Transcript Mrs. Hein`s Weekly Newsletter!

Mrs. Hein’s Weekly Newsletter
Language Arts
January 18, 2013
We started our next unit all about Earth Science and Outdoor Exploration. We
have been learning all about the 4 seasons and the weather. Our Focus
Question this week is: What weather can I observe each day?  Also, this
week’s reading strategy has been all about Making Connections
Letters for the Week:
This week we continued to work on the letters we already know and the sounds
for each. We also had our first letter/sound test and results will come
home with report cards for you to see. We have been practicing reading
Nonsense words too (which help us with the “short” vowel sound in
words.)
Outdoor/Indoor Explorers!
On Wednesday we did some indoor exploring for some outdoor things! Since
our theme is science based, we did a little project related to this on
Wednesday. We used our magnifying glasses to “explore” the room with a
partner and discover a hidden treasure. Each group found bags with
elements needed to plant a seed indoors! We planted Calypso
Beans…black and white bush beans that are now in our classroom
window. We will continue to be explorers as we monitor their growth in
the coming weeks! It was fun to bring the outdoors indoors in January!
Other Skills to Work on
We continue to work on Phoneme segmenting and onset rhyme with words. Have
your kiddo work on breaking words into sound parts too. Ex: dog would be
D - O - G … hat
would be H - A - T
SIGHT WORDS
We have now learned 23 new sight words. Next week we will learn: Not and On.
Please continue to read with your child to practice the words using expression,
fluency, and pace. Try to have your child practice these words using flash cards,
reading the charts, and writing sentences using these words too. Continued practice of
these skills helps us to become better readers!  Also…try using your sight word
flash cards to different songs too. Like…Row, row, row your boat OR Twinkle
Twinkle
This is a fun way for you and your kiddo to practice these words together .
STARS of the DAY
Kaela Seifert, Tori Smith, and Djibril Sylla
**Ask your kiddo to tell you something new they learned about their
classmates. We have been working on Asking Questions and Giving
Compliments to our friends.
Math
This week in math we have started our new unit on Measurement. We
have learned such concept words as:
Longer/shorter….taller/shorter…larger/smaller…and medium sized.
We have also started to use snap cubes and paper clips for units of
measure and will be testing out some Measuring skills of our own
too at home with our next Family Fun Homework. Be on the
lookout! 
Reader’s Club
We have been working on all kinds of stories about Weather during our
small group reading time. Ask your kiddo about the two books they
read this week. All our books focused on our theme question: What
can I learn when I explore the outdoors? We also worked on our
sight words by writing them and playing a memory card matching
word game. We had our each child write illustrate his/her favorite
weather and season. Keep working on those reading and writing
skills at home too. At the listening center we had a great new book
called Hibernation Station…ask what was your kiddos favorite
part? Next week we will be working on more writing activities and
sight word practice.
Reminders
Monday, January 21 ~ NO SCHOOL…Martin Luther King Jr. Day
(professional development day)
Tuesday, January 22 ~ Sound/letter binders will go home
Friday, January 25~ Binders are due! Math Measurement
Homework is due!
EARLY DISMISSAL ~ AM ~ 8:50-10:50 am
PM ~ 11:45-1:45pm
PTO FAMILIY FUN Movie Night will be from 6:30-8:30pm
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15th ~ WE WILL HAVE SCHOOL and this
year we will be COMBINING the 100th Day and Valentine’s
Day Party together. Please be sure to mark your calendars if
you signed up as a volunteer. Be on the lookout for a letter with
more details closer to the date.