Week of October 20-24

Dear families,

I hope you are enjoying the wonderful weather this weekend. Apparently it snowed a bit in Orillia!

This week we learned more about scarecrows and living and non-living things. Our Signs of Fall folder is almost done and will go home in this Friday's mail bag. We also started learning about how pumpkins grow and made a little booklet. This week we will continue learning about pumpkins as well as Fall weather. We'll measure and weigh our pumpkins, estimate how many seeds are inside, count them, weigh the pumpkins after removing the seeds, etc.

Thank you to the children for bringing in signs of fall for our Science Table. We have leaves, acorns, pine cones, gourds, a pumpkin, feathers, and part of a wasp nest.

This Thursday will be our second Sharing Assembly. Brady, Camilla and Megan will be receiving certificates for Responsibility. Well done!

Thank you to Trudie who was our Mystery Reader this week. Thank you also to Dina's mom and Olivia's dad who helped out at the Book fair.

On Friday the whole school saw a presentation called NED about N-Never Give Up, E-Encourage Others, and D-Do Your Best.

The week after next is Halloween Week! That week we will be doing all kinds of fun literacy and numeracy Halloween themed activities.

If your child will be bringing in treats for his/her classmates for Halloween, please bring them in on the MONDAY or TUESDAY before Halloween. I will be making treat bags for each of the children to sort the treats if they bring them. Halloween is a terrific time to practice reading names and sorting. Help your child write his/her friends's names on the treat (unless they can do it by themselves).

Your children are learning how to read. At school, we read every day. I read aloud to the children, we read together in groups, and the children read to themselves or to a friend. Your children are bringing home Snuggle Books to read as well.

While you read and talk to your child, you are helping him/her to become a life-long reader. Some things you can do are:

- read your child's favourite stories again and again
- do puzzles and make things together
- sing nursery rhymes and songs
- share cards and letters from friends and family
- look at road signs, labels on packages, and signs in stores
- read recipes and shopping lists
- go to the library together

I am very excited about our trip to see Mad About Munsch on December 3rd. We will be doing a unit on the books the play is based on in November. Please be sure to send in your permission forms and 15.00 by November 3rd.

Have a wonderful week!