April/May 2013 Newsletter

Dear Parents,

Let me start by introducing Ms. Prado my new student teacher from BSU. Ms. Prado will be working with our class on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays until the end of the school year.  Ms. Prado is a mother of three children ages 9, 11, and 14. Her family is active in sports, and loves to camp. Her family just moved to Boise this year from a farming community in Grand View.  In addition to being a student and mother Ms. Prado actively volunteers with the Wyakin Warriors program for military Veterans.

Reading:

Our new reading theme for the next six weeks will be about the topic of Dinosaurs always a student favorite. Few topics engage children's imagination as easily as fossils and dinosuars do. As my students explore this topic they will find out the answers to exciting questions about the dinosaurs and the history of life on Earth during prehistoric time.  During this unit students will continue their analysis of expository prose as they will explore many different aspects of fossils, including what they are, where they are found, and what we learn from them. Along with the general investigation goals, in this unit I plan to focus on the following goals....
*developing vocabulary
*use a variety of comprehension strategies and skills in reading
*listen, read, and write on the theme
*learn how fossils provide evidence about plants and animals that lived long ago, and how scientist learn about the past history of Earth by studying fossils
*learn more about the process of science
*sharpen their understanding of expository text.
  
Later in May at the end of this unit the second grade teachers will be planning a Dinosaur Dig!  Students will get to experience what it would be like to be a paleontologist and unearth fossils. This event is scheduled for May 9th mid morning if you would like to come watch.


Math: Our new math unit will be measurement.  Common Core Standards 2MD.1-2MD.5 Students will measure the length of objects using rulers,yardstick,meter stick, and measuring tapes. They will be able to estimate lengths using units of inches, feet, centimeters and meters. They must be able to measure two objects and express the length difference in terms of a standard length unit. They must also be able to solve word problems involving length using addition and subtraction within 100. This unit is always fun to connect to our study of the dinosaurs!  Did you know that T-REX was about as long as a school bus? How long do you think a school bus is in feet? About 20 feet, 30 feet or 40 feet? _______ Tell me your answer after you read this and earn a surprise reward!



Art:
Art lessons start the week of April 2nd. Thanks to the support from our PTA  Mrs. Priest (art instructor) will travel on a cart to our classroom.    Lessons are expected to last 40-45 minutes, they will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays in April & May every other week.


Character: Our new virture of the month is Excellence. You know you are practicing Excellence when you....Give your best to whatever you do....remember to plan and practice, develop your own special gifts....set realistic goals....Excellence is the KEY to success. When you practice excellence you can make a difference in the world!


In closing, I would like to tell you about a new reading challenge in place of the Book-It reading calendars each student has an opportunity to earn a free Roaring Springs ticket by completing 600 additional reading minutes. This is a great incentive to boost the at home reading practice especially with our IRI reading test coming up soon. Students need to be reading fluently at over 92 wpm.

In this weeks Friday Folder you will be receiving a Roaring Springs Reader student chart to be used as additional incentive for at home reading.  Please put this in a safe place until May 10th. If your child completes the challenge he/she will earn a free Roaring Springs ticket that may be redeemed this summer! Everyone can participate no matter your child's reading level.

I look forward to every day I get to teach your children as the year comes to a close. This class has by far been one of my favorites! 
Thank you and happy spring~
Sincerley,
Mrs. Hedberg