Catch up!

     We have been working hard in Literacy Centers to develop stronger hands for writing and writing our names. Some of us are working on tracing, while others are working on practicing writing their first and last name. We have used dry erase markers on white boards, paper and markers, and writing our name with our fingers in rice and sand. To develop stronger muscles in our hands, we've manipulated play-doh, moon sand, and clay. We have also practiced moving things from one place to another using tweezers. During free art, scissors and glue have been used a lot since they appeared in our art caddies.
     During Math Workshop, the children have been working on positional words (above, below, beside, between, etc.), sorting, and patterns. Some of us are working on AB patterns (red, blue, red, blue) while others are working on making patterns with shapes. We have a sorting center that has been very popular during "free math." The children can sort by size, color, or shape. This is usually worked on by two to three people at a time. I love listening to them socialize as they figure out which piece goes in what area of the sorting tray.
     In Science Exploration, the children have been busy discovering magnets. They have been taking the magnet wand around the classroom and figuring out what is magnetic and what isn't. Tomorrow, I will send home a sandwich sized baggy with each child. Over the weekend, see if you can help your child find five or so things that may or may not be magnetic that will fit in the bag. We will get our baggies out during science next week and do some experiments. The baggies will come back home with the items that you send in. Your child may bring them in Monday or Wednesday.

     Conferences have been coming quick(Tuesday, November 6th)! We spent some time this week preparing for them. Please check the Conference Schedule and double check your child's conference time. If you are running late, please call the school (540-563-5036) so I have a heads up. Because of our back to back schedule, we will need to reschedule if you are more than 10 minutes late. Thank you for understanding!

Fall Fun

     Since Fall Festival, everything has been about apples, pumpkins, and everything Fall. The children have listened to Pumpkin Town by Katie McKy, Picking Apples & Pumpkins by Amy & Richard Hutchings, and Albert's Fieldtrip by Leslie Tryon. We've been using these stories to reflect on our own Fall Festival trips. We had a few minutes before heading off to music class yesterday, so we made "thank you pictures" for Carvins Cove and Jeter Farm.  The children drew pictures of their favorite part of each trip. If your child didn't attend our FF, he/she drew a picture of their favorite thing about their trip. The bubbles were popular at Carvins Cove while the slides were the favorite at Jeter Farm. We will stuff them in an envelope and mail them to each place.

 

     In Math Workshop yesterday, we played with different shapes and positional words (above, below, etc). In the midst of playing with shape magnets, the children got very interested in magnets. The discussion quickly turned into what things are magnetic and what things aren't. Each of the children predicted if something they picked out would "stick" to our magnet wand or not. We had fun finding metal objects around the classroom. 

     Today during Literacy, we reflected one more time on our FF trips and did a journal page. We had drama this morning after fruit break recess and the children got to put on costumes and get into character once again. I heard we had several pirates, cowgirls, race car drivers, and lizards. Be sure to ask your child what they dressed up as.

     Later this morning, we had Science Discovery. I put out several different sensory activities on the tables that the children rotated through. We used moon sand, water beads, and magnets. 

     Thank you to Lila and her mom for baking us an apple cake that we each enjoyed during fruit break this morning. If your child didn't eat all of the fruit break you packed, that's why! :) YUM. Next week in class, we will be making applesauce from scratch.Have I mentioned how much I love Fall?!? 

Remember all of the chatter about Bake Sale during Gatherings? If you checked Quick Notes this week, you know the first Bake Sale was today! If you'd like to, you can just send in a couple dollars for your child to use over the course of the next several weeks(Bake Sales are every Wednesday), I have a special place where the children keep their money. They can just go grab their $0.50 when needed. I'll let you know when it's time to refill their stash. 

Check out our Facebook group for some added photos. 

Catch Up and Fall Festival

     While I have a few minutes to break away from Fall Festival preparations, I'll update you on the highlights of this week!

Monday morning, we were joined by "Doc" and "Grammy." Rose's grandparents were in town visiting from California and stopped in to read us a story. Doc read Hooray for Fish by Lucy Cousins.

     

Thank you so very much for squeezing time for us into your visit! 

     Today, we had another special treat. Katrina, a middle school teacher at CS, kicked off our very first Math Workshop. She first read Apples, A to Z by Margaret McNamara. In this book, each letter has something to do with apples (C is for Cider, etc.). The children then did a taste test of 3 different types of apples: red delicious, honey crisp, and granny smith. We then did a chart to see which apple was the favorite. Honey crisp was the tie breaker.

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     The children are so excited about Fall Festival! We will leave promptly tomorrow morning, so please be here on time. If you are needed to come to CS to pick up a child that will ride with you, a blue note is taped on your child's folder. Please take note of the following chart. If you're child is listed to meet at Community School and travel with us, they are either riding with someone else or you as the parent are driving children in addition to your own. If your child is under the list to meet us at the field trip location, you're only driving your child and we'll see you there around 9:30am! If your child is riding with someone other than you, I must have their labeled car seat left at school during morning drop off. 

     If you have ANY questions, please don't hesitate to email me. I will check my email this evening and in the morning before school. If I don't reply, I didn't get it!