From Mrs. Cammisoli’s Desk:
SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDER: Books make wonderful gifts for kids during the holidays. I will be placing my book order earlier in the month (December 9, 2016) so that they are received in time for the holidays. If you wish to keep the order a secret please write me a note with a contact number so that I can notify you when the order arrives.
Please continue to help support your child in the following ways:
READINGHOMEWORK: Students need to read at least 15 to 20 minutes nightly. There should be 5 or more entries in their reading log on Mondays. To help your child develop their readings skills and strategies accurately, please read with your child and snuggle up.
PRODIGY HOMEWORK: Please remember that each Monday I create new assignments for the Prodigy game that reflect the learning of the week. I print out a report with student responses and use that information to review concepts students are having trouble with. Please remember to make time a few times a week to do their math homework.
Things You Need to Know:
December 2 - PA Day – no school
December 9 - Joy Day for grade 1 to 3
December 23 – Last day before Holiday Break
December 26 to January 6 – Holiday Break
January 9 – First day back to school
Inquiry Learning this Month:
This month we have been exploring our science unit about movement. During the unit students discovered many different ways we can move and how simple machines help us with different types of movements. In small groups we came up with questions or things we wondered about simple machines. Then we worked hard to find answers using books, videos and doing a few experiments. In partner groups we have been reading different books and focusing on answering our own questions. Videos have helped us to see how simple machines work and have given us a chance to make sense of how simple machines help us. Doing experiments has helped us to make sense of how simple machines affect movement (e.g., the higher the inclinedplane the more force we need; or we discovered that the placement of the fulcrum to the load (or object) affects how much force we need). During our Knowledge Building (KB) Circles we have had an opportunity to take what we have learned to discuss if some simple machines (e.g., inclined planes) are helpful or harmful to humans. We have also discussed how our movements cause simple machines to move (e.g., levers). Students are now exploring simple machines of their choice to further develop their own knowledge.
Language Expectations:
In Reading, we continue to work on the following:
  • Our focus is on reading and identifying important information
  • Students read short paragraphs (2-3 sentences) and use the title and illustrations/diagrams with labels to determine what information is important
  • Students are working on writing the main idea in their own words
Writing:
  • Generating ideas about topics
  • Students are writingpersuasive paragraphs bystating their opinion, that include convincing ideas with supporting details and a closing sentence
  • They are adding adjectives to enhance their writing
  • They are using CUPS (Capitals, Understanding the sentence, Punctuation and Spelling) to help them to edit their own work
WordActivities to do at Home:
-Please review the words with your child (found in their agenda) using a variety of methods:
-write the words in sentences
-orally spell words outloud
-look for the words in their nightly reading books
-write the words on cue cards and practice reading them (eventually you will have a pile of words)
Math Expectations: Measurement
Time:
  • Students will tell and write time to the quarter hour, using digital and analogue clocks
  • They will construct tools for measure time intervals in non standard units (e.g. a bottle of water takes 10 seconds to empty)
  • Determine through investigation the relationship between days and weeks and between months and years
Mass and Capacity:
  • Students will estimate, measure and record capacity and mass of an object, using non standard units (e.g., the stapler has the same mass as my pencil case, or my pencil is 10 cubes)
  • Compare and order a collection of objects by mass and capacity using non standard units (a coffee mug holds more that a soup can)

In our Structures and Mechanism Unit students will explore these big ideas:
  • Movement is a change in position of an object
  • Simple machines help objects to move
  • Mechanisms are made up of one or more simple machines
  • Simple machines and mechanisms make life easier and/or more enjoyable for humans