Word Study for week of Sept. 12th

Our word study patterns this week focus on the short vowels e, i, and u, and also consist of the beginning blends cr, dr, gr, cl, fl, str, spr, tw, and tr.

Our pattern words for this week are:

1. flick

2. crest

3. grip

4. dress

5. crept

6. strict

7. clip

8. sprinkle

9. twinkle

10. trek

Reflection of 9/11....10 years since that day...

As the 10 year anniversary of September 11, 2001, a day that changed America, approached, it was a real time of reflection for myself as well as many others. Something that I really noticed was the interest that my students had about that day. Most of my students were not born yet or only babies on September 11, 2001. I was really excited that my kids were so interested and excited to learn and embrace that very important day in history...I think it is a mystery to them since they did not experience it first hand, and they are ready to peel back the layers to uncover it.

I was able to share with my class where I was and what I was doing on this day 10 years ago. Not only was that a special time for my kids to hear about my personal experiences, but it was a great time of reflection for me. It warmed my heart to see how engaged my students were, sitting on the edge of their seats, taking in every bit of information I put before them. We were able to watch a kid-friendly cartoon video explaining the happenings of that day, and WHY that day took place in our history. We also explored several front pages from September 12th newspapers around the country. This really brought the day alive for the students. There was not a sense of fear as the events of the day unfolded, but more a sense of community and pride in our country, and what that means.

As we discussed the pride that we were feeling, something that really touched my heart emerged from our group. I knew that Jacksonville was a military town, but never have I realized so much until this day. As we discussed and expressed our thanks for the military, the discussion turned personal. In our class this year, we have four different people whose immediate family members (fathers) are deployed, protecting our freedom, including myself (fiance). What a way for us to bond together!! We ARE proud of our freedom. We ARE thankful for the people who protect us. We WILL NEVER be held down and we WILL ALWAYS be PROUD to be Americans!

Word Study for week of Sept. 5th

Word pattern:

S-blend words: sp, st, sw, sn, sc, sk, sm
Tr blend words
Vowel: short a and short o

Example word list:
1. spot
2. stop
3. swam
4. snack
5. smock
6. scab
7. mask
8. tropical
9. trap
10. trolley

Vocabulary words:
1. ledge
2. descent
3. trekked
4. bracing
5. plunging
6. void
7. eased
8. concentration

**Please help your child become familiar with these words and spelling patterns as we will have a quiz on Friday! :)

I WILL BE POSTING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND IDEAS SOON TO HELP YOU AND YOUR CHILD PRACTICE THESE WORDS AT HOME! Check back often!

Happy reading!