Valentine’s Helpful Hints:

1. We have 18 students in our class (if students choose to bring Valentine’s to share, please make sure they bring one for everybody in the class).
2. Only write who the Valentine is FROM. Do NOT address Valentine’s to each student (this will help the students distribute their Valentine’s faster).
3. Each student will be decorating a bag in class to collect their Valentine’s in.
4. Students are able to bring a store-bought wrapped treat/candy for their peers on Valentine’s Day. These treats will be sent home to be consumed under parent supervision. Non-food Valentine items are wonderful as well! A permission form will be posted in the next couple weeks.

2nd term grades are available in Aspire. You can view the overall subject grade under “Unofficial Report Card”. For detailed scores by individual standards go to “Complete Progress Report”.  For Citizenship go to “Citizenship Log”.  (Make sure you have selected Term 2). Congratulate your child on their hard work!

(For more detailed instructions on using Aspire follow this link)

Looking Ahead:

• January 17: 2nd Term Ends
• January 20: No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• January 27-30: Quest Book Fair
• January 29-30: Parent Teacher Conferences
• January 31: NO SCHOOL

Here’s a quick overview of new things we learned this week:

Comprehension strategy/skill: “Reread”/”Topic and Details”. We read different stories to go along with our theme “How do living things change as they grow?”

New High Frequency Word: “are”

New sound/spelling/handwriting: /e/ Ee

Vocabulary: develop, amazing, enormous, imagine, content

Math: Lesson 14 “Compose and Decompose 10”. We’ve also been working on one of our standards to fluently add and subtract within 5 (numbers in the problem and answers are 5 or less). You can help us achieve this goal by practicing these math facts with us. Click here for flashcards you can print at home: Adding/Subtracting Flashcards. To be considered fluent, students need to answer 25 problems within a minute. (Flashcards include adding and subtracting within 10, which is also a standard, but we first practice for fluency within 5).

Science: This week, we learned about animals and their survival needs. Our lesson was called, “Why does a woodpecker peck wood?” We learned how every animal has the need to find food. When we see animals in the wild, very often they are looking for food.

One of our dedicated teachers, Alyssa Hill, along with her husband, are embarking on a humanitarian trip to Kenya this summer. During their journey, they will use their educational skills to teach and support a local village in need. To help make a difference, they are organizing a clothing drive to raise funds for vital projects and supplies that will benefit hundreds of people in Kenya. The drive will take place all day on January 17th, and we’d love your support! Donations will be accepted at Q2 anytime on January 17.

In addition to all types of clothing; bedding, pillows, towels, curtains, and purses are also accepted. Thank you for your support.

Looking Ahead:

• January 14-15: Middle of Year Testing (Letter Naming Fluency, First Sound Fluency, Number Identification Fluency, Next Number Fluency and Beginning Quantity Fluency/”Dominoes”)
• January 17: 2nd Term Ends
• January 20: No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• January 29-30: Parent Teacher Conferences
• January 31: NO SCHOOL

Here’s a quick overview of new things we learned this week:

Comprehension strategy/skill: “Reread”/”Character, Setting, Events”. We read different stories to go along with our theme “What do living things need to grow?”

New High Frequency Word: “my”

Phonics:blend and isolate sounds in CVC words. New sound/spelling: /h/ Hh

Vocabulary: require, plant, harmful, soak, crowd

Math: Lesson 6 “3D Shapes and Weight”. We’ve also been working on one of our standards to fluently add and subtract within 5 (numbers in the problem and answers are 5 or less). You can help us achieve this goal by practicing these math facts with us. Click here for flashcards you can print at home: Adding/Subtracting Flashcards. To be considered fluent, students need to answer 25 problems within a minute. (Flashcards include adding and subtracting within 10, which is also a standard, but we first practice for fluency within 5).

Science: Introduction of our animal unit: In this unit, students use observations to understand the basic needs of animals. Students explore how animals need things to eat and a safe place to live, and also how animals can change their environments to meet those needs.

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday, January 29 and Thursday, January 30.  Please note: There will be no school on Friday (January 31).

Your child has a special presentation to share with you! Please select the date and time that is most convenient for you and your child to attend together. Please sign up by clicking the following link: Conference Sign Up Form

Thank you!

Google Calendar Hint: Make sure your Primary time zone in Google Calendar is set to “Mountain Time – Denver”.

(To check, click on the gear icon found at the top of Google Calendar, click on “Settings”, then look for “Time zone”)

We are now beginning Unit 5 in Language Arts. Here are the power words, oral vocabulary words, letters, and sounds we will be mastering during this unit. We are continuing to work on handwriting and blending sounds to read words. We are reading decodable passages and recording our reading on SeeSaw.

Thanks to all the parent volunteers for helping with our winter party! We had so much fun! And thank you so much for the thoughtful and generous gifts! We appreciate your kind support! Hoping you all have a wonderful holiday with your families! See everyone back on Monday, January 6th.

I reminded students about their reading challenge and to keep their brains sharp over the break by continuing to practice the skills we’ve been working so hard on! 🙂

Looking Ahead:

• December 16-January 5: Winter Break- No School
• January 13-17 Middle of Year Testing (Letter Naming Fluency, First Sound Fluency, Number Identification Fluency, Next Number Fluency and Beginning Quantity Fluency/”Dominoes”)

Here’s a quick overview of new things we learned this week:

Comprehension strategy: “Ask and Answer Questions”/”Key Details: Time Order” . We read different stories to go along with our theme “How can people help to make your community better?”

Review High Frequency Words: to, and, go, you, do

Phonics:blend and isolate sounds in CVC words. Review sound/spelling: /i/ Ii, /n/ Nn, /k/ Cc, short /o/ Oo, and /d/ Dd

Vocabulary: community, improve, confused, harvest, quarrel

Math: Reviewed Counting to 100 and Adding & Subtracting within 5.

Science: We loved learning more about forces from Discovery Gateway Children’s Museum!

Forces and Engineering: We explored ways to invent a trap and a machine that can do chores.

Looking Ahead:

• Thursday, December 19: Free Dress Down Day. Students are welcome to wear comfy pajamas today!
• Thursday, December 19: Discovery Gateway comes to Quest Kindergarten classes
• Friday, December 20: Class Winter Party and Free Dress Down Day. Students are welcome to wear an “ugly” sweater today!
  • Winter Party Volunteer Sign Up
  • Winter Party Treat Permission
• December 23-January 5: Winter Break- No School

*Elementary Yearbooks on sale now click HERE. (Elementary – Yearbook ID: 15110625)

Here’s a quick overview of new things we learned this week:

Comprehension strategy/skill: “Ask and Answer Questions”/Characters and Setting . We read different stories to go along with our theme “Who are your neighbors?”

New High Frequency Word: “do”

Phonics:blend and isolate sounds in CVC words. New sound/spelling: /d/ Dd

Vocabulary: cultures, appreciate, prefer, tradition, proud

Math: Lesson 17 “Count within 100″ (by 1’s and 10’s) continued.

Science: This week, students learned a key idea about forces: how pushes can change the direction and speed of an object’s movement. We learned how some mountain towns in danger of landslides can build structures to protect themselves from falling rocks. Students designed and tested their own solutions to re-direct falling boulders away from their town and toward a waiting dump truck.