9-13 de marzo

¡Hola Familias!

As I sit and ponder what I can write down about this week--a week that began normally and ended with last-minute decisions, unprecedented action, and whirlwinds of emotions as we enter into an uncertain future--I am reminded of the lesson I taught in Bible today.

Today we had as normal a day as possible--of course, there was quite a bit of running around as we teachers scrambled to put together learning packets for the kids to take home! But in our classroom, we sang, played instruments, read together, spoke in Spanish, and prayed together. When it came to our Bible lesson, I must admit that I had not had a minute to plan the story for the day! I opened the Bible to where we left off and found the story of Jesus talking to the multitudes, telling them, "YOU are more important than the birds of the air! YOU are more important than the flowers of the field! I WILL take care of you!" Reading this with these precious children brought a peace to my heart that I had not felt for several days. Despite the chaos in the world, God IS with us; he NEVER leaves us or forsakes us. 

Here is a quick summary of what we've learned this week, as well as some idea of what to expect over the next few weeks.

Bible / Biblia: We studied Jesus' childhood and early ministry, including when he was lost in Jerusalem, when he chose his disciples, and when he began his teaching.

Reading / Lectura: This week we continued our study of the /k/ sound (c/k/q). I also had a chance to complete running records with all of the kids to see how they are growing in reading.

Writing / Escritura: This week we continued our study of nonfiction books, learning the difference between certeza (fact) and opinión. Then, we practiced "researching" a nonfiction topic (looking at a book of our own choosing), writing facts that we learned, and making these facts into a book.

Math / Matemáticas: We've been practicing lots of 3-dimensional shapes, such as cono, cilindro, esfera, and cubo. The kids have enjoyed creating things with the shapes and being "teachers" to the rest of the class when they make new creations. :)

Science / Ciencias: We started a new unit called Nuestra Tierra (our Earth). We learned how the world is round, not flat, studied maps vs. globes, and examined 3 different types of earth materials (soil, sand, and pebbles). 

What's Coming Up?
Your child brought home a large manila envelope today. Inside, you will find a work packet for 2 weeks, a blue letter to parents, and several other books/activities. Please keep it all together and organized! Your child will use it every day as we continue our learning from home.

My plans are still in the works, but here's what I have in mind so far:

-Every day I will share a video with the kids. It will most likely be shared on YouTube. For simplicity's sake, I will probably make one longer video with 4 "lessons"--reading, writing, Bible, and math. Please do not have your child complete everything all at once; I'll try to make the video with very clear "breaks" between each subject. 

-Your child will use his/her folder of work while watching the video, so please have it handy, along with pencils and crayons/markers.

-Your child has 2 paper books in his/her folder. One book is fiction and one is nonfiction. The books are specifically tailored to your child's reading level. They will be new books for your child, but please sit with your child to practice reading at least one daily. 

-I will also be assigning DAILY reading tasks using Raz-Kids. I know that a lot of you are already familiar with this app. If you are not, here are the instructions:
         1. Click on link above (www.kidsa-z.com)
         2. Enter teacher name "klipplopez"
         3. Search for your child's name (he/she should know the password)
         4. Go! You can also download the application on a phone or tablet. Your child will click on the "Assignment" icon (a spaceship) when he/she logs in.

-I am also looking into using some kind of video app so that I can have the kids practice speaking Spanish as well as have some direct communication with them. I'll let you know when I figure out what I'm going to do! :)

-I will also plan on checking in personally with each family at least once a week. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me as well, via text, phone call, or email. I will be available and ready to help with any kind of question or issue!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support, prayers, kind words, and understanding as we begin to trek into unknown territory. Know that you are in my prayers and that I am there if you need anything! I am so grateful for each one of you and I will truly miss your little ones during the next few weeks! 

Enjoy some pictures below, and I will be in touch again soon!