Newsletter 4

Room 302—Newsletter 4 September 22, 2005 Dear Families, Our Curriculum Night / Open House is tonight. We’ll meet first in the gym at 6:30, and then come to the room, where I’ll talk about what I do and why. I hope to see you. In other news…. In reading…. Look for a checklist in each book box. Those are to help students remember the reading expectations. Right now we’re working on having books we can read, reading quietly, and reading fluently. In writing…. We finished our wall story, I Like. Look for it hanging up in front of the windows. We’re also still working on routines, like starting with the date each time before we write. It’s something you can look for in your child’s journal tonight. In math…. We’ve been doing patterns. This is so important, since math is all based on patterns. Perhaps during the Open House your student could share and explain a pattern he or she made. New…. Art Project We’re collecting empty cereal boxes for an art project. We need them by next Thursday. We’ll be using the cardboard inside, so they have to be blank. Counselor Our class will have the chance to meet with our counselor once a week beginning September 27. This will be 30 minutes on Tuesdays, right before library. Which reminds me, bringing library books back on Tuesdays is another one of those routines they still need help with. Field Trip As I told the students, we do plan to to see a play in May. I’ll have a chaperone sign-up tonight, and I’ll send more info. when we get closer. Some things worth repeating…. Snacks If you plan to bring in something for a birthday treat, please give me some notice so we can plan the best day and time. Volunteers I welcome volunteers in the classroom, and hope to start soon. If you’re interested, let me know. You can also sign up tonight. I have a sign-up sheet with times that I need people, and I’ll also have the necessary (ESD required) forms for you to get when you come tonight. Email List I have eleven families on my list so far. If you wrote to me and didn’t hear back, please write again. I’ll respond to your message if I get it. If you’d like to be on the list, please send me an email. Include your name and your child’s name so I can identify you. Classroom Visits Any time you’d like to visit, you’re welcome to do so. Just make sure to stop in at the office to sign in and get a Visitor sticker. Sincerely, Jeff

Week of Monday, September 19

Monday, September 19, 2005
In reading we shared our connections.  First we read books.  When we read, we thought about things the books reminded us of.  Kaelyn read Ben’s Red Car and she had a connection to her grandma’s red car.  Donna read Space Cat and it reminded her of a cat she had.  Then we sat in a circle and shared some of our connections.
Most of us also got new jobs today.  Some of do the same jobs as last week.  Some of the class jobs are shelf cleaning, writing center, lunch, floor cleaner, caboose, pencils, snack, books, and calendar.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005
We had library today!  Mrs. Sullivan and Mrs. Yonkers let us check out two books.  But some of us only wanted to check out one book.
And some of us didn’t check out any because we forgot to bring our other books back.  But we still picked books and Mrs. Sullivan saved them for us, and put our names on them with a sticky note, and put them on a special shelf.  We’ll get those books tomorrow when we bring our old ones back.  
Mrs. Sullivan read us a book called Book, Book, Book and we also did a poem we know called “Good Books, Good Times” by Lee Bennet Hopkins.

Thursday, September 22, 2005
Today is the first day of Autumn.  In writing, some people made birthday cards for Ashley because it’s her birthday today, and birthday cards for Abby because it’s her birthday on Monday.  The rest of us will make their cards on other days.
Ashley brought cookies for us, too.  They were really good!