October 8th 2009

YES, we are going to sing with Dan Zane. YES, we are going to record a CD with him. We are scheduled for this Monday, October 10. We will be boarding the activity bus at 9:15. Please make sure your child is at school on time. Parent are welcome to attend. However, we ask that you meet us at the Jefferson Center downtown. Please let me know if you do plan to join us. Children need to be with me because we are not sure what the schedule will be for the day. If the weather is nice, we will eat our lunch outside in the courtyard area.

Math: The national Council of Teachers of Mathematics has outlined ten content and process standards that have become the basis of math for young children. We will work on these standards all through the year. The standards are:
1. Numbers and Operations
2. Pattern and Algebra
3. Geometry and Spatial Sense
4. Measurement
5. Data Analysis and Probability
6. Problem Solving
7. Reasoning and Proof
8. Communications
9. Connections
10.Representation.

This week, we began working with the rhyme "One, Two, Buckle My Shoe." The skills we are working on are recognizing, writing, and understanding numbers. We have had a fun week using games and manipulatives and songs to help practice these skills.

In literacy, we are almost finished with Eric Carl. We worked on the days of the week. We made the most beautiful Hungry Caterpillar mobiles. I can't wait to share them at Conference time!!!! This week, we are studying spiders. We went on a spider web hunt. We gathered data by drawing pictures of the webs that we found. Something fun to do with your child is to go on a spider web hunt in your own back yard!! Report back to the class what you find. You can even use your observation skills and draw us a picture. Ask your child to name two parts of a spider.

Dates to Remember
Oct. 12: Dan Zane
Oct. 14: Fall Festival here
Oct. 15: Peaks of Otter
Oct. 16: No School

Nov. 10: Play “Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing” (no drivers needed)
Dec. 10: Play “ Frog and Toad “ (more information to come)