Pumpkin Day in our classroom!!!

Last Friday we had Pumpkin Day in our classroom!!! The students had an awesome time observing their pumpkins, discovering whether or not it sinks or floats, found out how much it weighed, and counted how many seeds were in their pumpkin. Thanks to Mrs. Howrigon, we made Mrs. Graf's Principal blog. Check out the link below to check out some fantastic photos that Mrs. Howrigon took during our hands-on learning with pumpkins!

Homework for the week of October 28th- November 1st

Reading: (Daily Activities) • A new “Book in a Bag” will be coming home this week. This is a book that is on their level. Your child should continue to read their “Book in a Bag” several times throughout the week, but they can continue to read other books throughout the week. Once your child has completed their time, initial below to show that they have read each night. Monday: 10 minutes Tuesday: 10 minutes Wednesday: 10 minutes Thursday: 10 minutes Math: (due Friday) • Workbook Page 4.7 (Homework- front and Targeted Practice - back) • Workbook Page 4.9 (Homework- front and Targeted Practice - back) Letterland: (Daily Activities) Practice the Tricky Words, List A, and New Sentences for Unit 11 Monday – Read the words and sentences attached 2 times Tuesday – Choose one activity from the list attached! Wednesday – Choose a different activity then the one you choose yesterday to complete from the list attached! Thursday – Practice Spelling Test

Weekly Newsletter volume number 13

In reading, we continued to read lots of non-fiction, or informational text, about Columbus Day and Fire Safety. We added lots of information to our prior knowledge, or schema, and had many of our questions answered about these two important items. In Math, we worked on comparing two digit numbers using the signs > (greater than or more than), < (less than) and = (equal to). To compare the 2 two digit numbers, we learned to show the number with ten sticks and leftover ones. If the number was 72, the number 7 is in the 10’s place, so they need 7 ten sticks and 2 circles since 2 is in the ones place. We also worked on word problems with teen numbers. We had groups of 10’s and left over ones. In Letterland, we learned the glued sound /all/. These three letters are a glued sound, so it only makes one sound, as in the word all. So if we had the word fall, it would be tapped out as /f/ and then /all/. We also reviewed the short vowel sounds of /a/, /e/, and /i/. Fire Safety- Last week we talked a lot about Fire Safety. We read several books about Fire Fighters and how Fire Fighters and safety requirements have changed from hundreds of years ago to now. Have your child share some of the things they learned last week. Important Information: - Pizza Party- We will be having our Pizza Party this Wednesday for lunch. Our class raised the 3rd most money in the school during our coin drive. Way to go!!! - Barnes and Noble Spirit Night- Our Barnes & Noble Book Fair is quickly approaching! It will be held on Thursday, November 7th at the Barnes & Noble store at Cary Towne Center! We have a great night planned! The Banks Boomers will be performing. A mystery reader will be hosting story time! The PTA will be selling BRES spirit wear and the Yearbook Club will open yearbook sales that night!

Homework For the week of October 21st

Homework for the week of October 21st- October 25th Reading: (Daily Activities) • A new “Book in a Bag” will be coming home this week. This is a book that is on their level. Your child should continue to read their “Book in a Bag” several times throughout the week, but they can continue to read other books throughout the week. Once your child has completed their time, initial below to show that they have read each night. Monday: 10 minutes Tuesday: 10 minutes Wednesday: 10 minutes Thursday: 10 minutes Math: (due Friday) • Workbook Page 4.4 (Homework- front and Remembering - back) • Workbook Page 4.5 (Homework- front and Targeted Practice - back) Letterland: (Daily Activities) Practice the Tricky Words, List A, and New Sentences for Unit 10 Monday – Read the words and sentences attached 2 times Tuesday – Choose one activity from the list attached! Wednesday – Choose a different activity then the one you choose yesterday to complete from the list attached! Thursday – Practice Spelling Test

Weekly Newsletter volume 12

In Reading, we focused on the reading “non-fiction or informational” text. This type of text is real information and the purpose of the book is so we can learn more information about that topic. We read a lot of informational text about Christopher Columbus. We worked on filling out KWL charts. The K stands for what we already know or our “schema”. The W stands for what do we want to know. And the L gets filled in after we have completed our research and stands for things that we learned. In math, we started a new unit working the counting by 10’s and adding on the extra ones. We have been working on making 10 sticks, which is doing a straight line for each ten and then drawing circles for the ones place. For example if we had the number 37, we would do 3 ten sticks (straight lines) and then do 5 circles on top and 2 underneath it. We do 5 and 2, so we can quickly add 5+2 to give us 7. Doing the ten stick saves a lot of time, so we don’t have to count up 10 each time, but instead can count by ten. In writing, we started working on persuasive letter writing. We first shared our schema, which is what we already know. Which we found out, wasn’t a whole lot. Then we read the book “I Wanna New Room” by Karen Kaufman Orloff. In the book, Alex, the little boy, was trying to convince his parents that he needed a new room by writing persuasive letters to them. Have your child tell you what Alex finally got and how he felt. Then we started brainstorming ideas that we could change for the school, community, and your family. In Letterland, we learned about the “Vowel Men.” These men say their name, which is the long vowel sound. We learned about Mr. A, Mr. E, Mr. I, Mr. O, and Mr. U. We also learned that Mr. I often times gets dizzy at the end of words, except for hi and I, so Mr. Y, comes and helps him and he makes the long I sound, even though he is the letter y. Important Information: - JDRF Walk- We will walk tomorrow, the 15th, from 9:30 to 10:15, during specials. All money collected will be due tomorrow. Thanks! - Scholastic Book Order- If you are interested, check and order form will be due to me by Friday, October 18th. If you would like to order online, our class activation code is: G229M. You can access that at www.scholastic.com/bookclubs. - Team Time- Last week was our first official week of Team Time. We use this time to meet students’ individual needs. We have remediation, enrichment, and review to help students succeed in math. We rotate for Team Time Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday’s from 12:40 to 1:00. Ask your child who their Team Time teacher is and what they worked on last week during this time.

Homework for the week of October 14th

Homework for the week of October 14th – October 18th Reading: (Daily Activities) • A new “Book in a Bag” will be coming home this week. This is a book that is on their level. Your child should continue to read their “Book in a Bag” several times throughout the week, but they can continue to read other books throughout the week. Once your child has completed their time, initial below to show that they have read each night. Monday: 10 minutes Tuesday: 10 minutes Wednesday: 10 minutes Thursday: 10 minutes Math: (due Friday) • Workbook Page 4.2 (Homework- front and Remembering - back) • Workbook Page 4.3 (Homework- front and Targeted Practice - back) Letterland: (Daily Activities) Practice the Tricky Words, List A, and New Sentences for Unit 9 Monday – Read the words and sentences attached 2 times Tuesday – Choose one activity from the list attached! Wednesday – Choose a different activity then the one you choose yesterday to complete from the list attached! Thursday – Practice Spelling Test

Weekly Newsletter volume 11

In Reading, we focused on the CAFÉ strategies “Ask questions before, during, and after reading” for C, which is comprehension and “Recognize words at sight” for A which is accuracy. We read both informational “non-fiction” and literary “fiction” books to practice these two skills. When you child is reading to you at home, see if they use two strategies while reading. In Math, we worked on math centers that were concentrating with place value. We worked on counting out different amounts and placing them in groups of 10’s and left over ones. For example, if we had 47 square tiles, we would have 4 groups of 10’s and 7 left over. Have your child show you how to show 47 with ten sticks and ones. We also worked on comparing two numbers using the more than (>), less than (<), or equal symbol (=). In writing, we wrote about a Small Moment Story that happened to each student during Track out. We made sure to include lots of great details, like specifically when the Small Moment happened, who was there with them, where it took place, what they were doing, and how it made them feel. Have your child tell you what my “Small Moment Story” was that took place in Atlanta. In Science, we started our unit on “Comparing and Measuring.” We first talked about what we already know, our schema, about comparing and measuring and then got with a partner and discussed how they are alike and how they are different from each other. Important Information: - Do you buy items that have Boxtops on them? If so, our school could earn 10 cents for each one you cut off and turn in. Once you have a nice collection going, all you have to do is put them in a bag that has come home in Friday Folders with “C. Bethel” on a label. We get money for the school and you didn’t have to spend any money! - Spirit Week- Spirit week will be October 16th through the 23rd sponsored by our Student Council. The days will be as followed: o 16th- Favorite Sports Team Day o 17th- Crazy Sock Day o 18th- School Spirit Day o 21st- Favorite Book Character Day o 22nd- Career Day o 23rd- Pajama Day

Homework for the week of October 4th

Reading: (Daily Activities) • A new “Book in a Bag” will be coming home this week. This is a book that is on their level. Your child should continue to read their “Book in a Bag” several times throughout the week, but they can continue to read other books throughout the week. Once your child has completed their time, initial below to show that they have read each night. Monday: 10 minutes Tuesday: 10 minutes Wednesday: 10 minutes Thursday: 10 minutes Math: (due Friday) • Workbook Page 3.13 (Homework- front and Targeted Practice- back) • Workbook Page 3.14 (Homework- front and Remembering- back) Letterland: (Daily Activities) Practice the Tricky Words, List A, and New Sentences for Unit 8 Monday – Read the words and sentences attached 2 times Tuesday – Choose one activity from the list attached! Wednesday – Choose a different activity then the one you choose yesterday to complete from the list attached! Thursday – Practice Spelling Test Letterland Activity Choices - Choose 10 words from the list and write them 3 times each (ex: cat, cat, cat) - Choose 10 words from the list and blue vowel write them. (blue vowel writing means that the kids write the word normal, but the vowels are written in blue crayon instead of pencil) - Write 5 sentences and try to include at least 10 words from the list - Write at least half of the words in ABC order. - Write a story with at least 10 words from the list. - Choose 10 words from the list and type them 3 times each. (ex: dog, dog, dog) - Choose 10 words from the list and paint them on a piece of paper. - Choose 10 words from the list and pyramid write them. Example: m mo mom