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Dear Families,
What a wonderful week we had! It was such a joy to see the children’s creativity shine on Crazy Sock Day! We also hope those who were able to join Pumpkin Patch had fun celebrating the true arrival of fall weather on Saturday. The chill was definitely in the air, but the children didn’t let that stop them from enjoying the afternoon together! October still has much more fun in store, including our Lower School Haunted House and Dress Up Day and Parade.
Important Dates
Thursday, Oct 22: United Voices, 3:45 PM - 5:00 PM
Friday, Oct 23: El Mes de Herencia Latina Community Time, 8:45 AM
Friday, Oct 23: Snapshots shared in Parent Portal, 4:00 PM
Saturday, Oct 24: Haunted House - UPDATED TIME: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday, Oct 30: Dress Up Day and Parade, 8:40 AM COSTUME GUIDELINES
Monday, Nov 2: School Closed: Professional Day
Tuesday, Nov 3: Solidarity Week
Wednesday, Nov 4: Solidarity Week Celebration
Friday, Nov 6: Fall Conference Sign Ups Shared in Poly Pulse
Here are some important reminders for the week:
Trying Let Grow!
This year, we are excited to try the Let Grow program, which encourages children to build independence, confidence, and problem-solving skills through everyday opportunities to do things on their own. The idea is simple: give children a little more space to make choices, take on age-appropriate responsibilities, and experience the small challenges that come with growing up. We’re sharing a short parent introduction packet to give you a better sense of the program and some simple ways you might try it at home. There’s no pressure to do everything or do it perfectly. Give it a try and see what feels right for your family!
Please find this message from Ms. Carmen and Profe Ely about the Halloween Costume (and Sports Equipment!) Swap at Homecoming. The boxes are ready and waiting in the Lower School vestibule.
Kindergarteners will begin their Family Study soon. Please sign up here for your Family Share! We would love for everyone to participate! Please sign up as soon as possible so your child has the chance to share something special about your family with the class. This is a wonderful opportunity for the kids to learn more about one another and celebrate our diverse classroom community.
Please take the time to sit down with your child to review lunch menu options from Cater To You. We are encouraging all of the children to try the hot food items. Please use this link to review the menu.
If your child wears rainboots on rainy days, please also send an extra pair of shoes. This will make it easier for them to move safely on the stairs and participate comfortably in other classes such as PE.
Please read below for this coming week’s learning goals and a few pointers for what you can do at home:
Social Emotional Learning
Friendships
Empathy
Growth Mindset
Persistence: “Having persistence means you try and try again even when it feels hard.”
Read Aloud: The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires
Affirmations
The Reflection in Me by Marc Colagiovanni
Reading
Word of the week
The sight word this week will be a. Have your child find the word “a” in magazines and other printed materials around the home. They can circle, underline or highlight (also good for fine motor) every time they see the word. As you or they are reading books they can also count the number of times it shows up on the page.
Learned words: and, the, I
Print Concepts
Distinguishing between letters and words
One-to-one correspondence
Pointing to words as they are read aloud; Using your “pointer power”
“Get your mouth ready.”
Look at the first letter in the word, think about the sound it makes, and then get your mouth ready to make that sound.
Phonemic awareness:
Rhyming
Identifying beginning sounds
Identifying ending sounds
Breaking words into syllables
Fundations / Handwriting
Letters a and g
Recognizing lowercase letters a and g
The sounds of a and g (the short vowel sound for a)
Writing lowercase letters a and g (Think: “Start like a c”)
Review: t, b, f, m, n, i, u, c, o
Fundations At Home Pack for letters a and g
The Fundations Home Support Pack provides you with the “why” and the “what” regarding our reading program, Fundations. The Fundations Home Packet also provides you with the language that the teachers use when forming their letters. Please use the same language when instructing and practicing with your child at home.
Writing Workshop
We will continue with our first writing unit called "We are all Writers!" This unit introduces children to writing by exploring both informational pieces and true stories. Students are encouraged to think, draw, label, and write about their pictures in their own way. It's an exciting step in developing their storytelling skills.
A sentence…
Tells a complete thought. It has a who and a what.
Starts with a capital letter and ends with punctuation.
Has spaces between the words.
Promoting independence: We are “risk-taker spellers!” When we’re unsure of how to spell a word, we won’t let that stop us, and we won’t say to a teacher, “How do you spell…?” Instead, we can:
“Tap it out” (touch thumb to index finger, say first sound; then thumb to middle, say the next, etc.)
“Rubber band the word.” Say it very slowly several times. Each time you hear another sound, write the letter that makes that sound.
Check the word wall to see if it’s a learned “trick word.”
Take a risk! Write down any sounds you can hear, even if only the very first sound.
Math
Numbers to 10
Count, read, and write numbers from 6 to 10
Use ordinal numbers to tell order by naming the position of objects in a small ordered collection
Order numbers to 10 in both increasing and decreasing order
Students will learn how numbers work together and take numbers apart through purposeful activities
Social Studies
Anti-Racist Read-Aloud: This month’s ARRA is Spork by Kyo Maclear. Through Spork’s story, we will talk with the children about what makes each of us unique, the different parts of our identities, and how we can celebrate what makes us who we are. We’ll also consider how it feels when others make assumptions about us and why it is important to make space for everyone to be themselves.
We are also celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month or Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana. Every grade has been assigned a Spanish-speaking country to learn more about. Kindergarten is learning more about Mexico.
What You Can Do At Home
Read Aloud Your Child’s Favorite Books – Listening to stories helps children hear what fluent reading sounds like and strengthens their language and listening skills. As you read, ask a few questions about the characters and the story to strengthen comprehension.
Ending Sounds: Say a word. Then, have your child repeat the word and “punch out” the ending.
Memory with Letters: Using index cards, make two sets of lowercase letters t, b, f, m, n, i, u, c, o, a, g, e, and r, and turn it into a game of Memory. You could also use the same set of cards to play Go Fish!
Word Chain: Pick a topic, like Autumn. Start with one word, then take turns thinking of new words in the same category that begin with the last letter of the previous word. See how long your chain can grow before starting a new round!
Letter Formation: Use materials like building blocks, connecting cubes, playdough, or magnetic letters to form the lowercase letters t, b, f, m, n, i, u, c, o, a, and g. Encourage your child to trace the letters with their finger and say the letter sounds aloud.
Counting Fingers: Use your fingers as visual aids. Ask your child to show different combinations of fingers to make 5. For example, they can show 2 fingers on one hand and 3 on the other.
Subitizing: Use dot stickers to create a set of “quick look cards” with eight dots or fewer, arranged in different ways (for example, 3 dots in a triangle, 4 dots in a rectangle, or patterns like those on dice). Hold up each card for about half a second and see if your child can tell you how many dots there are without counting. Ask them how they saw the total!
Number Hunt: Hide number cards or objects around the house, each representing a number from 0 to 5. As your child finds them, ask them to find another card or object that when added to the first, makes 5. Feel free to add a challenge and increase the number.
Story Problems: Create simple story problems related to everyday scenarios. For example, “If we buy 5 pumpkins and carve 4 into jack-o-lanterns, how many will be left?” Story problems help connect math to real-life situations.
Discuss the importance of celebrating Heritage Months: In September, we take time to celebrate the history, cultures, and contributions of people whose families come from places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, and South America. We celebrate because Hispanic people have shared so many important traditions, stories, foods, music, and ideas that make our communities stronger. It’s a way to honor them and to learn about different cultures.
National Hispanic Heritage Month: Introduce your child to famous Hispanic artists like Frida Kahlo or Pablo Picasso. Let them create their own artwork inspired by these artists using crayons, markers, or paints. You can also explore traditional crafts like papel picado (colorful paper banners) or molas (colorful textile art).
On November 1, visit Green-Wood for their annual Day of the Dead Family Celebration.
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