3-Sept. 9-13, 2019

September 13, 2019

Dear Families,

We have had another wonderful week. We are learning how so many things in life are integrated and apply to other things. Students were asked to think and write about their hopes for first grade and dreams when they grow up. To help us meet these goals they have also decided upon our classroom rules for the ARCH. Please talk with your child about their great ideas. We’re working toward earning an ARCH Stone Party. They learned about teamwork in the school garden (thank you parents for helping) and also while harvesting apples and/or tomatoes for our school. Simultaneously we discussed the importance of keeping accurate data and how an organized row of tomatoes are much easier to count than a pile of them. We used the apples to learn about partners (partner penguins) and totals (total tiger) and to begin writing number sentences (equations). We learned that we do need to recount and that there are different types of math thinking such as putting together (the class met “Plus Puppy) and taking away (the class met “Minus Mouse”). We have continued challenging one another with patterns and began establishing how to write a number sentence/equation as well as finding shapes like triangles and rectangles in our world. We plan to find them on the playground.

There are so many new and exciting things this week, it’s hard to keep track. In reading, students all know the different ways they can read a book. Our class stamina for independent reading is up to 5’ 53”. We’re hoping to get to 7” next week. In writing, students are learning how to spell a word they don’t know by listening to the sounds and to put spaces between words. You will see a calendar coming home with the week your child is a superstar. When it is their week, you’ll receive a paper with more directions. We have also done fire-drill practices and are doing bus safety. Our assembly this morning was our First All School Assembly to kick off the start of a new year. This ties into our class discussions about safety and also our hopes and dreams. Thank for all the seeds brought in to connect the idea of hopes and dreams. Here is where you come in.

Please take some time this week to write about your child Some following ideas may help you in sharing your thoughts: *What are the things you as a parent know about your child that would be important for me to know? *What are your child’s interests? *How do you see your child as a learner and a person? *How does your child think, act, and play? Please do: A Hope or a Dream you have for your child this year. Each child had his or her own learning style, interests, history, hopes, and dreams. Teaching must begin with making sure your child feels at home in the classroom. I can then help all children recognize their unique individuality and their ability to come together within a learning community. I look forward to getting to know you this year as we work together to help your child be a successful first grader.

Sincerely, Mrs. Pilate