August 10 Newsletter

Ms. Jazmin & Ms. Marion

Week of August 10, 2015

A Note from Ms. Jazmin:

Hello Families!  We are off to a productive start!  I'm sure you've heard about some of the lessons we've been working on.  I am introducing concepts slowly  as we get into our Montessori groove.  In order for the students to be able to be independent and make choices with their work, they must have learned proper boundaries and have guides in place.  Some of the tools we use are Learning Logs to log their work completed each day and also many work charts for the different materials so that they and I know what they have worked on so they are not repeating work.  Learning to use these tools is an ongoing process. 

 I'm sure you have also heard about the dreaded cursive!  The entire school is currently in the process of transitioning to cursive, from PreK to 8th grade.  In my class students are expected to attempt all work in cursive.  As we move through the year and they receive lessons on letter formation, they will be expected to write neat and correctly, but right now we are going with, "do your best".  They are receiving lessons in the classroom and also they are to be working on their penmanship with their homework.  I suggest that you carefully read the tips and instructions on those sheets as they are very helpful.  Please try to impress upon them the actual stroke and the fact that the pencil never leaves the paper when they are connecting letters.

The students also were presented with the first of the five Montessori Great Lessons as part of their Cosmic Education: The Story of the Universe or God with No Hands.  This is my favorite one!  Follow this link if you are interested in seeing the story for yourself.  This version a little bit different, but you will get the idea.  I encourage conversations with your child about what they are learning in our classroom; especially when they are presented with one of the Great Lessons.  The Story of the Universe 

The students have also completed baseline testing in SRI for the first and second year students.  In the coming weeks they will be testing in MAP, and first year students will be tested in DIBELS.  I will also have them set up and started on XtraMath for math facts practice next week, and hopefully the following week they will be able to access Compass Learning in the classroom.

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns!  

            

Wish List

Coffee Filters

White Copy Paper

Plastic Sleeves for Binders

This Week's Lessons:

Language/Reading

Compound Words

Root/Suffix

Non Fiction Reading Comprehension

Using Context Clues

Drawing Conclusions

Writing- "Golden Rule" Writing Prompts

Penmanship/Cursive

Letter "t"

Arithmetic (will be given next week)

Quantities

Place Value Work

Operations with Decimal Systems

Art

Construction Paper Self Portraits

Cosmic Education

The Story of the Universe/God with No Hands

Land and Water Forms

Maria Montessori Timeline