Newsletter 7

2005-2006                            Room 302—Newsletter 7

October 13, 2005

Dear Families,

I appreciate the feedback on these newsletters.  Sometimes I turn them out rather quickly, and stuff slips by, so thanks for bringing it to my attention.  (My dad would claim he was making mistakes on purpose, just to see if anyone was paying attention, so maybe that will be my excuse.)
Here’s what’s going on…..
In reading….
The topic of ants has come up now and then in our reading and writing, and that’s what our new wall story is about.  We’ve read a few nonfiction books about ants, and we’ve talked about things we’ve learned.  This is an expectation I want them to have when it comes to nonfiction:  they should expect to learn something.  The wall story is a chance for them to tell and illustrate something they have learned about ants, and when it’s done it will be something they can read.
In writing….
As I grow into this routine of writing these every week, I find myself anticipating them and thinking of what to write about.  That’s one reason I have the students write four days a week.  I want it to become routine, and I want them to start anticipating topics, so that when they sit down to write, they can get started right away.  I’ve shown the students the book I use to keep track of my ideas so I don’t forget them, and your child may be interested in doing something similar.  It could be as simple as a spiral notebook where they jot notes or pictures—anything so that great idea is not forgotten or lost.
In math….
We are almost finished with our first workbook, and we’re working on story problems that ask students to find and show different combinations that equal a set amount.  For example, if there are ten dinosaurs and tigers, how many of each could there be?  Part of this problem is doing the math, and another part is learning how to use paper and pencil to show the math they did and to express their answer clearly.  This will continue to show up throughout the year.
Field Trip…
We’d like to get out and see some sites around the community this year, and this will be our first.  We’re going across the street to visit our post office on Friday, October 21.  Look for the permission slip sent home today.
Fall Party…
We’ll have our fall party on Monday, October 31, starting after lunch recess, around 1:45.  We’ll need 5-7 pumpkins, along with treats, juice, napkins, silverware, and plates.  Let me know if you can contribute.  We’ll be doing some activities that go much better when we have more adults around, so please come and join us if you can.  If you plan to be here, just send me a note or an email.  
Current Chapter Book Read Aloud…
Winnie the Pooh  by A. A. Milne
Calendar…
Friday, October 14—No School
Friday, October 21—Cameron’s birthday (forgot last time—sorry Cameron ()
Friday, October 21—Post Office Field Trip
Friday, October 28—Early Release Day
Monday, October 31—Fall party (afternoon)
Friday, November 4—Science Fair, Western Dance

Sincerely,


Jeff