Content Areas
Phonics - Our third phonics unit is "Word-Part Power." We'll dig into applying all the skills we've learned so far to our reading AND writing. We'll use our Pointer Power and Snap Word Power in our writing, continue to practice stretching out words and hearing more sounds, and continue editing our written work. We'll use word parts we've practiced hearing during Passport to reading, like onset and rime (the onset is the first sound or blend in a word, the rime is the rest of the word, or the part that might rhyme with another word,) digraphs (th, sh, ch, ph,) and word families.
Reading - Our third reading unit is "Bigger Books, Bigger Reading Muscles." We'll continue to practice using all the super powers we learned about in unit 2. We'll continue reading pattern books, but they will get more complicated. I'm hoping students can read level C books at this point in the year.
I have really enjoyed sharing so many books focused on the Abolitionist and Civil Rights Movements. I think your children have, too. We've read about Harriet Tubman, Henry Box Brown (a slave who mailed himself to freedom to escape!) Wilma Rudolph, Martin Luther King Jr. Marian Anderson, Ron McNair, Ruby Bridges, and Rosa Parks. I think they have an idea of the scope of "unfair laws" our country had and I've heard some pretty amazing questions from the kids about the repercussions today. I'm so happy to hear of the good conversations the books are sparking at home!
Snap Words - These are words that are meant to be read "in a snap!" By the end of the year, our goal is to read any 50 snap words from this list of 25 and this list of 50. I recommend starting with the list of 25, but it is up to you. Students do not need to know how to spell them, as they will be up in the room and can be copied. Some ways to practice snap words at home: read books, Lexia, flashcards, make a Memory/ Concentration, Go Fish, or Bingo game. Use some words your child already knows and mix in some new ones.
So far on our word wall we have all 25 words from the first list, and we're 34 words into the 2nd list. I don't go in any particular order; we put up words we've been talking about or might need for our writing. Since we've been talking about word parts and word families a lot during our phonics lessons, I have all of our CVC words up on the wall. CVC stands for consonant-vowel-consonant and the general rule is the vowel is short (e.g. dig, pen, sat, run.) They are the easiest words to sound out, so they might be the easiest for your child to pick up and read in a snap. I'm hoping students can read at least 35 snap words by the end of the 2nd trimester, 2/28.
Writing - We are wrapping up all of our narrative writing. Check out Class Dojo for pictures from our Writing Celebration. Next, we'll start How-To Writing.
Math - Module 4 is all about addition and subtraction in many shapes and forms. We write traditional equations, tell stories, draw pictures, use objects, and make number bonds. What's a number bond? Two circles lead to one other circle. The first two circles are the parts; the the third is the whole. The two parts should add up to the whole. Sometimes kids have to find the whole, sometimes the two parts, or sometimes only one part. (e.g. 3+4 = ___ OR 7= ___+____ OR 7 = 6+___)
By the end of the module I hope kids will be able to:
- add and subtract within 10 using pictures or objects.
- solve word problems with 10. (The story can be read to them.)
- find more than one way to decompose, or break down a number 10 or less. For example, 9=4+5, 9=6+3, etc.
- fluently add and subtract within 5, just like our snap words.
- tell the number that makes 10 when given another number. So if I say, "4 plus what equals 10?" they can answer 6.
Handwriting - We working on lowercase letters. Our "magic c" letters are c, o, a, d, g, and q. They all start by forming a lowercase c and you continue from there to make each letter. We've also done s, v, w, t. We're trying to remember all sentences should start with a capital, but the rest should be lowercase (exceptions, of course.) It's a work in progress; it's ok if students are still writing mostly capital letters.
Science - Our second unit is Materials and Motion. We're talking about the qualities of wood, paper, and fabric, as well as how to make objects move slower or faster.
Second Step - Second Step lessons are every Wednesday. Mrs. Patterson, our PE teacher, comes in to teach with me. We are currently in our Child Protection Unit, which has 6 lessons.