October 3, 2025

Dear Families,
We’ve now wrapped up our first full month of school, and it’s been such a rich start! Below is a glimpse of the learning and growth happening in our classroom this week.
Math
We’ve been exploring partial equations and partial products: breaking apart tiled arrays into smaller pieces and experimenting with different multiplication strategies. Students are learning flexibility in thinking about factors and decomposing numbers to make multiplication easier.
Literacy / Daily 5
As part of our Daily 5 routine, we introduced a new choice: Word Work / Vocabulary, where small groups are learning four new words each week. Students then engage with those words independently over the week. In addition to that, students are reading self-selected books, working with me in small groups with me, listening to reading and writing in their journals.
They also completed the iReady diagnostic assessments in both language arts and math. From that, they’ve begun their iReady “My Path” journeys—personalized practice targeted at the areas the assessment flagged as most challenging. Students select the  “Skill Practice” choice in their Daily 5 trackers when working on My Path.
Science
We’ve officially wrapped up our eye model project and have shifted to studying the brain and nervous system. 
Morning Meeting 
We’ve been focusing on effective listening skills and respecting personal space, practices that help us all feel safer, heard, and more comfortable.
Daily Reflection
Each day, students write a self-reflection on what went well and what was challenging. This supports a growth mindset, and helps my students reflect on all the things that they have been able to accomplish.
To wrap up, here are some possible conversation ideas when you talk with your child about school:

• Encourage your child to share their new vocabulary words and use them in conversation.
  
  
• Ask them about their iReady “My Path” work—which areas are they practicing, and where do they feel stronger or more challenged?
  
  
• Invite them to talk about their daily reflection: what surprised them, what they want to try differently, what their goals might be.
  
  
  

Thank you for all your support!