12.9.11

Hunter shares what he wishes for the holidays.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Our Memory Boxes are now being completed and the final touches being placed. Thank you for helping them complete the Memory Box survey questions. Your discussions have given them the opportunity to consider their options, while at the same time helping them choose items that would help symbolize their choice.  The children have chosen to reflect on people, places as well as a moment of time that they remember fondly. It is my hope that these boxes are treasured by them as much as the Song and Dance Man treasured his in the story we read by Karen Ackerman.  They enjoyed the story and I believe it helped them understand why we are creating a Memory Box. I have really enjoyed talking to your children about their choices. I plan on keeping them at school for another few days. They are looking forward to sharing them with you.

It appears everyone in our class celebrates Christmas and a couple families also celebrate Hannakkah. We created a predictable chart “What I wish for the Holiday’s” using the sentence “I wish for ______.”  The children dictated their sentence while I wrote it out on the chart. The following day they touch read it and then using text that was printed and then cut into separate words, re-created their sentence in order and drew a picture. The following day they read their sentence to the class. They all did a great job sharing their wishes to the class.  Their work is displayed on the bulletin board in the class. When you come in next week on the 14^th to drop them off for the concert feel free to wander the room to see their wonderful work. 

Watching a short Jolly Phonics episode on Rhyming and Capital Letters

Jolly Phonics: We started the fifth grouping of sounds: this week: /z/, /w/, and /ng/. At the conclusion of each set of sounds we watch a Jolly Phonics video that uses puppets to bring to life the stories that they have been learning in class. Snake, Inky Mouse and Bee are the three primary characters.  Last week we watched the 4^th episode when we completed that grouping of sounds, but on Thursday they were treated to another episode that focused on Rhyming Words and Capital Letters. In the picture above, Mrs. White’s Can Do Kids joined us this time as we watched this short and lively episode at the end of the day.  We have been working on rhyming, as the ability to hear rhymes and create rhymes is an important literacy skill.

Explorations:

The children love to build. Whether it is with blocks, or Legos. They are working hard during Explorations learning to get along together, to compromise as well as be creative designing wonderful and elaborate creations. Well done!

Share: The Share sound theme this past week was /g/. We enjoyed shares with Legos, some flecks of Gold, a guitar, and even a jacket from the GAP! A lot of good detective work is being done at home, coming up with shares to work with the theme of the week.

Next week’s share theme is the sound /l/.

We love Legos!

Building elaborate structures with blocks.

Social Emotional Skills:

We continue to work on developing our listening skills throughout the day in different classes and activities. We are making some progress, but I welcome any at home practice you can provide. Also, being mindful of our bodies in space, keeping our hands to ourselves, and being responsible.

Sitting in chairs during working periods or even at snack can be a challenge as some children have the habit of tipping back in their chairs or just have a tendency to fall out of them. Help them learn at home during meal times or sitting in a chair during other times to keep both feet on the floor (if they can reach!). Thank you!

Listening respectfully can be challenging as well as some may have a tendency to interrupt and call out. Having them practice at home without interrupting will give them practice in this very important skill.

I have noticed lately the children are using “please” and “thank you” more often and are making a concerted effort to cooperate and make compromises with each other during the day.  J

CALENDAR

• Snacks: Thank you for returning sign up sheets for snacks. I sent home some confirmations yesterday. Thank you to Ava Cook’s Family for contributing this past week’s snack. Hunter Haley’s family will be providing next week’s snack. Many thanks to everyone! 

• Winter Concert is scheduled for December 14^th at 6:30 pm. Please arrive after 6:15 and bring your child to the classroom before the concert. Children will return to the classroom after the concert for you to pick them back up. 

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Wish List: For general classroom supplies:  white board markers (black or variety pack), and  glue sticks. Thank you for Memory Box donations made last week!

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar

12.2.11

Judy and Tom help the children to discover the different types of Pine behind school.

We had our third ELF lesson this past Wednesday, which was fortunately a beautiful day. We learned all about pine cones and pine trees.  After seeing a fun and educational puppet show we enjoyed going outside and looking for a variety of local pine trees and pine cones. Thank you again to Judy and Tom our ELF Volunteers.

Cashton considers his photos for placement on his family tree.

Family Tree projects are completed and hung up in the hallway outside our classroom. If you have time, stop by and take a look! They all did a beautiful job! Please return the Family History sheet sent home last week if you haven’t already done so. An additional copy is included in this week’s Friday Folder. This activity will bridge the variety of holiday celebrations enjoyed during this season.

The Memory Box project is connected to our Social Studies “Me” and “Family” units. This project is a response to the book, Song and Dance Man by Karen Ackerman. I am in need of one more shoebox or small box, however, so if you have an extra one at home, please send it in. Attached is an information sheet to be completed with your child so they can choose a personal memory for their Memory Box. It can be one memory or reflect on a time in their life that they remember fondly: for instance, a family trip or a celebration. It could also reflect a person in their life that is/was near and dear to them. They should think of small things like photographs, trinkets, cards, etc. that they could put in the “trunk” that would reflect their memory or memories. Thank you for your participation with this project.

Although Mrs. Fotion has unexpectedly been out of the classroom this week we were assisted by Mrs. Simmons, who knows the children well and is knowledgeable with the daily routines.

Jolly Phonics: We completed the fourth grouping of sounds: /ai/; /j/, /oa/, /ie/, /ee/ and /or/.  The vowel pairs have been introduced as well as the rule: “When two vowels go walking the first one does the talking. It says its name.”  We have talked about how some words are “rule breakers” and we look for those words when writing on the board or when looking at print.  I cannot stress enough the importance of reviewing the letter sounds on a nightly basis. It may feel a little tedious at times, but as we continue to introduce new sounds, reviewing the old ones is important to building fluency. They are doing a great job so far!  We will begin to incorporate more writing, and familiarity with these sounds will help significantly.

Symmetry: Cutting and Painting Prints.

Explorations:

The children cherish their Exploration time. I continue to use the last period of the day for Explorations as I find at this time of day they are somewhat tired and need the freedom to “explore.” We continue to explore with blocks, the sandbox, clay, puzzles, and Legos.  In addition, the photo above is a seasonal artistic activity at a math center illustrating symmetry.

Share: The Share sound theme this past week was /j/. Next week’s share theme is the sound /g/, (note it is the hard sound /g/ not like the g in “giraffe” which is /j/.)

Social Emotional Skills:

We continue to work towards improving their listening skills and following directions. We are also practicing not using ‘whiney’ and ‘bossy’ voices. By having the children choose words that reflect courtesy and kindness, such as “please” and “May I…” I hope to foster a more supportive and nurturing community.

CALENDAR

• Snacks: We have come full circle and I need families to sign up for snack again. Ava’s family will be doing snack this coming week.  Attached is a sign up sheet for snack in the coming 12 weeks of school. Please choose a first and second choice for snack. I will confirm snack dates with you next week. Thank you!

• Winter Concert is scheduled for December 14^th at 6:30 pm. Please arrive after 6:15 and bring your child to the classroom before the concert. Children will return to the classroom after the concert for you to pick them back up. 

•   Holiday Break:  December 22 – January 2. First day back: January 3.

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Wish List: For upcoming projects and general classroom supplies:  white board markers (black or variety pack), glue sticks, fabric scraps or pieces, plastic buttons, plastic jewels, doilies, lace, and ribbons. Thank you!

• Recess: Please pack snowboots, mittens, hats when the snow flies. Also, sneakers for Gym on Wednesday and Friday. Thank you!

• Scholastic Order forms are included in the today’s Friday Folder. Go to www.scholastic.com if you would like to place your order online.  The classroom code is: H9K3R. or if you are ordering on the paper forms, please return them by Friday, December 9^th. I will submit the orders online by December 12^th so any holiday gifts will arrive before the holiday.

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar

12.2.11

Sight Words Introduced to Date:

If you would like to know the sight words that we are learning, below lists the ones that have been introduced to date:

• a
• I
• is
• me
• we
• be
• he
• to
• do
• the
• what
• like
• said

11.18.11

Felting with Mrs. Cathey

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

One of the big highlights this past week was felting with the kids in art class. The children made small balls from wool that they soaked in warm soapy water.  In our classroom a few of us also began to learn how to finger knit.  I hope that by the end of the year most of the students will have mastered this skill.

This past week Mrs. Williams 8^th grade advisory came in on Tuesday morning to volunteer their time to help us with morning tasks.  They will continue to do this in the coming months. The children enjoyed meeting them and are looking forward to getting to know them better.

This past week the children made Get Well cards for Mrs. Andrews.  Mrs. Lee Fotion has joined our team as a long-term para-educator while Mrs. Andrews is out on medical leave. Mrs. Fotion completed her student teaching with Mrs. White’s class last spring and was recently a long-term substitute teacher for Mr. Pogue. Mrs. Fotion will be with us into the early spring until she starts her long-term substitute teaching position for Mrs. Summarsell when she is out on maternity leave. A big welcome to Mrs. Fotion!

 I believe we have enough memory trunks (shoeboxes). The children should be thinking about their fond memory and what things might represent those memories. Although I am encouraging them to focus on just one memory, they can choose a couple of memories. if they find it hard to decide one just one. With only two school days next week, we will begin the project next week and I hope we can complete them during the following week after Thanksgiving.

The Family Tree project will be the focus of our efforts on Monday and Tuesday next week. Please email me photos to print out or send in family pictures with your children that they can use in the project. I will make Xerox copies of the photos and return the originals to you. Thank you for your support!

Jolly Phonics: Onto our fourth grouping of sounds: this week we are learning the vowel pairs: /ai/ and /ay;/ and the sound /j/.  We also discovered that /ck/ comes at the end of a word with a short vowel: like back or pack. We made more connections to words that have the Magic e. Magic e is used to explain why vowels say their name instead of their short vowel sound when e comes at the end of a word. We talked about Rule Breakers like “have” and “love.” Little anecdotes like a tippy letter such as /v/ help remind them to put an “e” after the “v”  (so it doesn’t fall over). As you well know, children love stories and these little anecdotes provide hooks for them to grab onto when writing words.

Working together at the sandbox.

Explorations:

In order to provide more routine to our day, I have moved explorations to the last period after recess. I find this time allows them a chance to decompress from their long day while exploring creatively.   

Balancing Pattern Blocks.

Construction with blocks and Legos, working with puzzles,  stamps, Playdoh and clay, and the sandbox now that it is inside.

Share: The Share theme this past week was /d/. We had some delightful shares: dogs, dolls, a red toy car with doors, and much more. Next week share will be  /j/. We also learned that sometimes the way we pronounce a word is not representative of how it is speled as int bottle (not boddle). 

Building together.

Social Emotional Skills:

As a way to help children work towards their personal goals, I am implementing a new incentive program that has seemingly proved to be successful in Mrs. White’s class this year. It is reward based. If a child needs a number of reminders to follow directions, stay on task, etc. I will give them a tally on their recording sheet. If however, they can follow directions with minimal reminders they will receive a star for the day. 1 or two stars lets them choose a sticker from a basket at the end of the week (or on a Monday from the previous week), If they have 3 or 4 stars they get to choose from two baskets. And if they have 5 stars (5 days) they will get to choose from 3 baskets. I hope this helps motivate those that need a bit of the tangible, while rewarding those that already are making good choices throughout the day.

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Wish List: For upcoming projects: Glue sticks, fabric scraps or pieces, plastic buttons, jewels, lace, ribbons, and shoe-box.  Thank you!

• Thank you to ian’s family for contributing this week’s healthy snacks! I will bring in next week’s snack.  We are coming up on the second cycle of snack rotation. If you would like to donate the following week, please let me know. Thank you!

•  We are planning a Friendship feast on Tuesday. with Mrs. White’s Class. Please send in a piece of fruit or a can of fruit to contribute to the event.

• Also on Tuesday, HES has a Holiday Student Assembly from 12:10-1:00pm. Although our class is not performing, it is always a good show. Hope you can make it! 

Sincerely, 
Jennifer Bodnar

11.10.11

Andrew and Hunter -- busy constructing a two story building.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

This week I began to shift the focus of the seasons from the changes in weather and plants to seasonal activities in anticipation of Thanksgiving holiday just weeks away. We read a classic, The Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall and The Song and Dance Man, by Karen Ackerman. After discussing what life might have been like over 200 years ago, and how our lives might be different or the same, the children listened to Leah Gartner (Maple’s mom), read The Ox-Cart Man. The children chose their favorite part, illustrated it and wrote a sentence describing what they drew.  This was one of their first attempts at using what they have recently learned about writing. Saying a word, tapping sounds, and writing the sounds they hear. They all did an outstanding job connecting their learning to the art of writing. 

On Wednesday, another reading volunteer, Jo Gelbach read one more classic,  The Song and Dance Man, by Karen Ackerman.  Next week we will have some fun activities planned that involve experimenting with tap dancing and putting together a memory trunk. If you have extra shoeboxes, please send them in so the children can begin to think about creating their own memory trunks on a mini-scale. They will need to think of a special moment in their life and will be asked to bring in small objects that might remind them of that time to place in their memory trunk. Please look at the wish list on the back page for special items we will need in order to decorate these trunks.

Jolly Phonics: We have completed our third grouping of letters. This week the children learned the sounds /l/, /f/, and /b/.  They are quickly putting them to use as they begin to decode words and write their own sentences. The more opportunities you have at home or in the car to segment words and have them guess what word you are saying, use the actions to “spell” simple words, or just play rhyming games will help support them on the path to literacy. Games and activities will continue to go home in their new book bags daily. I will generally keep them in their bags for a few days and then rotate them to other students.

Explorations:

This week’s explorations took a step towards active learning centers. We are learning how to sort coins (pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters) based on heads and tails. This will help them begin to focus on the different details of each coin. We started a graphing center with tiny plastic pigs. The children loved rolling the pigs and graphing them based on how they landed (on all fours, on their sides, on their snout or on their back). Next week we will be looking at what is the most frequent and what appeared to be the most rare. Intro to Statistics 101. J Building blocks and clay are still very much enjoyed and are productive ways for them to explore concepts, develop fine motor skills, and be creative.

Share: The Share theme this past week was /r/. Our shares this week ranged from colorful rocks, a ring, a deer insignia, to a guitar, more tractor’s and even a disappearing magic trick!  Next week sound theme is /d/.  I hope it serves to be a delightful activity rather than a dilemma!

Finn and Ryan fast at work together graphing at the new pig toss center.

Social Emotional Skills:

In order to promote a positive learning environment I am putting an extra emphasis on being responsible for ourselves instead of focusing on each other. In other words, by being mindful of our own behavior and being responsible and accountable for our own behavior, we will be able to care of each other and not disrupt the learning process.

Additionally, we are working on self-help skills – shoe-tieing, coat zipping, clearing the table after snack and lunch, staying on task, and being independent learners. Any help you can provide at home to support their independence will be greatly appreciated. Less time spent managing these issues will allow more time for productive learning in the classroom. Thank you! J

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Wish List: For upcoming projects: Glue sticks, fabric scraps or pieces, plastic buttons, jewels, lace, ribbons, and shoe-box (if you have more than one, please send in more. We will use them!  We will also be starting a project that will involve creating a family tree. Please send in photos of family members. We can make copies of them to use in the project and will return the originals. Thank you! 

• Thank you to Kayla’s family for contributing this week’s healthy snacks! Next week’s snack will be provided by Ian's family. :) 

• Reminder: If your child has an extra pair of boots or snow pants that can be kept at school, send in a note to let me know.  It will cut down on packing backpacks at the end of the day and reduce what your child has to carry. Also, please let me know if your child can keep their sneakers in their cubby.  

• Spill-Safe Water bottles: Please send in water bottles for your child to use in the classroom. Although the weather is colder, the air in the classroom can be very dry. They get very thirsty and it is important for them to stay dehydrated. The line at the water fountain can get long, which makes smooth transitions difficult. 

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar  

11.4.11

The Fall Fiesta!  The Leaves are Falling.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

Our first assembly last Friday was a big hit. The children loved performing on stage. We sang the welcome song with Mrs. White performing “Gaia Wana Hey,” on her hand-made drum. We also sang two additional songs “Fall Fiesta,” and “Shoo Fly Pie.” For the past few weeks we had been practicing together to prepare for the event. It has been a great opportunity to combine the classes, sing fun songs and meet new and familiar friends. We will have additional opportunities throughout the year to collaborate with Mrs. White’s “Can Do Kids.”  I look forward to these gatherings as opportunities to learn about each other while being exposed to a variety of cultural and academic curricula.

Kaitlyn practicing the actions as she says the letter sounds.

Jolly Phonics: We started our next grouping of sounds, /g/, /o/ and /u/.  As the list of sounds we are learning has grown we are now able to play a variety of phonics games. I introduced one such game this week, “Sound Memory.” This game is based on the traditional matching pictures Memory game, but instead of pictures we are matching sounds. It is important to say the sound of the letter and to do the actions as the cards are turned over. This helps build automaticity and fluency, while keeping the process fun and engaging. The students worked in pairs playing the game. I will be sending the games throughout the week. I have six sets, so if your child doesn’t come home this weekend with it, look for it later in the week. I will rotate the games and continue to add in new letters as they are introduced. Another sound picture game will be introduced on Friday. Look for them in your folders.

Reading:

You will have noticed today bright colored book bags (should fit in most backpacks) that came home with your child today.  Please keep green folders, Jolly Phonics Sound Books and workbooks in it. Hopefully it will help keep the folders and reading/writing materials organized. It will hold small predictable books for your child to read with you. As more books become introduced for them to read I will send home information to help guide you in the process of supporting their work. We will talk more at conference time as well. Thank you for your support!

Brady and Ian building Cooperatively with the Legos.

Social & Emotional Growth:

As I look through the series of photos at the end of the week preparing to put together this newsletter, I am pleased to step back and view their progress. Although we have our challenges, staying on task, following directions and/or rules, at the end of the day they are beginning to learn from their mistakes, work out their differences, take responsibility for their actions, take turns, and be cooperative. Please continue to remind them to think about their own behavior and not others. You all should be very proud of them. J

Share: The Share theme this past week was /m/. Great shares this week!   Next week sound theme is /r/, 

ELF:  This past week the ELF designs in nature class focused on leaves and patterns. Thank you to our ELF Volunteers, Lynn Morrell, Finn’s Grandfather and Tom Haley.  Although the snow came early and made it difficult for them to get outside, they had a very busy and interesting class inside! Look for your child’s leaf rubbings in today’s folder. 

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Thank you to Andrew’s family for contributing this week’s healthy snacks! Next week’s snack will be provided by Kayla’s family.

• 1^st Quarter Conference Sign Up: Conference confirmation sheets have been going home in the folder. If you haven’t signed up for a conference yet, send me an email or note . Let me know what is a good time to meet. Friday afternoon is fairly open. Thank you.

• Winter clothing time. Your child will need to wear snow pants and boots at recess if snow is on the ground.  If your child has an extra pair of boots or snow pants that can be kept at school, send in a note to let me know.  It will cut down on stuffing backpacks at the end of the day and on what your child has to carry. Also, please let me know if your child can keep their sneakers in their cubby.  

• Please practice shoe-tieing, zipping, putting on coats, boots, mittens and hats. This will help make them more independent and streamline transitions to and from recess. Thank you! 

• Spill-Safe Water bottles: Please send in water bottles for your child to use in the classroom. Although the weather is colder, the air in the classroom can be very dry. They get very thirsty and it is important for them to stay dehydrated. The line at the water fountain can get long, which makes smooth transitions difficult. 

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar  J

10.28.22

Ian making pizza playdoh.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

It’s official! We have had our first snowfall! This may have been the highlight of the week. The children stopped what they were doing today and shouted and hugged each other to celebrate this momentous occasion. I let them enjoy the moment (or two) and then we settled back into our end of day routine.  The thermometer read 42 degrees Fahrenheit. I’m not sure how that happens, but it did.

Explorations: Playdoh is a big favorite. The students enjoy making pizza and other interesting foods. We have been working on proper painting procedures, including how to try stay clean and how to clean up. Occasionally wet paint gets smudged on clothing. They are wearing large t-shirts for smocks, but please note that paint may get on clothing in the process, (however It is washable), Airports have been the building of choice this week with some very elaborate structures. Once construction is completed the children enjoy using the toy cars, airplanes, and people figures to animate their play.  

Kayla and Maple piecing together the Butterfly Lifecycle Puzzle.

Mrs. White has loaned us her Butterfly Lifecycle floor puzzle. It is quite challenging, but very gratifying. It has yet to be fully completed during the Exploration period, but we will continue to use it next week. I believe with more practice they will have more success. Once in small groups they are working alongside and together much better. 

Jolly Phonics: We finished our second group of letters. /c/, /k/, /e/, /h/, /r/, /m/ and /d/. Next week we will begin with a new grouping of sounds.  The students are doing a great job with their workbooks. Please don’t let them work ahead of the letters that have been introduced. It’s best to practice and review the sounds before they go ahead to learn more. Some games you can play with your child at home are: Guess My Word… Make the actions for a simple consonant-vowel-consonant word (using letters introduced such as /h/ /a/ /t/ and have your child guess the word. You can also say the sounds individually and have them guess it by trying to blend them together. This can be a challenging activity. The more practice the better. They love to play detective. Once they get good at it, they can have you guess the words. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me or send me a note.  

Social Studies and Science:

We have continued to talk about the senses and the change of the seasons. Among several seasonal books, we read Pumpkin Circle by George Levenson and will complete our own Pumpkin Life Cycle book on Friday during our Fall Harvest celebration. 

We’ve also learned a few seasonal songs and poems.  Look for them in their notebook this weekend. Please return on Monday.

Hunter and Andrew Playdoh Pizza Chef Extraordinaires.

Share: The Share theme this past week was /k/.  We enjoyed some Halloween fun shares with a skeleton and a ceramic black cat.  Very spooky!

Lots of Monster Trucks, pick-up trucks and even a toy motorcycle. We practiced clapping the syllables in the words and checked to hear where the /k/ sound was placed. Was it in the beginning of the word? The middle? Or the end?

Next week sound theme is /h/, Happy Hunting! J  As always thanks for your creativity and support!

Ava creating a butterfly masterpiece.

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Thank you to Brady’s family for contributing this week’s healthy snacks! Next week’s snack will be provided by Andrew’s family. 

• 1^st Quarter Conference Sign Up is here: It is hard to believe the 1Q is drawing to a close. Please see attached sheet to sign up for conferences. Submit your first three choices. I will try to send a confirmation home by the end of next week.

• Thank you in advance to Finn’s dad, Jon and Maple’s mom, Leah for helping with the Fall Harvest Celebration today! 

• We have ELF Monday, 10/31 from 10-11:00.  Thank you to our ELF parent and grandparent volunteers!

• Reminder: Colder weather means winter coats, mittens, hats and even possibly boots if the snow continues to fly. We go outside for recess as long as the temperature is above 10 degrees F.

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar  

10.21.11

Builders explain their exhibit to the class.

WEEKLY HIGHTLIGHTS:The days are quickly becoming shorter and cooler. Although the weather has provided us with much rain, (unbelievably it’s raining as I type these words) we have fortunately been able to get outside for most recesses. Although it was a shorter week with only four days we were able to explore some new centers: painting, Legos, and Playdoh.  Blocks continue to be very popular.  The children have really begun to create some interesting and complex designs with the blocks. We have also used our Exploration time to share with each other our creations. I call it “Museum Exhibits.” They really enjoy presenting as a group or individually their creations. I find it also provides a way for each of them to learn from each other. They are learning to take turns, to use their words, and to work out their differences. Cooperation and collaboration is a key component to this activity.

Jolly Phonics:
This week we learned the sound /h/ and I plan on introducing /r/ on Friday. The children are quickly learning to blend the individual sounds together to make words.  They are also doing a great job learning the sounds and the actions. Thank you again for all your work at home with them as we build on these sounds. Small books (published and printed on the copier will soon be coming home over the next few weeks. Take time to have your child read them to you.  If your child gets  “stuck” feel free to help them use what they know to discover the words composed by the letters. The concept of print is new to most of them and they are just beginning to take those first steps. At times they may be scared or timid, but given a supportive and safe environment they will begin to test their wings and fly. 

Fireman Zach demonstrates how to search for children.

Fire Safety Week:

The Hartland Fire Department visited our school on Thursday. Beforehand we read a couple books about fire safety. We talked with the volunteers about safety procedures at school and at home.  We learned that it is always a good idea to plan ahead and have an escape plan at home as well as to choose a meeting place once everyone as exited the house. Don’t forget to change your batteries in your smoke detectors twice a year, (fall and spring).

 

Stirring the cooked apples in the sieve to make applesauce

Social Studies and Science:

From lifecycles we are moving into cycles and change. The cycle of seasons and learning about change is discussed through the lens of our senses. How do we detect change?  What senses do we use? We discussed some of the signs of fall and the senses we use to identify these signs.   Last Friday we made applesauce and enjoyed the fruits of our labor using our sense of smell and taste.  We cut up apples into quarters and simmered them on a hotplate. Then we worked it through a sieve by taking turns with the roller. By only adding a touch of cinnamon we created and enjoyed a tasty treat on a Friday afternoon,

Share: The Share theme this past week was /n/.  The shares ranged from beginning sounds as in necklace and nickel to medial sounds as in donut and front loader.  Very Nice!  Next week sound theme is /c/, /k/. Good luck!  As always thanks for your support!

HOUSEKEEPING ITEMS:

• Thank you to Ava’s family for contributing this week’s healthy snacks! Next week’s snack will be provided by Brady’s family. 

• Scholastic Book Club orders due Mon. 10/28.

• Fall Celebration: We have a school-wide performance assembly, (we will be singing) on Friday, 10/28 starting at 1:50pm. Please come and listen if you are able. We have ELF on Monday, 10/31 from 10-11:00.  As a result, I’m planning on having a fall festival celebration on Friday, from 9:45-11:00am. If you are available to help, please let me know. I’d like to have some pumpkin/harvest-focused centers (snack too). Ideas are welcome! Thanks!

•  Scholastic Book Fair: Next week. If your child is interested in buying something during the book fair we will plan on browsing the books sometime next week. Prices generally range from $2 (pencils and erasers) to  $5 or $10 for books. 

• Homework: Jolly Phonics workbooks and reading small predictable books (look for them in your child’s green folder). Also, if you can work with your child to learn how to zip coats and jackets, and tie their shoes this will help as we move into colder weather.  J

• Reminder: Gym on Wednesdays and Fridays. Please make sure your child has sneakers.
  
• Reminder: Please send in a water bottle with your child’s name on it. We will try to send it home on Fridays to get washed. Please return it on Monday.  Thank you.

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Bodnar