Ten Days of Learning

We read a lot of books in Room 114.  It is my goal that your child leaves Room 114 with a love of reading.  We are on our way to loving books deeply.  Maybe you have heard about Mercy the pig who loves buttered toast?  Or maybe you have heard us singing the refrain from the Old Black Fly?   Or maybe you listened to your child tell you some nonfiction facts about frogs last week?   We are learning that your can look at pictures and use your imagination to "read"  the story. Tuesday by David Wiesner is a perfect example of how to read a book with your imagination.  It will be exciting to see your child's reading growth at the end of the year.

Our library day will be Monday.  For the first semester, the children will only be allowed to check out a book once a week (on Mondays.)  Keep the book at home until library day.  Remind your child on Sunday evenings to pack the library book in his/her book bag.

Our math curriculum is very hands on.  We will spend a tremendous amount of time this year understanding numbers.   Last week we played a lot of math games as I observed the children on their number knowledge.  This upcoming year, I will share lots of ideas with you on number games to play at home.  Check out this link for photos of number game learning.


I encourage all parents to return the Background Check form that went home last week.  You cannot attend field trips or volunteer in the school without an approved background check.  If you need another form, please contact me. If you turned in your form with an older sibling, please contact me to let me know that you did submit a form. 

Last week our poem was fun to act out.  We pulled out the mirrors and looked at the funny faces staring back at us.  Check out this link for mirror photos.  We also practiced finding one of our upcoming sight words  (I) and highlighting it in the poem.  Please return poetry journals on Mondays and check backpacks on Friday for our new poem.

We are doing well with our lunchroom procedures.  Give us one more week of practice before joining us for lunch.  Starting Tuesday, September 2, you may join us  for lunch any day of the week.  I will reveal our lunch time in next week's entry.  

Mondays are the day to purchase juice/snack for the week. Send 2.50 for juice.  Send $2.50 for snack.  Or send $5.00 for both.  Monday is also the day that Nancy's Italian Ice delivers a sweet treat to school for $1.00.  I do allow you to prepay if that is convenient for your family's lifestyle.

Friday was the tenth day of school.  At our cluster meeting on September 4, I will share with you how important the number ten is in our math curriculum. The number ten is a big deal in early childhood math education.  I had to step out of of the classroom for a moment on the tenth day of school and  while I was gone the Queen of Ten visited Room 114.  From what I understand she spoke with a British accent and had a wand that kept breaking.  She had a student snap a picture of her so that there was proof of her visit.  She said she would return in ten school days. Plus she left "Queen of Ten"  wands for the children to color. From what the children told me, it must have been a pretty special visit.    Check out this link for the Queen of Ten's visit .

The children are doing a fabulous job with incorporating the five life skills into our classroom.  We practice every day being patient, careful, helpful, responsible and respectful.  Our classroom is turning into a wonderful community of learners that is a happy place to work and play.  I will explain Room 114's behavior management plan at the September 4 meeting and the reason I do not send home a daily conduct sheet.  I will contact you immediately if there is a behavior situation involving your child.  Thank you for supporting the learning style of our classroom.

Thank you for supporting the school by selling the PTA discount cards.  Contact me with any questions about the fundraiser.  The fundraiser ends on September 11.

Book orders are due Wednesday.  You may order on-line with the class code of GL88R or send in payment and the order form. I will place the order Wednesday evening and the turn around time for the arrival of the books will be about 5 school days.  Book orders are optional and come home once a month.

If your child is absent from school, please send a written excuse on the day he/she returns. You have a two day grace period to send in a written excuse.  After that your name is turned into the District Attorney's office and from what I've heard...a very threatening letter is sent to your house. So to avoid the threatening letter, follow the rules and send the excuse on the day your child  returns.  I sent home a sheet last Thursday to help you gauge when your child is too sick to attend to school.

  I love this photo.  Look at the concentration on all those hard workers.  Plus look at the mess! We are learning in Room 114 that it is perfectly fine to make a mess as long as you clean it up.  We have a cool clean up song (western style)  that makes cleaning up quick and fun.  Check out this link for concentration and a mess photos.

Thank you for sharing your greatest treasure with me.  Contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Upcoming Events:
8.27  Book orders due (optional)
9.1:  No school in observance of Labor Day
9.4:  Cluster Meeting for Room 114:  choose either 5:30 pm or 7:00 pm to attend. No children please.
9.9  PTA General Membership meeting at 6:00
9.11  PTA discount cards fundraiser ends
9.12:  Box Top collection day
9.15:  No school for students.  It is a teacher in-service day.
9.19:  Kindergarten Field Trip to Lanark (Alabama Nature Center) in Millbrook
9.25:  Teacher Treat Day (K and 5th grades - host)
10.13:  No school for students.  It is a teacher in-service day.
10.16:  Blount Fall Festival