Happy Holidays!  This certainly is a joyous time of year to spend with your children.  Their excitement and innocence make each day enjoyable and electric.  Our class's holiday party will be tomorrow (Friday December 21) from 1:00 - 2:00 or so.  Parents are invited to attend.  You will be required to sign in at the office and receive a visitors badge.  I have also been asked to remind parents that they need to leave the building at 2:15 when the classes go to the gymnasium for our assembly.  This is a fire safety rule.

There is no formal homework over vacation.  I ask that you read with your child daily and practice math facts as needed to retain all the gains they have made.  Also, the Read to Succeed forms are due back on January 11th.  If you've lost yours and still want to participate so your child can earn a FREE Great Escape Amusement Park pass, please let me know ASAP.


This week in class:
Reading--We have been working on identifying the main idea in passages.  We have continued to work on fluency and expression through Reader's Theater.

Math--We reviewed telling time to 5 minute intervals and the terms half past, quarter after and quarter of.  The children also practiced identifying coins and their values, adding like coins and adding unlike coins.

Science--We concluded our magnet unit by doing ass't experiments to determine magnet strength and uses.

Writing--The children have begun using strategies to "wrap up" their writing.  We wrote adventures, about stuffed animals, and about holiday mornings.  Very exciting.

After vacation, our class will be gaining a student teacher.  Her name is Ana Knoblock.  She is from the College of St. Rose.  She met the children today and seems very excited about working with them.  I hope you all have a safe and enjoyable holiday season.  I look forward to seeing you all in 2013!  Happy New Year!