It has been a great start to our school year! We are well on our way to knowing the classroom routines and expectations. The kids have all really become a family already :)
The first couple of weeks were spent doing some team building activities, learning and practicing the routines, creating a classroom environment where we can work and play and have fun together while respecting and showing kindness to one another.
Next week we will begin lessons in math and writing. We will continue to build our reading stamina and talk about what our independent reading time will look like and sound like.
In the classroom we are going to be reading the book The 7 Habits of Healthy Kids. We will be taking the time to read and talk about the 7 Habits. We will connect it to what we can do to make the 7 habits a part of our own lives. Here are a couple links if you would like to review the book: www.theleaderinme.org/the-7-habits-for-kids www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-7-Habits-of-Happy-Kids/Sean-Covey/9781416957768
This week Tuesday we will be heading to our school library to check out books! We will go to the library every Tuesday. I will be giving all of the kids a ziplock baggie to use to take their books back and forth from school. One of the books that the kids check out will be in their reading level and one will be a free choice book. Many times the free choice books kids will want to check out are books that are higher levels that they would love a parent or sibling to read with them :) I working on reading with all the kids to find out what their reading levels are, so in the meantime I will be using their reading levels from last year to direct them to "just right" books.
Homework will begin next week. I ask that you read every night with your child for at least 20 minutes. (I totally understand that life gets busy, so I know that it won't be every night, but as many as you can!) This could be them reading a book or two to you, you read a page and then they read a page, you read to your child, siblings reading together, etc. Math homework will start coming home on Fridays and won't be due back till the next Friday. The math homework is sent home so that you are able to see what we are doing in math as well as a way for the kids to practice even more.
Specials this year are on a four day rotation; however on our early release days they will be different. The early rotation days are on a separate rotation. To make this a bit easier, I will post a calendar showing what specials we have on what days. Also, if you would like, you can have your child leave a pair of gym shoes at school.
Here are the specials for this week: Monday - music, Tuesday - steam, Wednesday - gym, Thursday - art, Friday - steam
I am SO excited for Color the Park! You should have received information for this event last week. If you did not, please let me know. Last year was the first time we did this event and it was such a blast! Please come out and join us for the fun!!! Here is a link to the online registration COLOR THE PARK REGISTRATION LINK or you can fill out the paper registration that was sent home.
Upcoming dates to note:
Friday, September 15 Early Release Day
Friday, October 6
Enjoy the pictures of our first couple weeks! The first ones show the kids working (VERY well in groups) making a new home for Harry. The next pictures are of the kids learning how to play math games together as we practice our math workshop.