What did we do this week?  A LOT!

We've named our turtles:  Big Bob, Tiny Tim and Baby, all the while discussing the voting process and how to be good sports if "your" name wasn't chosen (all acted very graciously, I might add).  Ask your child how we used our ballots to decide!

We've named our fish: Chedzie, Cutie Princess, Black Tail, Yellow Fin, Poofy Tail, Goldie and Panic.  Each group used their scientific minds to observe, draw and discuss the appropriate names for the fish.  Ask your child how we divided up the fish to determine names!

Other things-of-the-week:  

• On Thursday, we had a false alarm fire drill (great practice for the unpredictable nature of the beast--they all handled it well), watched a beautiful tree being planted on our playground (thank you Mrs. Iorio--Amelia's mom!), and practiced a Code Red drill.  We talked about our fire drills being important in case there were fires, tornado drills in case there could be a tornado and Code Red drills in case there are any other emergencies that might happen.  
• All week, we have been reading Kevin Henkes books...discussing friendships, comparing characters and predicting what we think would be happening next when the big decision moment was coming up. 
• We've discussed the difference between vowels and consonants, we've been rhyming, rhyming, rhyming and working on our word families:  -at (as in cat/bat/sat), -an (as in can/ban/tan), -ap (as in map, slap, snap) and -ack (as in sack/back/track).  Working with words will develop strong word sense that they can bring to the table when trying to figure out longer and harder words when reading.  
• All week, we've been adding in different ways in math--showing how we add by using pictures/models/charts, learning new math games that involve reading number words and playing 1st Grade Math Yahtzee (they defeated me handily, but in a good-sport-kind-of-way). We also began skip counting this week by 10s and 5s.  It's our goal in first grade for each student to be able to get to 100+ counting by 10s and 5s and at least 30 counting by 2s.  Practice this in the car or on the walk home from school!

COMING UP...

The artist Bren Bataclan will be coming to our school next week!  If you have been on the 2nd floor by the doors to the gym/lunch room, there is a little hall/alcove that will soon be brightly painted with Bren's artwork (with a little help from 4th and 5th grade friends).  We have many opportunities next week to see and hear his story.  There will be a parent night on Thursday and an unveiling of his artwork Friday afternoon.  This is a very exciting ART time to be in Grand Rapids!  Speaking of art, if you have a chance to go downtown, stop at the JW Marriot to see the Breton Downs-Haiti collaborative entry for Artprize.  It's amazing!

Box Tops!  Please bring in your box tops Oct 1-3rd.  We will be collecting as many as we can for these 3 days. Last year, your family received a plastic baggie to begin collecting them over the summer.  I am sending home a baggie with our new friends today so that you can keep and collect box tops.  It is amazing how they add up and lead to a substantial amount of income for our school!  Thank you for your support.

Next week, your child will begin to bring home reading club books.  Most days (unless the book is a longer one), books will come home on Monday-Thursday.  On the weekends, please develop the habit of reading picture books together or a good chapter book.  There will be a sheet in the bag to mark the title of the book, how easy the book was for your child to read, and any comments.  Please help your child become responsible by packing it each night after it is read so it's ready to go in the morning!

Have a fantastic, beautiful weekend!

                                                              (Bren Bataclan)