Parent's Cabin

November 21, 2010: Thanksgiving Traditions

Dear Parent,

      Tradition: The handing down of specific beliefs, customs, and practice from one generation to the next. The holidays are full of fun and exciting family traditions! I found one tradition while searching Google. This tradition is sweet, creative, and the whole meaning of Thanksgiving! I think I will be trying this out this year! Click Here! I have also attached a quick questionnaire about your family's Thanksgiving below! I am always excited to learn more about my students and their families. I encourage you to sit down with your child and fill out the form together. Discuss what a tradition is, and what makes your family's Thanksgiving special. :) Allow your child to make new suggestions about what they'd like to see happen this Thanksgiving. I also encourage you to share your favorite Thanksgiving recipe! I will compile all the recipes I receive and send them home for everyone to look through and try out this Thanksgiving! :)

Thanksgiving Tradition Questionnaire

(Technical)

November 20, 2010: Holiday Books

Dear Parent,
      It is that time of year once again! The holidays are here and in full swing! This is the perfect time to incorporate some great literature into your child's holiday celebrations. Children are more excited at this time of year than any other time, and they will be thrilled to spend some quality time reading a book about Thanksgiving or Christmas with their family (don't forget the hot cocoa and marshmallows). Spending time reading as a family will help your children develop a love and appreciation for reading! If they see you excited to sit down and read a book with them, they will be just as excited. Your child looks up to you more than anyone. Show them how fun reading can be! :)

     I have listed some great holiday books by some wonderfully, creative authors. Take some time to browse through the selection and try reading some at home during this wonderful holiday season! Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

The Very First Thanksgiving Day

The Perfect Thanksgiving

Thanks For Thanksgiving

Christmas

A Wish To Be a Christmas Tree

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Santa's Favorite Story

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer

A Christmas Carol

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies: Holiday Edition

Polar Express

(Persuasive)

November 17, 2010: Reading Logs


ATTENTION PARENTS!
      Below, I have attached your child's reading log. There is a section for boys to fill out and a section for girls underneath. Print this sheet (at the top of the image, there is a "Print" feature) out and cut the paper in half. Your child is to fill out a log every week, and it is to be handed in no later than Friday morning when they enter the classroom. The purpose of a reading log is for students to connect with the text and identify the author's purpose for writing the text, as well as identifying the main characters, plot, and events within the story. Students can write thoughts about anything that made them think during their reading. Encourage your child to critically think about the story, and help them make connections to their own life!

(Expository)

Template Home Reading Log

November 16, 2010:


Dear Parent,

    Comprehension. What an exciting word! When we think of reading, we tend to think about fluency and the accurate pronunciation of words read out loud. It is easy to forget that the overall purpose for reading is our understanding of a text and what it means. One of my goals this year is to aid in your child's development of comprehension strategies. There are two types of comprehension:


Behavioral Comprehension - Answering questions about a text by reading.


The white cat chased the mouse into the hole in the wall.

1. What is happening?
2. Where did the mouse go?
3. What color is the cat?

Cognitive Comprehension - Connecting new information to old information.


The white cat chased the mouse into the hole in the wall. 

1. What kinds of places do mice hide?
2. How many times have you seen a cat chase a mouse?
3. Why does a cat usually chase a mouse?

     Questions that get students thinking about a text will aid in their comprehension development. I have attached a short story that I would like you to read with your child. Prior to reading the story, think about the questions above. It is important that you understand comprehension and the different questions that we should ask children to think about as they are reading and comprehending a text. Try writing out some questions, both behavioral and cognitive, to ask your child. Send a copy of the questions and answers your child provides back to school with them on Monday. Place the assignment in their purple reading folder! Your child will be thrilled to read and talk about the story with you! Get creative, get them thinking, and have fun!

Sincerely, 

Miss Erin

(Descriptive/Technical)

November 14, 2010:
      Parents, don't forget to check out the Resource Page periodically! You can discover some great books, websites, and blogs! I posted an article called 25 Ways You Can Make a Difference. This article lists some great ideas to get involved in your child's learning! :)

November 14, 2010:

Dear Parent, 

      

Family literacy...1, 2, 3

Pick up a book, sit down, and read

Family literacy...4, 5, 6

Grab a pencil, write, then fix

Family literacy...7, 8, 9

Discuss phonemes, letters, and rhyme

Family literacy...it's a 10!
Oh the learning you'll see, again and 
again!

   Family literacy is so important to the development of your child. Take the time to read and write with your child whenever you can! Whether it is picking up a book or writing a story, you and your child will have fun thinking about and discussing all the exciting things that literacy has to offer! 

Sincerely, 

Miss Erin

(Poetic)

November 3, 2010: Fall Party
      This is a copy of the letter I sent home with your child this afternoon. Let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. I look forward to our exciting brainstorming meeting on November 10th!


Fall Letter

(Descriptive)

October 27, 2010: Poetry Journals

uen.org

Dear Parent,

     One element of our literacy class this year is poetry. Writing poetry is a skill that will allow your child to express themselves through words. It will help them put their emotions and feelings down on paper and ready to share with the world! Poetry will also build on their rhyme, meter, and repetition skills. 

      We will be learning about different types of poems over the next month. Each week, we will learn a new type of poem. That poem  will be assigned for the students to try out over the weekend. I will be sending home an example of the poem they are to write, as well as blank paper. The poems include:

• Acrostic - Students will have to think of adjectives that describe themselves and create a name poem.
• Couplet - Students will write two lines that end with words that rhyme.
• Personification - Students will brainstorm 3 adjectives and 2 actions about a specific animal. They will create their own personification poem about their animal. 
• Haiku - Students will practice counting out syllables and represent them with lines of the poem. 

     I am asking parents to be a part of their child's poetry writing process. This could be a great way for you and your child to talk about writing and brainstorm some great ideas together! Once your child completes the poem, have him or her read the poem to you out loud. Next, help your child check for spelling and grammatical errors. Please sign the back of the paper, so I know you read the poem with your child. 

     I will be compiling all the poems your child writes at school, as well as the poems they are writing at home. They will be making their very own Poetry Book for you to read and enjoy! :)

      Thanks for your help with this fun and meaningful writing activity! 

Sincerely, 

Miss Erin

   (Expository)

October 23, 2010: What Does Your Child Like to Do on Saturdays? 


Dear Parent,
      This is what we are going to find out in the upcoming weeks of our literacy time! :) I wanted to take the time to explain how the writing process will take place for this assignment. I think, and I hope you will too, that the writing process is one of the most important skills your child can learn. Your child needs to learn to think about a topic and brainstorm many ideas! This will lead to a thorough and well-written story. Here is a breakdown of the process:

• Students will brainstorm and construct a Flow Map. A flow map is a brainstorming activity that allows students to take a topic and come up with different ideas or thoughts that pertain to that topic. For example, this assignment is about what your child likes to do on Saturdays. They will take that topic and write down ideas and examples of what they like to do on Saturdays. Here is an an example of a flow chart one of my previous students did:

      As you can see, this student enjoys going swimming, visiting friends, and going to the park. They have brainstormed and come up with different topics they can talk about in their writing.

• Next, students will take one of the topics they came up with in their first flow map, and they will construct a flow map on one of those ideas. This allows your child to take one of their thoughts and expand on it more. This will add more details to their writing. 

      My previous student said she enjoyed visiting with her friends on Saturdays. This flow map extended her thinking to different things she enjoys doing when she is visiting with friends.

• The next step in your child's writing process is a chart that builds on the ideas they brainstormed in their previous flow map. They will take three ideas they wrote down on the last flow map, and they will elaborate more on what they mean.

      This student chose to elaborate on playing games, playing with a dog, and going swimming. These are things she enjoys doing when she is visiting with friends on Saturdays. As you can see, your child will develop an ongoing stream of ideas and details that will add to their overall writing piece. They are at the age where vivid details and examples become the most important part of their writing development. Yes, we want students to have correct grammar,  but they need to develop an understanding of the writing process and what makes a quality piece of writing.

• The next step in your child's writing process will be a rough draft. They will take all of the ideas they brainstormed and form a short story explaining what they enjoy doing on Saturdays. This is the time when I will help your child to make grammatical and structural edits to their writing.

• The last part of this process is your child's final draft. They will have taken all their thoughts and ideas and created a great story! They will rewrite their rough draft on lined paper and add a colorful and exciting picture to go alongside their story! 

      Your child will learn a lot about the writing process through this assignment. One thing I encourage at home is some conversation about the assignment with your child. Ask them about what they are doing in literacy. Encourage them to talk about their writing assignment and help them to brainstorm some great ideas and details they can add to their story to make it even more vivid and exciting! :)

(Persuasive)

October 20, 2010: 5...4...3...2...1...Storm Patrol Fun!

johninmontana.com

Dear Parent,      
   What an EXCITING day your child had today! We have been talking about weather forecasting this week and I thought it would be a great experience to have the students visit the KNXV-TV, Channel 15 (ABC) news station! Here is a little bit about what we saw, heard, and experienced:
      As we pulled up to the station, the students plastered their tiny, eager faces against the window of the bus.
            "This is where we are going?" 
            "How do they know what the weather is when they are inside all day?"
            "I think my Mom works here!"
            "I wonder if there are any movie stars inside..."
      We piled out of the bus and made our way to the front door. I reminded students to hold on to their notebooks and pencils. (We brought a list of questions to ask and plenty of room to take observational notes!)  :) As we entered the lobby, the students were very reserved and unsure of what they should do. A tall, friendly man name Tony approached us as we made our way further inside.
            "You must be the lucky class that gets to see what goes into a real, live weather forecast! Follow me..."
      The students filed in line and headed down a long hallway leading to two big green doors! There was a sign above the door that read: Silence while entering. Filming may be in progress. I saw many of the students hold up their index fingers to their mouths, motioning and reminding one another to be quiet while they enter the room.As Tony led us onto the news set, the students' eyes got HUGE! Upon entering the room, the students saw the real news set straight ahead of them. To the left, were cameras, control booths, and dozens of big monitors and TV screens!
            "Look at all the cameras!"
            "I wonder if we can go sit in the news chairs..."
            "I see the weather man's area!"
      A bubbly and excited woman named Kate approached the group and Tony bid us farewell. She took the students on a quick tour of the set. We saw all kinds of TV screens, monitors, controls, and cameras! The students got to ask Kate many questions regarding weather forecasting:
           "How many people does it take to forecast the weather?"
           "Does the weather forecast have its own set of cameras and controls?"
           "Where does all the data and weather information come from?"
           "Does the weather man have to practice before he films?"
           "What happens if the weather changes at the last minute?"
           "How many times a day do you forecast the weather on TV?"
           "How many weather forecasters work at this station?"
      These are just some of the many, many questions the students eagerly asked Kate and several other news station employees. The students even got to go down on the actual weather forecast set and stand in front of the green screen! (I will be putting up our own green screen in the classroom for students to forecast the weather for their classmates :). As the students were looking around the set, something really exciting happened!.........The weather man came onto the set! He walked over to the students with a big smile and a loud, exciting voice...
           "Hello kids! My name is Rick. How are you enjoying your first time on a real live news set?"
      The students were very excited to get to speak with Rick and ask him all sorts of weather-related, and some non-weather-related questions!
           "Rick, how long have you been forecasting the weather?"
           "Do you get nervous?"
           "What do you have to wear?"
           "What did you eat for breakfast?" 
           "Do you collect any of the weather data?"
           "What happens if you forget what you're supposed to say?"
           "Do you read off a monitor the whole time?"
           "What is your favorite thing about forecasting the weather?"
      After we talked with weather man Rick for a while, the students sat down on the floor behind the cameras. It was time for a real, live taping of Rick giving the weather forecast! The students watched and took notes about what they saw, heard, and learned during the weather forecast. (They will be using these notes for their own weather forecast videos coming up in the next couple weeks!)
      After Rick gave his weather forecast, we took a last look around and headed back to the bus. The students were all smiles and conversations the whole way back to school! The day ended with a great discussion on what we heard, saw, and learned!
      We brainstormed about our upcoming weather forecast project and the students were excited and anxious to begin filming their own forecast in front of our very own green screen! This project will allow students to use their reading and writing skills to put together a script for their weather forecast. They will learn and play with dialogues and understand how to read different types of charts and graphs that pertain to weather and weather forecasting. Students will be filmed as they give their own weather forecast in small groups. They will use charts and graphs that pertain to weather, and be able to explain information about the weather in detail, as well as work on lively and expressive language and tone.Your child's reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills will be in full force during this activity! How exciting!

You can look forward to some great weather forecasts ahead! :)

(Narrative)

October 17, 2010: Audrey Wood Books

saffrontree.org

      Audrey Wood and her husband Don Wood have written and illustrated many great children's books dating back to the time I was a young child. They offer many different languages and age levels. Here is a link to their web site to take a further look! Thanks Ashley!
http://www.audreywood.com/mac_site/clubhouse/clubhouse_page/clubhouse.htm

October 10, 2010: Mountain Math/Language

mtmath.com

      We are excited to start Mountain Math and Mountain Language in our classroom this week! These are great tools used to keep our students thinking about the mathematical and literacy concepts they are learning over the course of the year. Here is the link to the web site in case you want to see all the wonderful and exciting concepts the students will get to work with over the course of the year! http://www.mtmath.com/index2.php
Here are the kits we are incorporating into our math and literacy fun!
Math http://www.mtmath.com/index2.php?req=kits&prod=MK2
Language http://www.mtmath.com/index2.php?req=kits&prod=LK2

October 6, 2010: Parental Insight
      Are you looking for more information on the age and developmental level of your child? The Family Education web site provides you with information regarding your child's specific age/grade level. There are developmental milestones, expectations for learning, and great skill-building activities to implement into your child's time at home. Take a look, dig around, and see what you can learn about your child! http://school.familyeducation.com/
    
September 29, 2010: Welcome! 


Dear Parent,    
   Welcome to the Parent's Cabin! This is a great resource for you to keep updated with the latest news and events taking place in the classroom. Take a moment and fill out the form below. I look forward to the wonderful year ahead!