All Done!

Well, we have completed all of our ISTEP testing. I was glad to hear that many students were confident about their performance. Everyone worked hard and gave their personal best. Now it's on to business as usual.

We are past the halfway point in Bridge to Terabithia. The students are really enjoyng this story of a unique friendship that changes the characters' lives. (Just a reminder, Diamante Poems are due on Monday, October 1.) Students are also getting ready to do our first round of Book Talks. This gives each student who wants the opportunity to share with classmates a book they've read and enjoyed. The other thing we recently started were reading journals. Each week, every student is responsible for writing a letter to me about what he/she is reading. I, in turn, write back with comments and questions. It is a great way for me to see what everyone is reading. Plus, it's a lot of fun writing the letters. Next week starts our jump into the 5th grade math standards. Hopefully everyone received the calendars that the fifth grade teachers sent home. These will tell you what indicators we are focusing on each week. The math calendar also provides pages in the math book that can be used for extra practice.

Please remember that tomorrow is a half day. A sack lunch will be served for those who want it. Student can also bring a sack lunch from home to eat in the classroom. That's all for now. Thanks for visiting!

Diamante Poems

We have our first true assignment of the year. Students will be writing Diamante poems about the characters in Bridge to Terabithia. Diamante poems use single words to describe a noun. The form takes on the shape of a diamond. Each student received a sheet with instructions about what to include on the lines. We will then be taking their poems and transferring them into a final copy. The worksheets are due on Friday. Students may work on these at home or during class time when they are finished with other work. Books may be used to help complete the poem.

Book Orders

I have sent home the first book orders of the year. As you can imagine, the students are very excited. The orders are due by October 1. Checks should be made out to Scholastic Book Clubs. I am also sending home a letter that explains about on-line ordering. You will be able to go to www.scholastic.com/parentordering and type in the following username and password:
cannonclass (user name), welovereading (password).

It will then take you to a secure site where you can order books and pay by credit or debit card. I have had parents use this in the past, and we've had great success. If you choose to order books on-line, there is no need to send in a paper order form. The order will show up automatically when I log into my account. If you have any questions, please let me know. Please remember that any books you order for home help us to build our classroom library as well. Thank you!

Buidling Bridges

Yesterday, we began reading our first novel of the year as a class: Bridge to Terabithia. We will be reading about 1 chapter a day over the next several weeks. As we read, we'll be analyzing characters' traits and motives, making inferences, and studying the author's techniques. All of these activities meet the Indiana State Academic Standards. More importantly, though, this is a story that sticks with the reader. Many of the children are already familiar with the book, and that's okay. I am asking that they not spoil it for anyone who has not read or heard the book. Also, if your child has not already seen the movie, I would ask that she/he wait until we are finished with the book. We will most likely watch the movie as a class when we are done reading. There may, on occasion, be reading homework if the daily assignment is not finished in class. In any event, please ask your child about the book and spark a wonderful discussion about this truly timeless story of friendship and growing up.

Comfy Reading Day!

Our class earned their first two rewards of the year for excellent behavior. Earning a reward means that, as a team, we displayed exceptional behavior and met all of our classroom expectations for 5 days. As a class, the students chose to have comfy reading day and play in the gym at recess time. We will be doing this on Thursday, September 13. For comfy reading, students may wear pajama pants and a t-shirt to school. Please note that we are probably going to play dodge ball at recess time, so students need to make sure that t-shirts are long enough to cover their stomachs. No sleeveless shirts, please. (I will have to call the parents of students who are not dressed appropriately so please use your best judgement.) Students may also bring slippers to wear around the classroom, pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals. I do ask that the items fit into your child's backpack or that they bring another bag in which to carry the items. Again, please use discretion as to the size and amount of items.

Please take the time to congratulate your child on an awesome start to the new school year!

Back to School Night

Thank you to all of the parents, guardians, and even grandparents who were able to come to our Back to School Night! It was so nice to meet you (or in a few cases, see you again). Everyone was so patient as I talked with other parents and former students. It was also reassuring to know that I have your support and interest in your child's education. I know that some of you were unable to make it for various reasons, but I know that you, too, share this support and interest for your child. Please remember that you may contact me with questions or concerns at any time. As I have expressed, I feel that the school year is off to a fantastic start. I think it will only continue to get better as we encounter more learning experiences and build a strong learning community.

Just Read

Well, we are on our second night of Just Read and I wanted to put out a few reminders and tips. Just Read is a nightly reading assignment of at least 20 minutes every Monday-Thursday night. Each child sets a goal for how much they would like to read every night (a minimum of 20 minutes); however, children have to read the amount of time set by their goal for the assignment to count. A parent, guardian, or other responsible adult must initial the calendar box, also. The sheet then has to be at school so that it can be checked daily. Please do not send in any notes saying your child did Just Read but forgot it at school or lost the sheet. This is a responsibility that I take very seriously, so I do not accept notes for credit on the assignment. Each child is allowed 2 missed days per trimester. They are responsible for the reading even if they are not at school, though, I am not insensitive to serious or emergency situations. Those will be dealt with on a case by case basis.

Many parents want to know what they can do to help their child become a better reader or more interested in reading. Just Read provides a great opportunity. Your child can read to you or a younger child. Once he or she is done reading, you can ask them a few simple questions, without even having read the book. Some examples of good questions are: what was your favorite part? Were there any new words that you found? What were the words? What do you think they mean? What do you think will happen next in the book? These are a just few questions that will help spark a conversation about your child's reading. If your child has trouble finding a book or sticking with a book, chances are she or he just has not found the right book yet. In class and at library time, I try to help match students to books, so feel free to let me know if you're concerned.

Just Read should be a quiet, enjoyable time where children and their loved ones can share the joy of reading! As always, please let me know if you have any questions about the program.

PACK-A-SACK Presentations

Yesterday and today, the students presented their PACK-A-SACKs. I loved seeing what everyone chose to include. There were some very creative sacks! Everyone spoke loudly and clearly, and many of the students even made their presentation entertaining by adding a little humor. The students in the audience were wonderful. They listened attentively and showed interest in each other's presentations. This is one of my favorite activities because I get to know a little more about the students and they get to know each other better, too. It helps to create a strong sense of community, which is what we are working towards. Great job, everyone!

Also, I'd like to let all of the parents know that the students were extremely well-behaved while Mrs. Wright was here as their guest teacher. They received many compliments on their behavior. I know that I am very proud of them!

I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night for Back to School Night!