April Newsletter

Greene Gazette

April 2016                c.greene@hwschools.net

Language Arts: In April we will focus on the characteristics of folktales and fairy tales as we read a variety of books in each genre. We will chart out the things we “notice” about character, setting, events, and plot as we read the collected books. The children have already been busy looking through the books on display for this  genre unit of study. This unit will allow students to create their own mini popsicle stick puppets in our art center. Puppets will be used to retell familiar tales that we have read in class. Bookmaking: Our work continues as we begin to focus on the craft of writing and how to expand our ideas and really focus in on the important things we want to share in each narrative story we write. Children are also invited to return to creating nonfiction pieces as well as narrative books. Fundations: Unit 9 We are reviewing concepts of blends, digraphs, bonus letters, and glued sounds as we learn what a closed syllable word is. This work will prepare us to learn about multisyllabic words in units to come. Please continue to review trick word spelling at home. We practice trick words at school at our magnet letter station and by rainbow writing trick words as we spell them aloud. Unit 9 trick words are: say, says, see, between, each.

Math: We have been reviewing shapes and learning how to compose new shapes using a variety of smaller shapes. This includes finding as many ways as possible to make a triangle using other shapes together. The children have explored using tangrams to compose shape designs and write about their design. This unit has allowed us to review shape attributes of sides, vertices, edges, faces, and dimension.

We look forward to sharing our classroom with you on 4/13 during our open house from 5-7. Please bring a small tote bag that can be used to bring home work collection folders we have saved from fall, winter, and spring. Your child is ready to show you around our room and share about all of our learning.  Sincerely, Mrs. Greene