Homework:
Read 20 minutes
Lewis and Clark Reading sheet—Due by Fri.
Practice spelling words

Something New:
Each student will be bringing home a list of spelling words. Please practice with your student each night. I am hoping it will improve their spelling.

If you have a ton of left over Halloween candy, please send it my way. I can use it as a once in a while reward for kids. Or if you would like to grab a bag on sale right now that would be great. This is strictly voluntary so don’t feel like you have to buy anything.

Thanks again for the class store donations. The kids had a blast shopping. I had two moms here helping. The kids were so excited and sugar rushed…..I really appreciated their help!

Picture retakes are November 3rd! Make sure your student brings in their original packet.

Snack time:
Please remember snack time is only for healthy snacks. Some examples are:
Crackers and cheese, go-gurt, granola bars, fruit, veggies…..

Math: We are introducing a lot of new strategies in math. The one thing I need your help with is practicing multiplication facts. I am going to try to get flashcards for everyone, but I am not sure when. The dollar Tree, Target and Wal-mart are great places to get flashcards.

Miss Hanson started her Native American unit with the class today. Ask your student what they learned. She had them thinking and really provoked their opinions!

Homework:
Read at least 15 minutes tonight
Math sheet
Reading sheet due tomorrow! Only 6 people have turned it in so far.


Tomorrow it Character Book dress up day. Please remember this is not a Halloween celebration so if your student wants to dress up it needs to be a character from a book, and they need to book with them.

We will also have our Harvest party tomorrow at 2:15.

Tomorrow is also out class store. If you have anything to donate please make sure it gets to me in the morning. If not we will need more items for our November store.

Tonight is family night at the book fair from 5:30-7:30. Friday is your last chance to snag those books you want! Don’t forget to look at your teachers wish list.


Don't want a lot of candy around the house??? Please send it my way. I use them for random rewards (not an everyday thing).

Homework:
Read at least 15 minutes tonight
Reading homework—DUE Friday the 29th


The next family night at the book fair is Thursday the 28th from 5:30-7:30. What a great way to start your Christmas shopping! Only 59 more days!

Thank you so much to the 3 families who have bought books at the book fair for our class! I have added them to our library, and kids already want to check them out. Getting new books is always exciting!
Also a big thank you to those helping with the Harvest party on Friday! I couldn't have done it without you guys!

Ask your students about the “brain dance” they did today with Miss Hanson.

Homework:
Read for at least 15 minutes tonight
Reading worksheet due Friday the 29th

Book Fair is now open. Kids can buy before and after school. There are also a few family nights. Tuesday 5-7PM and Thursday 5:30-7:30PM. Come check out the great books. Don’t forget to use the 5 finger test as you and your student are choosing books to buy. Also don’t forget to check out the teacher wish list.

Character Book dress up day is the 29th. Remember your student needs to have the book that goes along with their character.

Thanks to all of you who have brought in items for our class store. The kids are so excited about buying them. Our Next store is October 29th. If you still want to bring things in that would be great.

Extra Candy:
Since the store shelves are currently stocked with Halloween candy and back-to-school snacks, I am making an appeal to parents to buy a bag to send to class. If you are able to contribute, it will be greatly appreciated. Please remember that this is an OPTIONAL donation. I will use it for little rewards every now and then. Or…After Halloween if you have extra candy you want to get out of your house please send it my way.

Homework:
Read at least 15 minutes per day

Important dates:
October-
25-29 Book Fair
29 Book Character dress up day
Jog-a-thon prize party


Jump rope club starts Wednesday, October 27th

In the Forest Ridge gym
8:15-8:45 am
Every Wednesday

Ask your kids what we did with Starburst today!

Speeches went great! I will try to get grades back to you by Monday the 25th.

Homework:
Read for at least 15 minutes
Reading sheet due tomorrow
Speech due tomorrow
Math sheet

Thursday thoughts and other papers coming home today. This is a check backpack alert! :)

Multiplication facts:
Please, please, please practice multiplication facts with your students. We are getting into the harder ones (6,7,8,9….) and students need to have these in their heads. I will try to have them make flashcards, but it takes a lot of class time up. If you have flash cards at home use them.

Book Fair:
October 25-29th is the BOOK FAIR! Your students will have a preview of the book fair Friday morning and will come home with a wish list. Teachers also have wish lists. Please check out my wish list and donate a book to our class library. I am low on some reading levels so I will pick books that are truly needed in our class.

Speeches will begin at 9:30 Friday morning. If you are interested in coming to watch please let me know so I have chairs ready for you. I will also make sure students with parents watching go first in case you have to jet off to work afterwards. I am not sure how long it will take us to get through with the speeches, so make sure if you want to come to show up at 9:30.

Homework:
Reading sheet—Due Friday the 22nd
Speeches ---Due Friday the 22nd
Read at least 15 minutes tonight

Today we had a guest speaker. He talked about what life was like for Mountain men in the past. Ask your student about what they learned.

October 25-29th is the BOOK FAIR! Your students will have a preview of the book fair Friday morning and will come home with a wish list. Teachers also have wish lists. Please check out my wish list and donate a book to our class library. I am low on some reading levels so I will pick books that are truly needed in our class.

Miss Hanson will be starting a Native American unit next month. It’s a great follow up to our Lewis and Clark unit.

The Jog-a-thon assembly is this Friday at 2:30

Speeches will begin at 9:30 Friday morning. If you are interested in coming to watch please let me know so I have chairs ready for you. I will also make sure students with parents watching go first in case you have to jet off to work afterwards. I am not sure how long it will take us to get through with the speeches, so make sure if you want to come to show up at 9:30.

Homework:
Read at least 15 minutes tonight
Spelling is coming home. Have student practice those words
Speeches coming up at the end of the week. Make sure students have their speeches done, practiced and ready to present by Friday the 22nd.

What is your child doing at school?

Social studies: Lewis and Clark

Science: a few Inquiries

Math: Multiplication and division

Writing: Personal Narratives

Reading: Realistic Fiction, building our reading stamina and making sure we all have “just right” books. I am also testing in the DRA this month.

Homework:
Read at least 15 minutes
Reading sheet
Speech--Due 10-22-10

Homework:
Read at least 15 minutes
Work on speech---Due October 22
Reading sheet—Due this Friday

I know that weekends can crazy and busy, but its so important to have your student read every day. Right now its only 15 minutes, as the year goes on, the minutes will increase.

We have been working on setting and characters in reading. As you read with your student ask them questions about who the characters are, and if they can give some descriptions of the characters. Also have them describe the setting in the story.


Please remember to bring in Jog-a-thon packets. We still need help with Jog-a-thon stuff. See Terry Ponds email for more information.

Book Fair starts October 25th -29th!
Each teacher creates a wish list. It’s a great way for you to add to our class library!

Homework: Read every day for at least 15 minutes

Many students are not turning in their salmon colored reading sheet. Students have a week to get that turned in. Each student should be able to turn it in on time. Remember parents can help.

Today students will be bringing home their first major speech project. Students will be expected to be prepared to give speech October 22nd.

Remember no school tomorrow

Homework:
Read 15 minutes or more
Reading sheet--- Due Thursday October 7th

For the month of September the class read a grand total of 9088 minutes at home. That is awesome! Keep up the good work! We decided to set a goal for October. Our goal is to read a total of 10,000 minutes in October.

Thank you so much to the two families who brought stuff in for our class store. The kids are so excited to earn money and make purchases. If you are able to donate to our class store this month please bring something in before October 28th. The September store was wiped out clean, so I am starting to collect more things. Remember, items can be gently used, or new. There is no need to spend more than a dollar on each item.


I know today is Monday, but students are coming to school really tired. Please make sure they get enough sleep at night.

Don’t forget to start thinking about what to be for Character Book dress up day October 29th! For the first time I actually have an idea for myself!

In the classroom:

Social studies:
We are going to start a Lewis and Clark unit pretty soon.

Math:
Multiplication

Writing:
The writing process

Reading:
Monitoring comprehension
Story elements

Homework:
Read 15 minutes each night

A new Reading log is coming home tonight. It is blue. We are going to continue our goal of 15 minutes each night. Students have been really successful with 15 minutes. If your student reads longer than 15 minutes please have them write down how many minutes they read. I love to see how long students read.

The Jog- A-Thon was a huge success. Your student will probably hit the sack early tonight! Now its time to collect money and get the packets turned in.

Homework:
Read 15 minutes
Math (if students did not finish it in class)
Reading sheet ---due Friday, 10-1-10

Reminders:
Picture day tomorrow!

Jog-a-thon is Friday the 1st. Collect those pledges!
Make sure your student is wearing something appropriate for running.

In math we have been working on multiplying by 4’s. Quiz your students. Have them show you the double, double strategy they learned.

HOmework:
Read 15 minutes
Reading sheet--Due Friday October 1

Homework:
Read 15 minutes Friday, Saturday, and Sunday

Students are bringing home corrected math papers today.

Monday will be the first time I send home the reading sheet for homework. It will be due Friday October 1st.

Be sure to ask your student about “leaving tracks” as they read.

Homework:
Read 15 minutes
math (unless finished in class)

Remember to get those Jog-a-thon pledges! Great prizes await students of all ages!

Ask your student about the fantastic story teller that was here today.

Homework:
Read 15 minutes

I am so proud of each student who read this weekend. It is such an accomplishment! Thank you parents as well!

Please remember to have students bring back their books each day. They read them at school too. My goal is to have students read the same book at home and at school. That way they are not reading two different books at one time.


Don’t forget to come to the parent curriculum night tomorrow from 6-7. This will give you information on what I will be teaching, and class expectations.


Toys:
Toys are not allowed in class. I have noticed the little bracelets shaped like animals or other things have been a distraction in class. I have taken many away. Please make sure your student keeps the toys at home.

Math:
We are currently working on multiplication. If you have flashcards at home please practice the 2’s and 3’s with your student. We will have a little quiz on Friday.

Spelling:
Today we did a 5 word preview. I am sending home the list today. If your student missed a few words please practice them at home. Forest Ridge does not do the traditional send a spelling list home. We are using the Rebecca Sitton program. This program teaches the kids about vowels, patterns….etc.

Homework:
Read for 15 minutes
Finish math sheet


Not every student will have math homework. Some finished it in class. Their homework is, or should be in a blue Forest Ridge folder.

Today was the first day of Technology. Make sure to ask your student what they learned about Internet safety. Your student also explored a new website that can be used at home.

www.tumblebooks.com
Username: salemkeizer
Password: salem


Picking a Just Right book:

Often parents come up to me and ask what level of books their child should read. Well, here is a little trick if you are at the library or book store.
Have your student read a page out of the book. If they miss 4-5 words on that page then the book is too hard. If they miss around 2 words then the book is JUST RIGHT. If they miss 1-2 words then it may be too easy. I would rather have a child read a book that’s too easy, than too hard.
It is extremely important that your child read a book that is at their JUST RIGHT reading level. They will not grow as readers if the book is too hard.
Don’t be afraid to ask your student to tell you about the book they are reading. That will help you gage if they comprehend the book as well. If they are not able to tell you a summary, or they say they forgot, that’s a read flag telling you the book is too hard.

Volunteers:

At open house many of you expressed wanting to help in the classroom. I am so thankful for such involved parents. I want to get a better handle on our routine before I start having people come in and help. I will send out an email later in the month. Currently I just need your help with building our class store. I have a reward system in my class where the kids are able to earn money for turning in homework and positive behavior.
However, they can also lose money for behavior in the class. At the end of the month we have a class store where students can buy items with the money they have saved. Unfortunately I can’t always buy a ton of stuff for the kids to buy each month. I will be relying on you to contribute a little if you can. In the past parents have bought items from the Dollar Tree, Capri suns, bags of mini candy bars, school supplies, items from their house they no longer use, or want. There is no need to spend a lot of money. Even if each student brought in one or two items our store would be set for September 30th. This is completely voluntary, but if you can please bring in some items for our class store.

Introducing Miss Hanson

To the parents of C3,

My name is Katie Hanson, and I am the student teacher in Mrs. Brown’s classroom this semester! I’m a senior at Corban University, and working to become an elementary teacher. While still a full-time student (taking classes Tuesday and Thursdays), I will be in the classroom Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

A few things about me. . .
- Born and raised in Salem
- Graduated from South Salem High School
- I love sports! I played soccer and basketball through high school, and I’m currently in the middle of my senior soccer season at Corban.
- Upper-elementary grades (4th and 5th) are my favorite because the students have such a fun sense of humor!

This semester is the precursor to my full-time student teaching in the Spring. These first two months at Forest Ridge I will be getting to know the students, and teaching some lessons here and there. Come November, I will be teaching a three-week social studies unit that I’m starting to prepare now. This is a busy time of putting together lesson plans and doing my own coursework, but I’m really excited for this time to be in the classroom and learn from Mrs. Brown! I’ve only been with your kids for several days so far, but I can already tell that I’m going to have so much fun with them! Unfortunately, I won’t be able to make it to the Parent Night because my soccer team will be gone in Arizona until the 22nd. Hopefully I will get another chance to meet you all!