We are working hard on our reading skills. It is fun to hear the students share the reading strategies they are using with each other. Our final strategy is “Tryin’ Lion”.
Sometimes when we come to a really tricky word we still might not be able to figure out. When we’ve tried all of the other strategies we can use Tryin’ Lion. He tells us to just try a word that would make sense and keep on reading.
Visit http://www.scholastic.com/ and enter the code N8TKQ to order books using the ordering system for our class! This is a great resource to keep your home library stocked with great books for your budding reader! Place your order and make your payment online. Unfortunately, we are not able to accept cash or check for book orders due to school policy. Worksheets: Please complete every other problem (alternate between evens and odds so your child gets practice doing story problems AND “Vocabulary Check”/ “Test Practice” problems each week). If your child wants to do every problem they are certainly free to do so! 🙂 Please check your child’s answers for accuracy!
With the fluency timing in the plastic sheet protector (Introducing “Adding Five’s”), use a dry-erase marker to practice repeatedly. Record your best time and score each day. [By the end of first grade, the target goal is to finish all 25 problems in 1 minute and 15 seconds, with 90% accuracy (23 out of 25 problems correct).] If your child frustrates too easily because it takes too long to complete, have them practice for 2-5 minutes (you can be the judge) and write down how many they finished in that time. Encourage your child to keep improving on their own score. Click here for extra timings: Fluency Timings
For extra practice, utilize any of these math-fact-activities. There is also a copy provided in your blue folder.
Helpful Hint: Here’s how we’re learning to Add Four’s and Five’s
4 + 0 = 4 When you add zero to any number, the sum is that same number
4 + 1 = 5 Start on 4 and count on 1 more
4 + 2 = 6 Count on 2 more
4 + 3 = 7 Count on 3 more
4 + 4 = 8 Make a mental picture & memorize this doubles fact (Picture a spider with 4 legs on each side and 8 legs total)
4 + 5 = 9 If you know 4 + 4 = 8, you know 4 + 5 is one more, so it equals 9 (We call this a near doubles fact)
4 + 6 = 10 We memorize this fact (Eventually, we memorize all the facts that “Make a Ten”)
5 + 4 = 9 (Use 4 + 5 = 9 above) -OR- If you know 5 + 5 = 10, you know 5 + 4 is one less, so it equals 9 (We call this a near doubles fact)
5 + 5 = 10 Make a mental picture & memorize this doubles fact (Picture 5 fingers on each hand for a total of 10 fingers)
PRINT THIS HOMEWORK FORM to complete the following 4 tasks: weekly-homework-form (The Homework form has been changed slightly so make sure this is the one you are using)
Below is an example of how the returned homework should look: 
2-Reading 20 minutes per day, record reading minutes on our Weekly Homework form. There are several sources for reading: books from home, the public library, reading fluency assignment below, and our online reading program: Raz-Kids. Our class login is: anelson74 Password (if requested): rams
Parents, 
Our tool box of reading strategies is filling up. We have added “Chunky Monkey”, he helps us look for chunks we know. Like “key” in monkey and “ing” in sing. We are practicing the reading strategies in our daily reading. We can ask ourselves, does it sound right, does it look right, and does it make sense.
This week we introduced our first reading strategy, EAGLE EYE. When reading if you don’t know a word, what can you do? Look at the pictures for a clue. 
We are excited to utilize the Scholastic Reading Club program in our classroom this year. Ordering books for your children through this program gives our class points towards free books that your child will utilize in the classroom throughout the year.
Here is a quick glimpse at our upcoming homework start dates:
LUNCH 