Week 12

 Dear Parents,

           This week in math we worked on time to the minute and area. Please continue to work with your child at home on time. There will be occasional homework papers to reinforce this skill. We also worked on area. They had fun using foam tiles to figure out how many square units a shape contained.

            In writing we continue to work on our individual narrative projects and are learning how to write an imaginative story. They are so excited to include things like talking animals or objects, magic and more. Two students have already begun his/her individual imaginative story. We are taking both these projects through the writing process.

             In reading we have been focused on fairy tales. We have listened to 4 fairy tales and read one. We were graded on a graphic organizer that focused on a story’s elements and the important parts of the beginning, middle and end of the story. We compared two versions of Goldilocks.

               In science we have been reviewing what we have learned about sound and are planning to make a device to solve a problem. We are working together to plan, create and possibly correct anything that might make their invention better.

       

*Thursday, November 2^nd is Fall Picture Retake Day!  Packages can be purchased online at www.strawbridge.net.  Click "Order Pictures," and enter the following code: FM430153.  Orders can also be turned in with the attached form on picture day with cash or check. See the above attachment for more information.

         

Week 11

 Dear Parents,

              For the last two weeks we have been hitting word problems very hard. There are a lot of steps to help your child understand a problem and solve it. We usually start with a B, M, E. We write the story problem in order from beginning to end. The first sentence is the B. It usually contains a number. Last week we learned it could begin with a question mark. In the middle Is the second and sometimes third sentence of the word problem. The E or end is always the question. The next step is to put the word problem into a number sentence. We stay in the order of the BME. If the Problem is : I have 26 pies. I sold 15 of them. How many are left? The Number sentence is : 26-15= ?. If the story was: I have some pies. I sold 15 of them. Now I have 11 pies. How many pies did I start with? The number sentence would be: ?-15= 11. Next the students put the information into a part/part/ whole box. That helps them decide how they would solve the problem. The first problem could be solved just as it  is. The second problem could be solved using the part/part/whole information. They could decide to add the two parts 15+11 to get the whole, 26. We do a problem every day the entire year, but in this unit we solved many problems. Due to this unit, I’m sure you noticed that there was no math homework. This unit is not in our math book.

            In writing we are continuing to write, revise and edit our independent narratives. Some are working on their final copy! They are doing a fantastic job! We also had lessons on digraphs, the prefixes un- and re-, and practiced changing the beginning sounds of words to make new words. 

           In social studies we finished our Texas State Books. We read the story Stella Luna and had a comprehension check. Due to swim this week we lost two hours in our day, for 4 days, but had a great time.

          In science we learned about how sound travels through the different states of matter and how our outer ear collects the sound, sends it through the ear canal and vibrates our eardrum. We learned that there are 3 small bones behind the eardrum which increase the sound and sends a message to our brain and the brain interprets the sound. They were amazed to find out that sound can travel 1,029 feet in a second!

Week 10

 Dear Parents,

         This week in math we focused on problem solving. We break the story problem up into the beginning, middle and end. This helps us place the numbers in the number sentence. After that we make a part/part/whole box and a strip diagram to decide how we wish to solve the problem. We are learning that there are many types of word problems and always more that one way to solve them. 

           In writing we finished up our class project. We wrote a narrative about the first day of school. We now started on our individual narratives. We learned about starting with a bold beginning. We want our readers interested enough to read our narrative. Then we write our mighty middle, using transition words. Last we write our excellent ending making sure it concludes our narrative. We are very busy and very excited about this new  project.

           In reading we read an informational story and learned about text organization. They were amazed to find out that a baker was key in our winning the Revolutionary War. We read a Scholastic News about Tarantulas. We took the comprehension check for a grade. We started a Texas State Book in social studies. We learned about many of our state symbols, lots of interesting facts, and where many of the major cities of Texas are located on a map.

              In science we read about sound energy as we engaged in a talk read talk write activity. We listened to a tuning fork and learned the difference between volume and pitch. We learned about engineers and the main  things that make a good engineer- ask, imagine, create and improve! 

            Now what we’ve been waiting for- IT’S SWIM WEEK for our class. Please read over the information sent home a couple of weeks ago. The children come dressed in their swim suit with clothes over it. Bring underwear and a towel for after swim. No goggles allowed at the pool. Place all this in a large bag. They need to bring their swim bag and a backpack Monday through Thursday. Parent day is Wednesday. If you come to Parent Day you must go get a tag from the Coyote Ridge Office in the morning. This is just for safety reasons.  Our bus leaves the school around 8:50. You may follow us or drive yourself. You enter the natatorium after we arrive. It is such a wonderful program. I hope you can come!

 

*Please check Coyote Folders for important papers and Flyers each week as well as our grade level newsletter.

Week 9

 

Dear Parents,

        In math we finished up two digit subtraction with and without regrouping. We learned how to write the numbers in the solving box, how to subtract on a number line as well as how to add to check the answer to a subtraction problem. We took our test on Wednesday.

        In writing we finished our class narrative about the first day of school. They will each start their own narrative next week! The students are also picking from several different writing choices during guided reading. They can create a book, write from an October writing calendar, or write in their journal from their heart.

        In social studies we learned about Columbus, his voyage and why we have a holiday on Monday. In reading we read the story The Big Red Lollipop

And took a comprehension check. We listened to the story Three Hens and a Peacock, learned that a theme of a story is a lesson or moral the author wants readers to take away from the story. We decided the theme was that everyone has a job to do and all jobs are important! 

          In science we started our unit on sound energy. We were challenged with a task to create a device that helps students hear across a distance. We listened to many sounds and decided what they were and that sound involved movement that causes vibrations or sound waves. 

       

       *   It’s time to sign up for Fall Conferences. Click on the link below to get to my sign up Genius. When signing up, please let me know if you would prefer an in person conference or a phone conference. If you could, please type your name and your child’s name in the comment box. I have a lot of beginning of  year testing information to share with you and prefer that we meet in person in my room, however, if you cannot meet in person I will do my best to update you over the phone. If none of the times provided meet your schedule, please let me know and we will work something out.

 

Link to Sign up Genius:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4CAFA82AA02-44938067-fall

 

*CRE "Stuff the Pumpkin" Food Drive

Coyote Ridge ES is joining the other schools in LISD in our annual food drive for families in need. Hunger hampers a student’s ability to learn, concentrate and perform well. In 2009, Texas was one of five states with the highest rate of “food insecure” children under 18. The Stuff the Pantry drive, a joint effort between Christian Community Action (CCA), Metro Relief, and Lewisville ISD, will help provide food for LISD families throughout the year.

We will be collecting food donations October 2^nd - October 27^th .  We will collect food and keep score this entire week! We will see which class has the most donations by the end of the month! 

The following items are worth 2 points: 

• Pie Filling
• Canned Fruit
• Canned Vegetables
• Evaporated Milk
• Canned Yams
• Instant Potatoes

 All other items are worth 1 point each.

The class with the most points will receive extra recess, and Bendy the Soup can!! We can’t wait to see who will win!! 

FAQs: 

Where do we put the food donations? The Student Lighthouse Team will be in charge of counting and collecting all food items from individual classrooms. Please have your child bring his/her items to their classrooms, and collections will take place at each room every day. 

If you are donating large numbers of items that can't be easily carried to the classrooms, you may clearly label the lot with the teacher's name and bring them to the front office. Thank you in advance if you're able to assist in this effort to help out families in our community! 

CRE Events Team

 

 

*This is Coyote Ridge’s 8^th year using the Leader in Me Program. To continue growth and learning at home, we will send home a newsletter each month that will focus on a different habit. By the end of the year, we will have discussed all 8 Habits at school and home. If your family participates in ALL 8 Newsletters, you will be showcased in our school as a Lighthouse Family!

• In your child’s Friday Folder is the October Habit Newsletter. Attached to the newsletter is an activity that corresponds with the monthly habit of October, Habit 1: Be Proactive. There is also a QR code that you can scan and listen to a story with your child and ask discussion questions given from the newsletter. Please assist your child in completing the activity and sign/return the activity sheet to their homeroom teacher by Wednesday, October 11th. 
• October 11^th is Be Proactive Day! We want to see the entire school wear YELLOW for Habit 1 on Wednesday!
• We will be tracking grade level participation for returning the activity sheet. The grade level with the highest percentage of participation for October will receive extra recess!

 

*As we have rainy day dismissals becoming more frequent, here are some reminders: second graders will be kept in the gym or the front hallway during a rainstorm during dismissal time. A teacher will walk them to your car. Please pull into the car pick up line as normal.