Jan. 13-17

This week we are really jumping into our Reading centers. The students and I are getting used to the routine and the learning is more and more effective each day! I think the students enjoy Reading Center time from what I have heard and seen so far.
 
This week we are focusing on letter Ee. While we are highlighting letter Ee this week it is also important that we always review the othere letters that we have learned so far. Rememeber to practice with flashcards at home, I will be sending the next page of cards home as soon as we learn all of the letters on the page.
 
In Reading this week we are reviewing rhyming words. This can be a fun thing to practice. There are many games online to practice rhyming and reading Dr.Suess books or nursery rhymes will also reinforce the skill. You could also simply give your student a word and ask if he or she knows a word that rhymes with that target word.
 
In Math this week we are continuing to work on recognizing numbers 1-10 (This would be another good thing to practice at home with home-made flashcards). We are also practicing counting out loud to 30 and making patterns. The students really enjoy the challenge of counting to 30 so challenge them at home as well. This week is also an introduction to addition and subtraction. We are keeping this very basic but learning that you have more when you add and less when you subtract.
 
Choice time is still a favorite time for students. It is a time when students can independenlty make their own choice as to what they woud like to play with and who they would like to work with. The popular choice time centers at the moment are Playdough and the tool center. Choice time is very important at this age because they are practicing social skills such as working together, sharing/taking turns, and taking responsibilty for cleaning up their own mess at the end of choice time.
 
Next week is a short week again with Monday off, keep practicing letters and numbers at home as it will show in school! Have a great week!

**Winter gear!** Even though we are getting nicer days, the wind makes it quite chilly here at Fred Assam. Also, students are not allowed on the snow or playground equipment if he or she does not have snowpants and boots. It is a good idea to send these things each day just in case. Thanks!