September 2, 2014                                                                                         

Dear Parents:

The start of the new school year has been a successful one.  I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know your child through activities we have done in the classroom to establish a sense of community.  I am very excited about the learning experiences your child will participate in and look forward to a productive school year.

CURRICULUM

Last week we learned the procedures and expectations of our “Daily 5” program for literacy.  Students are doing a wonderful job practicing read to self while at the same time building their stamina for reading.  They have been asking questions before, during, and after reading to set a purpose for reading, stay engaged during reading, and check for understanding.  During Writer’s Workshop, students have been learning how to write a well-organized paragraph with a topic sentence and supporting details.  This week we will begin writing focused, small moment personal narratives.  Our focus in math has been on reviewing various methods to fluently add and subtract.  These methods include place value drawings, show all totals, and expanded form.  We have also been working on “math talk” in the classroom because it is important that students be able to explain the process of their problem solving rather than just give an answer.  We began our first unit of study in Science today which is the human body.  There are many fun, hands-on activities planned in this unit to help students understand various systems within the human body.

HOMEWORK

Students are writing their homework assignments in their agendas.  Your child should be bringing home his/her math and homework binder nightly.  This binder contains his/her agenda, the green Douglas folder which will contain homework papers, and the math focus lessons for the quarter.  There is also a reading log inside the green homework folder which needs to be signed nightly (Monday – Thursday), acknowledging that your child read 20 minutes and checked for comprehension that evening. 

COMMUNICATION

 I am always happy to talk to you about any questions or concerns you may have about your child.  Please do not hesitate to send a letter, write a note in the agenda, call the school (919-881-4894), or email me at dunderwood@wcpss.net.  I think it is very important to keep the lines of communication open between home and school in order to create a positive learning environment for your child.  Folders will be sent home every Monday to inform you of your child’s progress, important events, and upcoming dates.  I am sending these home today since Monday was a holiday.  Please take the time to review the information/class work/homework with your child.  Please feel free to keep the papers in the folder other than those that specify to be returned.  I am also in the process of updating our class website.  This classroom blog will serve as another means of communication between home and school.

BOOK ORDERS

Included in today’s Monday folder is a book order from Scholastic.  These orders will be sent home often.  If you would like to order any books, please send back the order form and check by September 15.  Make checks payable to Scholastic, and please do not send cash.  We will receive classroom points redeemable for free books for orders made online using our classroom code J64DG.

HIGHLIGHTS MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION

I am also including a special school offer to subscribe to Highlights magazine.  Highlights is a fun magazine that offers activities to make children think, crafts that spark creativity, fiction and nonfiction reading, as well as games and puzzles to build learning skills.  By checking yes or no on the white form, you can help our classroom earn a free gift.

          

UPCOMING DATES

9/11 – Beginning of Grade Assessment, 9/18 – Open House (5:30 – 7:00 p.m.), 9/25 - Workday

Thank you for the classroom donations of tissues, wipes, copy paper, expo markers, etc.  These supplies are definitely needed, and I appreciate your generosity.  I am very grateful for the opportunity to teach your child.  I look forward to helping your child grow academically and develop the skills needed to function effectively in our global society.

Sincerely,

Donna H. Underwood