Saturday 28 October 2017

     Happy Halloween!  Welcome to the end of October!  This will be a busy week with our trip on Monday and Halloween celebrations on Tuesday.  Cross your fingers for wonderful weather this week.  The students completed a variety of Halloween activities this week including a spider counting book and a Halloween word book for the JK students, sequencing pumpkins and matching Halloween pictures and words for the SK students.  On Friday, the children created witch bags which will be used to carry their craft activities on Tuesday.  We also examined, touched and scooped out our pumpkin Friday afternoon.  The class voted on their choices for eyes, the nose and mouth for our jack-o-lantern.  The entire class lined up and everyone had a chance to put hand into the pumpkin and help to clean it out.  It was a great way to end our day on Friday.
     November calendars were sent home in mailbags on Friday.  Enjoy your child's poetry book this weekend, there are some wonderful new songs and poems for your child to share with you.  Thank you very much for your generous contributions to our Food Drive.  Our class has collected over 100 items for donations.  We will be collecting in our classroom until Tuesday.  
     On Monday we will be travelling to Strawberry Creek Farms.  We will be outside for most of the day, so please have your child dress appropriately.  Boots, after the rain fall today, would be a great idea.  Children should bring their lunch and snacks in their backpack along with their water bottle.  If possible, please pack a change of clothing (spare pants and underwear) in case of an accident.  Just a reminder, please do not pack toys in your child's backpack.  Thanks in advance to our parent volunteers.  A reminder that eating and drinking is not allowed on the bus.  We will be back at school in time for dismissal at 3:05.
     Tuesday, October 31 is our annual Halloween Parade.  The children will enter the classroom as usual and the parade will begin outside after announcements.  The parade will be outside, weather permitting.  In case of rain, we will parade around the hallways.  When planning your child's costume, please consider they will be at school all day.  Children should be able to use the washroom independently and move easily around the classroom.  Face paint is better than masks for visabiltiy and safety.  Please do not send any weapons or small costume pieces that can be lost.  After the parade, the parent volunteers should check in to the office and proceed to the classroom for our party. There will be a variety of crafts for the children to make and special snacks.  Thanks so much for our snack donations.  We will also be going to the gym for the Dance-a-thon Tuesday morning.  Children are not required to bring additional food donations for the dance.  
     After the trip and Halloween celebrations we will settle back into our classroom routines.  The students will be completing their November calendars and patterning activities this week. In computer lab this week, Miss Santiago worked on the Starfall.com website.  The children explored, What Will I Wear?, Pattern Maze, Magic Magician and Halloween Balloons Count.
     A reminder that Wednesday, November 1 is Picture Retake Day.  Please let us know if you wish your child to have his/her picture taken again.  


This Week:
Monday-Trip to Strawberry Creek Farm
Tuesday-Happy Halloween!
               LKS Halloween Parade
               Snuggle Up books exchanged
Wednesday-Photo Retake Day
                   Music
                   40th Day of School-Zero the Hero 
                    visits
Thursday-Return Sound Review books
                 Library (A), Computers (B)
Friday-Snuggle Up books exchanged
            See you at the LKS Social at the Crooked 
            Cue!

Saturday 21 October 2017

     It has been a busy week in Room 159!  The children are continuing with a variety of patterning activities using manipulatives.  The students used straws and beads this week to continue practising their patterning skills.  They enjoyed making bead snakes with Miss Paska on Thursday.  The class also completed their "This is Me in October " pictures this week.  They are on display at the back of the classroom.  On Friday, the class cut out paper pumpkins and designed their own jack-o-lanterns.   We also practised making the number 3.  On Friday, we went outside and had a Fall Scavenger Hunt with our Grade 8 Reading Buddies!  The children had fun looking for nature and spending time with their buddies.  We will continue with patterning activities and Halloween activities this week.
     This week in the computer lab the children continued to work on the website "abcya".  They explored Fuzz Bugs colour patterns, Shape patterns and Make a pizza, ice cream, cupcake and robot.
     We are going on our first trip Monday, October 30.  We will be travelling to Strawberry Creek Farm.  Permission notes and additional information was sent home on Friday in our child's mailbag.  Lambton-Kingsway is a cashless school and payment details are included on the note.  Please make your payment online and return the permission form by Thursday.  If you wish to volunteer for the trip, please let the grade parents know.  There will be 4 parent volunteers for our class along with Miss Santiago and myself.  It will be a wonderful learning experience.  Please contact the office if you have any difficulties paying online.  
     Lambton-Kingsway is collecting non-perishable food for the Toronto Food Bank with our "We Scare Hunger" food campaign.  Thank you to everyone who has sent in their donations.  Donations will be collected until November 1.  We have currently brought in 40 food items.
     It was wonderful too see everyone at the Fall Fair.  What a wonderful after school activity.  A reminder that school photo orders are due by October 27.  Orders may be placed on-line.  See your proof sheet for additional details.  School retake day is Wednesday, November 1.
     We have reached the next goal for our Terry Fox campaign and Tuesday, October 24 is Pyjama Day!  Wear your cozy pyjamas to school and we will have a comfy day!
     Our next Sharing Assembly is Friday, October 27.  We will be sharing a Halloween song and celebrating the character trait of Responsibility.  Award winners' families will be notified this weekend.
     We will be celebrating Halloween on Tuesday, October 31.  Children may wear their costumes to school.  Just a reminder that make-up and face paint is easier for the children to manage than a mask. Please send a bag to school to hold any extra parts of the costume, so that no pieces are lost.  Also please ensure that your child can still use the washroom and move freely around the classroom in his/her costume.  Please do not include any toy weapons with your child's costume.  Weather permitting the children will parade around the outside of the school following the morning announcements.  We will be having a small celebration in our classroom following the parade.  Thanks in advance to our parent volunteers.  

This Week:

Monday-Library (B), Computers (A)
               Return your trip permission form
Tuesday-Snuggle Up books exchanged
                PYJAMA DAY!
Wednesday-Music
Thursday-Library (A), Computers (B)
                Last day to return your trip permission forms
Friday-Sharing Assembly
             Pizza Day
            Snuggle Up books exchanged

We are accepting food donations for the food bank all week!

Saturday 14 October 2017

     It has been a busy 4 days in Room 159.  The children began a variety of patterning activities which will continue, as we explore creating, identifying and extending patterns.  The children have made patterns with coloured blocks and then coloured strips to represent their patterns.  This work is displayed on our classroom door.  The children also had the opportunity to practise their patterning with Miss Paska on Tuesday.  We created activities with felt leaves, pompoms and colourful gems to further practise patterning skills.  It is wonderful to watch the children be hands on and involved with their learning.
     The children visited the book fair this week in the library.  There was no book exchange because of the book fair.  Book exchange will begin on Monday as usual.  Cold season has begun in Room 159.  Children should be staying home with excessive runny noses and coughing to prevent the spreading of illness to others.  Staying home one day can help a child rest and fight off illnesses.  No one wants to be at school when they are not feeling well.  Thanks so much.  We had a chilly fire drill on Wednesday.  The children did a great job of exiting the classroom, lining up,doing attendance and waiting quietly.
     The children's mailbags were full of new items this weekend.  All children receive a Snuggle Up book to read or to be read to.  These books will be exchanged each Tuesday and Friday.  When there is no school on Friday, books will be exchanged on Thursday.  Please take care of these books as many were purchased by me personally or belong to the school.  Please return the Snuggle Up book in your child's mailbag on Monday or Tuesday, so we can send home a new book.  The Junior Kindergarten Students received a form for French Immersion beginning in Senior Kindergarten.  Please read the information provided for important dates and contact the office if you have any questions.  
     We have started the Jolly Phonics program this week.  Through this program the students learn letter formation skills, letter sounds and actions to help consolidate their learning.  The first letter sound taught is "s".  The sounds are taught in order of usage in words, as opposed to the order of the alphabet.  The children have also received a Sound Review Book in their mailbag.  This is a voluntary review that you may do with your child.  As we discuss a letter sound, an activity will be sent home that you can do with your child.  Please return the Sound Review book, on or before Thursday to receive the next sheet.  You will receive the next sheet even if the previous sheet is not completed as I realize that some weeks are busier than others.
     As the cool weather approaches Miss Santiago and I are helping the children practise putting on their coats and doing their zippers.  We continue to have the children be as independent as possible, and they are doing a wonderful job.  A reminder to have your child pull out the sleeves of his/her coat and place it on the floor, toes to the tag of the coat.  They will place his/her arms in the sleeves and "flip" it over his/her head.  For zippers, Miss Santiago has taught the children to take sure that the rocket(slider)is in the launch pad (the box at the bottom) and then place the astronaut (insertion pin  of the zipper) into the rocket (box) and pull.  It is wonderful to watch the excitement on the children's faces when they independently zip their own zipper.  Please give them the time to accomplish this task when you can.  You will love the sense of accomplishment and independence.


     Thanks again for your contributions to our Terry Fox campaign.  We are continuing to accept donations on-line and at school.  We have not yet reached our school goal and are behind last year's donations.
     The LKS Fall Fair is Wednesday, October 18 in the school yard from 3:00-5:00 pm.  There will be a petting zoo, a bouncy castle, pumpkins, crafts, food trucks and more.  Please let us know if pick up plans will be different on Wednesday.  See you there!
     LKS is collecting food donations for the Toronto Food Bank.  You can find more details regarding "We Scare Hunger" on the LKS Bulletin.  Food donations can be brought to our classroom.  Thanks in advance for your generosity.  It is greatly appreciated.

This Week:
Monday-Library (B), Computers (A)
Tuesday-Snuggle up books exchanged
Wednesday-Music
                    LKS Fall Fair
                    Happy 30th day of school, Zero the Hero visits
Thursday-Library (A), Computers (B)
Friday-Happy Friday!
            Snuggle Up books exchanged
            Have you brought your donation for We Scare Hunger?

Saturday 7 October 2017

     Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope that everyone enjoys this weekend of family, friends, good food and laughter.  My contribution to the Burn Thanksgiving dinner is carrot cake and it is currently cooling in the kitchen waiting to be iced.  Enjoy the long weekend!
     The children were busy this week completing their October calendars, creating turkeys, writing about being thankful and completing fall trees with Miss Paska.  The October calendars the children created were sent home on Thursday.  It is wonderful to see the progress in printing names and writing numbers since our September calendars.  The SK students had the extra task of labeling an important date in October.  They were excited to write their friends' birthdays, pizza day, Thanksgiving and Halloween.  Our turkey craft combined painting paper plates, cutting out beaks, wattles, legs and feathers and of course, googly eyes.  I hope the turkeys find an important place during this weekend's festivities.  The students also had the opportunity to draw and write about what they were thankful for.  They did a wonderful job of thinking about their families, friends and homes.
     We enjoyed our first visit from our Grade 8 Reading Buddies on Wednesday.  The children were introduced to his/her buddy and they co-created a Thanksgiving pumpkin.  The Grade 8's helped our students complete and assemble their pumpkins.  We then flattened the pumpkins for easier transport home.  Pull the strips around to form a circle to read and display at home.  Our Grade 8 buddies will visit once per each 5 day cycle to read and complete activities with us.  It is a wonderful way for our students to meet other students, learn and work together.  
     On Thursday, Miss Paska helped the students to create Fall trees using tissue paper and corks to paint the colourful leaves.  These beautiful trees are on the bulletin board in the hall.  Please have a look the next time you visit the school.  
     This week in computers, Miss Santiago continued to have the children practise holding the mouse with Peter Pointer and Toby Tall fingers.    The children completed games that involved moving and dragging items across the screen.  On ABCya they played "Make a pumpkin face" and "Make a pizza".  On Starfall the students played "Silly Turkey".  The names of the websites we are using are supplied for your information, you are not required to subscribe to them at home unless you wish.  The students will continue to use them in the computer lab.  During a rainy day this week the children did Cosmic Yoga Disco with Miss Santiago and Ms McGee.  They completed the "Washing Machine" and the "Hot Air Balloon."
     Enjoy reading your child's Poetry Book with him/her this weekend.  "Hello Mr. Turkey" was a classroom favourite this week.  Please return any outstanding "Student Data Verification Forms" on Tuesday.  Thanks in advance.
     The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to LKS this week.  Our class will be visiting the Book Fair on Thursday.  Children may bring money to purchase books, if they wish.  If you are sending money, please place it in a labeled envelope or baggie with your child's name and the amount of money.  You may also visit the book fair with your child, before school at 8:45 or after school until 3:30.  There are a range of books at different price points.  Books usually begin at $6.00.  It is so much fun to watch the children shop and choose their own books.

Happy Thanksgiving and see everyone on Tuesday!  Just a reminder this is the last week to bring in your Terry Fox donations.  Thank you to everyone who has contributed on-line or brought their donations to school.  We are behind our school goal, so every donation helps.  Let's keep Terry's dream alive!

This Week:
Monday-Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday-return mailbags and Student Data   verification forms
Wednesday-Music
Thursday-Room 159 visits the book fair
                 Library (A), Computers (B)
Friday-Happy Friday the 13th
            Snuggle Up books begin