Language Arts:
We have been introducing the sight words (also called high-frequency words) for several weeks now. So far, we have introduced I, see, my, like, can and the. This week, we will have a review week. Sight words are words that the children should know instantly, by sight, when the words are shown to them. Many of these words cannot be sounded out. We have also been sending home a list of sentences for your child to read to you that have the sight words. Please listen to your child read these sentences each week when they come home. There are 50 words that we will be covering this year. I will be assessing the children on these words each trimester for report card information, and they continue using the sight words in first grade (their list has 100 words), so these are important words to master.
We will begin running all five literacy centers in our "Daily 5" reading program this week. Children will now be meeting with a teacher daily for targeted reading lessons during this time, and will receive differentiated lessons depending on their ability as we continue with this program.
This week's letters are Kk and Ll. We continue to use Heidisongs Singalong Songs for Letters to introduce/review the letters and sounds. If you'd like to offer further reinforcement at home, information on this DVD (it can also be streamed on Vimeo) can be found here.
Our stories this week will center around Johnny Appleseed (his birthday is Wednesday).
Math:
We are still working our way through Module 1 in Eureka Math, "Numbers to 10." We are in the section "Numerals to 5 in Different Configurations." You can find a link for helping your children at home here.
Art Vistas:
We will have our first Art Vista lesson this Wednesday. This is a program that is paid for by the Home & School Club through your generous donation to the CCP and fundraisers like the Walkathon. In Art Vistas, children look at a group of lithographs by various artists. They look for a particular element in those pictures, like colors, lines, shading, etc. Then they create their own art project modeled after the prints they saw. Thank you to the many parents who are assisting with Art Vistas this year, and to Kassie Gray for leading.
Walkathon
I want to remind you again that the Walkathon is coming up quickly on Saturday, October 13th! The children will do a practice lap with me some time before the 13th. The practice lap will give them a sense of where they will be walking and how big the lap is, and they will also earn their first "foot," which they will receive the Friday before the walkathon. The children will be collecting these plastic feet on a necklace on the day of the event. Every five laps at the walkathon, they add a foot to the necklace chain. When the children come to school on Monday following the Walkathon, they love to wear the necklace to show-off all the laps they completed! You can continue registering your children and checking our progress on the walkathon website: http://www.altavistawalkathon.org Right now, we have more than half our class participating! I hope you are all planning to come out for the Walkathon-- it is a great community event & your child won't want to miss it.
**Please remember your child's Blue Bag tomorrow, with the folder and book inside.
Helpers & Activities This Week
Monday: Return Blue Bags (Hiromi), Daily 5, Centers (Elena & Nisha)
Tuesday: Daily 5, Centers (Hiromi & Sarah)
Wednesday: Art Vistas, Recess 101, Blue Bags go home
Thursday: Daily 5, Centers (Brandie & Belinda)
Friday: Daily 5, STEAM Centers (Pablo & Claire)
Tuesday 10/2: Alta Vista STEAM Night
Tuesday 10/9: PM Class attends "Elephant & Piggie" Play
Saturday 10/13: Alta Vista Walkathon
Friday 10/19: No School: Professional Development Day
Wednesday 10/31: Halloween Parade & Party
11/5-11/15: Parent-Teacher Conferences
Monday 11/12: No School: Veteran's Day
Friday 11/16: Friendship Feast
11/19-11/23: Thanksgiving Break
Thursday 12/20: Nutcracker Performance
12/21-01/04: Winter Break
