Now that Fall is really showing its colours we are taking advantage of the many learning opportunities this beautiful season has to provide; this week we talked and wrote about our Thanksgiving weekend, started the Jolly Phonics letters Cc/Kk, started our Popcorn (Sight) Word board with "and," talked and wrote booklets about natural occurrences in the Fall, made fall art (on display on the hallway bulletin board), and learned about how pumpkins and oak trees grow. We have also been singing four Fall Songs with the piano. We have completed our October calendar and will be completing "This is me in October" pictures (with writing for the SKs).

I am happy to see that most of the JK children can independently print their name. Practicing this at home is very helpful and children love to talk and write about their families and lives. Words like "mom," "dad" and sibling and pet names are often what children learn to write next. Some of the JKs are still learning how to use scissors - please provide them with child's safety scissors at home as well.

The children enjoyed going to the Book Fair. They will exchange their library books for new ones this week. Also this week will be our second Sharing assembly on Friday. We have been discussing the TDSB Character Trait of Responsibility for this assembly and will be singing a song about Halloween. Parents whose children will be recieving certificates this month have been informed by letter in their child's white TDSB bag.

This upcoming week the children will find the classroom decorated for Halloween! We will be weighing and measuring a pumpkin and will estimate and count its seeds. Our Halloween Parade and Party is on October 31st. An ideal costume for a small child is one in which they can move around easily, one with makeup as opposed to a mask, and no weapons please. Thank you.

If your child will be bringing in Halloween treats for his/her classmates, please ensure that they are nut and sesame-free. A great writing opportunity for your child at home is to write his/her classmates' names on each treat/treat bag as well as their own name ("To______ From_______").

I hope you have a wonderful week!