Phew!  We made it through Halloween!  Your kids rocked their costumes - I think we had the best dressed class in the school :)  Thanks to Peyton's mom for capturing a group photo for us, and thanks to Simon's mom for sending it out to everyone!  The costume parade was great in the gym. It was my prep time, so I sneaked out part way through.  Apparently they did some "Just Dance" songs as a school!  We managed to get a little bit of work done between recess and lunch - we did some spelling and wrote a class book called Our Spooky Night.  In the afternoon we shared a gym time with Mrs. Haid's class and played some Halloween games. Then we had a short party to end our day!  Thanks to the parents who came and the parents who sent in food - what an amazing spread we had!  I know it was a short time - the kids enjoy having you there!

Thank goodness for Pajama Day!  Today we tried to get back to normal. . .the kids are getting fast at their addition and subtraction fact up to 12.  You can quiz them on addition fact to 12 and challenge them to find the magic 10.  For example 8+4=12 so (8+_) + _ =12.  Make the numbers in the brackets equal 10.  They can also do this using a 10 frame - they should be able to draw one for you!

I have been working with the students on biographies and recounts.  They are looking for "time words" while reading them and today we were working on writing a piece called "All Before I Come to School".  They were writing about their mornings using  time words such as first, next, then, after that, finally, lastly. 

We had a spirit assembly today where we celebrated our home reading program!  As a school we made our goal of 300 kids reading at least 20 nights in October and we were rewarded with an extra recess this afternoon.  Quite a few of the kids in our class met that goal and should be very proud!

We sent home our November homework calendar today.  This homework is optional - but encouraged!  When they have done the daily activity, put a star on the date.  At the end of the month they will get a candy treat if they do 10 days, 2 treats if they do 20 and 3 if they do it everyday! 

To record daily home reading, please sign or initial the date on the homework calendar.  If they read 20 days they will get a sticker on their reading chart, they count toward the school goal (reward is flashlight reading in the gym!), and they get entered in a draw to win a book! I reviewed this with the kids today too - star for homework, signature for reading!

Thanks for reading this LONG post! If you enter your e-mail address on the right you should get an e-mail notifying you when we've posted something new.  Have a great weekend!