FanS Unit News
The FanS Unit would like to welcome to our classes two new students, Kadence Brooks, a first grader, and Autumn Patterson, a second grader! They come to us from Springfield and West Rutland.
In reading, we have been working hard on becoming more fluent readers. To be a fluent reader, one must read effortlessly with expression, tone and speed. We are using plays, poetry, and choral readings to provide our students opportunities to read and reread with expression in a timely matter. In addition, school morning begins with Mrs. Bonang modeling the above skills by reading a carefully chosen book, curriculum related, that capture students’ imagination and interest.
Our students also continue to read with a volunteer community reader once a weekday morning. With our new students, we are in need of several more volunteers. If you can spare the time, thirty minutes a week, please call our school office to volunteer.
In conjunction with Cavendish’s two hundred fiftieth anniversary of their carter and our own learning about the past/present, we will be making felt balls with Pang Ting, Margo Caulfield and Sandra Stearns. We are fortunate to have very gifted community members who are willing to share their talents with our students.
In 2nd grade writing class, we have been doing some close reading that requires we look closely at words, sentences and meanings. We have been reading short stories and answering questions, as well. This week, reading specialist, David Liben, who has been working with the CTES staff this year on improving reading instruction, will be coming in to do a reading/writing activity with us on a nonfiction piece.
In science, we just finished our unit on nutrition last week. We are now starting a unit on germs and staying healthy. A very timely subject with all the coughing and sneezing we’re doing! This will include making healthy choices, such as, playing outside for thirty minutes versus playing a video game. We will also talk about not taking anything from strangers and making safe choices.
Math classes are going very well. Both first and second graders have completed their first math journal. They have taken their mid year assess-ments and copies of those are in their Friday Folders today. Please review it with your child and celebrate their hard work and accomplishments!
The FanS Unit is working hard on social skills, respecting others and not letting others bother us. There are thirty-three of us in the unit, nosiness, bickering and hard feelings greatly get in the way of learning. Please, remind your child to focus on their own work and not to over react to others. Thanks!
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