At 23, my own daughter STILL talks about Grandparents' Day with her grandpa and her "adopted grandmother"--two very special people who made one little girl very happy with their presence.
Last week was an unusual one--both because it was a short week (with Monday off and Friday taken up with Grandparents' Day) and because we were trying something new called Aimesweb. This system is used by a teacher with individual students. Each activity lasts for only one minute, (they are timed) and gives us a "snapshot" of how a child does with different skills. That is why I didn't have a chance to pre-read with your child the books he or she brought home on Tuesday and Wednesday. The reading you saw happening on those two nights is an example of what your child can do with unfamiliar material at his or her instructional reading level. Did you notice a difference? By Thursday, we were back to our regular format, but I was at a meeting during some of reading time, so your child may have read for the "sub" that day. Our Friday, of course, was very different, and your child had a chance to read to a family member or special friend.
The focus in Math for the short week was to work with number combinations (also called "number bonds") that total a given sum. So far, we have come up with all of the combinations for six and seven. We have learned that the term "turn-around fact" means that 1and 5 will equal 6, no matter the order of the addends (1+5 or 5+1). This may sound like an minor fact, but knowing the commutative property is a foundational skill in mathematics. It is also the "groundwork" for "Fact Families", which we will be doing very soon. Next week, we start our weekly "timed test" on addition math facts. I constantly remind the children that it doesn't matter how everyone in the room does on this "test"--each child's "race" is with himself or herself. Please use the same idea when YOU talk about the "timed tests" with your child. Can they improve upon their OWN score from the previous week? If "Bobby" could do ten problems successfully this week, can he do 12 or 13 next week? Very few children will be able to do all 50 problems correctly in 5 minutes at this time of the year, but weekly practice will enable MOST of them to do so by midyear. Some kids will take most of the year to get there. The district would like them all to be able to obtain 90% or better on both the basic addition timed test and the basic subtraction timed test by the end of first grade in June.
Next Wednesday, we will be heading to Harvest Hill Farm's Pumpkin Land. We will be leaving Crescent Park at exactly 8:15 a.m., and will swing by WES to pick up the first grade there at 8:45 a.m. We expect to arrive at Harvest Hill Farm around 9:30. The first order of business is to let the children use the bathrooms, wash hands, and then have snacks and drinks, so all students will need a snack and drink (no glass bottles, please). I recommend water. We eat our snack on the field where the bus parks. I will go into Pumpkin Land grounds, let them know that we have arrived, and make our payment. The children are going to want to "go play", but we are going to keep them with us at this time. Our presentation is at 10:30. It will last about a half hour. Right after the presentation, we will be escorted (either on the hay-covered wagon or (as in my case) walking) across a flat field to the pumpkin patch where the kids can select the pumpkin they wish to have. I strongly suggest that you send a cloth bag (a cloth grocery bag would work)with your child to put the pumpkin and popping corn in. The farm will offer to provide a plastic bag, but it seldom lasts for the entire trip. We can drop the bags off on the bus (or in your car, if your child is going home with you), grab our lunch pails, and head to the picnic table area to eat our lunches. Each student will need something to drink at this time, as well. (No glass bottles or thermoses, please.) Then we will disband into our smaller groups to explore and play. The corn mazes and bungee lines are off-limits for this field trip, but we have access to the barn, the petting "zoo", the swings, the inflatible bouncers (I think), the "Frankenslide", and some "vehicles" out in the field left there to play on (I think there is a "fire truck" for example). We should plan to meet back at the bus around 12:30, so the kids have a chance to go to the bathroom again before we get back on the bus. If you take your child home with you, PLEASE let me know that you are leaving with him or her. I have never lost a child on a field trip, and I don't want to change that record this year!
As you probably know if you have lived in Maine for any length of time, the Maine weather can be very unpredictable. We suggest that you dress your child in layers, so layers may be peeled off as the day progresses. Warm clothes, which can be easily removed to expose something lighter will make for the most comfortable day overall. Unless it is pouring, the field trip will NOT be cancelled. Should there be a long-term downpour, Harvest Hill Farm will attempt to reschedule our trip prior to Halloween. If they are unable to do so, your payment will be returned to you.
I am attaching to this newsletter instructions on what to do with the ear of popping corn. Generally, the corn is ready to use when you can easily dislodge the kernels (often around Christmas time, if hung properly). Please put them where you will be able to find them again.
Although there will be no books to read Wednesday night, I am requesting that you practice sight words and fluency strips with your child, since I will be testing both on Friday.
Here are some important dates to remember:
10/23 BoxTop Competition Ends
10/27 Mahoosuc Performance "Tinpanic Steel Band" (Time unknown to me)
10/30 Coyote Coupon Reward Activity in the morning
SMALL Halloween Party from 12:00 -12:45
Children change into Halloween costumes from 12:45 - 1:15pm. PLEASE do NOT send them in wearing their costumes that morning. We would like to get a little "work" done before the festivities.
Halloween Parade up Main Street @1:15pm If we are back in time, I will ask the children to change out of their costumes and pack up all of the pieces, since they will need their costumes the next day.
11/03 Tuesday---Workshop Day--No school for Students
11/04 Flu Shot Day for Students PTA that evening at 6:00pm?
11/11 Wednesday--Veteran's Day--NO SCHOOL
11/12, 11/13, and 11/16 Tooth Fairy visits
11/19 Parent/Teacher Conferences
11/23 Parent/Teacher Conferences
11/25 - 11/29 Thanksgiving "Break"
That's all for this week. Speak to you next weekend.
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