Friday, October 2, 2015

Circle Letter 10/2/15

October 2, 2015

Dear Families,
              It has been a wonderful beginning to October and a fast week for us here at school.  Thursday was a busy day with Picture Day in the morning and a visit from The Cromwell Center late morning to lead a discussion and get us thinking about people with disabilities.  Today should be fun as students begin phase 1… the paper mache part, of our Earth globes.   Thanks to the parent volunteers who came in to help….  Projects like these are much more fun with many hands helping out!  Next week we will do phase 2… placement of continents and labeling. 
       In Math students have just taken the end of unit 1 assessment.  Today students will spend the class pondering an Open Response question before we move on to Unit 2.  Typically I hold on to the math assessments until the end of the trimester.  They will go into each student’s portfolio (3 ringed binder) and come home with the report card.  If you are curious and want to see an assessment before that, just let me know and it can travel home in the red folder.
       We continue to build and talk about good life long reading habits during our Reading Workshop time.   Lots of thought into choosing books that interest us as readers, how to picture the story like a movie in our minds, and the importance of reading wide awake and alert.  Our read aloud, Poppy, continues to offer great opportunity to talk and share our thinking about the plot, character motives, problems and possible solutions.  The book talks continue to be lively and interesting. 

                     Lastly, next week is Fire Prevention Week.  Our class will walk down to the fire station on Tuesday afternoon for review of fire safety and to check out those awesome fire trucks!  Hats off to our volunteer firemen!