What We've Been Up To: October 19-23rd

We have been learning all about Pumpkins in Science! Students are creating pumpkin art, have investigated the characteristics of different pumpkins, are discovering what pumpkins need to live and grow, and are also working on sequencing the life cycle of the pumpkin.

We have been listening to this song: https://youtu.be/tU-GwFHQZI8 and acting out the life cycle of the pumpkin with actions. I have posted the link if you are interested in asking your child to show or teach you the song.

While we've been working with the E-books for a while, we started working on Mathletics Online this week! The program is so engaging, and the students did a great job maneuvering around the website and staying on task. I sent home the username and password for students to access from home if they'd like. Mathletics is available on computers and on tablets. Students cannot access Live Mathletics until they have completed the activities that I have assigned them. Live Mathletics is basic addition and subtraction practice- students will need help from parents if they are doing this, as we will not be focusing on addition and subtraction in class until later on in the year. Interactive Activities are available through Problem Solving and Rainforest Math, which are links available on the main student page. 

We have been working on filling up our 'Warm Fuzzy' jar all year. Ms. Montalvo and I are always keeping our eyes open for 'warm fuzzy moments', when we catch a student doing something to help a classmate, or saying a kind encouraging word- the kinds of things that give you a 'warm fuzzy feeling' in your heart. When we see this, a warm fuzzy creature is placed in our jar. This week, we filled the jar, and as a reward, students get to watch the movie 'Rugrats' during lunch time. 

We continue to work on recognizing beginning, middle, and end sounds, as well as naming, building, and printing letters. Currently, the student's favourite activity is Halloween 'Write the Room'. We have halloween words and pictures hidden all over the classroom, and students must organize the words alphabetically, draw pictures of the words, and print them on the whiteboard. This gives them a chance to move around, put some 'detective' skills to use, and also apply what we've been learning during our language and literacy lessons!

As Halloween approaches, please begin to discuss street safety at home, as well as safe trick or treating procedures. We will be discussing this at school as well, and weather permitting, we may go on a walk around the neighbourhood to practice pedestrian safety. Students may bring their costumes to school on Friday, October 30th. They will have a chance to put their costumes on after lunch, in order to participate in the Halloween Costume Parade. Please practice putting their costumes on at home, so they can do so an independently as possible!

If you are available to volunteer for either the whole day or the afternoon on Friday, October 30th, please let me know. I'd like to have at least two volunteers, particularly for the costume change/parade!

Parents are welcome to send a snack, such as a Halloween themed treat, vegetable tray, fruit platter, or cheese and crackers for our Halloween snack. Please contact me for information on class allergies and class size.

That is all for now. As always, please contact me if you have any further questions or require additional information. Have a safe and happy weekend!