Wednesday, February 29, 2012

HOMEWORK 2-29-12

It's XTRAMATH night!  Get those math juices flowing and practice those addition facts.  The number of problems you are solving correctly is going up and your dot charts are getting closer to the top!  Keep up the good work!  Remember, the more you practice, the easier it gets.  You can practice ANY day from home...not just on XTRAMATH homework night.  Subtraction awaits for those of you who finish the addition.  :-)

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

CHALLENGE

Today in class we were talking about how we live in Dare County.  One of the students asked, "Why is it called Dare County?"  Excellent question!  Therefore, it is our challenge question of the week.  Research why our county is named Dare County and either bring in the answer on a piece of paper OR submit it to the COMMENT BOX for a challenge prize!  :-)

Thursday, February 23, 2012

HOMEWORK 2-23-12

We have been learning about contractions.  We know that they are formed by combining two words and that some letters are replaced by an apostrophe.  We are going to practice contractions tonight!

Play the following games:
Memory Match

Treasure Trove

Fly By

COMMENT BOX:  In the comment box, write the two words that make up each contraction:

he's, they'll, wouldn't, she'll, you're

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Quest for the Calabash

THIS IS NOT HOMEWORK!!!  For 2-22-12 homework, scroll down.

During our study of Africa, we went on a Quest for the Calabash with Anansi the Spider.  Some of the children wanted to show their families, so I thought I would send you the link.  Have fun on the quest!

Africa for Kids is another PBS site that will help your child learn more about the continent of Africa.  How are our cultures alike and different?

Read some African tales with your child.  To get to them, go to Whootie Owl's Stories to Grow By.  Beneath the owl, click on Folk and Fairy Tales from Around the World.  Follow the instructions on the search page to search for stories from the African continent.  See if they are similar to other stories you have heard. On the Whootie home page you can also go to the section for audio stories and find two other African tales; you can print them out and have your child follow along during the audio reading.

If you check out any of these sites, leave a comment so we know what you liked!

HOMEWORK 2-22-12

What's on deck tonight?  XtraMath!  Follow the instructions in the back of your book baggie and do a session of XtraMath (play until you get the 'sign out' button).  Try to make the number of happy faces go up and increase the number of green boxes you have.  You do not need to write in the comment box because we can see the reports. 

Thursday, February 16, 2012

HOMEWORK 2-16-12

We are still practicing telling time.  Reading analog clocks with a time to the half hour is still challenging to several students.  Please emphasize the placement of the hour hand (short hand) when helping your child practice.  A common mistake is for the students to think that it's the next hour when the hour hand has moved off the present hour's number.  For instance, they say that 12:30 is 1:30 because the hour hand is no longer on the 12; it is halfway between.  Please help them see that it cannot be 1:30 because the hour hand has not gotten to the 1, yet.

For tonight, have your child show you the following times on the analog clock:  3:30, 11:00, 8:30, 4:30, 6:00, 12:30, 2:30, 10:30, 7:00, 6:30.  Keep the purple circles beside the clock closed and only use them for checking (you really do not need to open them at all).

Last, play one of the telling time games from HOMEWORK 2-12-12 or  HOMEWORK 2-9-12.
NO COMMENT BOX IS NECESSARY FOR TONIGHT.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

HOMEWORK 2-15-12

Night one of online homework!  Tonight, all you need to do is go to XtraMath and practice your math facts.  No comment box is necessary.  Do your best to REMEMBER the facts rather than using your fingers.  Detailed instructions and your PIN #'s are in the back of your Reading Journal in your book baggie.

Thursday, February 09, 2012

HOMEWORK 2-9-12

Happy Thursday!  There are two parts to tonight's assignment.  Please make sure your child does both.

Now that we are telling time to the half hour, the students are needing a bit more practice.  Understanding that the hour hand is halfway between the present hour and the next hour when it's 30 minutes after the hour is a bit confusing.  Refer to last weeks assignments for some telling time activities.  The Clock Shoot provided practice with both the hour and half hour.   For tonight, have your child play Stop the Clock five to ten times.  The game keeps track of how long it takes to complete the game each time.  Encourage your child to improve his/her time each time the game is played. 

Students need to be able to demonstrate fluency with math facts to 20 by the end of the year.  In order to help students become proficient, we are using an online program called XtraMath.  It is free and tracks your child's progress as s/he practices and takes tests. 

HOMEWORK INSTRUCTIONS:  Go to XtraMath.  The instructions for how to access your child's assignment is located in the back of the Reading Journal in your child's book baggie.  Do the activity until the green 'sign out' button appears.  You may have your child use this program as often as you like.  You do not need to put a comment in the COMMENT BOX.  We can check the XtraMath site to see your child's progress.

IF you have trouble accessing XtraMath, go to AAAmath.  Practice addition for 5 minutes (to get to the practice area, scroll down until you get to the area with the blue background).  Post your score in the COMMENT BOX.  Your score will be private.  If you scroll down further, your child can get to some games.  You may want to have your child use this game as well as the XtraMath site to help build this skill.

Monday, February 06, 2012

Anansi Stories

We have been enjoying African folktales as part of our exploration of Africa.  Anansi the Spider is one of the popular characters.

Do you remember why Anansi has a big bottom

Anansi's Rescue from the River is similar to Gerald McDermott's version that we read to you.  How are the two stories alike?  How are they different?

Which Anansi story do you like best?  Can you find any others online?

Thursday, February 02, 2012

HOMEWORK 2-2-12

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!   Today in class we read about Groundhog Day and predicted what would happen when Punxsutawney Phil came out of his burrow.  Did your child's prediction come true?

We are learning how to tell time.  We are learning about the analog clock (the one with the face and hands) and how time is shown on this type of clock.  We are beginning with time to the hour, but will progress to telling time to the half hour on both analog and digital clocks.

We are trying something new for tonight's homework.  We are assigning two different tasks.  To see which assignment your child is to do, look at the top of the telling time worksheet.  If there is a purple dot, do the purple assignment.  If there is a blue dot, do the blue assignment.  If you would like to have your child do both, that is fine, but ONLY the assigned work is required.   THIS WEEK, COMMENT BOX ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE CHECKED BY THE TEACHER, BUT WILL NOT BE RELEASED FOR PUBLIC VIEWING. 

PURPLE:   Go to Telling Time.  Read and review the information on the site with your child.  Have your child record the time on the clocks and post them in the COMMENT BOX.  When looking at clocks, clock #1 would be the clock on the left in the first set and clock #2 would be on the right.  In the next set, clock #3 would be on the left and #4 would be on the right.  Follow this procedure to number each clock.  After that, play Telling Time Game.  You may also like Clock Shoot.  If you want to, you may do the blue activities also. 

BLUE:    Go to Clock Shoot.  Play as many levels as you can.  Then, go to TIME QUIZ.  Have a grown up help you make sure you are Level 1 (look on the left side of the screen).  If you score 8 or better on this quiz, try Level 2.  COMMENT BOX:  Record your best scores from Level 1 and Level 2 in the box.  Please be honest.  YOUR COMMENTS WILL NOT SHOW.  ONLY I WILL SEE THEM.