EXCEPTIONAL!!!

This post title describes how well our first community field experience went.  Scientists were attentive and well behaved.  They enjoyed our activities and learned too. The weather also cooperated with our walk to UMC campus. You can view some pics of our experience at Ellis Library and Peace Park in the 2016-2017 CPBL link to the right.  Below is a snapshot of our current learning focus in each subject and some special announcements.  I am also updating the Important Dates section as we solidify plans for more community field experiences.

Reading:  Besides getting in to our chapter book read aloud, The Phantom Tollbooth, we had time to check out books this week and get used to our Reading Workshop routine.  Readers also took a computerized reading test called the STAR.  These scores are used as one measure to gauge a reader's progress and I will share them with families throughout the year.  Next week, we will continue practicing the structure of our independent reading routine.

Writing:  Writers this week focused on their I AM sketch.  This work will be paired with a descriptive, autobiographical I AM poem.  We will work on drafting our poems next week and take a spelling inventory to start our word study program.

Math:  This week in math we investigated place value in various stations.  Each student also received practice sheets to prepare for our math assessment on place value.  Students will be tested over place value and comparing with whole numbers to the millions and decimals to the thousandths.

Social Studies:  Cartographers worked on their World Maps this week.  Next week, we will look at more geographical concepts and begin our Island Close Up Maps.

Science:  In science this week, we prepared for our first community field experiences, did a field guide scavenger hunt, and went through binocular training at Stewart Park.  Next week, we have 2 more community field experiences: Flat Branch/MKT on Thursday and DBRL library on Friday.

Special Announcements:

Please join us on Thursday, September 1st for our all-school potluck.  Bring a dish to share and enjoy getting to know other Grant families before spending some time with your student’s classroom teacher for Back to School Night.  The potluck is on our playground from 5-6:15 pm.  Following the potluck, families will move into the gym for staff introductions and a greeting from the PTA.  From 6:30-7:15, families are encouraged to go to their student’s classroom to learn about the upcoming year of instruction and focus.  In case of bad weather, we will hold the potluck in the cafeteria.  We look forward to seeing you all there!

Blues in the Schools at Grant and the Art & Blues Night at Grant are just around the corner.  Please bring your donations for the Silent Auction to the Grant office ASAP to help continue to fund our blues residencies.  Some popular auction items include but are not  limited to:  artsy items, jewelry, gift cards for restaurants, baskets of products, homemade bread, homemade craft, etc.  Drop your item off in the office and be sure to get a thank you receipt.