2-8 November 2009
News Release: You received your Family Quarterly Project directions in the take home folder today. This project is due by 19 November, but it can be completed and sent in before that date. Please work to have a quality project and spend quality time together. You may use resources from on-line, magazines, your child's own drawing, etc. I did send an ABC book home with your child today, to show you an example of an ABC book. Remember to choose a theme or topic for yours, and stay with the chosen one throughout the book. Involve the entire family and let your child guide the contents. They will have an opportunity to 'read' and present their book to their peers. Thank you for your time and effort. November has many days off of school, so enjoy the time together and produce a great book. Remember, a page for each letter of the alphabet. Thank you!!!!
P.S. You can let up on the on-line homework while working on this project together!
Welcome back to the Weekly Post on our class blog. Time seems to be passing quickly and as we move into November, the work we perform together, as partners in your child's education is more important than ever. I am amazed at the progress in reading by the students. Each morning, as they arrive in the classroom, they hang up their coats and backpacks, remove the "READING BAG" and participate in SSR (Sustained 'Silent' Reading) for 10-15 minutes right before the morning announcements and pledge. Our room is buzzing with readers and I've just got to take a movie and post the results! It's such a pleasant sight and becomes even more important as we move into the second quarter of the year. Whether they're working on fluency, re-reading, checking the tricky parts with their finger, or sailing through the books that they've read over the last 3-4 days, this helps to make the difference on feeling part of a community of learners. Thank you to all the moms and dads who spend time listening, prompting, monitoring, and caring. Please don't forget to read those library books TO your child, also!
We enjoyed many of the hand & home-made treats at our Fall Festival, which basically consisted of themed activities around fall and spiders, but were really more reading, writing, and math activities connected to learning standards. Of course, included in that were gross motor activities on their favorite section of our huge playground outside our room. Other than playing Tarzan on a low-hanging branch and literally 'tearing off' a section of the tree (needed to be trimmed anyway :o), so much fun and learning was had on that day.
Once again, check out the adjusted links at the side of this post, continue with the MUST DO links and explore the others. I appreciate your immediate response to conference confirmations and look forward to the 12th and 13th of November.
Continue to collect Box Tops for Education labels, wearing appropriate clothing based on the weather, and monitoring their learning with the links. There are occassional problems with computer access for some of you, but continue to read the little books in the reading bag each night. Promote independence and use the parent prompt sheet for ideas on how to help when your child comes to difficulty.
This Wednesday, the 4th, we will farwell two students as they PCS to the United States. We'll miss Presley and Xander. We wish you the best of luck in your new locations and hope to hear from you after you get settled.
Remember, these no-school dates this month: Friday, 6 November:(teacher work day), 11, 12, & 13 November: (Veteran's Day, and Parent Teacher Conferences), 26-27 November: (Thanksgiving Holiday). Because of this shortened month, your vigilance on reading is imperative to sustain their growth and further progress. Homework will be an essential 'bridge' to sustainment of skills and moving through the curriculum, in spite of all the days off.
Happy November! Check out the links for the week--
Mrs. Petty
