This morning we visited our Sound City mural to put the /th/ car on the Digraph Delivery train. We edited our message for /th/ words and learned a new /th/ poem, "This and That." Before writing in our journals, the students reviewed our bullseye writing target and chose specific goals they were aiming for. After recess we learned how to print "goofy" lowercase letters using our gel bags. These are the letters that don't fit any of the other (flagpole, half-moon, mountain, and bounce) letter patterns: e, o, f, u, and s. In the afternoon for our Mindful Monday superstorm we learned about perspective. We examined some comics illustrating perspective, talked about seeing things from other peoples' perspectives, and choosing positive ('good news!') or negative ('bad news!') perspectives. In math we played a partner game, "Guess My Sorting Rule." We got our Home Reading bags and went to the library to select 2 'just right' books. We got to meet our school's new in-house ACAD artist, Mike Grills, and chatted with him about a cat character he is creating. Very cool! We ended our day sharing a beautiful book, "My Blue is Happy," about how people have different perspectives about how colours make them feel, and expressed our perspectives of 3 primary colours in a sharing circle.
Sight Words (We are working with these to reinforce short vowels, and/or in weekly poems)
/th/ words:
the this that then with
Walking Wednesday!
Our school is joining Walking Wednesday to celebrate active living, each Wednesday. Any students who walk, ride, bike to school this Wednesday will be entered for a prize.
Mail Pockets
- No new mail went home today, but Home Reading bags did!
- Please return Poetry duotangs for tomorrow if still at home :)
Home Reading Bags
Your child brought home their Home Reading bag today! The goal is to share 15(ish) minutes of reading together each night, which can be recorded in the provided reading log. The book levels brought home are based on one-on-one standardized reading assessments. We talked about choosing "just right" books -- to build fluency and confidence, we want to be taking books that are mostly easy, needing help with just a few words.
Also included in the bag is a double-sided sheet of practical tips for busy families to support literacy development (especially for those days where it's hard to find time, or your child is needing a break from their 'just right' books), and a book mark with reading strategies, which will be taught during in-class guided reading sessions. Please keep the bag and its contents in your child's backpack to return to and from school each day, even if they have not had a chance to finish the current books. Students will be given an opportunity each day to exchange their books if needed. Please always feel free to email me with any questions. Thank you so much for helping to build your child's reading skills and confidence!
Halloween
Our school will be celebrating Halloween the afternoon of Monday, October 31st. Students are invited to come to school dressed in their costumes. Our class celebration will be in the afternoon, including a Halloween sing-along with Paulo, snacks, and fun activities!
Please and Thank You
- We would very much appreciate 2 more volunteers for the Aboriginal Ways of Knowing Colour Kit centers Wednesday afternoon, 1:00 - 3:00 pm.
- Please consider contributing a pumpkin the week of the 24th - 27th for hands-on math activities exploring different types of measurement and estimation. Ideally, we would love to have 5 or 6 pumpkins, different shapes and sizes. Thanks!
- We would gratefully welcome snack contributions (a veggie plate, fruit, and one treat) for our Halloween Party the afternoon of the 31st -- please email Melissa if you would like to bring something. We would also much appreciate one or two volunteers to help with serving and tidying snacks that afternoon.
Home Reading/Sight Word Volunteers
Students have begun taking out Home Reading books this week. We would love to invite morning home reading and sight word volunteers! Home reading volunteers are invited to come read with students one-on-one from 8:30 - 9:00 Monday through Thursday. If you can commit to a weekly time, great, but drop-ins are certainly welcome, too! If you would like to help with word rings, that is flexible time-wise. Please email myself or Melissa if you would be interested in supporting our literacy program in this way. Thank you!
Upcoming Dates
October 19- Aboriginal Ways of Knowing Colour Kit -- 2 more volunteers needed, please! (1:00 - 3:00)
October 24-October 28-Pumpkin Math Week
October 26-Little Caesar’s Fun Lunch
October 27-Halloween Dance (evening)
October 31-Halloween Party (PM)
Daily Challenge
Can you teach your family some of your poems? Which is your favourite, and why?