5-Week Oct. 4-8, 2021

Reading: We are learning to ask and answer questions about key details in the text as well as retell what has happened. This week's stories are about pets both fiction and non-fiction. We are also doing Read to Someone and learning about responding about the text.

Writing: Students do writing in response to our Wonders Textbooks as well as have a chance to do their own Choice writing. They are very excited and focused at this time. It is fun to listen to their excitement when sharing from their journals and even books that they have written. We continue to work on capitalization, spacing, word order and periods in their statement sentences. If they don't know how to spell a word, that is OK. We talk about writing the sounds they hear and I also encourage them to underline words they question the spelling on.

Phonics/Sight Words: We continue to practice when we use upper and lowercase letters and identify rhyming words as well as the number of syllables in a word. We also listen for changes to beginning, middle, and end sounds of a word and stretch the word out when we say it.

Spelling, Challenge, Sight Words: Our phonics pattern for spelling is blending the first 2 letters using l as the 2nd. Example "clip, clap " Please remember to check the Homework and Weekly Spelling tab in this website to find out all the words.

Grammar: inflections, -s at the end (plural)

Mathematics: Students wrapped up their unit 1 math regarding numbers, patterns, partners and switched partners. Their also identifying odds and evens. They took their first unit test.

Social Studies: We'll connect what we've learned about the Anishinaabe and Voyageurs to making choices for needs and wants and what happens if there is a scarcity of something. We'll learn about beads and how important they were as wants of Ojibwe people.

Science: We are learning about living and non-living things. We're introducing deciduous and conifer trees as well as rocks and beginning to look at fall changes around us.

Science Vocabulary(oral): living, non-living, leaf, needle, conifer, deciduous

Other: SNACKS. I ask that students bring 1 healthy snack to school (the fresher the better- We've been able to collect a lot of garden produce and are taste testing garden harvested food similar to what we have grown/harvested in the Congdon garden ). Please pack it in their backpack pouch not their lunch box. This helps with time efficiency and also not eating extra food. I request 1 snack that fits in their mailbox.

Communication: Please remember to sign up for a conference slot. I will send another email with the link.

Good Morning Families,

I am sure may of you received the links to sign up for conferences yesterday. I apologize that ours didn't go out. While I knew there was something I was forgetting yesterday as I was preparing for a sub for our data meetings, trying to get my son and daughter to soccer practice and then helping with a team dinner, I didn't remember until this morning what it was. Conferences.

Here is the link:

Families, please coordinate schedules as each child only receives 1 time slot for conferences.

Thank you and I do look forward with talking with you soon,

Mrs. Pilate

Alaina Pilate

1st Grade Teacher

Congdon Park Elementary School

(218) 336-8825 Ext. 1888

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If you have never signed up for Conferences through Sign Up Genius, here is a letter with more details:

PROCEDURE FOR UPCOMING CONFERENCES AT CONGDON PARK

Dear Parent(s)/Guardians(s):

Communication between home and school is extremely critical towards providing an effective learning environment for all children. As we prepare for Parent/Teachers Conferences, we look forward to your insights regarding your child's education and input about the school year. As a parent, you provide valuable information for your child's teacher, so they are better able to address your child's needs. Congdon teachers truly appreciate your support and look forward to meeting with you.

Signing up for Congdon Park October Conferences has changed.

We would invite you to create an account in SignUp Genius https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wgD3dmQCoY9QNF...

If you have already made a account in SignUp Genius, all you would have to do is click the login button and put in your email address and password.

SignUp Genius is a web-based scheduling tool that can be easily accessed by following the directions. The online schedule window will be open starting on Monday, October 4, 2021

Once you have created an account you can go in and reserve your spot. All conferences will be 15 minutes starting at 2:30, ending at 7:00. If you have questions about this new process, please call your child's teacher or the Congdon Park office and we will be happy to assist you.

If you do not have access to the internet, you may call Congdon Park School and speak directly with your child's teacher. Thank you ahead of time for being a part of your child's education. It is important that we work together to make sure Congdon students can share their great progress with you. I would also remind families that each family sign up for one time slot. We are not able to have multiple conferences for one family due to time constraints. If you have extending circumstances please let your child's teacher know as soon as possible. Thank you.

Click on the time slot under the correct teacher to reserve your conference time.

Although Winter Conferences are held in February, we highly encourage you to always contact

your child's teacher or myself if you have a question.

Warmly,

Kathi Kusch Marshall

Principal, Congdon Park School