Week 2

 Weekly Greetings!

We had a great first week back to school! The students all seemed excited to be back and ready to learn. Also, thank you for getting all the paperwork signed and returned to the school so quickly. Not only can all the students use the ipad programs in class, but we are also all set for a field trip to the Long Lake burn area on Friday with Ted Morris from the forestry department.

A big highlight from the week was the new rock-climbing wall in the gym. The class just could not get enough of the physical challenge it presented!

 On one of the nicer days, we were also able to go outside for PE and play a tag game after learning about the negative effects of junk food. Two students were "it" and had soft balls to tag with that were called sugar and fat. The only way a tagged person could get free was to call out for help from someone not tagged yet saying "Eat right!".

 After the game, the students enjoyed some time on the playground equipment.

 Not only did we begin learning about the "Six Keys" to a positive classroom, but each student also made a representation of himself or herself with a positive statement to put up on our class "Inspirational Wall" to encourage each other.

 On Thursday, the class went on a numbers "Moose Hunt" to find paper moose with numbers on them.

 Then the moose had to be put in order and matched to the numbers on our floor.

 That day we also made a real and picture graph to find out if there are more girls or boys in our class this year. It turns out that there are eight boys and six girls. So, the students could easily see that there are two more boys than girls.

 

Center time at the end of the day is always a highlight for younger children. This year I painted an area with chalkboard paint and it seems to be a big hit.

 In addition, we have six ipads for the class this year and everyone is excited to use them. There are many learning programs available and they will also be using Raz-Kids Reading as a rotation during our reading time.

 The kindergarten students are finding all the classroom toys to be new and are sharing together very well!

 At the end of the week, students had time to share things they brought into school with the "All About Me!" bags I sent home on Thursday.  Everyone enjoys seeing what is brought in and asking questions. If your child forgot to bring their bag in on Friday, they can bring it in this week to start off the years sharing something about themselves.

This week we will discuss the last two of our "Six Keys" They are:

Valued Purpose- The book to be used is another Rainbow Fish book called Hidden Treasure and the main point is that each one of us are special and we will be having valuable learning experiences while in school this year. The craft for the Kindergarten is a golden key with a shell filled with precious treasures in it to tie into the story.  Another compare and contrast page will be completed by the 1^st and 2^nd grade students. For a symbol we will pat our hearts because the students are full of gifts and treasure in their hearts that they will discover this year. For the treat they will all get a rich Dove chocolate, just like each one of them is full of rich hidden treasure inside.

Success- The book used will be The Little Engine That Could. We will discuss how to be successful by not giving up and “thinking we can” do things even when it might seem hard. For a symbol we will use two thumbs up, and again the Kindergarten students will make another golden key showing a trophy for success. The 1^st and 2^nd grades will complete the last page for their compare and contrast book. An Almond Joy treat is the special treat for the key because the students will be filled with joy when they succeed.

When we finish all six keys, we will revisit each key and discuss everything the students remember about what every key will look like in our classroom. Each student will have their own key book to help them remember what is needed for a successful year. Then I will read The Hare and the Tortoise, and discuss never giving up despite how impossible something may appear. Each student will make a school promise that is recorded on a worksheet with a picture showing themselves keeping their promise. The promises will be posted on the Commitment Wall in the hallway by the office, and displayed all year.

Monday this week, I will start sending homework home four nights a week. If your child does their homework each night they will get to pick a prize on Friday. With your parent letter this week, I have also included information on the Seasonal Readers activity to encourage nightly reading. There will be a Reading Log attached to record the books read each week and we will tally how many each child has read through the school year. This month each student will take a leaf off a fall tree on the Seasonal Readers wall each Friday. There will also be a Scholastic Book order form with the homework, if you would like me to place an order for books you can read at home. If you see something you like, please return the order form back to me with the money needed to cover the cost by Sept. 10. That way the books should be here by the end of September.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the school or stop by. Have a great week!

Kind Regards,
Julie Brown