Campus News

Lower Division Newsletter

December 4, 2009

Junior Kindergarten

Language Arts

Children will continue with their new Alpha friends, F and A. In handwriting (HWT), we will practice the
letters, Gg and Qq. Children will continue to focus on the correct formation of the letters in their names
and proper pencil grip. Our High Frequency Words will be is and here in addition to all words previously
learned. The children are learning to learn identify the beginning, middle, and end of the story. They are
beginning to put together their high frequency words into simple sentences.

Social Studies

Children are looking at different ways the holidays are celebrated around the world. The classes will have
their holiday party after the Sing-Along on Wednesday.

Science

Students will use their five senses to examine a variety of objects.

Math

Students will continue to sort, graph, and create patterns using animals. They will begin solving simple
addition problems using their bear counters.

Senior Kindergarten

Language Arts

The children will review the story elements of characters, setting, events, and problems. Students will
continue working on blending sounds together to make words, create rhyming words , identify and apply
cvc patterns, and review vowels a, e, I, o , u. They will also work with the digraph (wh). Students will
be introduced to ABC order. Handwriting practice will focus on the letters, Pp, Ll and Vv. Students will
continue to write in their journals daily. They are brainstorming ideas, adding lots of exciting details, and
working on spacing, capitals and periods.

Science

The students will explore the world around them using their five senses.

Math

Students will continue to work on complex patterns, numbers to 50, identifying odd and even numbers,
counting backwards from 20, graphing, tally marks, counting by 5’s and 10’s, probability, problem
solving, and addition to 12. The students will be introduced to money. They will review the coins and the
amounts of each coin. They will review the term symmetry and be introduced to the fraction ½. In
Munchie Math they will use non-standard units of measure to measure candy canes. Having a set of flash
cards is a great way to reinforce the addition facts at home. We will be starting subtraction in January.

Virtues

Students will read Faith in Action.

Grade 1

Language Arts

In the next two weeks our reading strategies will focus on story elements, setting(s), main/supporting
characters, problem, and solution. We will continue to discuss fiction and non- fiction reading selections.
Our phonics and spelling will continue to focus on the bossy r, antonyms, synonyms, and double
consonant words. Our writing will focus on paragraph structure with detail sentences as we reinforce the
study of adjectives.

Social Studies

Students will begin the study of holidays around the world.

Science

We begin our mini unit on animals and will identify animal tracks. We will take a nature walk around
school grounds to see if we can find animal tracks and record our findings in our science folders.

Math

In the next two weeks, students will work on problem solving and using shapes/figures to draw and
explain their answers. We will begin to use position words such as flip, slide, and turn when sorting
and classifying solid shapes. Students will also begin to identify shapes with and without symmetry.
Math vocabulary: face, edge, corner, side, circle, rectangle, triangle, square, cube, cone,
rectangular prism, pyramid, and cylinder

Grade 2

Language Arts

Our reading theme “Around Town: Neighborhood and Community” is off to a good start. We will focus on
reviewing reading strategies while developing story elements and retelling skills. We will monitor/clarify,
categorize and classify, draw conclusions, note details, compare and contrast, and discuss fact and
opinion. Our phonics and spelling skills focus will be more practice. In writing, we will develop good
paragraphs with details, compose letters, and write stories. Our grammar will be a review of nouns,
verbs, writing complete sentences, and using exclamations, question marks, and periods. As a special
Holiday treat, we will read The Polar Express. We will have fun working on reading strategies and
comprehension skills with this story. If you have a copy of this delightful story, please bring it in so we
have several copies in the room to share with friends. This story will come to life as we experience a
Polar Express day wearing our pajamas to school and participating in Polar Express activities on Tuesday,
December 15th. We are getting in the holiday spirit with our imaginations and reading!
Social Studies

Thank you to all the parents who helped on our field trip to The Florida Pioneer Museum in Dade City.
The children were able to really imagine what life was like in a Pioneer Community. The children have
been developing their cooperative group skills by applying information about different communities of
long ago to their Pioneer Wagon and Native American diorama. Stop by to admire the wagon train and
dioramas on display in the classroom. Now we are beginning a new adventure with our favorite
characters Jack and Annie in the story Revolutionary War on Wednesday. What a great way to learn
about the early colonies of our country. We will talk about the thirteen colonies, the Revolutionary War,
and independence.

Science

What fun we had planting in our butterfly garden! We were able to find many plants suitable for the new
butterfly garden area. The children are so proud and excited to see what is happening in the gardens.
We were able to learn a little about soil when visiting Home Depot, and that has helped our inquiry of
soils, our next unit of study. We will investigate what happens when soils get wet and observe how soils
settle in water.

Math

From learning about plane shapes in geometry, we go on to learn about solid shapes. We will have some
opportunities to compare and contrast plane and solid shapes before beginning an introduction to
fractions. Of course, the students will continue to practice problem solving skills and addition and
subtraction facts. Keep up the great practice review at home.

Grade 3

Language Arts

Our current focus is inference. Character study

is an interesting way to utilize that skill. Often
times character traits are hinted at in the text.
We are deliberately noting the text that subtly
leads the reader to understand what the
characters are like. Students will continue to
read their chapter books to further practice
using the comprehension and inference skills
they have been learning.
Third grade has moved from writing fictional
narratives to writing fiction stories. We are in
the process of thinking about interesting
characters, settings, problems, and solutions.
It will be fun to read all the wonderful tales this imaginative group will create!

Social Studies

We have begun our fascinating study of the early peoples of Florida from the time of the crossing of the
land bridge known as the Bering Strait to the time of the European contact. Students are learning about
the cultures and artifacts of the various tribes.
Science

We are wrapping up the study of honeybees. Students will have a

study guide to help them prepare for the test. It is truly amazing to
see their sincere appreciation of the honeybee in our garden. It is
just wonderful! We will begin our next unit of study on rocks and
minerals with a close-up look at the earth.

Math

Students will be working on the concepts and skills of

multiplication. In order to increase quick recall of facts, we will
introduce and practice facts in class by using drills, rhymes, and
any and all tricks to accomplish our goal. Please have your child practice facts on a daily basis.

Grade 4

Language Arts

Our next focus on parts of speech is adjectives. We will be writing with adjectives, learning about the
articles a, an, and the, and understanding the usage of comparative adjectives. In writing, we will be
working through the process of writing a persuasive essay. The students will use their persuasive
techniques to convince you of either the perfect pet or the perfect gift. We continue to enjoy our time
together in reading groups. The students love to share their ideas with one another. It feels more like a
book club than an instructional reading group!

Social Studies

The students will learn about our country’s free market economy and the process of making an economic
choice. We will review and assess before the break.

Science

The students will be voting on our third

research specimen following their
thorough evaluation of amphibian
research. If you are interested in
adopting a classroom pet, they will be
available to go home before the winter
break.

Math

We begin Chapter 7 with additional

multiplication concepts. We will be
multiplying even GREATER numbers and
introducing the idea of lattice multiplication. Please reinforce the importance of working slowly to avoid
minor computational errors, working neatly to avoid number confusion, and continue studying those
facts. I recommend the use of graph paper when multiplying greater numbers for students who have a
difficult time keeping their place values in line.
Library Spotlight

Reminder: Please send in your book order form for Jane Wood's books. She will be visiting in January and
will have the autographed books for your child. If you are in need of another order form, let your child's
teacher know and we will send it home.

Upcoming Events…..

December 7 – 10, 2009

Scholastic Book Fair

December 9, 2009
JK hosts assembly – dress uniforms – 2:30 p.m.

December 10, 2009

JK to Barnes and Noble – dress uniforms – 8:40 – 10:20 a.m.
Chorus to Merrill Gardens – chorus attire - 1:00 p.m.

December 11, 2009

SK and Grade 1 to Barnes and Noble – dress uniforms - 8:40 – 10:20 a.m.
Lower Division performs at basketball half-time shows – McCormick Gym

December 15, 2009

JK trip to Merrill Gardens – dress uniforms – 9:30 – 11:00 a.m.
Fourth and fifth grade picnic – 2:15 p.m. on McCormick Campus

December 16, 2009

Holiday Sing-Along – on the Wendlek basketball court – 8:30 – 10:00 a.m.
Giraffe Club sponsors the holiday t-shirt and mismatched socks day

December 17, 2009

Marking period 2 ends
Jingle Bells Fun Run – house shirts with school bottoms
JK and SK – 9:00 a.m.
Grade 1 and 2 – 10:00 a.m.
Grade 3 and 4 – 10:45 a.m.

December 18, 2009

No classes – Teacher Professional Day

December 21, 2009 – January 1, 2010

No school – winter break

January 4, 2010
No classes – Teacher Professional Day

January 5, 2010
Classes resume