Week 14

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  We have a full, busy week ahead:

Reminder

This Wednesday is another Early Release Day; 12:15 dismissal.

Fundations
We will continue to explore the schwa sound—the sound vowels make when they’re unstressed. Sometimes called the “lazy vowel,” the schwa usually sounds like /uh/ and less often like /i/. Words such as wagon, honey, about, lemon, tuba, and tunnel all include schwa sounds. 

Literacy

Students will read selections from the book Pilgrims: A Nonfiction Companion to Magic Tree House #27 by Mary Pope and also Letter from A Pilgrim Child (Letter 2).   Students will analyze the text and look for evidence to determine what the first few months were like for the Pilgrims in the "New World." Then, students will write a paragraph that teaches others about the effect of the arrival of European settlers to North America. 

Math
We’ll begin Unit 3: Addition and Subtraction within 1,000. Our first lessons will focus on strengthening students’ understanding of place value, and writing numbers in different forms (standard form, expanded form, word form and unit form). 

Social Emotional Learning 

This week's lesson will focus on recognizing bullying. Bullying is mean or hurtful behavior that keeps happening Bullying is not safe, respectful, or kind, and it is against the rules. Recognizing bullying is the first step in getting it to stop. 

Social Studies

The final series of lessons in this unit help students to answer the question: 

Where can we see Indigenous culture today, and how do Indigenous peoples keep their culture alive? 

Students explore some of the ways that culture is passed down through generations.  Lessons provide cultural examples from tribes in Massachusetts; knowledge being passed down through the oral tradition of storytelling, local names of places and land features based on Indigenous names, mishoons being created today to revive traditions, and the Wampanoag tribe reclaiming their language.  

Repeat Announcements

Warm Clothes and Footwear:
The heat is ON! Now that the heaters are running, our classroom can get quite toasty. Pro tip: students should dress in layers so they can bundle up for recess but have a lighter layer to stay comfortable indoors. If your child wears rain or snow boots to school, please send in a pair of indoor shoes, sneakers, or even slippers. They’ll be much more comfortable moving around the classroom and school in dry shoes.

Mystery Reader:
Would you like to volunteer as our next Mystery Reader? Click HERE to sign up.

Scholastic Book Ordering:

If you would like to order books through Scholastic Book Clubs, our online ordering code is DPC2T (purchasing online is required).  SHOP OUR CLASS PAGE. By building your home library with Scholastic, you will also be helping to build our classroom library. The more books students order, the more free books we get for our classroom library!

Library Reminder: 

Our book swap day in the Media Center is every Wednesday. Please help your child remember to return their library books.

Links for more information: 

Click HERE for home support materials for Unit 5 of Fundations

Click HERE for home support materials for Unit 4 of Fundations

Click HERE for home support materials for Unit 3 of Fundations

Click HERE for home support materials for  Unit 2 of Fundations

Click HERE  for home support materials for Unit 1 of Fundations

Tech Tips

Many students are excited to access Clever and our Google Classroom from home. 

Directions to Access Clever from Home:

Click HERE for a handy link to Clever

Click Log in with Google

Enter student username (initials + # @students.needham.k12.ma.us)

Enter student password 

Click on ST Math App, Amplify App then Boost or other NPS approved learning apps. 

Directions to Access Google Classroom from Home:

Open a web browser (like Chrome or Safari).

Go to http://www.classroom.google.com and click "Go to Classroom."

Sign in with your school-provided Google account and password.

Special Subject Schedule

Monday -- Art

Tuesday -- P.E. & Spanish

Wednesday -- Media

Thursday -- P.E.

Friday -- Music & Spanish

Important Dates

Monday, December 1st-- Class resumes

Wednesday, December 3rd-- Early Release Day, 12:15 dismissal

Wednesday, December 17th-- Early Release Day, 12:15 dismissal

Friday, December 19th-- Instrumental Concert for Parents, 8:45 a.m. Cafeteria

Wednesday, December 24th-Friday, January 2nd-- Winter Break

Monday, January 5th-- Classes Resume

Created 12/2025

Jennifer_ramras@needham.k12.ma.us