2005-2006 Room 302—Newsletter 6
October 7, 2005
Dear Families,
I love the Thursday folders. If this newsletter is ready, I send it then. If not, I send it Friday, which I’m doing this time. Here’s what’s going on…..
In reading….
We’re still working on reading in our heads. A great way to practice this is by using the poems in our poetry binders. I pass out three or four poems per week. We practice rereading these a lot, so they are also excellent read aloud material for the students. If you’d like your child to read some to you, suggest they bring the binder home to share. But please help them remember to bring it back the next day.
In writing….
I was thinking again about how much we’re asking of students when we have them write every day. To get a sense of just what is involved, try doing it. Get a journal or notebook or diary and try writing for 20-30 minutes every day. It’s something that I find challenging—finding the time, thinking of topics, deciding exactly what I want to say. If you then want to take it to another level, share your writing with others. You may find it to be a bit intimidating to share something so personal and intimate. I find myself getting a bit defensive about my work, even when I know the person giving questions or comments has only my best interests in mind. But again, we ask students to do it every day. If you do decide to try this, I think it will give you a new perspective on your child as a writer, and I know it will provide a powerful model for your child as a writer.
In math….
We made new calendar, which you should have seen come home. The art on the top was inspired by an artist named Winslow Homer. The story goes that he was so poor, his family could not afford paper and pencils. But he was driven to do art, so he improvised, using the insides of cereal boxes for paper and charcoal from the fire for his medium. Hence, our use of cereal boxes and charcoal pencils. We thank the PTA board and members for their generous contributions and allocations to our classrooms, which made possible the purchase of those pencils. (If you still need to join, let me know and I’ll get you hooked up.)
Invitations…
I’ve recently been informed of a school policy concerning birthday invitations: We ask that you not send invitations to school unless everyone in the class is invited. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes.
Current Chapter Book Read Aloud….
Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business
by Barbara Park
Calendar…
Sunday, October 2—Donna’s birthday
Thursday, October 6—Taylor’s birthday
Friday, October 7—Kaelyn’s birthday
Saturday, October 8—Kaelyn’s birthday party (everyone invited)
Friday, October 14—No School
Friday, October 28—Early Release Day
Monday, October 31—Fall party (afternoon)
Friday, November 4—Science Fair, Western Dance
Sincerely,
Jeff
Friday, October 07, 2005
Monday, October 03, 2005
Week of Monday, October 3
Monday, October 03, 2005
Yesterday was Donna’s birthday. She turned seven years old. We’re making cards for her.
In math we finished our charcoal drawing of a pumpkin patch. We stapled them to black paper. Then we sprayed them with hairspray so they wouldn’t smear when we touched them. Then we took them home.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
We got a new poem. It’s called “Hickory Dickory Dock.” It’s about a mouse who climbs up a clock, but then gets scared when the clock strikes one o’clock, so he runs down. We don’t know what the mouse does after that.
Another poem we’re learning is “October” by Maurice Sendak. It’s a scary poem that has a witch, and a goblin, and a ghost in it. When we read it out loud, we practiced using our scary voices.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
The kid in the orange shirt, Kyle, came and let us know they were ready for us. We lined up and left our room. We went to the stage, but we had to wait for the second graders to get done. The adults kept telling us to be quiet because it was really noisy in there. But it wasn’t just us making the noise, it was the second graders, too, and the kids at P.E.
Finally, it was our turn. One by one, we sat on the stool in front of the camera. The lady behind the camera put a square piece of film into the camera. It had our names on it so she’d know who was who. Then she told us to say different words, like “pretty,” or “recess,” or “daisy,” or “pickle,” or “pumpkin,” or “princess.” When we said the word we smiled and she pressed the button and snuck our picture. Everyone had fun.
After that, we came back to our classroom for writing.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Mckayla came back today. She was gone for three days. She was visiting her grandma and grandpa. We missed her and we’re glad to have her back. She got back just in time for Taylor’s birthday.
Taylor turned 7 years old today. She got a hamster for her birthday, and her dad came and brought McDonald’s for her lunch. He even brought French fries for Mr. Kurtz! Later, her mom came and brought tiny chocolate spider cupcakes with webs on them. They brought juice, too. They were great.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Hooray!
Hooray!
It’s Kaelyn’s birthday today!
She turned 7. Mr. Kurtz made her a crown. Kaelyn brought cupcakes and we ate them outside while we looked at the pictures we made for Kayla. We made pictures for Kayla because we learned her name in spelling today.
Tomorrow is Kaelyn’s party from 2-4 at Godfather’s. “Godfather’s pizza is good!” said Justyn and Jesse.
Kaelyn said, “There will be cake at my party, and we get to play outside on the sidewalk, so we don’t get run over in the parking lot.”
Everyone in the class is invited.
Yesterday was Donna’s birthday. She turned seven years old. We’re making cards for her.
In math we finished our charcoal drawing of a pumpkin patch. We stapled them to black paper. Then we sprayed them with hairspray so they wouldn’t smear when we touched them. Then we took them home.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
We got a new poem. It’s called “Hickory Dickory Dock.” It’s about a mouse who climbs up a clock, but then gets scared when the clock strikes one o’clock, so he runs down. We don’t know what the mouse does after that.
Another poem we’re learning is “October” by Maurice Sendak. It’s a scary poem that has a witch, and a goblin, and a ghost in it. When we read it out loud, we practiced using our scary voices.
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
The kid in the orange shirt, Kyle, came and let us know they were ready for us. We lined up and left our room. We went to the stage, but we had to wait for the second graders to get done. The adults kept telling us to be quiet because it was really noisy in there. But it wasn’t just us making the noise, it was the second graders, too, and the kids at P.E.
Finally, it was our turn. One by one, we sat on the stool in front of the camera. The lady behind the camera put a square piece of film into the camera. It had our names on it so she’d know who was who. Then she told us to say different words, like “pretty,” or “recess,” or “daisy,” or “pickle,” or “pumpkin,” or “princess.” When we said the word we smiled and she pressed the button and snuck our picture. Everyone had fun.
After that, we came back to our classroom for writing.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Mckayla came back today. She was gone for three days. She was visiting her grandma and grandpa. We missed her and we’re glad to have her back. She got back just in time for Taylor’s birthday.
Taylor turned 7 years old today. She got a hamster for her birthday, and her dad came and brought McDonald’s for her lunch. He even brought French fries for Mr. Kurtz! Later, her mom came and brought tiny chocolate spider cupcakes with webs on them. They brought juice, too. They were great.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Hooray!
Hooray!
It’s Kaelyn’s birthday today!
She turned 7. Mr. Kurtz made her a crown. Kaelyn brought cupcakes and we ate them outside while we looked at the pictures we made for Kayla. We made pictures for Kayla because we learned her name in spelling today.
Tomorrow is Kaelyn’s party from 2-4 at Godfather’s. “Godfather’s pizza is good!” said Justyn and Jesse.
Kaelyn said, “There will be cake at my party, and we get to play outside on the sidewalk, so we don’t get run over in the parking lot.”
Everyone in the class is invited.