Weekly Update 12/12/16 - 12/16/16

The holiday spirit is alive and well within our classroom and hope the same is true within your homes! Noticing Books are full of stories about elves, Christmas trees, and visits with family, and we know there are more celebrations ahead. As we heard in Chapel last Friday, it is a season for joy and we hope you are each finding that amidst the hustle and bustle. 

This week will be no less busy, so take a look below at what we've got going on before break. 

Reader's -- Our "Nonfiction Nook" is in high demand! Now that we are off and running with nonfiction texts, the class has started to spend a portion of workshop reading non fiction as they search for "gems" to hold onto. The class has taken to this quite easily and is using Reader's Workshop as a time to learn and record new learnings in their Reader's Notebooks. We've discussed the different types of nonfiction books --- some that you pop in and pop out of, and others that are meant to be read in their entirety. This unit is equipping us for some research we will do when we return to school in January.

Writer's/Storypath -- Having published letters to you to share over Thanksgiving, we are using our skills as persuasive writers to advocate for the rainforest. Students are writing letters to various positions within local and national government, as well as to the government of Brazil. We've discussed the many gifts of the rainforest and why it's necessary to advocate that we stop mass destruction of this valuable land. We look forward to mailing these letters before the holidays! Please cross your fingers alongside of us that we get a response! 

Math -- You may have noticed our shift from geometry to numbers through recent homework assignments. The first investigation of Unit 3 has been focused on place value and learning to understand the two digits of a two digit number. We will continue to work on place value and will be using "strips and singles" to better understand the tens place and the ones place. We've learned several new games to help cement this understanding and are very pleased with everyone's work thus far. 

Word Study -- Because we are in the final stretch of school before break, we will be doing an all-class sort this week and into next week. We will be focusing on the "Bossy R" rule, which focuses on r-controlled vowel sounds (-ar, -or, -er). 

To keep things exciting, entertaining, and busy, we have a few additional things on the schedule this week and next. Mark your calendars!

• Thursday, December 15th -- Best Christmas Pageant at the Children's Theater 
• Friday, December 16th -- Holiday Celebration with InReach
• Monday, December 19th -- A visit from Mary Ottley, a Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala. 
• Tuesday, December 20th -- Lessons and Carols at 2:00 in the gymnasium. We hope to see you there! 

And finally, please see the following message regarding All Trinity Builds, which will take place January 18th, 19th, and 20th. 

If you have any of the following materials, please send them in with your child or drop them in the ATB collection boxes located near the front desk: toilet paper tubes, paper towel rolls, PVC pipe, cans, milk cartons, old keys, oatmeal canisters, tennis racquet string, plastic cording, shoe boxes, gift wrap tubes, plastic clam shells, old silverware, coffee cans, milk jugs, pie pans, bells, old pots and pans, bamboo, dental floss, straws, or a vibraphone.

Thank you all for your constant support and let us know if you have any questions!