Reminders

Students brought home a couple important documents in their communicators last Friday. 

Homework Packet

Students have three different pages to complete over their three half day breaks.

Please remind your child to have this back to school by
Tuesday, January 27th. 

Scholastic Book Order

A Scholastic Book Club Order came home with your child. Please take a look to see if there are any books you would like to purchase.
Please have ALL orders back to school by Friday, January 30th. 
I will be placing the order that weekend to get any Valentine books here by the holiday.

Please keep in mind you are welcome to place on online order as often as you like, whenever you like. If you are doing on online order I do not need any paperwork from you.
Our class code if HFPT3.
Scholastic will send me an e-mail to confirm that will then process your order. 

Let me know if you have any further questions or concerns. 

Due to us not having a homework packet last week, I was not able to put two birthdays on our homework cover schedule. 

January 23rd - Happy Birthday Mariah & Claudia!

Westwoods Carnival

Math In Focus

We have begun Chapter 3 in Math:
Subtraction up to 1,000

Students are learning two different types of multi-digit subtraction:

Basic Subtraction without regrouping

Subtraction with regrouping

Students will use a variety of strategies to solve three digit subtraction. These different strategies will reinforce understanding of how to subtract multi-digit numbers and also regroup in different place values of ones, tens and hundreds.

Reminders

Homework Packet

Students will NOT have a homework packet for these 2 1/2 days so you will NOT see this coming home in their communicator today. Instead, they will be bringing home a couple different activities to do over the 3 1/2 day break to have back on Tuesday, Jan. 27th. Look for this coming home on Thursday. 

Spelling

New words are coming home for students. I have changed it up a bit for some students, so I won't be posting lists on the blog anymore due to the variety of lists. If you need another copy of your child's list please send me an e-mail or note and I will make sure to get you one. 

Students will test on this new list Friday, Jan. 30.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Thank you!

Short Week

Thursday is a half day

dismissal @ 12:12

NO SCHOOL Friday

Chess Club

Chess Club begins Monday, Jan. 26th and will continue every Monday during the students lunch period. This is an alternative to going outside for that one recess. 

If you are interested in volunteering please contact Izaak Kramer

krameriz@tcaps.net

POPCORN

Volunteers are needed to pop corn each Friday morning for Westwoods. Please go to the follow website to sign up for a corresponding day that works if you are willing and able. 

 http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4daaac2ca5fd0-volunteers

Thank you!!

MLK Day

Today the students did two different activities in reading and writing to learn more about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and how he impacted peoples lives and society.

During reading the students paired up and read through an informational text about Martin Luther King, Jr. This taught the students who MLK was, how he helped others, his dream, and his final years.

As a class we discussed the different events in Martin Luther King's life. Students then created a timeline covering the most important events of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life. 

During writing, students watched a three minute video on Martin Luther King, Jr. Then created a poster about what he dreamed and hoped for. They also told how they would keep his dream alive and what all MLK taught them. 

Library changes

Today library changed a bit for the students. I wanted to inform you of the changes as well. 

Students will no longer be checking out books for people at home to read to them. Instead, they will only be checking out books that are at their level to read to themselves or to read to another person. 

Students are also focusing on non-fiction and informational topics in both reading and writing in the classroom. Due to this, for the next couple of weeks they will be checking out books to use during readers workshop and writers workshop. Which means library books will NOT be coming home, and only be used in the classroom. Today all students that were able, checked out two non-fictions texts and will be using both to research through and jot notes from. Those notes will then be applied to their writing later that day.

I do feel these couple changes will help your child academically in the classroom and will better their success as a student. 

If you have any questions or concerns about the recent changes please let me know. Thank you for your continued support and understanding!

  

Writing to INFORM

Informational text is written to INFORM the reader! 

Students have been brainstorming different topics that interest them. These could be topics that they know a little or a lot about. Topics that are chosen are being researched through books in our classroom and school library. Notes taken are applied to their writing and used to develop an informative text. 

Students are introducing topics in their writing with an appropriate beginning that attracts the reader. They are learning to use different kinds of information to add in the important details (facts, definitions, steps, definitions, and tips). 

They are loving this unit so far and wish they had more time to write! 

Non-Fiction: Two-Way Traffic!

 * Reading response page to record evidence that connects to the main topic. What different ideas, facts, and questions came up when you were reading? 

* Different pictures we use in non-fictions texts that help to better understand the topic. 

Last week we started back up on Non-Fiction reading, and are going strong into this week. We are focusing not only on reading the text, but studying and reading the pictures. We figure out how these pictures connect with the main topic and give a better understanding of what we are learning. Students are using pictures in their text to be another tool to provide evidence that connects to the main topic.

Non-fiction is not a one way highway. We don't just take the text in, we come out with questions, ideas, and new and/or interesting facts in response. It is two-way traffic. Students are jotting down all the thoughts and questions they have as they read, growing big ideas as they go!

Reminders

We will give coming back to school another try!

Spelling

Due to the short week last week, we will NOT be having our spelling test on Monday. Instead, we will test on Friday (1-16). 

A new list will also be sent home on Friday (1-16) with a list of new words...hopefully not contractions :) Due to the short week to follow, we will not test on the new list until Friday, Jan. 30th.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns. Thanks!

Homework Packets

I am expecting homework packets from last week to be returned Monday, if they weren't handed in last week. With the two days off for snow days, students were given that extra time to get 'at home' work done. A new homework packet will be given on Monday, like normal. 

PTO Meeting

Tuesday, Jan. 13th

Westwoods Library

Mrs. McNitt Absent

I will be in an all day meeting at East Middle School. I will return back to WW on Friday, Jan. 16th. Students have a returning guest teacher, Mrs. Monette. Students know and love her...she is GREAT!

Winter Gear

Please help your child to remember their winter attire for outdoors. As you have seen, it is cold! Students will need the following for recess:

winter coat

snow pants

warm mittens/gloves

hat that covers their ears

winter snow boots

(scarves also help to protect their faces and necks)

Our room and school has a tendency to be a little chilly. Letting your child bring an extra sweatshirt or sweater to keep in their backpack or locker would be a good idea to stay bundled and warm.

New Math Curriculum

Hello Families!

We are excited to share that Westwoods Elementary School has begun to pilot a Math program called Math In Focus by Houghton Mifflin.  This program was selected due to research studies that showed significantly higher student achievement when using Math In Focus.  The program is Singapore Mathematics based and over 20 years of research. 

It offers many hands on lessons, activities, and games, with a large variety of manipulatives to connect learning. Students are also given their own math textbook and workbook to use. Math In Focus uses a visual approach to learning, where students progress from concrete, to pictorial, to abstract when introducing new concepts and building on previous knowledge. Many of the chapters the students will work through include building strong number sense, place value, and problem solving. This includes an in-depth learning of concepts and skills, as well as fluency with word problems, math drawings, and algorithms.

All materials have finally made it into our classroom! We are very excited about using this program, along with the additional support and extension activities it provides. To keep you connected at home:

-      Our blog will post different activities we are doing in the classroom to keep you continuously updated.

-      Letters/notes will be sent home and/or posted on the blog each time a chapter is complete and when a new chapter is ready to begin.

-      Students work will come home periodically; however our work is not divided into separate units. Instead, the students have two workbooks over the course of the year.

* Due to Math In Focus beginning in our classroom, we are not continuing the old curriculum of Investigations. Which means the unit we were preparing to begin was not needed anymore. Old math packets are being sent home to use as extra practice. This can stay at home and does not need to be returned to school.

* Please also send back student Investigation handbooks that were handed out at the beginning of the year. This will no longer impact your child’s learning and will not connect with the daily learning routine of our math curriculum. Thank you! 

Please note: Two other TCAPS elementary schools are piloting two other Math programs.  This will allow our district to evaluate the merits of each program and make an informed decision about the future of our Math curriculum. 

Westwoods Elementary staff is committed to working with students and parents to help all students develop strong skills. If you have any additional questions or comments please see me or contact our principal, Ms. Jessie Houghton.

Thank you for your continued support! 

Spelling List

Spelling lists are coming home today for the week. I am going to also give them the weekend to study and practice their words, so the test will be on Monday, Jan. 12. You might also notice the list theme is "contractions." Similar to the spelling list before break. Many students had a hard time understanding the concept of contractions and I wanted to give a second dose of this. We have also been doing extra supplemental work on contractions to increase our understanding and to also be able to use it in our writing and reading. Students agreed this was something to continue working on!