Spelling Test Thursday January 21st

Parents,

This Friday is a TDSB P.A. Day. As our Spelling Test normally falls on Friday this week we will be having it on Thursday morning. Spelling folders will go home with your child today so please study hard and remember to return the folders on Thursday this week.
Thank you

Also just a note about homework: Please encourage your child to use pencil only.

Ms. Guenther

Update from Ms. Guenther - January 18th!

Hi Parents

Just a reminder that Scholastic orders are due this Wednesday the 20th.

Note** Please remember to initial your child's agenda each night so I am aware they are showing it to you. Even if there is no communication from me it lets me know they are keeping up the routine and won't forget to show you when there is a message I am sending home.

Please try to have your child dressed in their snow pants for morning arrival as we go directly outside following announcements for our AM Outdoor Daily Exercise (which seems to be working by the way).

There is a homework worksheet coming home this weekend. Please complete and return on Monday. This homework is to begin the conversation around measurement at home which we have begun learning about this week. Monday we will be starting our Measurement Centres as well. This homework is intended to be done as a partnership between child and adult.  Remember as the adult to always answer a question with a question to really get them to extend their thinking. If you would prefer for them to do the work independently, have a review session afterwards to discuss their thinking and hands on process in completing the homework sheet.

For example: Child:Mom, how many erasers is this book? Mom: How many do you think it is? How could you figure out the answer?

Learning At Home:

I have had parents asking how they can help their child with their learning at home. I try to update you each month with what we have learned and what topics we will be learning about. However, I wanted to recommend getting your child a notebook.

Visit the dollar store, let your child pick out a notebook and a fancy pencil, and each night set a timer for 15 to 30 minutes. This could be while you are cooking dinner or for a set "homework" time. You may give them a task to write about one part of their day at school, to write about one thing they learned at school, or even to write a short story that has all the parts a story should have such as characters, setting, problem and solution. Then have them read what they have written aloud to you. Review their Writing Checklist with them. Where could they have used an uppercase letter or a question mark or maybe their sentence doesn't make sense. Talk about reading with flow, taking breaths at periods, and sounding out by finding two and three letter blends.

 Every week make their task a little more challenging by asking for 2 sentences instead of one or having them write about 3 things they did at school instead of 2.

As time goes on your child should require less and less of your assistance and instruction and be able to complete this task independently, hopefully with a bit of excitement and passion in what they are doing.

It all begins with a love of writing!

A second option is to focus on measurement as we are in the classroom. Introduce time as a source of measurement. Time is a standard measuring tool and uses units of seconds, minutes, and hours. Using a digital, sand, or twist timer create a recording chart and time your child getting their snowsuit on or off each day. Discuss how fast or slow they move and compare their recorded times. Talk about if they were quicker or slower than last time. Ask them if they see any patterns happening as each recording is added to the list. Maybe you time how long it takes to get to school and get home each day. Or how long it takes to eat dinner or cook dinner.

Comprehension is built by real life experiences and discussions. 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!!!

Ms. Guenther

January 11 Update

Parents, 

Please ensure your child's outdoor clothing is labelled. Every piece should have their name on it, each mitten, pair of snow pants, coat, the tag of each scarf and each hat. Not only does this help us sort through mixed up clothing within the classroom but if it is left and found outside it is more likely to be returned to your child as well.

Also just a reminder that Thursday February 4th is our Rosethorn Family Skate Night. The class insisted I let you all know as they are excited that Ms. Guenther will be there again this year. Please read the Friday Flash for further information.

HAVE A FABULOUS WEEK!!!!!
Ms. Guenther

January Blog Update - Including important updates for the week of January 4th

Welcome Back!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Hope all had a relaxing and fun winter break.
Just a few notes to start 2016 off:

1. There will be no spelling or weekly poem this week. We will start next week once we are fully settled in.

2. We are going to start the new year doing things a little different. I would like to spark our brains and learning for the day with a morning exercise session. So every morning but Day 4 we will be heading directly outside after announcements to have a small ten minute workout and discuss our calendar and daily basics. I am hoping this will improve our learning and participation throughout the day. Please ensure your child is prepared for the weather each day. Unless we are unable to be outside due to weather conditions such as freezing temperatures or rain we will be out. This will begin Wednesday morning as tomorrow is Day 4. 

3. I was asked to relay a message from Mrs. Pileggi: Thank you so very much for your generous gift before the holidays. It was so special and greatly appreciated. I would also like to once again extend my thank you to all parents and students. Your gift will continue to give for the next month. 

4. January Learning will look like geometry review, beginning to discuss seasons and seasonal changes, our next blends will be st, sw, am, at, and an. We will be beginning measurement next week and this topic will extend right through the month and into February. We will also be continuing to look at sequencing specifically in stories and writing. We will be using sequencing ladders, ordering by words such as first, then, next, finally, as well as ordering using our ordinal numbers. What happened first, second, third, fourth, etc. These are topics you can discuss at home to help your child's learning be consistent. 

5. Some students are on a Word Ring program: please remember to return these back to school for further assessment so we can start moving on and upwards.

Thank you
Ms. Guenther 

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Dr. Seuss