Week of October 1st.

I can't believe it's already October!  I'm looking forward to all of the great learning and fun traditions that we have planned for this month....

Looking Ahead...

We will be taking our first field trip to Powell Hall next week, October 11th.   This field trip is only for the classroom teachers and students.  I will not need parent volunteers.  Thanks to all of those who have offered to help!  For those of you who are new to Kennerly, this is a field trip through the music department.  It is a district-wide event.  The students will have the opportunity to watch a mini-opera at Powell Hall.  It's a time when many students enjoy "dressing up" a little more than usual. Their dress may look similar to Picture Day.

 You will be receiving a permission slip for our second field trip that will shortly follow Powell Hall.  It is scheduled for October 18th.  We will be attending Powder Valley off Watson Road.
This is a morning field trip (9:00 - 11:00).  I will be looking for volunteers to help with small groups of children.  Please let me know if you are interested in attending. You will need to provide your own transportation.

Don't forget...

Bingo Night this Friday, October 5th, 7:00 p.m. I hope to see you there!

Fundraisers are also due this Friday!

Please remember to return Library books on Monday!

What's Happening in Room 113...

 Reading Block - We are rotating through our Literacy stations.  Each day your child is participating in a small guided reading group, word work, independent reading (high interest books and leveled text), journal writing, and reading to someone.  The students are doing great during the block of time.  This week we will begin our focus on the specific reading strategies that are used during reading.  Look for a special bookmark to come home in your child's reading envelope that will help you support these strategies.  Please leave the bookmark in the envelope for future reference. 

 Writer's Workshop - We are working on our second published book.  We have been focusing on telling good stories using a beginning, middle, and end.  We have learned how to "fatten up" the middle of the story by using two or more details.  We will now begin to add that important writing technique to our own personal narratives this week as we approach our new book making.

 Math - We are practicing the skill of subtraction.  We have been playing games and using subtraction sentences to solve short word problems.  Please continue to provide your child with simple math stories that involve subtraction.  Ask your child to show you with simple pictures how they would set up the problem and then demonstrate a subtraction sentence to match the picture. Use math language (subtraction, equals, minus, difference, subtraction sentence) to reinforce the concepts.

Science - We are continuing our learning on living and non-living things.  We explored plants and life cycles last week.  We will begin to look at animals and how they grow and change this week.

Spelling - We will have some informal spelling checks this week.  Please hang on to the list that your child has.  It should be put in a prominent place so that you remember to practice reading and writing/spelling the words daily.  Try having your child write sentences that incorporate those words too.
often, the transfer of the words to their writing is the most difficult.  I will be looking for that transfer during the spelling checks.  Once I feel that your child is ready, I will send home the next list.

Special Guest - We will have a Lindenwood Student, Miss Angela,  in our classroom every Monday and Friday throughout the month of October.  She is fulfilling her practicum hours for her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education.  We welcome Angela to our room!