Ms. Brooks

Welcome Back!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I hope everyone had a wonderful and a restful winter holiday.  It is so nice to be back at school.   Our reading eip students will be continue working with nonfiction text and developing strategies to imporve comprehension.  Our math students will begin working with fractions and will continue adding and subtracting with regrouping.   Please continue to work on mastery of basic facts at home.   Students should practice addition and subtraction facts with flash cards everyday.  Thanks for all you do.

Mrs. Brooks

PS. Please keep the following dates in mind.

January 8, 2009 - Report cards go home

January 25 - 29 - Conference Week

Let's Celebrate!

As we celebrate the holidays this season,  don't forget to celebrate the progress that your child is making in reading and math.  So many of our eip students have made tremendous growth so far, and I am anticipating so much more throughout the rest of the year.  Thank you families for all you support at home.  It really does make a difference when we work as a team.  Enjoy the break and I look forward to seeing you in the new year.

Merry Christmas!

Mrs. Brooks 

Math at Home

Activity: Number of The Day

Materials

Paper and pencil

(optional)

 

Before you begin:

Choose a number that you will call the “number of the day.”  The first time you do

this activity, choose a number under 15.

1. Find one way to make the number of the day

Ask your children to think up different ways to make the number of the day,

using equations.

“Let’s all try to come up with different ways to make 11.

Here’s one way: 8 + 2 + 1 = 11.Can you find a different way?”

 

2. Collect everyone’s equations

If your children know how to write equations, they list their ideas and take turns reading them.

When you’re in the car, or if younger children need help, appoint one person “record keeper.” As people give their ideas, the record keeper writes them down in equation form.  When everyone’s hands are busy making dinner, folding laundry, or pulling weeds, just take turns telling each other how you made the number—no writing is needed.

 

3. Find more ways to make the number

See how many different ways everyone can find to make the number of the day.

You can offer specific challenges to give children practice with something they’re doing in school, or just for variety.

For ages 5–7, try using …

Addition with three numbers

1 + 3 + 7 = 11

Subtraction

13 - 2 = 11

Addition and subtraction

6 + 6 - 1 = 11

Coin values

2 nickels and 1 penny is 11 cents

For ages 7–9, try using …

Pairs of the same number

2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 11

Multiples of 5 and 10

25 + 15 - 30 + 1 = 11

The number 100

100 - (3 x 25) - 14 = 11

“The number of the day was 6.  Sarita made 1 + 2 + 3.  Dad’s was 20 – 15 + 1,and Grandma said 4 x25 – 80 – 14.  She had to explain that one!”

You can use this activity to give your children lots of computation practice.  Try it just about anywhere—on the bus, in the kitchen, or even while folding laundry.

 

USING THE INTERNET AS A RESOURCE

Here are some great websites that can assist your child at home.

www.starfall.com
www.factmonster.com
www.kids.gov
www.scholastic.com/kids/
www.funbrain.com
www.funschool.com
pbskids.org/clifford/stories/index.html
www.coolmath4kids.com
www.eduplace.com/kids/

HELPING YOUR CHILD AT HOME

Choosing Books With Your Child

Too easy books

These are books that are familiar to your child.  These books do not challenge your child to decode words, but allow him her to read more fluently.

Generally the rule is:

If your child knows all the words or can read the book without looking at the words and can tell you about the book without really trying, the book is “too easy.”

 

Too hard books

These are books that are on a level that is too difficult for your child to read independently.  However, these books are ideal to use when reading aloud to your child given that the content is appropriate for your child’s age.  Typically, books that are too hard do not allow the child to pay attention to the meaning of the text because he/she is required to spend too much time decoding words.  We want to teach our children to choose challenging books that are just right, but not too hard.  Too hard books often promote feelings of frustration and a general negative attitude towards reading.

Generally the rule is:

If your child reads a page in the middle of a book and misses 5 words or does not understand the text or cannot tell you about the book, it is “too hard.”

 

Just Right Books

These are books that are your child is capable of reading independently.  We should encourage our children too choose just right books on a regular basis.  These are books that challenge your child to decode words and stills allows him/her to focus on the meaning of the text.  

Generally the rule is:

If your child reads a page in the middle of a book and misses between 1 and five words and can tell you about the text and has a good understanding about the text, it is “just right.”

 

 

 

Activities to Help your Child with Sight Words

 

Highlighted Words

Ø      Using a newspaper or magazine, ask your child to highlight a word every time he/she sees the word.  This activity can also be done using a regular book.  Instead of highlighting, you can simply ask your child to keep a tally of the number of times he/she finds the word in the text. 

 

Colored Vowels

Ø      Have your child write his/her spelling words and write all of the vowels in a different color.

 

Shaving cream words

Ø      This activity is very fun for kids.  Spread shaving cream, pudding, or whipped cream on a flat surface.  Give your child a spelling test in the cream.  You both will have a great time while learning. J  

Warning: this can be messy

 

Word Families

Ø      Several words have letters at the end that make other words.  Use these patterns to make as many words as you can.  (Example: make, cake, take, lake, sake, quake)

 

 

Oops, I made a mistake!

Ø      Spell words incorrectly and ask your child to correct the spelling of the word for you.

What is EIP?

PURPOSE OF EARLY INTERVENTION

Children start school at a designated chronological age, but differ greatly in their individual development and experience base. The Early Intervention Program (EIP) is a program designed to serve students in grades kindergarten through five who are at risk of not reaching or maintaining academic grade level, as defined in the department’s Early Intervention Program Guidelines, to obtain the necessary academic skills to reach grade-level performance in the shortest possible time.

Research has shown great student improvements through EIP, and almost always affects both parents, students, and teachers positively. 

HOW WILL YOUR CHILD BE SERVED BY EIP?

Any combination of the following models may be used to provide students with additional support.

Here are the models for second grade at Kennesaw Elementary: 

(1) Augmented – The augmented model incorporates EIP services into the regular group class size by providing an additional early childhood certified teacher to reduce the teacher/pupil ratio while providing EIP services.

(2) Pull-Out – EIP students are removed from the classroom for instruction by an additional certified teacher. This model may serve a maximum of 14 students at a time.

(3) Reduced Class Model – This model allows for the combination of EIP students with regular education students in smaller classes. The reduced class model uses a sliding scale in which the class size reduces as the number of EIP students increases

 

 

 

Meet Mrs. Brooks

    Hello! I would like to take this time to introduce myself.  My name is Kendra Brooks.  This will be my ninth year teaching second grade in Cobb County.  Four years ago, I received the honor of being named Brumby Elementary “Teacher of the Year.”   I earned a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Kennesaw State University after completing my undergraduate studies at Georgia Southern University.  I am originally from Louisiana, but as a military child, I had the opportunity to live in several other locations.  I have lived in Georgia for the past 10 years while completing both high school and college.  I currently live in Dallas, GA with my husband, Tim, my daughter, Nora, and my dog, Lincoln.

 

I am excited about the upcoming year, and I am looking forward to working with your child.  I am very interested in creating a positive learning environment and helping each child reach his/her maximum potential.