Learning To Go Mr. Avery's Class on the Web 

Our Field Trip is coming! All permission slips are due by this Thursday. Our Chaperone quota is full–thanks to all those who offered!

Also, due to the short week, our math fact quiz will be on Thursday this week!

RAZ Kids is ready to go! Reading A to Z, or RAZ, is a website that kids use to read at home and on the go. It is the most authentic means of reading done electronically that I have seen. Please see the note coming home on Monday that provides information on the site. You’ll find your child’s password attached. Students may begin using it Monday night for homework, or just because it’s fun and smart! Our subscription is graciously funded by parents via the PTO. Please take time to help your child log in so they can get started and read often. Note: You can access the site via the link above under Student Resources. If you hover your cursor over the link button, it will show our class code.

Reading Homework The goal of reading at home is to instill a lifelong habit of reading for fun and for informative purposes outside of school or work. In addition, our young readers can benefit from practicing the reading skills and comprehension strategies taught at school. The amount of time spent on reading homework will vary depending on both the level and the length of the books. Students at levels below 18 may spend less than 20 minutes reading, while those at 20 and above may spend at least that long. Feel free to supplement books from school with books from home.

In any case, the students’ job is to read; fill in the reading log each night (sent home each Monday); and return the book(s) each day if any were borrowed from school. On the last day of the week, parents sign the bottom of the log and the student returns it for credit.

Some notes:

1. The log will come home each week in paper form. If your child loses the log, you can print a copy using the link under Parent Resources above. If that’s not an option for you, have your child write the books on any piece of paper, and sign it Thursday night.
2. It’s important that students read and record the book each night. One night of reading for 1 hour per week doesn’t help them meet the goal above. Please check that they’re following the expectation until they’re independent with this routine.
3. Although you don’t need to listen to him/her read, it’s a great idea to check in with your child by asking them to answer comprehension questions about what they’ve read (see Curriculum Night packet).
4. Students reading chapter books needn’t finish them in one night (think The Magic Treehouse series). Instead, they should write down chapters or pages read in 20 minutes. One chapter book may provide several night’s reading (which is authentically how adults read!).
5. Students are encouraged to read a variety of print, such as library books; books and magazines from home; and online text such as that found at RAZ and National Geographic for Kids.

Our work with narratives continues, with a focus on Entertaining Beginnings. Consider the difference between these two story starters about learning to ride a bike: 1. I went outside. I walked down the driveway. I went to my bike. 2. I dashed down the driveway and grabbed my helmet. I was going to ride a bike on my own for the first time, and I couldn’t wait!  See how much more engaging the second example is? Students will be taught this week how to hook their readers in using actions, sounds, and questions.

In Social Studies we’ll begin to learn the ins and outs of economics in advance of our field trip. We’ll look at goods (including “wants” vs “needs”) and services. The OSV Youtube channel has some great starting points to explore economics at home with kids. Check out this example from the Tinsmith. What is the service he does for the community? What goods are produced there? Are they wants or needs? Where do we buy similar goods today?

Here’s us in action researching landforms as part of our science work on erosion: