Omega World News

Reading
Last week in reading, I administered reading assessments and got my first glimpse at the specifics of the students' reading abilities. Some students will continue to participate in assessments this week.

Omegas learned how to write an informative and interesting book review and received their first sticker on the Book Review Chart. We talked about including enough information about the story so that someone can figure out if it would be interesting to him/her while not giving away the ending. Students volunteered that important information to include would be the main characters, setting, and problem. They also said that it is good to end a book review with a question related to the problem.

From here on out, I expect students to complete reviews on the books they read. Not all students have to write a review for every book they read as some kids read a book a day. When students write a review, they show it to me for comments and suggestions. Then they receive a sticker on the chart.

Writing
We have begun lessons on paragraphs. For the Omega Ones, this means recognizing where paragraphs begin and end (indenting) and understanding that related information can be grouped together in paragraphs. This week they will practice figuring out where new paragraphs can be created. Omega Twos are focusing on recognizing and writing topic sentences, supporting details, and conclusion sentences. They are also working with finding the main idea and supporting details.

Spelling
All students have begun their spelling programs. I use the Words Their Way program which is based on similar spelling patterns. It requires students to participate actively in constructing their own knowledge through various activities such as sorting words, crossword puzzles, word scrambles, silly sentences (stories and poems are options, too), word hunts (or brainstorms), and playing memory (matching words with the same spelling pattern).

Whenever your child begins a new set of words, I will put a copy of the words in your mailbox. You may choose to work with your child at home or not depending. Some activities you can do together are sorting the words, playing memory or go fish, and reading around the house or around town (while doing errands) for words that follow the patterns. Get creative! Can you and your child make up any new games?

Penmanship
This year I am using a new penmanship program (thanks, Calvin) called Handwriting Without Tears. There are not so many funny loopty-loops for the children's little fingers to have to make. Yes, it is still cursive. The program begins by teaching students the basic shapes that form cursive letters. The first letter it teaches is Cc because it is the easiest to form. Each subsequent letter builds on the shape of the one before it. Students are enjoying the program and are working hard.

Science
We started science on Friday by watching a short (15 minutes) videp of rocks and minerals. The video talked about the three different types of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) and how each is formed. It also addressed some common minerals and the work of geologists. This week we will continue learning about the types of rocks.

Community Building
Last week, as part of Personal Safety and the Omega social curriculum, students worked with how someone's behavior can affect other's feelings. They shared experiences from their own lives, completed a cause and effect graphic organizer*, and worked cooperatively with classmates to create and perform a skit. In their skit, students had to show a problem caused by someone's behavior and how they could work out a solution. Students were very engaged and created skits based on realistic experiences.