Week of September 4-7

Dear families,

What a wonderful first week of school it has been! The children are doing so well learning their rules and routines! Mrs. Mosun and I are so proud of them already! Great job!

This week we did some reading, some writing (our names), some colouring, and we learned the sight words I and AM. We also learned the letter sound "S." Each week we will learn a new letter sound and two new sight words (also called "popcorn words" since they keep popping up in sentences! For homework each weekend, the children will receive mini read-and-write booklets. I have explained how to do them to the children. Please don't worry if your child finds these a bit challenging at first. Our Seniors did these words last year, so they are reviewing them and learning them better this year. Many of our Juniors are still learning the alphabet and are learning how to hold a pencil. No worries at all. If your child is able to complete the booklet, please return it with his/her mailbag on Monday. I will put a star stamp on it and will send it home again to keep.

We are doing an Author Study on James Dean, who wrote the Pete the Cat books! Kids LOVE Pete the Cat! We read "I Love My School Shoes" and some other Pete the Cat books. The children are also making their own "Pete the Cat" book about colours and colour words. When they are finished this Author Study, all their work will be sent home so they can share it with you!

We talked about the Number One - how to write it, how to spell it, what ordinal position it is in (on a ten-frame, for example), what it looks like on a dice, what it's tally mark looks like, and a poem to remember how to make it ("A stright line down is lots of fun/This is how you make the number one").

We went on a quiet walking tour of the school to show the children where the Library, Computer Lab, Music Room, Lunch Room, Gym and Office are.

Thank you so much to Evelyn's mom who was our first Mystery Reader! Kids love it when their parents volunteer in the classroom. There are several volunteer opportunities each year. Please contact our Grade Parents Tina (Dante's mom) or Leah (Evelyn's mom) if you would like to volunteer. Thank you!!

The first Scholastic Order is due September 14. Thank you for supporting Scholastic!

We had our first Fire Drill on Thursday. Aside from being a bit startled by the noise of the alarm, the children did an excellent job.

This year our Reading Buddies will be Miss. Westover's Grade 4 class! We meet with our Reading Buddies each week throughout the year.

That's the news for this week. Have a wonderful Weekend!