Dear Parents,
Today we will begin our new thematic unit, Earth and Space. We will explore our familiar world on planet Earth, identifying the components that make up our abundant planet. We will travel beyond Earth’s limits and proceed into the Solar System. Our field trip to the Planetarium will reinforce concepts of the Earth’s rotation, day and night, and directions.
Listed below is our integrated language arts (ILA) content:
We will focus on the following ILA outcomes: Use story events to predict the ending of the story Identify the beginning and ending of the story Use 4 events to tell a story Retell a story in correct order Write to express an opinion and illustrate the text Read own writing and add to it Use print conventions such as period, spacing, and stretch spelling Respond to peers’ writing with questions, compliments, and comments Use a Writer’s Checklist to evaluate writing Identify and apply letter combinations in our writing (-ck, -ing, -er, and -s) Identify, read, and write sight words in context (read, there, he, look, get, want, and where)
Our Songs for this unit include: Theme Song: Wonderful Place Movement Song: Rock, Water, and Air Old Favorite: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
In math we will work on the following processes and skills: Number and Numeration Compare sums of dice throws. Count on from various numbers. Count backward from various numbers. Count beyond 100. Read numbers. Count by 10s and 1s. Estimate the number of items in a collection. Represent numbers with manipulatives as 10s and 1s. Use craft sticks to find and represent equivalent names for numbers. Write 1-, 2-, and 3-digit numbers. Count forward. Write numbers as 10s and 1s. Read 2-digit numbers and represent them with manipulatives. Recognize 2-digit numbers as combinations of 10s and 1s. Compare numbers. Put nonconsecutive numbers in ascending or descending order. Use objects to represent equivalent names for numbers. Use drawings to record equivalent names. Count by 10s and 1s. Use craft sticks to exchange 1s for 10s and 100s. Recognize numbers as combinations of 100s, 10s, and 1s. Operations and Computation Add numbers from dice throws using various strategies. Add and subtract items from a game board. Explore the difference between addition and subtraction. Measurement and Reference Frames Make exchanges with pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. Explore the characteristics of the quarter. Learn about the value of the quarter. Use counting to time an event. Develop a sense of the length of an hour. Notice the “o’clock” times on an analog clock. Patterns, Functions and Algebra Use the + sign to represent equivalent names for numbers. Notice number patterns. Recognize and use the + and – symbols. Compare patterns and identify the patterning rules. Apply patterning rules to create and extend patterns.
Our thematic unit block (social studies) outcomes are: We live on planet Earth which is made up of land, water, and air. The Earth is a sphere. A globe is a model of the Earth; it shows the Earth’s major natural features. The Earth has natural features such as mountains and valleys, and human features such as roads and bridges. A map is a picture of a place. A map can show both natural and human features of a place. Every place has a location. Position words tell the location of places. We depend on the Earth and its resources to live, so we work hard to take care of our resources. We recycle to conserve our resources, and we replace the resources that we use. The Earth is constantly changing in predictable ways; this affects the way we live. Day changes into night; night gives way to day. Cold weather changes into warm weather and back again. Daily and seasonal changes influence how we dress and what we do. Scientists study and explore the Earth and Outer Space. Explorers from many different backgrounds have made discoveries which have added to our understanding of planet Earth and Outer Space.
The following websites support our Earth and Space unit:
Consider downloading Google Earth on your home computer – it’s free! Visit http://earth.google.com for information. Travel to locations all over the world, or identify your own house on your street. Find the Statue of Liberty in New York City, or the Eiffel Tower in France. The world awaits you!
If you haven't already done so, please complete the Planetarium field trip permission form and return to school as soon as possible. Parent volunteers are not needed to chaperone this trip.
We encourage interested authors to take advantage of the Jarrettsville Elementary School Publishing Company. Please continue to practice the following concepts with your child:
Bobbie Hinman, author of The Knot Fairy and her newly released The Sock Fairy, will visit our classrooms Wednesday, May 7th. On May 10th she will be promoting her new release at Barnes and Noble in Bel Air. Books will not be sold during her visit to JES. The children are encouraged to wear mismatched socks on May 7th.
Does your career or hobby relate to our current theme? Consider sharing what you know with us by visiting our classroom as a guest speaker or planning a theme-related lesson or hands-on project. We’d love to have you join us. Please save and send to school as they become available:
You can contribute to your child’s early school success by checking homework, reading theme-related books together, listening attentively as your child talks about school activities, and enjoying theme-related experiences together. Please send photos of your child participating in theme-related activities for inclusion in the Earth and Space Photo Album.
Proper classroom behavior is necessary in order to accomplish our remaining curriculum outcome. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,