Upcoming Dates to Remember

It is hard to believe, but tomorrow is the beginning of the 2nd month of school (ok, we haven't really had a full month of school, but it is the beginning of a new month).  September is full of events/activities that should be kept track of.  Please add the following dates to your calendar or, if you are like my husband, add them to the reminders on your cell phone/smart phone : )

Monday, September 5th---NO SCHOOL---Enjoy the Labor Day weekend
Thursday, September 8th-- PICTURE DAY at the Elementary---say "cheese!"
Wednesday, September 14th-- 12:55 Dismissal 
Monday, September 19th --NO SCHOOL---It is a Professional Development Day and I can't wait to come back from classes with new ideas and plans for our classroom.
Monday, September 26th-- PTO---6:30 in the Elementary Media Center.  There is always free child-care provided.  Please join us.

For the next couple of weeks, our class will continue with the Science theme of  "Animals and Plants Interact".  Over the past week, we have created a classroom KWL chart (What We Know, What We Want to Know, What We Learned), begun Guided Reading non-fiction pieces about a variety of animals and their habitats, and taken a "nature walk."  On our 'nature walk' teams of 2 took digital photographs of plants and animals in the outside environment at school.  Miss Harris downloaded the digital pictures to a classroom computer.  Each team of 2 then shared (or will share due to time constraints) their photos and why they were taken.  Please ask your child about the 'nature walk' and discussion with the photographs. 

Along with integrating Science and Guided Reading, our Math lessons will begin to also include animals and plants.  Students tend to develop a greater understanding of concepts or themes when they can make connections across the curriculum.  It is my intent to operate the classroom with as much integration of themes/units/concepts as possible. 

Thanks again for a great start to the school year. 
Mrs. C.