Home Learning Procedure Update

Good evening!

       I just wanted to take a moment to update everyone on my new home learning procedure. I am trying to find a way to streamline the process for both the students and myself. Last year I had the students tear out their math sheet every day and I had them write their spelling on loose leaf paper. Long story short, it was a big mess of papers, lost home work etc. and I didn't find it very effective to say the least. This year, I thought I would try housing all of the home learning in one place for each math and spelling. I originally had intended to send the math workbook and spelling notebook home daily, but I realized after one day that this is a lot of responsibility for the kids to remember both books every day and to take them back and forth from home to school...not to mention that I need to find time to check them all :) In any case, the students and I voted today to send home the workbook and notebook every MONDAY and the completed home learning for the week will be due to me every FRIDAY to be graded for completion. Hopefully, this system will work out well. I will still continue to assign daily home learning and expect students to do their assignments on a nightly basis. Leaving all of the work for Thursday evening will not promote good learning habits for their future, so please help me in encouraging them to complete home learning nightly.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Spelling Words Week of 9/29

Hi Parents!

       Welcome to our first week of spelling words. Your children took a pre-test today with words from our Houghton-Mifflin curriculum. If your child scored 11/12 or 12/12 words correctly, they will be practicing the advanced spelling list, "list A", for this week. If your child scored 10/12 or less, they will continue to practice the words from the curriculum, "list B,"  to strengthen their understanding for the test on Friday. This week's words focus on short "a" and short "i" vowel sounds. Each week, your child will receive 12 regular spelling words plus five bonus words. Two bonus words are standard, but I like to call the additional 3 words "super challenge words." They are simply a challenge and I realize they may be difficult at times. I do like them to practice all 17 words in their home learning, but most importantly, your child should learn their 12 words for the week before completely prior to focusing on challenge words.  I give one bonus point for each correct challenge word for a total of 5 points. If a child misses a regular word, but gets a challenge word correct they still only get 1 pt. additional, and the correct challenge word will NOT replace the missed word from the regular list.

Spelling Home Learning for the week is as follows:

Monday: ABC Order
Tuesday: Spelling Sentences
Wednesday: Pyramids
Thursday: Spellingcity.com to practice for Friday's test

Spelling List A
apple
rabbit
patch
glad
plant
mask
trap
milk
drip
slid
twins

*scratch
*picnic
*hungry
*dairy
*balanced


Spelling List B
bag
win
is
am
his
has
ran
if
dig
sat
was
will

*scratch
*picnic
*hungry
*dairy
*balanced


Also, I did assess all students on the Words Their Way Inventory that I mentioned in last week's word press. I am in the process of scoring each test and will introduce word sorts for each child's needs once I have them leveled correctly. This may take some time so bear with me as I get this program established in our classroom.

As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions. Happy spelling!

Ms. Walker

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