Halloween Party

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Week 12

I am not sure we are going to know what to do with a full week of school. I am excited. Maybe we can return to a routine and stop feeling so rushed to get everything crammed in. In the past I have slowed down during the weeks of conferences and Fall Break, but this group seems to be quite capable of going on and still learning what they need to. We didn't get to spend as much time on vocabulary practice as we usually do. You might go to the page before each story in the blue book and review all the vocabulary words with your child. This is our last week in this reader. Next week will be a new book and you will start to see a change in the reading difficulty. When we hit the story "Tomas Rivera," you will notice a definite leap. It just keeps getting harder from there on.

The story this week is a non fiction story called "Fun with Fish." The phonics sound is the digraph /sh/. The kids really enjoy this story. They like the different kinds of fish the story talks about. The vocabulary words are"

away

food

funny

hide

how

many

some

their

We are going to be working on increasing reading fluency and blending whole words in phonetically correct words and nonsense words. Our winter testing will happen the first week of December so I would like to have them comfortable with the skills they will be asked to do.

We are studying all kinds of graphs in math. This week we will do picture graphs, bar graphs and tally marks. These are usually pretty easy for most kids. Sometimes tally marks can be tricky. Especially the one that goes across. They usually get it for 5 but then it is hard to remember the one for 10.

Spelling has taken on a new dimension. The kids are having to learn to navigate the program and to type carefully. I think this may make them better at keyboarding and maybe spelling also. We are slow starting but speed will pick up with familiarity of the program. I also have a couple of old, cranky computers that on any given day may choose not to be cooperative. We are going to do the best we can with what we have. . .we have no choice.

Last week was interesting. The kids were quite helpful on the days that I had no or limited voice use. They were quiet and good listeners. I am so grateful for that. It made things much more pleasant for all of us.

Thanks for the outpouring of goodies for our Halloween party. Everyone seemed to have a good time and certainly get enough to eat. Also thanks to those of you who sent things for our soldier. He is going to be well supplied by Room 136.

Have a great week.

Thanks

I have everything I need for the party. Please send the veggies on Thursday so I can make the monster tray!! It is going to be an interesting few days. I have no voice right now. I hope the kids are helpful. I have found they are either really helpful or really not!! Hope it is the helpful one.

Week 11

This week is another busy week. We will continue on in the reading series and there is an Early Release and the Halloween Party on Friday. There are still lots of things available to send. I forgot to bring the list home so I can't tell you exactly what. No one has signed up for veggies or white frosting. I do remember that and the red gummy life savers. I will take care of whatever can't be sent.

This week's story is a realistic fiction piece called "Try Your Best." The phonics sound is /or/ made by the letters or and ore. The vocabulary words are:

be

good

Mr.

need

our

right

saw

time

try

Sorry about the homework goof last week. I have no idea how I put the same stuff on both sides but I did manage to do that. HOLY COW!!! Then I threw the originals away and they were on my home computer. We will try again this week. Thanks to those of you that just rolled with the punches.

In math this week we will be learning to organize and use data. We will start with sorts and then move on to picture graphs and problem solve. It will be a fun time. We already do a lot of this so it should be easy for us to accomplish.

With reminders most of us remembered to take a spelling test this week. It will be easier when we get into the habit. Those are new routines I have to build.

Have a great week!!!

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

The Halloween Party has been changed to October 28th at 9:00. Only 2 of us wanted it on Monday. We lost. This does change some of the plans. I will need the veggies on Thursday so I can prepare the tray for Friday. Menu and all other plans stay the same.

The children may wear costumes. . .just not masks or really scary or gory things.

Monster Sandwich Day

Can you tell that I am taking this vacation to catch up!

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Ants on a Log

Sorry that you may be getting ads but that is the free way. I don't want to buy a subscription. Just look at the cute kids.

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Meet the Class

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Week 10

There is a lot of information in the blog this week. Please read ALL of it.

This week's story is called "Where Do Frogs Come From?" It is a non fiction story about the life cycle of frogs. The kids really seem to enjoy non fiction stories. The new phonics skill is /ng/ as in the word song. The new vocabulary words are:

eat

from

gone

grows

or

two

Spelling will change this week. We will start individualized spelling. I expect each child to pass at least one test per week. Everyone will start on List 1. If they miss only 1 they can move on to the next list. Each child has a book of spelling lists in their desks to use for practice. The words are also available on the blog. The link is on the side under spelling. Remember we are now linked on the elks.net website.

Flu vaccinations will be offered on Oct. 24. The information came home on Thursday in the backpacks.

There will be an information meeting on the bond issue on Oct 19th.

I am ready to order the T-shirts. If you have not sent your money, please do as soon as you can. I am looking forward to getting them.

The uncle of one of the students is serving in the war zone. We are going to adopt him as a pen pal. We will write letters, etc. I'd like for us to collect things for goodie boxes to send once in a while. There will be a box that the kids can put non-parishable items in to send to him.

I have purchased brag tags. They are really fun!!! They will be awarded by different means: some by achieving goals (math timed tests, AR, spelling, writing, etc) and some just happen (Valentines Day, birthday, etc) and some by my judgement call. I am going to visit with each child about some goals I would like for them to achieve. When they have done that, they will receive an award tag. The tags are on a long chain necklace. They will remain at school. They will be allowed to wear them home when they receive a new tag. I want them to celebrate that with you. Please return it the next day. They will be kept on hooks in the room. If grandma comes and you would like your child to share his/her achievements with that special person, write me a note and we will send it home that day. LOST TAGS WILL NOT BE REPLACED.

I am planning the Halloween Party. It will be on Halloween at 12:10. I would like to do these things. Make mummies, make spooky eyeballs, and decorate pumpkin shaped cookies. We can eat 2 of the items and then I would like to make a monster style veggie tray to serve also with some apple cider to drink. This is the item list I need. Let me know what you can provide. If someone has already signed up for it, I will ask you to send something else. I am trying to make this a small cost for everyone. I already have plates, cups and napkins. Each child will need to bring a roll of toilet paper. Needed items are:

30 small powdered doughnuts

30 red gummy lifesavers

4 tubes of red gel frosting

30 pumpkin shaped sugar cookies

2 tubs of white frosting

3 bottles of apple cider

1 bunch leafy lettuce (not iceberg)

1 bunch broccoli

1 head cauliflower

2 English cucumbers

1 bag carrot slices

1 red pepper

1 green pepper

1 can black olive slices

1 bunch radishes

1 large bottle ranch dressing

2 moms to help

I will need the veggies at school on Friday, Oct. 28 so I can use them to make the tray.

Thanks for reading all this. Have a great week!

Week 9

Our new story is "Space Pup". He is a super hero type guy. Since this class really does well in the reading aspect for the most part we are going to forge ahead in the 2 short weeks we face. The phonics sound is short u. The vocabulary list is long:

gives

he

night

out

people

says

when

your

Spelling words are:

us

bus

bug

rug

mug

must

with

then

she

use

In math we will continue to concentrate on subtraction. Some are having trouble with the concept. You might just do a quick check at home to see if your child can tell you the signs, follow their directions, and do the problems correctly.

In writing we are working on using capitals, a punctuation mark, and leaving spaces between words. They are learning to add to existing pictures and stories. We are also starting to reread the story to see if we left out words.

Thanks so much for conference attendance. I will soon have met with every parent. That is such a good feeling. I have enjoyed visiting with you about y our child's strengths and weaknesses. Each of us needs a goal to work on.

I hope to get the T Shirts ordered so please send your money and make sure I have pictures and sizes. I would like to get these here as soon as possible so we can enjoy them to the max!!!

Remember, Thursday is an early release and Friday and Monday are no school for fall break. ENJOY!!! I think I will be ready to just sit around for a few days. This has been a busy few days. Thanks for being patient with my absences.

Week 8

The story for this week is "Boots for Beth." It is about a little pig who outgrows her boots. Her friends try to help her solve her problem. The sound this week is the voiced and unvoiced /th/. Vocabulary words are:

could

friends

new

put

she

use

Spelling words are:

then

them

this

that

path

with

men

set

was

said

We will be introducing subtraction this week. The series seems to be going pretty fast thru the concepts. I think they are assuming that lots was introduced in K. I think it probably has been but we will be doing lots of extra work on it. Subtraction is a difficult concept. They are using the missing part early and that seems hard for kids. Wish us luck!!!

Thanks you so much for the great turn out and response to conferences. By the end of this week, I will have visited with every parent in my room. That is a really good feeling. I can already see the results of our visits. The kids commented on the positive comments and even on a few of their challenges. Their behavior was awesome. They were really showing me their best!!! Now I know it is possible and will be the goal we work for every day.

This is another busy week at school, These are the important dates:

Oct. 4 - I will have a substitute and "Reading Under the Stars" from 6:00-7:00 at school. They are serving hot dogs, etc. Please come out and enjoy the evening.

Oct. 6 - PICTURE DAY!!! If you want pictures, please send your money. Also our pictures will not be taken until 1:30 in the afternoon. I cannot promise you perfectly groomed children by that time of day. If you want them to be gorgeous, you might want to come at a little before 1:00 to get them groomed. I cannot do 24 hairdo's etc.

Oct. 7 - Please have your child's drawing and info back for the T-shirt by then. I would like to get them ordered.

Oct. 7 - It is Monster Sandwich Day. Your child does not need to bring a lunch. We will just enjoy the day together.

Have a great week!! I am going to. My daughter is coming from Ohio. I haven't seen her since her wedding last September so I am really excited. Thanks for understand that I will be gone a few days.