October 1, 2010

Dear Families,

Thank you for coming to your parent-teacher conference this past week! I really enjoy the time to meet with each of you and get to know your child a little bit better. A copy of your conference will be sent home next week for you to keep. It is always difficult having a substitute in the classroom because they are unfamiliar with our procedures and routines. Mrs. K let me know that everything went ok and hopefully the children enjoyed having her as a substitute! I will be back in the classroom on Monday.

Here are some highlights for the week:

• Language Arts: We finished our letter books by working on W, X, Y, and Z. Also, we had our first literacy centers experience on Wednesday. Every Wednesday, we will get to listen to a story and complete a listening worksheet, draw a Kidpix picture of the letter of the week, and we will work on a page in our dictionaries. This week’s letter was S. For the dictionary activity, I provide 15 different S words and pictures. Students get to choose 8 S words of their choice to write and illustrate in their dictionary. In listening center next week, I will be having them draw and write about their favorite parts. In computer center, they need to draw a large picture starting with the letter of the week.

• Social Studies: Congratulations to Tess, who was chosen as our fourth Star of the Week! You can read about her in the “Classwork” section of our website, and click under “Star of the Week.”

• Math: We worked with Mrs. K this week on patterns. We practiced naming different patterns by saying the object (apple, orange, apple orange, etc) and by using letters (A, B, A, B, etc). We also practiced the ABB, AAB, and ABC patterns. Also, today in Friday centers we did a fun project that goes with the book, “Ten Apples Up On Top.” We glued a picture of ourselves with 10 apples on our head! Then we practiced writing our numbers from 1 to 10.

• Computer Lab: This week we used a new program called Kidspiration. We began by learning about the program, typing our names, and working on a patterns page. We used different fall foods to finish patterns. We will be continuing this activity next week.

• Social Studies: We read about Johnny Appleseed on Monday. His birthday was on September 26th and he is famous for planting many apple trees! We learned how to make applesauce in class. Thank you to Madhav and Shaunak’s mom for peeling, coring, cutting, and boiling all the apples you brought last Friday. In class, we used potato mashers to smoosh the apples, then we mixed in water, cinnamon, and sugar. Afterwards, we ate our yummy applesauce!

• Science: We are talking about the Fall season. We learned that leaves changed color. Today in Friday centers, we made tissue paper apples with Ms. Shama!

• Music: We saw Ms. Disney this week on Tuesday. Mrs. K was the substitute so I was not there. Ask your child what they sang! Thank you to the music volunteers for helping to manage the kids. It is really important the kids know when to be silly and when to listen to directions!

• Art: We saw Ms. Abada yesterday for art class. We used chalk and pastels to draw a beautiful pumpkin sitting on the grass at night. The office is actually using our drawings next week as decorations for the beginning of October! Please stop by the office to see our beautiful pumpkins! Thank you to all the art volunteers!

• Assembly: Today we had an assembly by Kaiser called “Healthy Living.”

Have a great weekend! Be sure to check out our website for some updated photos and work!