Maps!!

Over the last few weeks, we have been studying and reading stories about maps. We have learned about some of the important features of maps, how maps work, and how they can help us. 

Here are some of the important features of maps that we have discussed:

        The compass rose:  shows the four cardinal directions on a map - to remember these four directions, you can say, "Never Eat Soggy Wheat! "

 

 

        A map key or map legend: shows what the different symbols on a map stand for - some places frequently shown on the map key include landforms (trees, rivers, lakes), roads, and public locations (airports, schools, libraries, hospitals, fire stations). 

       A map title: telling what the map is showing. This seems basic but is quite important, since different types of maps may show the same location, but for different purposes, such as a topographic map, a population map, a resource map, etc. 

Here are some map resources to help you learn more about maps:

Mapzone's Mapability - a nice interactive website to learn more about maps

Drive on the map - a cute little game where you need to use the cardinal directions to get to a destination

Videos

• There’s a Map on my Lap – A reading of the book, with the Cat in the Hat. 
• How to Read Maps Song - a fun little song that talks about map features
• Tour the States song - a song with a map drawing of the 50 states.
  
• Tour the World song - a song with a map drawing of the countries of the world

Plant parts lesson

We have been studying about plants in Science - what plants need to grow, identifying the parts of a plant, and discussing what those parts do. Here are some great resources to learn about plants:

Here are some videos to start off with.
Here is a time lapse video of a plant growing:

 
Here is a song about the things plants need to live and grow:

Here are a few links to some slideshares, which are slideshow/powerpoint presentations that give information about plants:

• Plant Needs Slideshare
• Basic Needs of Plants (Includes what the parts of the plants do)

Here are some websites with interactive activities/games for learning about plant growth

• Growing Plants game
• Plant Parts Labeling
• Plant Life interactive webpage
• Label the Plant

I hope these resources keep your child interested and motivated to learn more about plants!

Shapes

We have begun a new topic this week, and we are talking about shapes. We will start by talking about plane shapes (2 dimensional, flat shapes) and their attributes. Then we will learn about how to use our basic plane shapes to build bigger, more complex shapes and pictures. We will also be discussing solid figures (3 dimensional shapes) and their attributes. Here are a few resources for you and your child to access during this topic. 

Here is a great little video with a song to help your child practice their 3-dimensional shapes - cone, cube and sphere! Your child should be able to identify and describe each shape, so please remember to discuss with your child how to describe each shape:
Cone - has one circle face (flat surface) and a vertex (point or corner) at the top.
Cube - has six square faces (flat surfaces) and eight edges.
Sphere - is round and not flat. It has NO flat faces and no edges.
Cylinder - has two circle faces (flat surfaces).
This song is a great starting point for your child. Go around your house and have your child find objects that are cones, cubes, spheres and cylinders!

Teacher Tipster - teaches a song to remember the names of the 3 dimensional shapes - including pyramid and rectangular prism.

Here is a video that talks/teaches about three dimensional shapes.

Tying Shoes! :-)

Sorry for the lateness of this post. I had some shopping to do, and shopping with two little ones is no small task! I told all the kids I would get this posted tonight, so here it is.

We have had a lot of students struggling with untied shoes. This means stragglers at the back of our line when we are walking to class and students distracted during rug time with long laces. It is really important that if your child will be wearing shoes with laces to school, they are able to tie them well, so they are not spending long periods of time playing with their shoes.

There are different methods for tying shoes, so if your child is struggling, please consider trying a new technique to see if that will help. You can also consider purchasing some special laces, or books that help your child tie his/her shoes. You might also color the two sides of the laces different colors to make it easier. Here are some helpful resources to assist your child with shoe tying.

General tips and the standard single bunny ear method:

A fun little song with the single bunny ear method:

Tie your shoes with two bunny ears:

The fast shoe tie method! I have learned this method, and it's a bit challenging since it is a totally different way to tie, but some kids may find this method easier:

Here is one more video for the fast tie method. This video goes through this method more slowly, and is really great, but I was just a bit bothered by the fact that he says both sides the same - under and over. I would really emphasize with the kids that one side is OVER and the other is UNDER. Otherwise, this video goes through the method in great detail, and can help YOU to learn, so you can then help your child.

Hope these resources help. Keep practicing!

Busy week and Bucket Fillers

First, posting during a school day and now, posting on Sunday at midnight?! Well, just goes to show how busy this school year is proving to be! Another exciting week is about to begin. We are sending our first week of homework this week, AND sending home our first set of minibooks, AND sending home our first set of Planet Words (sight words). Please read the newsletter for info about all of these things coming your way.

Another important thing we are beginning this week is our Bucket Fillers program.The Bucket Fillers program is based upon books written by Carol McCloud. These books teach about how every person has an invisible bucket that they carry with them. When someone does something nice, your bucket gets filled with happiness and good feelings. When someone does something that isn't nice, it dips from and empties your bucket leaving you feeling sad.

This week, we will begin working toward being bucket fillers! Something we also learned is that when you do something nice for someone else and fill their bucket, it makes YOU feel good, and fills your bucket as well! So, whenever I see a student being nice or kind, I will place a straw in the bucket of that student, because they are being a great bucket filler. At the end of the week, the student with the most straws in their bucket will be our Bucket Filler of the Week!

The Bucket Filler of the Week will have the opportunity to share with the class all about him/herself. They will be sent home with an info sheet to fill out and be given the opportunity to bring in photos and items to share with the class, so that we can get to know them and learn all about them.

Please remind your child about being kind to others, and how it will make them feel good as well. We will all be working toward being great bucket fillers!!!

You can check out the Bucket Fillers website for more info:
http://www.bucketfillers101.com/ 

Updates

Posting to the blog in the middle of a school day? Yes, I'm at home right now. My two lovely kiddos are sick and they passed their germs on to me. So we are all having a sick day at home. And believe me, it is no fun staying home when you are sick and cranky and your two children are also sick and cranky. But maybe I'll be able to get a bit of work done in their quiet and mellow moments, like now!

Thank you to all of the parents who joined us at Back to School Night!  I hope the information we shared was helpful. For those parents who were unable to attend, please read through the powerpoint slides from our presentation. A lot of information was shared and we will be starting out some of the different programs soon. I will try to not inundate you all, by easing in one or two programs at a time.

We are beginning homework this coming Monday, August 26th. At that time, we will also be sending home our first Sight Words lists - the Earth Words! These words are all review from Kindergarten, so please review them with your child and if your child has already mastered them, sign them and send them back right away, to move on to the next lists. 

With the homework packet, your child will also be bringing home their minibooks for the first week. Please read each minibook three times, sign the front cover, and return the books in the envelope on Friday with your homework folder.

We will also be sending home our Endangered Class Pet on Friday with one special student. I will be randomly pulling a name to choose who will bring home our pet rhino! I will post more info about our Endangered Class Pet later in the week.

We will be beginning some of our other programs (math facts, Accelerated Reader, Daily Five Workshops, Bucket Fillers) in the next week or two, so be on the lookout!  Check back here for more info to come! Enjoy your hump day!

Welcome back

Welcome Back!!!

It's looking to be a super exciting new year! We have a lot of changes going on at Wescove Elementary School. We have a brand new principal - her name is Dr. Rochelle Johnson-Evans (Dr. Evans) and she is bringing a lot of wonderful new ideas and insights to our school! We are also jumping in to the new Common Core State Standards. Monday night is Back to School Night, and we will be discussing class rules, expectations and programs. Classroom presentations will begin at 6PM and there will be a short PTA meeting at 5:45PM. We hope to see you there!