Homework & Spelling

 Homework

A new homework packet came home today!

Spelling

Reading Fluency

* The fluency portion is an option, but encouraged. However, the comprehension questions on the back are to be answered using a complete sentence. If you can give your child a friendly reminder making sure this is completed in its entirety I would appreciate it. Thank you!

Math Activity

Word Ladder

All pages are due on Friday! Please help your child budget out their week of work to fulfill their responsibility. Thank you!

Spelling

This week all spelling words contain the r-controlled vowel. We have previously practiced r-controlled vowels back in unit 3, and frequently going over this sound and spelling in our readers and other activities.

The five vowels sometime controlled by 'r' are:

'a' 'e' 'i' 'o' 'u'

Test is on Monday, Jan. 30

Reminders

Parent Volunteers

Please take time to see if a sign up slot works for your schedule

I would love any volunteers to help lead clubs Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:30-11:00. 

Please click the following link to sign up.

http://signup.com/go/cHvR4m

Thank you!

2nd Annual Evening of Art at Black Star Farms

An Evening of Art 

Friday, February 24

 For details on the event, please view the Evening of Art Flyer attached on out blog below. The funds raised from this event support the continuous goal of enhancing literacy instruction for all students. To register for this event please complete the online Evening of Art Registration Form. All classrooms will have a collaborative project available for auction at the event. Prints of each collaborative project will be available for purchase after the event. If you would like additional information about the event, contact Jenny Walter at: walterje@tcaps.net. 

Here is the link to register

https://events.bytepro.net/evening-of-art

Westwood Annual Winter Carnival

The Winter Carnival is Friday, January 27, 2017 from 6:00-8:00pm. 

The PTO needs volunteers after school and throughout the evening to make it happen! Please sign up to volunteer for a time slot to help make the Winter Carnival a success. 

PTO Meeting

January 24 at 6:30

Westwoods Library

All are welcome and there will be free childcare. 

Popcorn

 Popcorn Students may still preorder popcorn for the rest of the year for $4.00. Please sign up to help bag and deliver popcorn! They meet at 1:45pm on Fridays, in the Westwoods cafeteria. Thanks! 

Westwoods Fundraiser

Lake Ann Brewing Company

Wednesday, February 1

Lake Ann Brewing Company will give 20% of the days takings to Westwoods. Bring the family, meet friends, everyone welcome! Opening hours are 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm. 

Lake Ann Brewing Company is located at: 6535 First Street, Lake Ann, MI 49650. 

2nd Annual Fundraiser

Boardman Nature Center

What a fun Friday field trip we had!!

We worked hard in the morning at school, then took a well deserved trip in to town to enjoy a hike on a trail along the Boardman River and also learned more about the surrounding animals in nature!
It was a great end to great week!

With our time inside Boardman Nature Center

The students were able to explore around looking at different species, analyze their skeletons, feeling different types of fur, feathers and scales, and more!

 Imitating the owl

Students also learned more about the life cycles of fish! 

 

Length & Shapes

We have begun Unit 3: Length & Shapes

In this unit, children learn to:
Measure and estimate lengths
Relate addition and subtraction to length
Represent lengths on line plots

Reason with shapes and their attributes

Visual models and real world situations are used throughout the unit to help children understand shapes and length measurement.

Here are some of the lessons students we will be doing in class:

Concepts of Length Measurement

Attributes of 2-D Shapes

Estimate & Measure Side Lengths in 2-D Shapes

Attributes of 3-D Shapes

Tools for Measuring Length

Line Plots

Focus on Mathematical Practices

Coming Up!

Silent Auction for Carnival

The online silent auction is underway!

http://westwoodspto2017.eflea.ca/view

The auction ends next week, on Friday Jan 13th.

Parent Volunteers

I have a new sign up organized for our classroom book clubs! I would love any volunteers to help lead clubs Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 10:30-11:00. Please click the following link to sign up.

http://signup.com/go/cHvR4m

Thank you!

Field Trip

We are heading to the the Boardman Nature Center

Friday, January 13th

12:00 - 3:00

Please make sure you fill out the online permission slip for your child by Wednesday, January 11th. 

https://goo.gl/forms/LK342vxYCnjNUwqv1

We are also asking for a $7 donation from each student if possible.

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

Thank you!

Black Star 2nd Annual Evening of Art

Friday February 24

6:00-10:00pm

Blackstar Farms in Suttons Bay

The funds raised from this event support the continuous goal of enhancing literacy instruction for all students. Registration details will be in a newsletter in early 2017.All classrooms will have a collaborative project available for auction at the event. Prints of each collaborative project will be available for purchase after the event. If you would like additional information about the event, contact Jenny Walter (walterje@tcaps.net).

CKLA Unit 4

We began our next unit in CKLA!
Unit 4 is devoted to introducing more spelling alternatives for vowel sounds and tricky spellings. Vowel sounds and their spellings are the most challenging part of the English writing system! Different areas we will be covering include:

Tricky Spelling

'e' can be pronounced /e/ (pet) or /ee/ (me)

'i' can be pronounced /i/ (it) or /ie/ (biting)

'y' can be pronounced /ee/ (funny), /i/ (myth), /ie/ (try), or /y/ (yes)

Tricky Words

Words like people, walk, grownup, building and statue are introduced and pre-taught during lessons before seeing them in their reader. These are words that are not necessarily challenging, but do not follow the rules of English.

Multi-Syllable Words & Chunking

Decoding words

Syllable division

Reader

The Job Hunt: This is a fictional book.
Kim, a college student, hunts for a job. Her younger brother, Kurt, follows along as she goes from place to place in search. Kim and Kurt will visit many places in New York City as they ride the subway and walk to each location. 

Grammar

Singular & plural nouns

Common & proper nouns
Irregular plurals

Action Verbs & verb tenses

Reviewing: synonyms, antonyms, contractions, and quotations

Writing

We will begin to learn about persuasive writing, specifically how to incorporate persuasive writing as part of a friendly letter.

Homework

Welcome back!

It was a quick break, but we are ready to dive into January and gear up for a great next stretch of the school year. Which means homework packets are back and went home today. However, you will notice the students do not have new words to study this week. New spelling words will return next Monday, January 9th.

They do still have a math page, fluency/comprehension page and a word ladder to complete by Friday.

If you have any additional questions or concerns please let me know! Thank you!

Happy Holidays!

My apologies...this was suppose to be sent out before the holidays began. 
I hope all enjoyed their break! See you back to school Tuesday, January 3rd!

The last day of school before holiday break! The students had an awesome day and did an amazing job considering their excitement for the days ahead! Their last day was packed full of holiday fun with the bonus of being cozy in their PJ's collecting and spreading tons of holiday cheer! Here is a recap from the couple days leading up to holiday break!

Candy Trains

Team Peace Meeting

"Three sizes to a problem"

Christmas Activities, Stuffing Stockings & a Santa Scoot

 

 Holiday Celebration

Board Game Fun!