Mayberry-McFarland Weekly News

for the week of September 12, 2016

Due Dates / Upcoming Events:

Monday, September 19 - reading logs due (4 different days [habit], 25 minutes or more in each sitting [stamina]) / writing notebook cover collages due

Tuesday, September 20 - Home Link due

Wednesday, September 21 - early release (12:30), McFarlands have PE (sneakers)

Thursday, September 22 -  math box pages catch-up due

Friday, September 23 - Home Link due

Monday, September 24 - Reading logs due

Please forgive my errors regarding dates on the writing notebook covers assignment!  Kids should have changed them to the due date of Monday, September 19th.  I’ll be contacting people to help with those later next week.  Thank you to those of you who indicated an interest to volunteer to help with those!

Thanks, also, for donations for materials to make the book bags for our classes!  I was able to find quite a variety of fabric.  And, thank you to those who have offered to help sew the bags!  I will send home fabric, a sample, Velcro, and (my non-seamstress) directions on Friday.

Reading Workshop

This week we reviewed some tips for retelling:

• Retell in order: first this happened, then that, then that.  [This is not the only way to retell well, but it’s one simple way.]
• Use characters’ names.
• Tell why the characters did what they did (interpret their motivations).
• Identify the characters’ feelings, even if the author doesn’t tell you what the characters feel.

If you want to help your child with reading at home, this can be a place to start, whether it’s retelling a whole story or the part s/he read tonight.

    We also started a new read aloud, Marvin Redpost: Why Pick on Me? for a short character study and some basic teaching about how authors include details on purpose.  We will connect this with our writing as well, and we’ll revisit this idea over and over throughout the school year.  It’s a biggie.

Writing Workshop

Each writer identified a small moment to write about, and articulated the message of the story -- not a lesson they want their readers to learn, but what their storytelling language will show about their experience.  Then we discussed the important reasons writers plan their work:

The kids helped me write a timeline plan about the time when my childhood friend, Melanie, and I used baby powder on the hallway floor to help our feet move more smoothly when we practiced the moonwalk (yes, we both had our respective moonwalk PR’s!)...and then they did the same for their own stories, including some advanced steps for those who were ready.

Math

This week students continued to work on reading and writing large numbers, and rounding numbers through the hundred thousands place. In addition, they reviewed adding large numbers using the traditional method with carry over and were introduced to three estimation strategies. Below is a picture of the chart explaining the three strategies we have discussed in class.

One way you can help your child at home is to share with them examples of when you use estimation in everyday life. Also, asking them to read large numbers (through the millions place) is another great way to support your child’s math learning.

Theme/Content

This week students continued their work with continents and oceans of the world. They all took an online quiz, and I am happy to report they did very well!

Handbook Excerpt

You can find our Team Handbook on our class blog.  We have not yet updated it to reflect changes pertinent to the current school year, but there is some helpful information there.  Below is an excerpt about homework:

Homework:  Please read the Homework Expectations document in the front of your child’s Homework Planner.  If your child leaves her/his homework at school, there are a couple of options.  One option is to drive your child back to GMS to retrieve it, if possible.  The building is open late.  We realize this is an inconvenience, and we hope that you will communicate that to your child.  This will show your child that all of us expect the homework to be complete and on time.  Another option is to have your child come to school without it.  Your child will bring home a Missing Homework Slip and will most likely complete the work while eating at snack time.  This experience teaches your child to accept simple, natural consequences, and to understand and trust that we follow through with expectations.  Please don’t expect that your child will be able to come the classroom unattended before school to complete homework; your child’s teacher may not be available for supervision.  

✳If your child is unable to complete homework due to serious illness or a family crisis, please let us know.  

✳If your child doesn’t understand something on the homework and you have tried but cannot help, please let us know that as well, by writing a note on the Homework Planner Sheet, on the homework, or in a separate note.  We will help at school.  

✳If your child leaves her/his planner, homework, and/or book baggie at home, it might be tempting to deliver it to school, especially if you feel it’s “your fault.”  But, we are trying to guide your child toward increased independence and responsibility.  We are telling the children that they are in charge of making sure their bags are packed each morning before leaving for school.

Parental help with homework: All children work at their own pace.  Please use your judgement as to how much to help.  In general, we would like for you to check the quality of the work.  Please expect your child to hand in work that shows s/he tried and cares about the work.  If your child reaches the point of frustration (or hopefully before then!), stop, and go back to it later if possible.  And send in a note to let us know what the frustrations were, so we can follow up at school.  See resources in the Homework Planner for ways to help.  In addition, check Mrs. Mayberry’s web pages for help!  There are also pdf’s of Homework Planner sheets and Reading Logs if your child loses one of those.  

Homework Planner:  Your child has a Homework Planner that s/he brings home every day and returns to school every day.  Students write down assignments in the planner on a daily basis, and they keep their homework in it as well.  Your child should become independent in handling the planner early in the year.  There are resources for parents and students in the planner, as well as IXL log-in information.

Homework with technology:  Sometimes we may assign homework that involves technology.  Please know that we understand that technology doesn’t always work the way we hope it will!  Your child should do the parts of the assignment s/he can, and simply send in a note the following day explaining any issues.  That can help us troubleshoot and hopefully avoid similar issues in the future.

Missing Homework Slips:  When your child doesn’t bring in homework on the day it is due, s/he will bring home a Missing Homework Slip.  Please sign it, and have your child return this slip the following school day.  This is one form of communication between you and us to make sure you know that your child didn’t bring in homework on the day it is due.  It also helps us to track homework completion and responsibility.  The Missing Homework Slip, though not a punishment, is one form of accountability for your child.