HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

This week has been jam packed with activity!  The pups had fun going into MakerSpace and creating their Valentine's Day mailbox.  They also used the MakerSpace materials to create a self-portrait of themselves today and what they think they will look like in 100 year as well as to create a picture using the digits in 100. 

Friendly Reminders:  

1. There are still a few pups that have not paid for the field trips and Scholastic News magazine.  The total cost for everything is $28.00.  Please help us by sending in payments with your pup ASAP.  
2. The weather is crazy this time of year and pups need to be prepared with a jacket at school in the event that the temperature is lower than 45*.
3. Please check with your pup if they are in need of school supplies.  Many of the pups do not have glue sticks, pencils, sharpeners, or crayons.  

The pups have been very busy SWIRLING through math, reading, writing, and more!

In math, we have been exploring the world of GEOMETRY.  We have been discussing the MANY vocabulary words and how they are ALL connected.  We also discussed how many shapes can look different but still have the same name.  They are in the process of completing a choice menu of vocabulary, creative design, literature in math, and specials in math.  


As always, we are reviewing 


1 and 2-step story problems, addition and subtraction to 1,000, telling time, and using money.  

Please continue to help with these skill at home.  Please encourage the pups to practice math skill on Xtramath, Starfall, and Prodigy at home.  I sent home the information about logging on and setting up Prodigy last week.  



There is a lot going on in reading.  The pups have been paying close attention to how characters react and feelings change throughout stories based on events in the story.  They have also begun looking at stories through different points of view - for instance, how would the wolf explain what happened to Little Red Riding Hood?  Please continue to read with your child each day!





The pups just selected a CHOCOLATE book to read and use to explore our learning through this decadent treat.  Please ask your pup which book they selected.  If they have this book at home, they are welcome to read it and discuss it there too.  We would also appreciate any donations or sharing of the following books as we are short a few.  


       
The books we are in need of are:  
                     Hot Fudge by James Howe
                     The Chocolate Sabotage by Geronimo Stilton


Today the pups were well behaved as they listened and watched a cultural arts play about George Washington Carver and many other famous and not so famous African Americas.  In the classroom, the pups have been involved in a scavenger hunt of famous African Americans.  

We are composing a Classroom Listen, Look, and Learn poster. 

This week we took a little break from poetry as a focus in writing to focus on thinking of our friends and how they do wonderful things for us.  Each pup thought of someone that has been a TRUE friend and wrote about that friend, what they have done, and how it changed how they feel.  We have been looking at literary devices for writing poetry and how they can be used in our every day writing as well.  Be sure to ask your pup about the "Fancy Nancy and Fancy Ned" words we have learned and practiced.  We will learning a few more literary devices and then put them ALL to use in a special poetry book.  

Thank you to all of the pups that have participated in bringing in and sharing poems from home!

Our Social Studies unit about economics and money is going VERY well!   The pups are learning about minting, currency, goods and services, budgeting, and more.  As they complete their Big Book of Money, they are reading, answering questions, doing a webquest, and connecting the lessons to their lives.  
At the same time, we are using this a helpful extension to the money unit in math.  The pups are earning coins for their dojos and can save or spend them to "buy" rewards in the classroom.  They are also exchanging coins for equivalent coins.  Be on the lookout next week for information about our Enterprise Day.  This will be the culminating activity and involve pups becoming entrepreneurs in the classroom for a day.  



In the next week or so, we will begin out science unit of weather.