October 24, 2024
Dear IMES Families:
The online reservation system for elementary school Parent-Teacher Conferences is now live.
To schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher, please use this hyperlink.
Please note that making a reservation is a two-step process. Please click here to view the attached directions.
Please send an email to helpdesk@klschools.org if you experience technical issues with the site. Contact your child’s school for conference/teacher-specific questions.
November Curriculum Highlights
Kindergarten: In reading, students will continue to develop their knowledge of letters—their names, associated sounds, and formation. Students will learn to read books that contain familiar snap words and leverage their alphabet knowledge to help them check their reading as they go. Readers will work with a partner coaching each other when things don’t make sense or when pointing doesn’t match. In writing, students learn how to engage in the beginning process of spelling: drawing, labeling, revising, writing the most salient sounds, and then “stretching out” these sounds into full words, stringing words through phonetic spelling into full sentences and creating their own books. In math, students will continue to explore and compare numbers to 10 through a variety of lessons, activities, and games. In science the students have taken on the role of scientists in order to figure out why no monarch caterpillars live in the area that was converted from a field to a community vegetable garden. They are investigating how plants and animals get what they need to live and grow, and they will make a new plan for the garden that will provide for the needs of the monarch caterpillars and produce vegetables for humans.
Grade 1: First graders have begun their word detective training, learning that, like a detective, readers are always on alert to spot when there is a problem and to solve it. Readers will look closely at words from start to finish zooming in at word endings such as -s and -ing. Readers are increasing their recognition of snap words to read with automaticity and using their knowledge of letter sounds to read new words. Children will continue to work on monitoring their comprehension across a text to keep track of important story elements. During word work, we are exploring words with bonus letters (ff, ll, ss, zz) and glued sounds (-all, -am, -an). In writing, students have started a new genre: informational writing. They are working on "How To" books, combining pictures and words to teach others how to complete various tasks. First grade mathematicians are learning strategies to solve addition facts to 20. We are excited to celebrate the 50th day of school with activities planned around this fun decade and the number 50! In science, students will be studying how animals use their structures to defend themselves from predators. Later this month, students will have the opportunity to study a live animal to learn what body parts and behaviors help them grow and thrive!
Grade 2: Second graders are getting ready to tackle non-fiction in both reading and writing. Students will share their expertise in an informational writing unit and learn the conventions of non-fiction books during reading. Second graders continue to partake in Fundations lessons to deepen their phonological awareness and phonetic abilities. Students are working with suffixes and multi-syllable words within the program. In math students will learn several strategies as they add numbers within 100. Second graders continue to be ‘glue engineers’ in class. Scientists are observing, predicting, testing, and recording results and using those results to forge forward in the design process.
Grade 3: In November, third graders will enhance their nonfiction reading skills by applying their knowledge of identifying central ideas in expository texts to narrative nonfiction. In writing, students are working on their expert-based books. After generating a main topic and relevant subtopics, they will use their understanding of central ideas and supporting details to craft well-structured paragraphs for each section. In math, students will apply strategies to achieve fluency with multiplication and division facts within 100. Later this month, we will delve into the concept of area, starting with concrete models and advancing to pictorial and abstract representations, deepening their understanding of how area relates to multiplication and addition. Lastly, in social studies, third graders will explore how history and culture influence our lives.
Grade 4: In November, students will continue to work on writing their personal narrative pieces. This unit serves to extend students’ understanding of the essentials of narrative writing. Their narratives will be heavily influenced by their reading, considering ways to bestow traits onto the characters in their stories, and aiming to structure their narrative to follow a story arc, allowing their readers to learn about the motivations, struggles, and changes that the characters experienced. Students will stretch out the heart of the story through the use of techniques such writing leads, incorporating dialogue, crafting descriptive language, using transition words, and developing strong endings. In reading, fourth graders will dive into non-fiction texts. They will practice using text features to make quality predictions, strengthen word attack skills, locate essential information, and set a purpose for their reading. They will also learn how to determine and comprehend the main idea based on the structure of the text. In math, students will continue to use strategies and properties to multiply by both one- and two-digit numbers and then extend this understanding to the division of 1-digit numbers. In science, students will finish their geologic study by learning how environments change over time and studying the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition. Finally, they will be introduced to their next social studies unit, in which they will discuss the indigenous peoples of New York and how their environment and local resources impacted their cultures and lifestyles.
Grade 5: In November, 5th grade mathematicians will expand their understanding of multi-digit multiplication by multiplying decimals. They will be provided with a variety of strategies from which to choose to do this work. Estimating products is an important part of this unit. In ELA, students will continue to think deeply and write long about their reading as they embark on realistic fiction book clubs. As the election draws near, we will continue to work to understand the voting process. Patterns of the Earth and sky will be the focus of 5th grade science investigations in November. Students will discuss and explore predictable daily patterns as well as the impact that size and distance have on what they can see in the sky at different times of day and night.
If you want to read more about our curriculum and instruction, please click on the link below for our K-5 Curriculum Guides.
We have been doing a review of library skills this fall in all K-5 classrooms.
Some other highlights include:
- The 5th graders designed reading identity webs and have completed an "escape the library" challenge using a culmination of library and research skills they've been working on to date.
- Next week we will start preparing for our Kindergarten/Grade 5 buddy picture book read aloud helping to create a sense of belonging in our school.
- 3rd graders, having learned nonfiction text features, have been researching animals and will begin the process of creating their own two truths and a lie movement break.
Our IMES artists are working hard in the art room to finish up their Square 1 art projects! From insects to sunflowers to mandalas, each grade is working on a content specific artwork that is full of color! Our students will be finishing these artworks by November for you to order thoughtful keepsakes with their artwork on it in time for the holiday season.
You will receive more information about this in the upcoming weeks from the PTO. If you would like to check out the website, it is https://www.square1art.com/. Please remember, your child's artwork has not been submitted yet and cannot be seen on the website right now.
Thank you!
Mrs. Zaremba & Miss Desrosier
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
November is Native American Heritage Month. We will learn about the contributions of our nation’s indigenous people and read the story of Thanksgiving from multiple perspectives.
Our PTO has also organized special assemblies to highlight Native American history and culture on November 14! The Redhawk Dancers will perform Indigenous dance, music, storytelling and traditional arts.
Grade 4 studies Native Americans as part of the NY State Social Studies curriculum. We are fortunate to welcome Drew Shuptar-Rayvis from the Algonkian Tribe who will be teaching fourth students about life in the Eastern Woodlands using artifacts.
