Sept. 13 - 17

Some fantastic home reading has been happening for "Bob's Book Club" this week!  Thank you so much for taking the time to get your child off to a great start.  Three books should be coming home each night but please feel free to read books from the library or home and record them also.  In their journals this week the students wrote, "A _____ lives in the ocean."  We brainstormed many creatures and then each child chose 2 to write about and illustrate.  We've been reviewing initial consonant sounds in their Phonics books and have been talking about the short vowels.  Sharing was wonderful this week with so many eager faces ready to talk about what they brought.  Thank you for connecting to our unit on ocean life.  This doesn't always have to be the case but it's been a great addition...ocean books, shark models, seashells, underwater paintings.  Wow!  In math we are working on patterning and addition facts to 10.  I have introduced "touch point" math to the class which is an alternative to counting on their fingers.  Each number has a series of dots (1 has 1 dot, 2 has 2 and so on up to 9).  The idea is that instead of putting down their pencil and counting on their fingers and then having to find their place again they simply touch the points where the dots are to be and find the answer.  The goal eventually is to start at the largest number and "count on" as a strategy.  As time goes on and their mental math improves even touch point won't be necessary.  Ask your child to show you the touch points if you are interested.  We have new art on the bulletin board outside our classroom.  Come see!  The weather was perfect for our Terry Fox Run on Friday.  It was nice to have many of your join us.  Also, a huge thank you to the parent volunteers who have already signed up to help in our room starting the last week in October.  I'm looking forward to having you!  :)