Week of September 22

Events:

-September 30 Picture Day

-October 1 Dismiss at 2:15

-October 3 Dismiss at 2:15 for Parade

-October 8 Dismiss at 2:15

Notes:

-Reminder to start sending in paper towel tubes for us to use during math.

-This week Mrs. B. started teaching every subject.  She will be teaching every subject all next week as well.  I am in the room assisting other students around the room.

-I have started adding minutes for our reading incentives.  Some of us have already read for 10 hours!!!

-Mr. Embrock, the new high school principal, shared a list of useful educational websites.  I am sharing a few of them on the backside.

Homecoming Days

Monday-Mismatch Day

Tuesday- Dress up for School Photos

Wednesday- Class Color Day (First Grade wear red)

Thursday-Pajama Day (no slippers)

Friday- E’Hawk Day (black and gold day)

Experts Requested

-In October we will be starting a unit with the book Stellaluna.  This book is about a bat and birds.  I am looking for any experts on bats.  Please write me a note if you know someone who is an area expert.

-We will also start a unit about all the animal classification in late October.  We will learn about birds, fish, mammals, reptiles, insects, and amphibians.  I am looking for experts in any of these classification areas.

Week in Review:

- This week we started a new unit of study on the author Kevin Henkes.  We read the book Sheila Rae the Brave and discussed what made Sheila brave.  We learned about the vocabulary: convince, daring, frightening, occurred, switch, and fearless.

-We started a new math unit that focuses on adding by drawing circles.   

-We finished our maps and globes unit on Monday by learning about the cardinal directions.  We also finished writing our letters to our penpals in Storm Lake.

-We started our first science unit that focuses on matter.  We have begun learning what about solids, liquids, and gases.

Summer's over, and school's back in session. Time to pull the plug on your kids' video games, right? Not so fast, Mom and Dad. To the great relief of kids everywhere, it turns out video games and school are not incompatible. New studies on the effects that playing games has on kids indicate positive benefits for learning, thinking, social-emotional skills building, and, yes, even school performance.

Games provide new ways to engage with various subjects, whether it's learning about math through an air-traffic-control simulator or practicing musical timing with a dance app. So the next time you see your kid playing a strategy or music game, know that he or she may actually be learning history or working on physical fitness. Below, we have recommendations of apps and games to support every subject on your elementary, junior high, or high school student's schedule. By Jeff Haynes

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/blog/24-video-games-you-can-say-yes-to-after-school

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Elementary School: Math Blaster Online, 7+
Do your little ones need help with equations? Math Blaster Online gives them plenty of practice as they join the Blaster Academy to save the universe using their math skills. It also lets your kids team up with other players to solve problems together in a safe, socially positive online environment.

Elementary School: My Reading Tutor, 5+
My Reading Tutor builds on the basics of early reading skills to help strengthen kids' literacy. Phonics, letter sounds, and more are presented in a fun, engaging manner, and kids can even record their voices as they read stories. Parents can track their children's progress in the reading tasks to see how well they're doing and what they need help on.

Elementary School: Just Dance: Disney Party, 5+
You don't have to be a fan of Disney classics such as "It's a Small World" to love Just Dance: Disney Party. Players imitate characters on-screen that are dancing to hit songs from Disney movies and TV shows. The completely contagious game teaches how movement and music work together in a fun, social environment.

Elementary School: Zumba Kids, 6+
Want to get your little ones' blood flowing? Zumba Kids takes kid-friendly songs from pop artists and lets them perform 30 routines in a wide variety of dance genres. Plus, they get to imitate the kids dancing on-screen, who provide lots of positive reinforcement through each song.

Elementary School: Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster, 6+
Parents who want to make sure their kids learn about friendship, generosity, and other positive life skills should look no further than Sesame Street: Once Upon A Monster. An interactive experience wherein players engage with characters from the show, the game teaches as it lets kids play active roles in stories and participate in entertaining games.