Week in Review, December 11-15, 2023

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Thank you Explorer Families for all the lovely Christmas chocolates and gifts! We are looking forward to a teacher massage together over the break. We feel very blessed to be your child's teachers and have such a supportive group of parents. We hope you all have an enjoyable winter break. Please drop 4-5 pictures of your holiday fun in your child's Sharing Folder. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a Happy New Year to you and your family! 

Report cards are now available for viewing in Veracross via MySASportal. Also, please look for the following items that came home with your child over the last couple of days:

• Winter Break Reading Challenge-decorate the mug and fill up the mug with reading marshmallows for a special treat, from Mrs. Cuthbert, following the break.
• Christmas Present from your Child-your child made you a Christmas tree ordainment for the family. 
• Stocking-Students brought home a stocking full of goodies from their classmates. 
• Book-Students brought home 1 book that was given to them by a classmate during the Book Exchange.

In Writing, we continued writing our Book Reviews. we worked to edit and revise our Book Reviews. When we get back from break we will publish our Book Reviews and then start our third writing unit, All About Books (Nonfiction).

In Reading, we continued being "The Boss" of our reading. We learned:

• Strategies to ensure we understand what we are reading.
• How to know when characters are speaking (look for quotation marks).
• Learned how to read like a "Reading Star" with expression and volume. 

After break we will be starting our fourth reading unit, Readers Learn About the World (Nonfiction).

We also read The Floating Soccer Field, by Mr. Riley, an SAS teacher/coach (husband of Mrs. Riley the kindergarten teacher). Then we had a STEAM lesson where students used engineering to redevelop the Marina Bay floating platform into a floating public space where the community can come together. Structures were sent home Wednesday.

In Word Study, we learned about adding "-ed" to the end of base words. We learned that it makes the word past tense and it makes three sounds. It can make the "d" sound, the "t" sound, or the "ed" sound. When reading, we need to try it all three ways and see which one sounds right. We also need to know that when we are spelling a past tense verb and hear any of these sounds at the end of a word, it will be spelled "ed". We also learned the heart words any and many.

In Math, we started Unit 4, Numbers to 99 and learned how to count up to 60 objects in a collection (multiple of 10), interpret different base-ten representations of multiples of 10, and add and subtract 10 from multiples of 10. Ask your child to complete the following as a review.

In Social Studies, we finished our final Social Studies project. We linked our dream communities together, coded our roadways, and had the Ozobots tour our communities. We reflected on our Social Studie unit and participated in a challenge STEAM Lab.

We also learned about three different cultural/religious celebrations happening in our community this time of year. We learned about Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. Ask your child to tell you each story and what we did in class to celebrate each one? After winter break we will be starting our first Science Unit-Let's Ask Nature.

Upcoming Events:

*SAS 2024-2025 School Calendar is now available (here). 

*Our 3rd Quarter "Explorer Calendar" is now available (here).

*Please drop 4-5 Winter Break pictures in this folder.

*Swara will not be returning to SAS after winter break. She will be greatly missed! Here is a video the class made to say goodbye. 

• January 8-Back to School!
• January 9-Welcome Ena, Xuanyou & Zoya (and families) to our Explorer Community. 
• Please note that the Star of the Week dates have changed due to students leaving and joining. 
• Send the Winter Break Reading Challenge to school in your child's Library bag. 
• January 10-Free Dress Day!
• January 12-Happy Birthday Matty! Matty will be sharing a treat during PM snack. 
• January 16-Happy Birthday Xuanyou!
• AIMSWeb Math Assessment today at 8:10. Please go to bed early the night before and eat a good breakfast.
• January 18-Happy Birthday Ian!
• AIMSWeb Reading Assessment today at 8:10. Please go to bed early the night before and eat a good breakfast.
• January 22-No School! Faculty Inservice Day!
• January 25-Swim for PE. Please send swim gear in the blue SAS swim bag.
• January 27-International Fair!

Week in Review, December 4-8, 2023

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In Writing, we started writing our Book Reviews. Book Reviews look very similar to other reviews. The main difference is that you want to give a quick retell of the book without spilling the beans. Please find an example of a Book Review below:

You can listen to a Book Review here. We also reviewed our behavior this last year, using adjectives, for Santa. We sent them to Santa and he emailed us this link to check the Naughty or Nice List. We all made the NICE LIST! He also sent us a personalized video. You can watch it here. We also wrote our Post-Assessment for our Opinion Unit. Watch for them coming home next week.  

In Reading, we started Unit 3, Readers Have Big Jobs To Do. We learned:

• That we need to be the boss of our reading and that readers use everything they know to solve a word.
• Get help when we need it.

We also read a couple stories and learned about the Jewish celebration Hanukkah. We colored a Menorah, played dreidel, and enjoyed some chocolate coins. Ask your child about the story of Hanukkah. Next week we will celebrate and learn the story of Christmas and Kwanzaa. 

In Word Study, we learned there a several exceptions to the silent e rule. If the letter "v" is followed by a silent e the vowel before the "v" will make the short sound (not long), like in give and live. Scrible "o" is another exception. We learned some "o" words, with a silent e, will make the short "u" sound, like in some and done. The scribes did a poor job rewriting them and their scribbles caused a phonemic error. We also learned that "es" is added to the end of words, that end with s, sh, ch, x, and z, to make them plural. The heart words two & does were added to our Heart Word bank. Please practice the following this coming week:

In Math, we analyzed and used counting on and take away as methods to subtract, used subtraction methods flexibly to find differences based on the numbers in a given problem, and solved addition and subtraction story problems with unknowns in all positions. We also took our Unit 3 Assessment. Please look for the assessments coming home in your child's zippy this next week. Next week we will be starting Unit 4, Numbers to 99. 

In Social Studies, we continued working on our final Social Studies project. We are designing a dream community that would meet all of our citizens needs. Students are making sure they have hospitals, schools, police & fire stations, parks, grocery stores, public transportation, and places to live. They have also thought deeply about what type of wants they might provide to their citizens, to make life more enjoyable. Ask your child what type of wants they included in their community. We also learned the Legend of Santa Claus and the Christmas Stocking. Ask your child about the true story of St. Nicholas. We also complete several fun holiday crafts. We are excited to share them with you!  

Upcoming Events:

*SAS 2024-2025 School Calendar is now available (here). 

*Our 3rd Quarter "Explorer Calendar" is now available (here).

*No EAA this coming week!

• December 9-Jasper's Birthday!
• December 11-Early Release! School is out at 12:00. We will have lunch at school. 
• December 12-Birthday Treats for Jasper during PM snack. 
• December 14-Kwanzaa Celebration in class! Please let us know if you would like to join us.
• Goodbye Celebration for Sawara.
• December 15-Christmas dress & celebration in class! 
• Please let our room parents know if you can help. 
• Please click here for party information (Book Exchange and 1st Grade Santa Gifting). 

Week in Review, Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2023

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In Writing, we continued writing Reviews. We learned how to add helpful tips or warnings, make a comparison, and how to give a convincing conclusion. We also took some time to revise, edit, and fix and fancy up our Reviews. Next week we will be starting a Book Review. Please send a book from home your child would like to review. 

In Reading, we wrapped up Unit 2 by completing our secret mission from the Secret Service Detective Agency. A breakout box was delivered to our room and we had to use everything we learned during our Word Detective Unit to figure out the combinations to 5 different locks. We collaborated, persevered, and broke into the box. We found detective badges, a certificate and smarties.  

In Word Study, we learned that silent e can also make the letter c make the "s" sound. This combination is found at the end of long vowel words like face and nice. We also learned that silent e can make the letter g make the "j" sound. This combination is also found at the end of long vowel words like cage and rage. We also reviewed the heart words: who, by, my, one & once. Please practice the following this week:

In Math, we learned how to solve story problems with three addends, write equations with three addends, and subtract within 20. We also used the unit of ten to find differences within 20 and analyzed and used counting on and taking away as methods to subtract. In the first problem below you would want to see your child do one of the following:

1. Decompose one of the smaller numbers to help the 8 get to 10. 

Example: 4 gives 2 to 8 to make 10. The new equation is 10+2+3. I know that 2+3 is 5, so 10+5=15

2. Add two numbers together first and then add in the 3rd.

*Example: 8+4+3 can become 12+3 (think 2+3=5, and then add 10+5=15) 

*Example: 8+4+3 can become 8+7 (think doubles to solve, 7+7=14, plus 1 more is 15). 

For the last problem you would want to see your child either count back 7 from 16 (-) or count on from 7 to 16 (+ to subtract). They may also first think 16-6 =10 (make a ten) and then subtract 1 more. They might create a double ten frame model and cross off counters to find the answer or use 1 ten tower and 6 ones. 

In Social Studies, we reviewed government provided services and started our final project. Students are collaborating, in a group of four, to designing their dream community. They are considering the rights and responsibilities of people living in their community, as well as their citizens needs and wants. We also had a counseling lesson with Mrs. Selvie. Please see her SeeSaw for more information. We also started learning about and decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. 

Upcoming Events:

• December 4-Bring a book from home to write a Book Review on. 
• December 5-Book Fair! (2nd post down). Send shopping money in an envelope with your child's name on it. No normal library today (keep books for two weeks).
• Kiki's Birthday! Cupcakes will be shared during PM snack.
• December 7-Hanukkah Celebration in class! Please let us know if you would like to join us.
• December 9-Jasper's Birthday!
• December 11-Early Release! School is out at 12:00. We will have lunch at school. 
• December 14-Kwanzaa Celebration in class! Please let us know if you would like to join us.
• December 15-Christmas dress & celebration in class! 
• Please let our room parents know if you can help. 
• Please click here for party information (Book Exchange and 1st Grade Santa Gifting).