October 15, 2018

There certainly is a lot going on!
Cardboard Challenge - This Wednesday during library we will be participating in the Global Cardboard Challenge.  We will be stretching our imaginations by crafting, creating, and building with cardboard, just like Caine did!  Want to know more?  Search 'Caine's Arcade.'  We have been asked to bring any donations of cardboard and masking tape that we can.  Thanks!
Cafeteria Challenge - Since school began we have been learning and practicing lunch room expectations.  For the next two weeks the children are being challenged to show their best safe, respectful, and responsible behaviors at lunch.  Each table 'team' that shows best 'Bobcat' behavior will earn a tally.  At the end of two weeks, tables with the most tallies will earn a 'Golden Tray Award.'
Michaelmas Fair - This Friday the third grade will be having their annual Michaelmas Fair to raise money for their field trips and other special events. There will be crafts, baked goods, and raffles. Prices range from 25 cents to $3.00. Our class will be going in the morning.  Your child is welcome to bring money to purchase items.  Your child will need a coin purse/wallet/baggie to keep his/her money safe.   Please make sure it is labeled! 
Fire Safety - Permission slips were sent home last week.  Members of the New Boston Fire Department will give us a mini-lesson about fire safety.  We will also discuss planning escape routes, checking doors, and kitchen safety.  The children usually have a chance to practice a window escape and get a tour of the fire equipment.  As soon as I know which day we are scheduled for, I'll let you know.
Walking Field Trip - Permission slips were sent home last week for our field trip to the Whipple Free Library and the Historical Society.  We are in need of chaperones!  If you are able to join us, please be in touch!
Guest Speaker - On Monday, October 29, we will be visited by Ms. Fisher who will talk with us about the importance of hand washing.  She will lead us in a demonstration about how easily germs spread between us.  
Halloween - We have plans for a very fun day!  A 'Sign Up Genius' was sent out requesting donations of items needed for our activities, a special snack, and volunteers.  All children are invited to bring a school appropriate costume to school that day.  After lunch, we will don our costumes and parade down to the town common and back to school!  It is usually quite chilly so please consider a warm base-layer of clothes for your child to put his/her costume over.  No one wants to wear a coat over a costume!  Your child will also needs to wear good walking shoes that day. 

​But wait, there's more..
In the classroom we have started a new handwriting program called 'Size Matters.'  We will focus on the three sizes of letters (tall, short, and underground), their placement on the writing lines, and the proper formation of each letter.  Right now we have learned and practiced the different kinds of lines that can be combined to make letters.  Our next few lessons will teach us about the three sizes of letters.

We have finished our first unit of 'Wonders,' our language arts program.  Each unit is six weeks long.  The sixth week is an assessment week.  Because the second grade unit assessments are SO different from the ones the kids did in first grade, we are using the unit 1 assessment as a teaching tool.  In other words, we are all doing it together in order to learn how to do it!  There are three stories with both short answer and multiple choice questions, we will do two.  There are also phonics, grammar, and written expression pieces as well.  All parts are meant to be done independently....we'll get there, with practice!

In math we are well into a unit on addition facts.  We are learning to think about adding as combining numbers, which leads to a larger number.  For some of us, that is tricky to remember.  We have talked about addition in doubles facts, number stories, and turn-around facts.  These are skills we will continue to practice all year long.  Automaticity with addition facts is important and a good skill to practice at home with your child.

Our phonics lessons continue to work on long vowels that have a silent e.  We are practicing being able to switch between reading short vowel words and long vowel words.  It gets us tripped up!  Our grammar lessons are teaching us about the subjects of sentences and the action in the sentence (predicate).  This was new for everyone and they are doing very well with it.  Everyone is now responsible for beginning ALL sentences with capital letters and ending them with appropriate punctuation.