Happy Halloween!

Let's get right down to the business at hand!  While we have been learning a lot this week about bats, segmenting words and good number writing...what we are really thinking about is
Halloween!
A few things to remember!!

• Do not send your child to school in costume.  
• Costumes will be put on at 1:00 in the afternoon.
• Label ALL parts of a costume. 
• NO weapons as part of a costume.
• Room Parents have worked hard to plan a party with some "fun food".  Please do not send additional food or candy to the party unless you signed up on our sign up genius.  
• All parents are welcome to watch the parade at 1:40.  If it is not raining-we will be outside-so please help your child think about how to wear the costume over a jacket or under a jacket.  They don't like to cover it up once it is on...but with the temps predicted, they will freeze without a jacket!  
• All parents are welcome to join us for the party.  We will likely go right up to the bell.  Please come in and help us pack up at the end of the day! (No need to wait outside for us...just c'mon in and help your child gather all their belongings.  

Picture Retakes is MONDAY NOVEMBER 3rd.  If your child was absent, plan on getting pictures taken.  If your child's picture was unsatisfactory, please return the whole package and write a note explaining why you want a retake.

Wednesday, November 5th is our 50th day of school!  Remember to dress up like it was the 1950s!  Just a few ideas:  Boys can wear rolled up jeans, put gel in their hair and wear a cardigan.  Girls can wear a poodle skirt or longer skirt, bobby socks and a high pony tail!  Pearls are a lovely touch!

Monday, November 10th:  No School for Veteran's Day

Tuesday, November 25th:  Field Trip to Brookfield Zoo!  Can you chaperone?  Let me know!  We'd love to have you.  Chaperones don't ride the bus, so the earlier we plan carpooling, the better!

What a full fall week!  I really enjoyed being able to meet with al of you during our conference.  100% attendance is a teachers dream!  If you got home and realized you forgot to ask me something, please don't hesitate to send an email or schedule another conference.  I know the time goes fast.

Reading:  We continued working on beginning, middle and end in reading.  During reading groups we are focusing on using the first letter to help us figure out a new word.  We are also working on pointing to each word when we read.
Writing:  Each of the students chose a writing goal this week.  Ask your child what his/her goal is.
Math: During math we are working on measuring and using ten frames to help us visualize numbers.   A lot of students are writing numbers backwards or having trouble identifying numbers.  We will do some additional number writing practice next week.

A BIG thanks to all of you who supported our Fun Run!  The kids had a great time running for a good cause!  If you did not get a chance to contribute, but would still like to, pledges are accepted until the end of next week.

We also had a visit from a dentist!  You will find a dental screening form in your papers this week.  If you sign it and return it our class gets a prize!  You are not consenting when you sign-but it is as great, free service if you are interested.

Next week we have another busy week!  We will

• Have a bus evacuation drill on Monday.
• Meet a real author on Tuesday!
• Go to the Book Fair on Tuesday.  It is open every day after school next week!  It's a great chance to get some books and support our school.  There are adult books, too.  If you want to send money in with your child to buy a book, please put the money in an envelope with any instructions you have.
• Friday is our Halloween Parade and Party!  Thanks to Kim and all our Room Parents for organizing such a great party!  Please read her emails!

Reading:  We are working on RL3-identifying characters, setting, and beginning, middle and end.

Writing:  We continue to work on spaces between words.  Next week we will choose goals to improve our writing.

Math:  We are comparing lengths and measuring.  Mr. Degman helped a group work on showing numbers and counting using the app educreations.  He will be coming in two times a week to integrate technology into our math lessons.

PLEASE!  IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY, REGISTER FOR THE FUN RUN!  THIS IS A BIG FUNDRAISER FOR US AND IT IS A GREAT WAY TO SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL!

REGISTER FOR TRIVIA NIGHT, TOO!  Yes-it is a fundraiser-but it is so much fun!  This is a child free night at the Wire answering trivia questions and having a blast.  If you don't have a team, you can register and we will make a team for you.  Last year some parents from my class formed a team and became great friends.  It is a great opportunity to get to know some of the people you'll be seeing around Irving for the next 6 years!  (I'm playing on a team of people I met when my oldest was in Kindergarten...6 years ago!)

An author is coming to Irving!  Please read the purple flier in folders today.  It has information about getting a signed copy of a book for your child from the author of the Five Little Monkey books.  Click on the title to visit her website!

See you all at conferences next week!  I can't wait!

We had a great week!
 Our first trip to the library was a success.  If you turned in an application for a library card, your library card is in the folder.  Congratulations!  Thanks to our volunteer chaperones.  We will be doing a research project in November using our new library cards.  

 Reading:  We have added several new centers to our guided reading centers.   Next week we will get new groups and students will get new books each week for their book bags.  We are focusing on beginning, middle and end.  We also started using Lexia this week.  Please see the instructions for how to use Lexia at home.

Writing:  We are also focusing on beginning, middle and end in our writing.  Students are getting more independent about getting sounds down on paper for their words.  We will really focus on spaces between our words next week.

Math:   We completed our first chapter in the My Math curriculum.  We worked on concepts of more than, less than and equal to.  We are also practicing writing and reading numbers 1-20.

Upcoming Dates:
October 10: No school for institute day
October 13:  No school for Columbus Day
October 22:  FUN RUN!  See the link to the left to register your child if you have not already!
October 31:  Halloween Party and Parade -Details on times coming soon.  Kids can bring costumes to school and will change after lunch.
November 5:  Our 50th day of School!  Your child will want to wear a 50's inspired outfit that day.  Keep this in mind as you gather Halloween costumes.

October?  October?  How can it be that Monday is our 30th day of school??

Your children are doing amazing things!  You must be noticing all sorts of fabulous growth at home.  If you even want to see exactly what goes on in a Kindergarten classroom let me know.  The doors are always open.

Reading:  We continue to work on characters and settings.  We are also working on telling about the beginning, middle and end.  We learned how to write stories with beginning, middles and ends, too.

Writing:  We continue to focus on beginning sounds and putting spaces between words when we write.    We start our letters at the top and are learning about tall and short letters.

Math:  We learned greater than and less than this week.

Apples:  This week we learned about the parts of an apple and how an apple grows.  We will make an apple diagram next week and we will keep reading about apples.  The week of October 13th we will make applesauce.   (Yummy!)  Stay tuned.

Upcoming Dates:
October 6th:   Walk to Maze Library-We will leave Irving School around 12:35 and Return to around 2:00.  We only have one chaperone.  We would gladly take an extra if you have time! (Please?)
October 7th:   Bus Evacuation Drill
October 8th:   Walk to School Day
October 10th:  No School for Teacher institute day.
October 13th:  No School for Columbus Day
October 23rd and 24th:  1/2 day for Parent Teacher Conferences.  Dismissal is at 11:00 on these days.  No lunch is served. Please look for a conference reminder in October 14th homework packets.