What's Keeping Us Busy...

The cold weather certainly has not frozen the desire for learning in our classroom!  In math we have been working with patterns and ratios.  We have used linking cubes and pattern blocks to help us see the relationship between numbers in patterns.  We have also practiced filling in charts called "tables" and learned how to interpret the data that we have.  We continue to re-visit addition and subtraction strategies, as well as working with coins and telling time.  In the next couple of weeks we will focus more on adding and subtracting -- this time within 100.  We will spend more time on looking at numbers as ones, tens, and hundreds.

One of the new things we are trying as a part of our Reading Workshop is really focusing in on a "good fit" book (choosing it as an "Independent Read" book), and using a Reader's Notebook to record our thoughts, comments, questions, connections, and any other idea that comes to mind as we read.  This has really helped us to think about our reading and make good use of our reading time!  We have explored several biographies this month, and I cannot wait to see the students' presentations that they have done for their Reading Response.  Your child will bring home directions next week for conducting an interview.  We will then use the information from the interview to become authors of a biography!  This is a great way to participate in the connection between reading and writing.

Our main focus in Social Studies has been around Presidents Lincoln and Washington.  Once we wrap up our unit on concepts around our government and leaders, we will move on to a mapping and geography unit.  Specifically it will be our goal to look at the influence of geography on communities and the relationship between geography and industry or trade.

The month of March will also be a time for beginning a physical science unit on the movement of the earth and moon, water, air, and weather.  These concepts will also be explored throughout April.

Don't forget, Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up in March.  Please be sure to sign up for a time for March 20 or 21.  I look forward to seeing you all then!