This week in Mrs. Kirchner's Class!

Important dates:
12/13 Picture Make-up Day
12/14 Holiday Music program 8:45AM
12/15 STAR Reading Test
12/16 Spelling Test
12/16 Field Trip permission slips and money DUE
12/20 Field Trip to the Baltimore Aquarium
12/22 Mrs. Kirchner's last day until March 27
12/23 Winter Break begins

*Next week is a short week, so there will be no spelling. This will be our last spelling test before winter break!
Spelling Words:
1) like
2) spike
3) ride
4) hide
5) bike
6) mine
7) make
8) came
9) how
10) there

Reading Logs were handed out today. Just as a reminder, the Reading Logs should be filled out by the student and signed each night by mom or dad. Students are required to read every night. All together, they should read 60 minutes. Those who have been reading extra are receiving bonus points!
Bonus points are rewarded as follows:
80-100 minutes +1
101-120 minutes +2
121-140 minutes +3
141-160 minutes +4
>160 minutes +5

In Reading, we will be working on words with a silent "e." We will be asking what happens to the vowel in a word when there is a silent e at the end. We will look at this week's spelling words, and sound them out to hear each individual sound. This week, our spelling test will get a bit more challenging! I will not be giving the words in the same order they are written on the list. This will help us to work on knowing the letter sounds, and learning how to spell the word, rather than just memorizing it. We will have DEAR and complete a Reading Log. Many students have been meeting and exceeding the reading goal we have been setting when we conference. I am so proud to see such huge improvement the past few months! :)
We will have the STAR reading test on Thursday, so please be sure students get lots of sleep Wednesday night and a good breakfast Thursday morning. Please assure your child that this test will not impact their grade. This test is to see how they have improved. All I am looking for is that they are trying their best, and that their scores are going up each time.

In Writing, we will be looking at possessive and plural nouns. We have been reviewing how to make a word plural by adding an "s." We are also looking at how adding an apostrophe and an "s" shows something belongs to that noun. We look at the apostrophe as a big arm, pulling the next word to it, as if to say "that's mine!" For example: Dan's pencil. The apostrophe is like an arm, pulling that s closer to say that the pencil is Dan's.

In Social Studies, we will be looking at maps. We are learning about the compass and what direction we can find North, South, East, and West. We used the sentence Never Eat Soggy Waffles to remember the order the letters go. We are also looking at symbols on maps and discovering how the key helps us to understand. Eventually, students will be given a chance to create their own maps of their neighborhood. They will use a compass and key to give directions and show where to find places around them.

Please let me know if your child will not be here next week so I can give them a big hug and say "see you later" this Friday!
Next Thursday, December 22, will be my final day before my maternity leave. I will miss my students so much! I look forward to seeing them again on March 27th, and hearing about all they have learned! It is truly an absolute joy to teach each and every one of them:)