Dear Parents,
I am not sure how it happened, but I haven’t posted in quite some time! Please accept my apologies. With the shorter weeks and snow days and craziness that was February, our blog got away from me. I’m back on track, and am open to suggestions for making this more useful as a communication tool. About what would you like to hear more? Would you like suggested articles? More anecdotes about what is happening in class? Shorter posts? This is our platform for communication, so let’s make sure it is working for you! Use the comments section below to share your feedback.
In the last month, we have interviewed an author, met with Salvador Uy to learn about services provided to the homeless community, developed our skills as young activists, strengthened our understanding of what it means to be a friend, and filled our toolbox with more happiness habit practices. It has been amazingly busy! Here is what we are up to now.
MATH:
The room broke into applause yesterday when I said that we would be working on using the algorithm as a strategy for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. We are focusing a lot on understanding place value within the algorithm, which is something that often falls away when students shift to this strategy. Here is a useful video to help you understanding how we are talking about adding with borrowing, or carrying-over.
Please ensure that your child continues to practice their times tables facts each evening. For the work that we are moving into, knowing the times tables facts is a critical foundation.
LITERACY:
We are strengthening our reading skills, with many children focusing on reading with fluency and expression. In writing, we are learning how to write creative stories that relay facts. Ask your child about their polar bear stories!
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING:
We have been examining what it means to be a kind, caring, friend to others. To take action with our learning, the students have been working on short skits that they can share with others to teach “The Top 5 Ways to Be a Good Friend.” We have also examined ways that we can be a good friend to ourselves, and learned some strategies for self-care.
UNIT STUDIES:
All of the above learning has supported our understanding of how individuals and organizations work together to have an impact on local and global issues. We are now looking for more guest speakers. If you work with the UN or other relief agency/NGO and can come it to talk with us, we would love to have you!
GENERAL NOTICES:
For the next two weeks, I have meetings every day after school starting at 3:10p.m. So that I can be on time to these important meetings, please be sure that your child is picked up by 3:00p.m. each day. I will take any remaining children to the office promptly at 3:00p.m.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
March 13-14: Parent teacher conferences.
March 13 happens after school, and March 14 is during the day. Sign-up has been sent out. If you would like to meet immediately after school on March 13, I am happy to make myself available.
Have a wonderful afternoon!
Yours in learning and growing,
Ms. Erin M. Threlfall
I am not sure how it happened, but I haven’t posted in quite some time! Please accept my apologies. With the shorter weeks and snow days and craziness that was February, our blog got away from me. I’m back on track, and am open to suggestions for making this more useful as a communication tool. About what would you like to hear more? Would you like suggested articles? More anecdotes about what is happening in class? Shorter posts? This is our platform for communication, so let’s make sure it is working for you! Use the comments section below to share your feedback.
In the last month, we have interviewed an author, met with Salvador Uy to learn about services provided to the homeless community, developed our skills as young activists, strengthened our understanding of what it means to be a friend, and filled our toolbox with more happiness habit practices. It has been amazingly busy! Here is what we are up to now.
MATH:
The room broke into applause yesterday when I said that we would be working on using the algorithm as a strategy for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. We are focusing a lot on understanding place value within the algorithm, which is something that often falls away when students shift to this strategy. Here is a useful video to help you understanding how we are talking about adding with borrowing, or carrying-over.
Please ensure that your child continues to practice their times tables facts each evening. For the work that we are moving into, knowing the times tables facts is a critical foundation.
LITERACY:
We are strengthening our reading skills, with many children focusing on reading with fluency and expression. In writing, we are learning how to write creative stories that relay facts. Ask your child about their polar bear stories!
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING:
We have been examining what it means to be a kind, caring, friend to others. To take action with our learning, the students have been working on short skits that they can share with others to teach “The Top 5 Ways to Be a Good Friend.” We have also examined ways that we can be a good friend to ourselves, and learned some strategies for self-care.
UNIT STUDIES:
All of the above learning has supported our understanding of how individuals and organizations work together to have an impact on local and global issues. We are now looking for more guest speakers. If you work with the UN or other relief agency/NGO and can come it to talk with us, we would love to have you!
GENERAL NOTICES:
For the next two weeks, I have meetings every day after school starting at 3:10p.m. So that I can be on time to these important meetings, please be sure that your child is picked up by 3:00p.m. each day. I will take any remaining children to the office promptly at 3:00p.m.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
March 13-14: Parent teacher conferences.
March 13 happens after school, and March 14 is during the day. Sign-up has been sent out. If you would like to meet immediately after school on March 13, I am happy to make myself available.
Have a wonderful afternoon!
Yours in learning and growing,
Ms. Erin M. Threlfall