October 7-11

We started talking about how insulation keeps things hot/cold this past week and will continue to this week. I am going to be sending home a project sheet where students are going to use household items to try and make a small insulated object to keep an ice cube frozen as long as possible. Though you are able to help them gather materials and cut anything that would not be safe for them to do so, I always have to remind parents that this is the kids project, not our own. (I know, easier said than done. As a parent it is hard. I too would totally want to jump in and tell them what to do too. But you really have to hold back so they do the learning and show what they have learned about insulators.) They will then bring it in and we will do the testing as a class. There will be full details on the note.

Suggestions on what you can do with your child to help them with new math concepts:
1. Counting by 2's, 5's & 10's.
2. Counting coins (pennies, nickels and dimes).
3. Odd and Even numbers.
4. Ordinal numbers (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
5. This week we will be learning how to estimate numbers to 100 as well as reviewing previously taught concepts.

The kids loved having the book, "The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" read to them last week. We used it to review reading strategy concepts for comprehension. Especially the idea of taking what we already know to help us understand new text. We first discussed what we knew about each fairy tale that was being parodied in the book before we read them to help us understand what was happening in the story. It was silly and giggly the whole time. I love that book.

I have started getting some home reading sheets back. I bought special Dr. Seuss bookmarks for our first prize on the reading chart. Now that we are a month in to school I am sure many more will start coming in over this week. Your child will tell you that the best way to become better readers is to practice reading. Sometimes they need a little reminding and encouragement from home to do that.

The only forms I know of so far that will be due this week is book orders on the 9th. I hope everyone is loving having proper agendas finally. Please feel free to use these if you have any questions for me anytime (and of course, email is always available too.) Also, be sure to sign your child's each day after you have checked the contents. We have a draw at the end of each week if they come back each day and signed.

I have been getting a lot of questions regarding my maternity leave. My plan is to work until at least mid-November. There will be half days where I will have a sub for medical appointments but I always do my best to make sure I have an experienced sub who already knows these kids. Students always are given the same lessons they would have received if I was there so they never miss a beat and we don't get behind as a result. I just miss them while I am away instead. As for who my replacement will be? It will be eventually posted and someone chosen for the position, but in the meantime, I honestly have no idea. And anyone who knows how type A I am, it's killing me as much as some of you. :) But I assure you that Mr. Kierstead will hire someone suitable who will do a fantastic job. I am really enjoying this class and they are going to be a tough one to say see you later to when the time comes. You have amazing kids who make me laugh and smile all day.