FEBRUARY 16TH-19TH Sunshine Smiles Reading Workshop Nonfiction Text Features This week, the SUNSHINES learned all about Nonfiction Text Features. After reading many mentor texts, they practiced finding the features in their reading books during independent practice time.They will continue to gain exposure to all types on nonfiction texts. Finding Evidence to Support Thinking The Sunshines continue to work on purposeful talk and finding proof within their thinking across academic areas. Check out the learning that is radiating from the SUNSHINE room this week! Themes of the Week: * Economics * New Word Wall Words * Nonfiction Texts Reading Groups * Telling Time Discussing Reading Goals Words of the Week: * Winter really, done, next, last, draw, beautiful, regulate learn, sister, brother, zipper, us Science/Social Studies/Health Responding to Texts 1 * In Social Studies throughout this week, the Reading SUNSHINES studied economics. They watched videos, read books, and participated in discussions about wants/needs and goods/ services. * We talked about the features of a NONFICTION text. We charted observations and notices about the books that we read in class. * We reviewed our reading goals (class and Math individual). The kids continuously have the opportunity to switch and reflect on the goals. * We continue to explore telling time. We played “STOP THE CLOCK” (you can find this game on my website under “clock games”). The kids worked on recognizing and telling time quickly (to the hour and half hour). We collaborated to make a graph that showed the information to our survey question (What time do you go to bed?) As a class, we created a title, labels, and collected the information to display the data. * We continue to work on responding to texts in different ways (orally, written, using technology). Writing * With conferences coming up next week, we wrote about our goals in each academic areas. Your SUNSHINE wrote about their strengths and weaknesses (from their point of view). I will be sharing these with you at conferences. If you do not have a conference scheduled, you will be receiving this project in your conference packet that will be sent home. * We explored drawing 3D shapes and persevered to solve the Rich Triangle Problem. Using triangles, the kids had to group them in different combinations of 5. * We did a few assessments on different skills that we practiced daily during number routines. * We continue to work on our word wall words of the week. Please see the first page of the newsletter to help your SUNSHINE practice at home. Technology * We used the computers to publish writings, read books, and practice math skills. * We reviewed the different types of texts that are written. We also talked about quality vs. quantity. . * We continue to work on handwriting and writing conventions through our QUESTION OF THE DAY. UPCOMING EVENTS AND REMINDERS * Conferences are on February 23rd and 25th. All families have received a yellow conference request sheet. On that sheet, I marked whether or not I am requesting a conference with you at this time. All families are welcome to have a conference. If I marked “no conference needed at this time,” you will still get a conference packet that goes over a lot of the learning throughout the 2nd Trimester. Don’t forget to check Progress Book weekly. Individual notes are written about your child and his/her learning. Look for these conference packets to come home next week. * Don’t forget about the Image of the Week and the February Reading Response on my website. * The DANCE-A-THON is this Friday, February 19th. It will be a “WHITE OUT” theme. Please have your Sunshine wear white on this day. * Thursday, February 25th is the end of the 2nd Trimester. There will be NO SCHOOL on Friday, February 26th. 2