Snowy Tuesday

Hello Parents and Guardians!

Happy Tuesday, November 5!  I apologize for it being a week since the last blog post.  I do prefer to do them at home from the couch but our internet has been on the fritz!  I don't know how many posts I began, just to have them not complete!  So, I guess they must be done from the comfort of my big chair at school!

We had a fun week last week with Halloween games, activities, poems and buddies!  A HUGE thank you to everyone who donated food for our class "party" and to Neil (AKA Riley) for not only helping in the class but also taking such great photos to document our day!  Neil was also an active participant in our Gonoodle activities ...  If you don't know who Neil is, ask your child to tell you/show you at home.  

This week we have been learning about peace, the significance of the poppy and the importance of Remembrance Day.  Today we watch a little video called The Poppy Story https://youtu.be/_PMVDDT4B5c.  Check it out if you would like to see what we talked about an possibly learn a thing or two about the poppy and Remembrance Day.  We have also been busy making poppy collages for our front bulletin boards and felt poppies with Mrs. Ferrari.  I will keep them at the school until Friday so that we can wear them to our Remembrance Day assembly (at 10:30).  Friday is the morning class' turn to attend so I will be sending them home on Thursday for the afternoon class.  Just a reminder that because Remembrance Day is on Monday (the 11th day of the 11th month) there will be no school.  Hopefully you can find some time at around 11:00 that day to think about those who have lost their lives or come home wounded in order for us to live in the safe country that we do.   

With the start of a new month, we have been talking about ways to show the number that we are putting on the calendar each day.  Today the students came up with stories for the number 5 (5+0, 1+4, 2+3, 3+2, 4+1 and 0+5).  We have also been talking about SUBITIZING which is basically knowing how much something is without having to count.  An example is knowing that we have 5 fingers on one hand, 10 on two (without having to count our fingers).  We have also been looking at the different sides of a dice and knowing what the number is based on its pattern (without counting).  Today I also introduced the students to tally marks as a way of organizing data and counting.  We have also had fun learning some new math games using the dice.  This week we are learning how to play Connect 4 with numbers 2-12 (we have to use 2 dice and add them together).  

The students have had lots of fun learning about the letter Pp this week (and last) and are excited to discover words that start with the letter.  There are lots of words that begin with Pp!  We have also identified words that have a Pp in another place in the word.  When the students name a word such as "dip" we discuss where we hear the /p/ sound (at the beginning, in the middle or at the end).  They are quite the letter/sound detectives!  

Snack reminder:  Since the presentations from the Bonavista Eye Clinic and Food Impact on healthy eating, we have been talking lots about what we bring in our snacks.  I know the students are super excited about their Halloween Candy and don't mind if they bring a small chocolate bar or item to have during snack time.  I try and encourage them to eat their healthy foods first so please make sure that you are sending a "real food" (something that doesn't come in a package) and only 1 treat .  Thank you!!!!!!

Well, I have a long 2 minute commute home ... never so thankful to live close to the school as on days like this!    Have a wonderful evening!

Ms. O.