Room 1 Update 9/14/12

Initials

We're starting out slow with learning our names.  This week we focused on the first initial.  When you're out looking at signs or reading labels at home, try to point out the first letter of your child's name to them.  

Apples

Next week we're going to start our exploration of apples.  I'm asking each child to bring in an apple by next Thursday.  We're going to do some apple taste testing, graphing, and painting! If you're able to send in 2 apples to help those who cannot bring on in, that would be very helpful! 

Pictures

Only 3 friends have sent in a photo to put up in our classroom.  If you'd like to send in a photo of your child with their family, or doing something fun - please do and I'll put it in a photo frame to help our classroom feel more comfortable! 

Snack

Snack money is due by Sept. 28th.  Please remember we eat snack as a whole class, so please do not send your child with their own afternoon snack.  We all eat the same thing together. 

Gym Shoes

Please use the calendar that was sent home last week to keep track of when we have gym class.  Proper gym shoes (tennis shoes or sneakers) need to be worn on these days.  We can't safely run around in flip flops or dressy sandals!!

We used "Rainbow Writing" to practice our first letter of our names!

At Rest time we either relax on our own...

Or read a book quietly with a friend!

Ms. Tracy came in and read us a football story for NFL Friday!

Updates and Report Cards

Well, as usual, my high ambitions for getting a kagillion things done over break were distracted by these two cuties: 

Can you blame me?!

Grades

So my goals for this upcoming weekend is to ignore my adorable children (or just work hard during naptime!) to get caught up on entering grades into the computer.  Report cards need to be turned in by Jan. 20th - and I want to give you time to look over what's in PowerSchool before being shocked by the final results that get sent home.  

*Correction:  The semester ends Jan. 20th.  I have until Jan. 27th to get grades turned in!  They will come home after that*

MP3 Players

I was able to transfer all of my story cd's onto my computer - now I'm working on organizing them onto the players.  Keep an eye out for our Listening Center Ribbon-Cutting ceremony, perhaps later in January. 

Snacks

We're down to our last bit of pretzels.  If you're willing/able/interested in donating a big tub of treats to our class, our hungry friends would much appreciate it!!

Multiplication

Please, please, please practice this with your child.  If you have flash cards, they should be part of your daily routine!! 

Math

We're working on Time right now.  Please practice this as well! 

Writing

We are about to begin our new unit of study on essay writing. Essay-writing has become a hot topic in schools, especially because many standardized tests, including the SAT, have added a writing section, usually in the form of an essay. Students are asked to write essays well into their college years, and I believe it’s crucial that they get a strong start, learning the skills and strategies to craft compelling essays, as well as developing a positive attitude toward the genre.

Your children will become essayists over the next several weeks, and they’ll start by collecting essay ideas in their notebooks for a little bit of time. Then they’ll develop their ideas through the now-familiar writing process, choosing an essay idea and turning it into a draft that will be revised and edited until it becomes an essay to publish.

Science

Animal Reports -- today your child chose an animal that they're interested in - tomorrow the real fun begins!  We'll do the best we can with the resources here, but if you are able to look up some facts/details about your child's choice online and print them off, that would be so helpful for them! 

That's enough updating for today I think.  

Happy Wednesday!