have an older child, here is a link that has some good tips about assuring them about safety; APA (American Psychological Association) Aftermath Care.  Mr. Raff is preparing something to send/email parents as well.  I do not intend at all to discuss the incident, but be aware that your child might overhear something on the bus or from other children.  Please send some healing thoughts for the community involved and our country.  

Thank you for the many donated class books from the school book fair!!  I've had the opportunity to read some already and the kids love them.  They'll be in our library center for them to enjoy as well.  We will be returning to reading little books (fiction and nonfiction) in January, after finishing up learning about poetry this week.  

Enjoy your weekend and give your child an extra hug from me!! 

Fun Poetry Sites to Explore!

Silly Poems

Shel Silverstein website for kids

Jack Prelutsky  website for kids and parents

Who are Jack and Annie?

Our class started reading our first Magic Tree House book as a read-aloud about a week ago.  Students are thoroughly enjoying following Jack and Annie on their mission to save the last unicorn.  To complete the mission, they have to read a poem and follow the directions within the poem...Just like our class is learning about poems; understanding their meanings and their elements (rhyme, rhythm, repetition, humor, shorter length, and descriptive language).  

Click on the first link below to learn more the Magic Tree House book!

Blizzard of the Blue Moon

About the Magic Tree House Series

Read a summary and sample pages from the books.  Your child can also build their own wishlist and read sample pages from all the books in the series, even the nonfiction Magic Tree House books.

Parent Resources for Magic Tree House Series

November Book-It participants - Congrats!

Author Jan Brett

Link for Jan Brett website

Which Books have you read??  See Jan Brett books with cover photos

Students writing in their turkey fact journals.

Sara is doing a great job putting spaces between her words and Jake is using his helping hand to hold his paper correcting.  Both are sitting in the WOW position!!

Olivia got caught using the b/d trick!  Yay!! (The class is getting very comfortable in front the camera! :)

December happenings

Dear Parents,

The homework books will go home tomorrow night with the green December calendar glued in.  Please complete each daily activity along with the reading assignment for the day.  If you want to work ahead, that is fine too.  I would like to still have students bring in their HW books on Friday for me to check their weekly assignments.  As noted, there will be some additional writing and math work sometimes in their take home folders so please check that nightly.  The December HW calendar is on the homework tab on the blog.

Library books should be sent back to school by Friday, so students can check out books on Monday.  The book fair has started, so we won’t be checking out books this week or next.

I added some games to the blog for math unit 4 (greater than, less than).  Hopefully you’ve been able to enjoy the Thanksgiving song that was uploaded as well as a glimpse into our Everyday Counts! Calendar routine.  The class is learning to be very resourceful in using the different tools on available to them when decomposing: Today was the 57^th day of school so 50+7=57, 40+17=57, 54+3=57.  Some of the tools they are referencing include; the 100’s chart, coins, tens frame and place value straws (showing groups of tens and ones that represent the days we’ve been in school).

In Language Arts, we are working on a paragraph about winter.  We will be discussing facts and opinions this week, as well as sequencing a story this week.  Next week, we will start studying the elements of poetry. 

Today students practiced writing sentences from dictation.  This is a new quarterly test from the county that we’ll be completing at the end of quarter 2 in mid-January.  Reversed letters are counted as incorrect per the county on the assessment.  If you see your child is writing letters reversed while completing homework, point it out and see if notice their own mistake first.  Otherwise, ask them to correct it.  We just completed our turkey journals with facts where they called the COPS on my facts. Those will be sent home tomorrow with two of their very first writing pieces.  Make a big deal of their incredible growth as writers!!  J 

In Social Studies, we will be studying the various traditions of people around the world and the holidays they observe.  This is a fun time of year, where we learn about each other’s traditions and how many of them originated from countries overseas. 

Pizza Hut Book It November calendars are due!  I’ve received about 7 and will be sending them home with certificates tomorrow and the December Book It calendars will come home also. 

Thanks for your continued support of your child at home, checking their folders and completing homework with them.  I truly enjoy watching them grow and learn each day!

Mrs. Gowin 

My writing buddy tonight...Willow :)