Starfish Gazette- October 24, 2013

Hi Starfish Families,

Here's what we are learning about in our classroom:

• Learning about -ck words in word study
• Learning how to put spaces in-between our words when we write
• Learning about the characters in our books (modeling with Junie B. Jones)
• Telling time to the hour
• Retelling a story (including the characters, setting, and order of important events)
• Learning how to speak up for ourselves when someone is acting "bossy"
• Solving math problems using a number line
• Learning what expected and unexpected behavior looks like, sounds likes, and feels like
• Learning about turn around facts (also referred to as flip flop facts: 4+5=9 5+4=9)
• Learned about rainbow facts to 10

Here are some of the activities that have happened in our classroom:

• Hayden's mom came in to be our Mystery Reader.  She read a great Halloween Story called Crankenstein. Such a fun story to share with your family!
• Played many games including memory, spin a word, and did picture word sorts to help us practice -ack and -ick words
• Reading about Junie B. Jones for our chapter read aloud.  We are reading this chapter book to give the kids a connection to our field trip on November 13 at the Portsmouth Music Hall.
• Added a new class poem: Telling the Time to our Poem and Song Journals

• Played Tell Time and Find Sums on our classroom IPADS during math centers
• Created insect clocks with three body parts, two eyes, two antennae, and six legs
• Made a pumpkin glyph
• Created "stained glass" Frankenstein Creatures for our classroom windows! 
• Had movement breaks to two clock videos on YouTube. 

To view these videos with your family at home click here:
Hip Hop Around the Clock

What's the Time?

Questions to Promote "School Talk" at Home:

1. Can you tell me something about Junie B. Jones?

2. How did you make your Frankenstein in your classroom? 

3. Can you tell me about the math game: The Time Barrier Game?

4. What have you been making in art class?

5. What do you like to play during free-choice time?

6. What's your favorite learning app for the Ipad at school?

7. Can you tell me about "Flip Flop" math facts? Can you give me an example?

8. How many times do we go around an analog clock in ONE day?  

School Updates and Reminders:

• First Grade field trip to Portsmouth Music Hall on November 13, 2013.  We are sorry that we are unable to take chaperons on this field trip. 
• Early Release Days: November 7th and 13th (Parent Teacher Conference)
• Early Release Dismissal Time: 12:50
• No School- November 8, 11,27,28, and 29.  

Volunteers for the Upcoming Week:

Reading Volunteers:

 Lisa Richard and Jill Gunnell on 10/29

Sheri and John Goodrich and Ryan/Holly O'Kane on 10/31

Center Volunteers:

Ryan O'Kane on 10/30

Mystery Reader:

Erica Shaw on 10/31

Fall Festival

The first grade classrooms host a Fall Festival Event in Celebration of Halloween on October 30, 2013.  The Dolphin and Starfish classes will be rotating between 6 stations in the morning.  If you are interested in helping run a station, please feel free to email me. The stations include festive art projects, face painting, card making, and games.  

Thank you for all your support. We truly appreciate all the volunteering that is happening in our classroom and the support you are providing your child at home. Thank you for setting up a November conference time for us to meet.  I am looking forward to meeting with each family in the next few weeks!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Megan Rochford