The Tiger Times
Dear CMIT South Families, Community Partners, and Scholars,
Let's GOOOO, week five! To our families, thank you for your continued support and for showing up for your scholars each and every day. To our community partners; thank you for being such an important part of our Tiger family. And to our scholars; keep up the amazing work; your hard work is showing!
Our Character Word of the Month for September is Respectfulness, and in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, here's a thought to carry with us:
"Preservation of one's own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures." — César Chávez
Let's use this month to celebrate and honor one another's cultures with the same respect we hope to receive.
🎉 Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!
It's officially Hispanic Heritage Month, and our scholars will be taking part in a variety of activities and trivia throughout the month to celebrate. Be on the lookout for fun learning moments coming home!
🏫 School Closed Monday, September 21 (Yom Kippur)
A reminder that school will be closed on Monday, September 21, 2026, in observance of Yom Kippur. Both morning and afternoon enrichment will be canceled as well. We'll see all of our Tigers back on time on Tuesday, September 22, 2026.
🧓🏾👴🏽Grandparents and Special Friends Day Was a Huge Success!
What a wonderful celebration! Thank you to all of the grandparents and special friends who joined us — you are truly appreciated, and seeing our scholars' faces light up made the day so memorable.
A special thank-you to our incredible Tiger parent volunteers who stepped up to serve, take photos, and help with clean-up:
Ms. Solomon
Mrs. Anderson
Mrs. Perkins
Mrs. Bannister
Mrs. Edmonds
Mrs. Anyanwu
And to our amazing CMIT South staff who helped make it all happen — thank you! Together, you made the day truly unforgettable. ❤️🐾
🔬 Coming Up: Parent University — STEM Fair Intro
Mark your calendars for September 28, 2026 from 6:00p.m. - 7:00 p.m. for our next Parent University session: STEM Fair Intro (Hybrid)! Our Science Department and STEM Fair Coordinator, Mr. Holloway, will walk families through an overview of STEM Fair dates, processes, and how to get started at each grade level. Whether you join in person or virtually, this is a great opportunity to get a head start on the STEM Fair season!
📊 Assessments Continue & Save the Date: SchoolWide Data Night
Our scholars are still in the middle of their beginning-of-year assessments — thank you for your patience and support as they complete these important benchmarks.
Mark your calendars for our Virtual SchoolWide Data Night on October 27, 2026 where we'll review schoolwide data, break down results by grade level, and share ways you can support your child at home.
📚 Tutoring Resources: Brainfuse
Looking for extra academic support at home? Brainfuse offers free, on-demand, one-on-one tutoring for scholars in Pre-K through 12th grade — available 24/7 through Clever. Brainfuse tutors can help with homework assignments, project review, extra practice, study support, and more.
Interested in learning how it works? Registration for Parent Webinars is available on the PGCPS website.
You can also access the Family Guides for more details: English | Spanish
Let's keep this STEMTastic momentum going, Tigers — here's to a great week five!
Dr. Tauheedah N. Simmons-Lewis
Your PAWW-rific Principal
CMIT South Elementary School
Home of the STEMTastic Tigers 🐯
Please take note of these important calendar reminders:
- September 21 Schools and Offices Closed (Yom Kippur**)
- September 26 National PTO/PTA Appreciation Day
- September 28 Special Education Meet and Greet 8:30 a.m. -9:30 a.m.
- September 28 Parent University: STEM Fair Intro and Club Showcase
- September 30 PTO Meeting
- October 2 National Custodian Day
- October 2 Early Dismissal for Students | Teacher Professional Half-Day
- October 5- October 9 PTO Scholastic Book Fair
- October 12- October 16 Anti Bullying Spirit Week
- October 16 Schools Closed for Students | Professional Development
- October 27 Schoolwide Data Night 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. (virtual)
- October 28 PTO Meeting
- October 30 End of First Quarter (45 days)
- October 30 Early Dismissal for Students | Q1 Grading & Reporting Half-Day for Teachers
School Meals
2026-2027 School Year Meal Prices
Elementary (Pre-K through Grade 5) *Price may change
Breakfast: $1.60/day
Lunch: $2.75/day
How to Pay
MySchoolBucks, owned and operated by Heartland Payment Systems, is an online payment service that provides parents the ability to securely pay for meals, monitor student cafeteria purchases, and receive email notifications for
low-account balances. With MySchoolBucks, payments can be made 24/7 using a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, credit or debit card, and mobile app.
Principal Lunch Account
ALL breakfast, lunch, and Principal lunch payments should be made via MySchoolBucks
All money comes/goes to 1 account (child's). All that is needed to set up an account (if not done) is the student's lunch PIN or student ID.
Free and Reduced-Price Meals
We encourage all families to consider applying for free and reduced-price meals! Visit Apply for Free and Reduced Priced Meals to apply online today!
To apply, you will need:
The name, school, and grade of your school-age children
The names of all adults living in the home
Income information for all adults living in the home
Student ID Numbers for your school-age children
Grade Level Blurb:
Hello Families,
Can you believe that we have finished 4 weeks of school already. Most students have finished the KRA testing that took place last week. Students will be taking their first in class math and reading test this week. The reading goes over the first two weeks we have covered and the math will go over numbers 0-5.
Please practice tying shoes, opening containers, holding crayons or pencils and turning sleeves of jackets from inside out to the correct way with your scholars. In the next two weeks the testing window for Dibels opens, not all classes will be tested on the same day. Be on the look out for your scholar’s teacher to announce the date of testing for their class. Last week saw the start of Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month, so the Kindergarten team would like to share some options for reading together. The following link gives 15 picture books that families could read together; https://www.readbrightly.com/picture-books-celebrate-hispanic-heritage/.
This week we would like to highlight some at-home math activities!
Bake together- Let your child become familiar with the purpose of measuring, the various measurements and an understanding of quantity. A
Count everything- Count the number of steps to the car, the number of toys in a box, or the number of candies in a jar.
Create a family math night- Designate a night as Family Night. Play board games and other games that use number cubes (dice), card games, dominoes, or puzzles
Important Dates
September 21: School Closed
October 2: Early Dismissal
October 5-9: Scholastic Book Fair
October 15: Fall Picture Day
Reading Updates:
Finish UNIT 1 WEEK 2- Going Places
Essential Question- What is exciting about moving to a new place?
Phonological awareness: Middle Sounds; Recognize Alliteration; Blend and Segment, Onset and Rime
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Phonics: Short Aa, Consonants Ss
High-Frequency Words: like, to, a
Spelling words found in weekly readings: crawls, peeks, unpacks, plunks
Unit Vocabulary: map, move, land, special
Learning Goals:
Ask and answer questions about plot in literary text
Demonstrate phonological awareness.
Identify and match the common sounds that letters represent.
Identify and read common high-frequency words by sight.
Identify real-life connections between words and their use
Describe plot
Parts of a Book: Front Cover, Back Cover, and Title Page
Math Updates:
Review and Test for Topic 1
TOPIC 2- Compare numbers 0 to 5
Essential Understanding: Good math thinkers use math they know to show and solve problems
Compare groups to see whether they are equal by matching
Tell whether one group is less or greater than the other by matching
Use objects, drawings, and numbers to compare numbers
Vocabulary: compare, equal, group. model, same number as, greater than, less than
Science Updates:
TOPIC 1 Pushes and Pulls
Essential Question: What happens if you push or pull an object?
Observe how objects move
Thinking of ways to make an object move
Clarify how a push and pull makes something move
Speculate why objects move and the effects on movement
Vocabulary: push, pull, speed, direction
Social Studies Updates:
CHAPTER 1 LESSON 3- Rules and Laws
Essential Question- How do people best cooperate?
Recognize why we need rules and laws
Identify and solve problems
Know the consequences of breaking the rules
Identify community laws
Compare past/present rules and laws
Vocabulary: school, learn, choices, cooperate, problem, solution community, rule, law
Health Updates:
SEPTEMBER TOPIC: How to Stay Safe
Understanding safety rules at home and school
Acknowledging safety helpers at home, school, and community
Tell how to avoid certain unintentional injuries at play
Explain how to show respect for the safety of oneself and others when playing
Demonstrate safety routines and how you would respond to danger
Predict what happens when one plays in safe and unsafe ways
Vocabulary: stay, safe, helpers, danger, emergency
📝Grade Level Blurb:
Dear Tiger Families!
We’re excited to welcome you to another wonderful week of learning in First Grade! We can’t wait to see all the learning, growing, and fun this week will bring. Be sure to read below for important updates and reminders to help make it a successful week for our scholars!
📌 Important Reminders:
🔤 Spelling Bingo: Our bingo board is DUE this Tuesday, September 22nd!
➕ Math Homework: Math topic 2 homework came home on Friday. Students should aim to work on one less per night as it aligns with their daily learning.
💻 Charged Chromebooks: Students should bring their Chromebook to school every day. It is imperative that Chromebooks are fully charged at home each night so students are prepared to participate in learning activities throughout the school day. Even if your scholar’s Chromebook has not yet been completely set up, please begin sending it to school daily tomorrow. We encourage families to make charging the Chromebook each night part of your scholar’s regular bedtime routine.
📝 MAP reading and math assessments will take place on Tuesday, September 22nd and Wednesday, September 23rd. All students will need a fully charged chromebook, WIRED headphones, and a good night's sleep! Please support their success by providing the above mentioned items and ensuring they are at school on time and ready.
Mrs. Valera's Weekly Digital Agenda
Mrs. Matthew's Weekly Digital Agenda
Ms. Torrence's Weekly Digital Agenda
Ms. Garrett's Weekly Digital Agenda
Thank you for your continued support as we continue this exciting academic journey together. We are looking forward to a fantastic week of learning, growing, and achieving in first grade!
With gratitude,
The First Grade Team
Reading Updates:
Unit 1 Week 3
This week, students will begin exploring elements of informational text. We will look at text features as we read, "Look Both Ways!"
🏠 How Can Families Help at Home?
Families can support learning by reading nonfiction books, magazines, or child-friendly informational articles together. Encourage your child to identify the topic, main idea, and important details. Ask questions such as, “What did you learn?” “What is this text mostly about?” and “What details helped you learn more?” You can also explore informational texts about topics your child loves, such as animals, space, sports, or nature, and encourage them to share new facts they discover!
Phonics & Spelling
This week in Phonics, students will review words with the short /o/ sound as well as words with the /f/, /b/, and /g/ sounds. Our spelling words, this week, are the following: cot, got, not, pot, look, you.
We will also review the following high-frequency words: are, by, look, was, you. High-frequency words are words that appear often in books and everyday reading. Sometimes, these words follow regular spelling patterns and can be sounded out. Other times, they have irregular spelling patterns that must be memorized. We call these spelling patterns “heart parts” because students must know them by heart. Learning these words helps students recognize them quickly and read more smoothly and confidently.
We will have a spelling test on Tuesday, September 22nd & new spelling homework will also come home on this date.
Math Updates:
Topic 2
We are beginning topic 2! In this topic, students are learning strategies to help them fluently add and subtract within 10.
🏠 How Can Families Help at Home?
Families can support learning by practicing math in fun, everyday ways! Encourage your child to use counting on, making a ten, using doubles, and breaking apart numbers to solve problems. Practice with everyday situations such as counting objects, adding items while shopping, or figuring out how many are left. Ask, “How did you solve it?” and encourage your child to explain their thinking. A few minutes of practice each day can help build confidence, accuracy, and math fluency!
Science Updates:
Our first graders are working through Topic 1 in Science, where we are observing and investigating light and sound! Students are exploring where light and sound come from, making observations, asking questions, and investigating how they interact with the world around us.
🏠 How Can Families Help at Home?
Encourage your child to be a scientist at home! Look for different sources of light and sound, discuss what they notice, and ask questions such as, “What do you see?” “What do you hear?” and “What do you think will happen?” You can even explore how sounds change when objects are tapped, shaken, or plucked. 🔎✨
Social Studies Updates:
This week, students are continuing through Chapter 1 in Social Studies, where they are learning what it means to be a good citizen and explore how our community and government work together. Students are learning about rights and responsibilities, rules and laws, community leaders, and the role of government. They are also practicing important skills such as distinguishing fact from fiction, solving problems, and making thoughtful choices.
🏠 How Families Can Help at Home?
Talk with your child about ways your family members can be good citizens. Discuss rules, responsibilities, and why we have laws, and encourage your child to share examples of how they can help make their classroom, school, and community a better place.
Health Updates:
Students are continuing through our monthly issue, “Keeping Our Great Body Safe.” Students are learning simple, age-appropriate ways to make safe choices, protect themselves, and take care of their bodies at school, at home, and in their community.
🏠 How Families Can Help at Home?
Families can help by talking with their child about making safe choices at home and in the community. Discuss important safety habits such as knowing trusted adults, following rules, using objects safely, and knowing what to do in an emergency. Encourage your child to explain why safety rules are important and practice safe choices together during everyday activities.
Grade Level Blurb:
🌟 Family Update: First Quarter Check-In & Important Info! 🌟
Can you believe it? We are nearly halfway through the first quarter, and so much amazing learning is taking place in our classrooms every single day!
Here are a few quick and important reminders to help keep our scholars on the track to success:
📊 Upcoming MAP Testing (Math & Reading): This upcoming Tuesday and Wednesday, our scholars will be taking their MAP Assessment in Math and Reading. To ensure your scholar is fully prepared to show what they know:
🍎 Please make sure they eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast every day.
🔋 Send them to school with a fully charged Chromebook each morning with working headphones.
📝 Homework & Paper Donations Each class has started distributing weekly homework either digitally through links or as physical handouts. 📄 A HUGE thank you to all of the families who have donated printing paper! You have truly lifted a great burden off our shoulders, and we are so very grateful for your generosity. ❤️ We will keep everyone updated if and when we need more supplies!
🚌 Field Trips & Chaperones We are officially preparing for upcoming field trips! 🥳
If you would like to volunteer as a chaperone, please ensure you have completed all necessary steps for volunteering through PGCPS.
For parents who are already cleared to volunteer, thank you so much! Please keep an eye out for detailed volunteering information coming soon.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership, support, and dedication to our school community. Let's keep up the great momentum! 💪🎉
Reading Updates:
Reading & Homework Update!
Our scholars have been diving deep into realistic fiction stories while practicing how to ask and answer important questions directly from the text to boost their comprehension!
Here are a few key details about our current literacy routine:
📄 Reading Homework Reading homework has been distributed either via digital links or as paper handouts from your scholar's classroom teacher. Please make sure to check in with your child about their assignments.
✏️ Spelling Tests & Studying Each class will have a spelling test following the completion of every spelling packet. Studying these words regularly is key—it makes a huge difference in their confidence and accuracy! 🌟
📚 Daily Reading Goal Please encourage your scholar to read for at least 20 minutes every night. Independent daily reading is one of the best ways to grow their vocabulary and reading stamina! ⏰📖
If you ever have any questions or need extra guidance, please feel free to reach out to your child's homeroom teacher. Thank you for supporting our readers at home! 🍎✨
Math Updates:
📐 Math Update: Topic 1 Wrap-Up & Topic 2 Preview! 🔢
We are excited to share that our scholars have officially completed our first topic in math! 🎉 To celebrate and extend their learning, we have assigned our very first Pick A Project homework assignment.
Here are the key details you need to know:
📅 Project Due Date: Friday, September 25, 2026
💯 Expectation: It is expected that all scholars submit a completed project, as this will be counted as a grade.
💻 Project Details: Please review the Topic 1: Pick a Project Google Slideshow for the project options, directions, and guidelines.
If you have any questions or concerns about the assignment, please feel free to reach out to your scholar's classroom teacher.
🌟 Looking Ahead:
Our next math unit will be Working With Equal Groups! Keep an eye out for the Topic Two Pick A Project assignment coming soon.
Thank you for supporting your scholar's learning and creativity at home!
Science Updates:
Exciting News: STEM Fair is Approaching!
It’s that time of year—our annual STEM Fair is right around the corner!
Now that our scholars are in second grade, they are taking on a bigger role and participating in the entire STEM Fair process! This year, scholars will guide their own project from start to finish by:
❓ Asking a big scientific question
💡 Formulating a hypothesis
📝 Listing their materials and step-by-step procedures
📊 Analyzing their results and writing a detailed conclusion
To build confidence and strong public speaking skills, scholars will record their presentation at home as well as present their projects in front of their class. This practice will help prepare them for the final STEM Fair, where they will have the opportunity to present to the entire school community and visiting families!
Please keep an eye out for detailed packets and timelines coming home very soon. We can’t wait to see all the incredible scientific discoveries our second graders will make!
Social Studies Updates:
Social Studies Update: Celebrating Families & Past vs. Present Project!
In Social Studies, our scholars are diving into an exciting new unit celebrating families and exploring how life changes throughout history! Scholars are comparing daily routines, technology, and habits from the past to how we live today.
To connect this learning to real life, scholars will complete a special Social Studies Project at home (similar in format to our Math Pick a Project assignments).
Here are the important details you need to know:
📅 Project Due Date: Friday, October 2
💻 Project Ideas & Options: You can view all project choices, directions, and guidelines on the Chapter 1: Families Past and Present Google Slideshow. Scholars can choose from three fun, low-stress options:
Option 1: The Family Memory Box & History Scavenger Hunt 📦
Option 2: The "Day in the Life" Time Capsule ⌛
Option 3: The Family "Past & Present" Tree 🌳
All options are designed to be low-cost, engaging conversations between you and your child!
Please reach out to your scholar's homeroom teacher if you have any additional questions or need assistance. Thank you for celebrating your family history with us!
Health Updates:
Health Unit Update: Staying Safe!
We are wrapping up our Health lessons on staying safe! Throughout this unit, scholars have learned key rules and habits for protecting themselves in various surroundings and everyday situations.
We encourage you to continue having conversations at home with your child about staying safe in different environments—whether that’s near busy roads, online, around water, or in public spaces.
Reinforcing these habits together builds confidence and keeps our scholars safe wherever they go!
Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students safe and smart!
Grade Level Blurb:
Our fourth week of third grade was a wonderful week of learning and growth! Students continued to settle into classroom routines and demonstrated increased confidence and independence. We focused on strengthening our reading, writing, and math skills while practicing problem-solving and critical thinking. Students also worked on building positive relationships with classmates by showing kindness, respect, and teamwork.
We will see the students back in class on Tuesday, September 22, Please remember, over the long weekend, get the chrome books charged and ready for testing on Tuesday morning. Students also need headphones. Thanks!
Reading Updates:
Ms. Howard
Students read Grandma and the Great Gourd, a traditional folktale. We identified the characters, setting, and major plot events and used the Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then (SWBST) strategy to summarize the story. Students also practiced reading and dividing words with VC/CV syllable patterns.
Ms. Madison
In Reading and English Language Arts, we have been reading traditional tales - specifically folktales! We finished Grandma and the Great Gourd (a folktale from India), and we will begin Why the Sky is Far Away (a Yoruba folktale) next week. Students have also been learning how to decode and spell VC/CV words, and we will be doing the same for regular plural nouns (-s, -es, -ies) and words with inflected endings! Lastly, students have been introduced to synonyms and antonyms.
Math Updates:
This week, third-grade scholars continued building their understanding of multiplication and division. Students practiced representing multiplication through equal groups, arrays, and number lines before beginning their introduction to division. We are now exploring division as a way to separate a total into equal groups and determine how many objects belong in each group.We also used repeated subtraction to find answers to division problems.
Scholars are continuing to strengthen these concepts through classroom instruction, workbook practice, and assigned IXL skills. Families are encouraged to continue practicing basic multiplication facts and helping scholars make connections between multiplication and division at home.
Mr. White’s Class: Please continue checking that scholars are completing their assigned IXL Math and Science skills. Scholars should also have completed their IXL Math LevelUp Diagnostic, as the diagnostic helps provide information about their current skill levels and areas for continued growth.
Science Updates:
In Science, scholars continued their investigation of forces and motion. Students are learning to identify pushes and pulls and explain how balanced and unbalanced forces affect the motion of an object. We are also beginning to explore how factors such as force and mass can influence an object's movement.
Through investigations, discussions, and IXL practice, scholars are developing their ability to use evidence to explain why objects start moving, stop moving, or change their motion.
Social Studies Updates:
Ms. Howard
Students began our Land and Water unit. We discussed different landforms and bodies of water and how they appear on maps.
Ms. Madison
In Social Studies, we have started our unit on Our Environment (Chapter 1 in MyWorld). This chapter specifically focuses on the Geography of the United States! This includes the five geographical regions of the US (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West), its landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources!
Health Updates:
In Health, students continued to expand their knowledge on safe homes by exploring electronic device safety. After our readings and discussions, students completed a mini book to remember the day’s skills.
Grade Level Blurb:
Greetings Team 4Ward,
☀️We hope that message finds you well. We have concluded the first four weeks of the quarter and have reached the halfway mark. Be sure that you are making a plan with your scholar to support them with completion of work and growing academically. Synergy is our grading platform and the first place to check to determine your scholar’s progress throughout the year.
🎮Indoor Recess:
All classes could use donations of indoor activities for recess such as board games, blocks, coloring materials, and card games. If your family is able please donate any gently used or new items to your scholar’s homeroom class. This will help our scholars work on their cooperative and social skills.
🏫Parent Volunteers:
Team 4Ward loves going on field trips and in the past have taken a number of trips during the year. In order for field trips to occur we need approved volunteers that are able to chaperone. Some trips are at risk of being canceled if we do not have enough parent volunteers. Only Prince George’s County Public School cleared volunteers will be able to go on trips and support in the building. If you have already completed your background check in previous years, all you must do now is complete the SafeSchool Videos. Once these are complete please share your completion with Ms. Reese at lreese@cmitsouthes.org.
📋Please click this link to get more information about supporting the classroom by becoming an approved volunteer: https://www.pgcps.org/offices/ograc/volunteer#volunteer-process
💻Many class activities use online tools. A charged computer ensures your child can fully participate in lessons and complete assignments. Our students also need a pair of wired headphones to complete activities and for testing. Students who arrive on time are better prepared for learning and reduce classroom disruptions. Please plan to have your child at school a few minutes early each day. A healthy breakfast helps students focus and have energy for learning. School breakfast is available daily until 8:00 when students arrive in the morning.
We are grateful for your ongoing support in helping students feel safe, prepared, and excited about learning. Thank you for partnering with us to make this a positive school year. Let’s grow together!!
Warmly,
Team 4Ward
Important Upcoming Dates:
Yom Kippur- Monday September 21, 2026- No School
MAP Reading Diagnostic Thursday September 24, 2026
MAP Math Diagnostic Friday September 25, 2026
MAP Science Diagnostic Monday September 28, 2026
Fourth Grade Information:
i-Ready:
i-Ready is a computer based math and reading program that is available for all of our scholars. Scholars have completed their diagnostics and are working on programs based on their areas of need. This program will be available all summer for students to continue to utilize in both reading and math. Please help your child complete at least 45 minutes of math and reading to grow their abilities.
Absences:
This is a friendly reminder that late work is only accepted if a student has an excused absence! If a scholar is absent and does not bring a note they will earn a 0 on the assignment that was missed. Please read the reminders to ensure that you are partnering with your scholars to make them successful for school. If a scholar leaves early or arrives late to school and it is not excused they will earn a 0 for all work that is not completed.
If your scholar is absent, please complete the CMIT South ES Absence Google Form within 3 days of your scholar returning back to school. https://forms.gle/euXzCpDvNGbLwb8U6 Work is provided to students upon their return to school with an excused absence.
Reading Updates:
This Week:
We began our second story “Rare Treasures.” In this biography we will learn about Mary Anning who is considered “the mother of paleontology." In this story students will determine the main idea while they monitor their inner conversations to understand the text. The next group of words we will study are also contain suffixes (ty “state of” or “quality” (noun) -ity “state of” or “quality” (noun) -ic “relating to” (adjective) -ment “action or process of” (noun).
Next Week:
We will continue in the story, “Rare Treasures.” In this biography we are reading about Mary Anning who is considered “the mother of paleontology." In this story students determined the main idea while they monitored their inner conversations to understand the text. This week we will complete writing about the text. The writing focus on the week is having our students further explain how their text evidence supports their thoughts. We will also have our second word study assessment of the year.
Math Updates:
Wrapping Up Topic 1: Generalized Place Value
We are wrapping up our first math topic, Generalized Place Value! Throughout this topic, students have been building their understanding of how the value of a digit depends on its place in a number. We have been working with place value relationships, reading and writing numbers, comparing numbers, and representing numbers in different ways.
As we finish up this topic, students are continuing to practice explaining their mathematical thinking and using place value strategies to solve problems. Please check agenda books for the assessment due date.
📊 i-Ready Diagnostic
This week, students completed their i-Ready Math Diagnostic. This assessment gives us valuable information about each student's current skills and helps us identify areas of strength as well as skills that we will continue to work on throughout the year.
📝 MAP Diagnostic
Looking ahead, students will also be taking their MAP Math Diagnostic during the week of Yom Kippur. This is another opportunity for us to learn more about students' mathematical strengths and areas for growth.
Please remind your child that these assessments are simply a way for us to see what they know and how we can best support their learning. Encourage them to take their time, do their best, and remember that they are not expected to know every answer!
🏠 Math at Home
As we move into our next topic, you can continue supporting your mathematician at home by asking questions such as:
“How do you know?”
“Can you explain your strategy?”
“Is there another way to solve it?”
“What does this digit represent in this number?”
Thank you for your continued support as we build confident, curious, and capable mathematicians!
Science Updates:
As we continue through the first quarter, scholars will keep exploring the different forms of energy and how energy is transferred from one place or object to another.
This week, scholars also began learning how to write Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) responses. In a CER response, scholars make a claim that answers a question, provide evidence from an investigation, text, observation, or data, and explain their reasoning by showing how the evidence supports their claim.
Families can support this skill during everyday conversations by asking questions such as, “What do you think?” “What makes you say that?” and “What evidence do you have?” Whether discussing why an ice cube melted, which route to school is faster, or why a favorite team won a game, encouraging scholars to explain their thinking helps strengthen the same reasoning skills we use in science.
Social Studies Updates:
This week, we learned about the five regions of the United States and explored what makes each region unique. Students used maps to identify the different regions and learned about the landforms and bodies of water found throughout the United States. We also discussed how geography can influence the environment, communities, and way of life in different areas.
Next week, we will be learning about weather and climate! Students will explore the difference between weather and climate and examine how weather patterns can vary from one region to another. We will also learn about different types of weather, climate patterns, and how scientists observe and collect information about Earth’s weather.
Grade Level Blurb:
It was a fantastic week of learning! Students turned in wonderful "Pick-a-Project" assignments in math—we loved seeing their creativity across the Manatee, Planetary Distances, and Games selections. What a great way for students to showcase what they have been learning!
Look Ahead: Next week, students will take the MAP Growth Assessment across three testing days. Please ensure students get a good night's rest and eat a healthy breakfast!
Reading Updates:
This Week: We worked on Unit 1, Week 3: Historical Fiction. Students practiced making personal connections between their own experiences and the key ideas in the text.
Math Updates:
This Week: We began Topic 2, Lesson 1: Mental Math. Students used various properties of addition and strategic mental math methods to solve equations.
Home Connection: Ask your student to explain how they can use mental math strategies while grocery shopping or running errands
Next Week: We will move into Topic 2, Lesson 2: Estimating Sums and Differences.
Science Updates:
This Week: We started Topic 1, Experience 2: Model Matter. Students conducted hands-on investigations using their knowledge of properties and changes in matter to answer a key question: Does matter "vanish" when a substance dissolves in water?Important Assessment: We will continue reviewing this experience in the coming days. Our Topic 1 Science Unit Assessment is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Social Studies Updates:
Chapter 2: Age of Exploration & Advances in TechnologyWhat We're Exploring: Students are learning how key technological breakthroughs made long-distance ocean voyages possible for early European explorers. We are studying how tools like the magnetic compass, astrolabe, caravel ship design, and improved mapmaking transformed world navigation.
Key Themes: We are examining the motives behind early exploration—trade routes, resources, and expansion—and discussing how these journeys began connecting different cultures across the globe.
Health Updates:
First Aid & Emergency Preparedness
What We're Learning: We kicked off our new unit on basic First Aid! Students are learning how to respond calmly and safely in common emergency scenarios.
Core Skills Covered:
- Recognizing everyday hazards at school, home, and play.
- Basic care for minor injuries like scrapes, cuts, burns, and bee stings.
- When and how to call for trusted adult help or contact 911 effectively.
- Identifying the essential items found inside a standard home or classroom first aid kit.
CHESAPEAKE MATH AND IT SOUTH ELEMENTARY
• Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.
• Grades: K-5
• Uniform: Yes
• Before After School Enrichment: Yes
http://clfmd.org/enrichment-2/
• School Colors: Orange and Black
• Uniform Colors: Hunter Green, Navy Blue, or white Oxford tops and Khaki or Navy Blue bottoms
• School Mascot: "Roary" the Tiger• School Website: http://www.cmitsouthes.org
For more information