Newsletter November 3 - 7

Welcome to November and snow!  It's chilly outside and all students will go outside for break, unless snow or rain is falling from the sky or temperatures get way below freezing.  Please send your children with proper warm clothing (coats, hats, gloves, boot etc.).  This is especially important for lunch recess as it is longer break time.

We had a great Halloween.  The kids and I were so excited, but we remarkably were able to complete a spelling test, and some "Halloween math" that day.  I think the tradition of dressing up and having a costume parade will continue at East Elementary (at least I hope it will).

This week in math we are going to continue with Chapter 3.  This is a unit where there are many addition strategies that are taught.  Right now we are doing "double plus one".  That is where there is an addition problem where the numbers are right next to each other on the number line (7 + 8).  We are teaching the students to double the smaller number and then just add one (7 + 7 = 14 so one more than 14 is 15 or 7 + 7 +1).  My student teacher Andria Williams will start teaching math today and will continue until she is finished with her time with us.  She has been a great addition to our classroom!

We are going to start a Close reading unit on Spiders--I know I'm a bit behind (spiders would have fit better in October), but the students love this unit.  Close reading is a way where students actually get into a text many times to find out certain focus points (author's point of view, non-fiction text features as examples).  We will be reading from Gail Gibbons book Spiders for this unit. We will also be doing some list writing, and letter writing this month, and will specifically focus on what we are grateful for.

October home reading records are now due.  I sent home a new November reading record today.  That will be due the first day back in December.  Please read with your child every night.  Many of you are NOT regularly sending back your child's take home book.  Please take advantage of this program.  It will greatly benefit your child and your child's reading success.  Your child should be working on at least Sight Word List #3. I also sent home new spelling words and a new Scholastic book order.  That will be due November 14.  If you would like me to "hide" and save any of those books for Christmas let me know. 

I will post some recent pictures from Red Ribbon week and from Halloween.  Scroll down to see them and...
Happy Reading!

Thank you PTA for our t-shirts!

Nash and Zoie--dressed up as their heroes--their grandpa and grandma!

Enoch and Kylee--dressed up as heroes for Red Ribbon week.

Dane and Kaden's heroes are their dads!

Sweet Kaitlee dressed up as "me"!

Halloween fun!