October 2016

Let's Remember

Your children continue to be READING ROCK STARS! Last week our class exceeded the amount of minutes they read in the previous weeks.  Our class total was 1,744 minutes!  I am so grateful for your support and proud of the children!  Keep reading!

We have been practicing the Alphabet Letters in so many ways each week.  Here are a few of the highlights.  Keep practicing at home too.  The kiddos are making great gains.  Alphabet experts are learning to pull out those sounds and make words, YEAH!!!

We also became scientists and dissected lemon cucumbers.  We made a prediction about how many seeds each slice had.  Then we counted the seeds into groups of 5.  

Science, math, and "sneaky thief Cc" is so much fun!

With the Letter Nn we went on a hunt. We searched for Nn in the newspaper. (Hint: this is a great way to reinforce and review letters and snap words at home – go on a hunt for them using newspaper)

Letter Ff was learned this past week and we all had a turn being the f-f-f-f FIre Chief!

We are working so hard to learn letters and words.  I have added some videos on the blog that will link you to the Alphabet videos from Have Fun Teaching. You may also want to find sight word videos found on YouTube.  Please use these videos to review letters and snap words your student is struggling with.

Sesame Street has a podcast for every letter of the alphabet.

Thank you so much for sending in Rhyming objects.  Ask your student to play the rhyming game with you.  

We have been learning how to graph as we write the numbers 0-5.  Thank you for the practice you are doing at home!!! It is really paying off.

Learning about number 3 and counting the sides that make a triangle.

Here is our song "When We Graph"

We are beginning to learn how to break words into syllables. Here is two great videos that we use in class to help you learn how to teach syllables to your student.

We will also be moving on with writing numbers.  We will be working on numbers 6-10 over the next few weeks.  I am including a handwriting video link about writing numbers.  This guy might seem a little odd, but really what he is saying is incredibly spot on when it comes to teaching kiddos how to write.  Listen to his language.  The way your student forms the numbers are super important for them to create a visual picture of each number.  If you are short on time just watch the first 7 minutes and make yourself a set of finger tracing cards.  It is a way for you to practice the numbers without ever having them write.  The last 3 minutes of the video is super awesome to help with reversed numbers. The access to this video is ONLY available through YouTube, but I wanted you to see what you are searching for when going to YouTube

This week we chose our classroom EAGLE LEADER.  

The EAGLE LEADER will meet once a month with our principal and report back with any 7 Habits information that our class needs to work on.  I had a list of students that are interested in being our Eagle Leader.  We have been earning tally marks when we have been proactive in many settings in the school.  On Thursday we identified the top 5 kids with the most tally marks and voted for our EAGLE LEADER.  The class voted Evan Lomeli as our first leader this year. The other students will have another opportunity to be voted the Eagle Leader throughout the year by the class.

We have moved into teaching HABIT #2.  See videos in the 7 Habits tab on this blog.







We are going to make 3 WIG's (Wildly Important Goals) by the time we see you join us for Parent Teacher Conferences.  1 personal goal, 1 language arts goal and 1 math goal.  This week your student will choose a personal goal for themselves from the following choices:
 

October Calendar of Events

October 3rd- Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up sheets will be posted in the front foyer of the school on the windows. Please come in to sign up for a time slot.  Your child needs to attend with you because this is their celebration of learning.

October 6th- This will be our first School Counselor lesson.  The focus topic this month is Fairness.  Mrs. Lopez our Elementary counselor presents these 30 minute lessons.

October 7th- Minimum Day, dismiss at 12:45 PM.  This is also a $1 Dress Day.  Donate $1 and you may wear Free Dress.

October 13th- Minimum Day, dismiss at 12:45 PM. Parent Teacher Conferences for Elementary students ONLY.  1 PM to 8 PM  End of the first quarter.  Report Cards will be sent home the following week.

October 14th- NO SCHOOL for students.  Parent Teacher Conferences for Elementary 8 AM to Noon.  

October 17th- Second quarter of school begins.

October 20th- Harvest of the Month- Jr. High students come and share information and a taste of something YUMMY that has been made from fruits or veggies harvested by them from OPA's school garden.  Last month we ate sweet potatoes and learned about that food.

October 21st- Mrs. Hill and Miss Hannah will be gone today.  Our substitutes are in place and will be fabulous. Remind your child to be the "best student" they can be that day.  Thanks!

October 24th - 28th - Red Ribbon Week; please watch for information to come home.

October 26th- LDS Cannery Walking Field Trip.  We will be leaving at 9:20 and walking south down to the cannery facility south of the school.  I need 6 parent volunteers. Please email me if you are able to join us that day.  We will return to school by 10:30 or before. 

Our 3rd School Counselor lesson at 1 PM today.

October 31st-  1st Parent Center volunteer activity.  This is our Fall Harvest Event.  I have 3 wonderful parents that have offered to be Room Parents this year.  We will be meeting in the next few weeks to make plans.  This is always a STUDENT FAVORITE activity.  Please watch for REMIND messages requesting your support.  12:45 - 3 PM

When children are immersed in timeless, universal principles—such as responsibility, service, and honesty—both at home and at school, their tremendous worth and potential is affirmed and reinforced.  They develop confidence, integrity, and the courage to do the right thing.

–Stephen R. Covey

Can you believe that your Kindergartener is starting week 7- WOW- Wee!