Happy October!

The year is off to a fabulous start!  Our classroom is a very busy place and everyone is settling into our routine.  It is wonderful to work with such enthusiastic, well-behaved students!

Language Arts

The Monday essays seem to be going well.  I know this is a difficult night of homework, but stick with it - this task will become easier for everyone as we learn more writing techniques.  I will continue doing outlines with the class. However, the amount of information within the outline will start to decrease.  The students will be expected to use their stories much more independently in the weeks ahead.  They will need to reread parts of the stories in  search of details to support their essays.  This is a way to add elaboration to the essays, and make them much more thorough. Re-reading in search of specific

information is also an important reading skill.  As you can see, the essays serve multiple purposes.

Math

We are still working on place value.  Soon we will begin reviewing how to round numbers to a particular place value.  The “Harcourt Brace” website is an excellent resource  - www.harcourtschools.com.             Also, keep working on those multiplication facts!!

            Everyone is working very hard on our math “Problem of the Day”!  I am so proud of the quality of

work I am receiving from the children!!

Social Studies

We are still working on our unit about the Hudson River.  The exciting news is that we will be taking our “cruise” aboard the “Pride of the Hudson”!  Our trip will be on October 7^th – much more information will follow. This will be a wonderful, enriching culmination to our unit about the Hudson River!  Our project related to this unit is a poster depicting the locations we will see on our cruise.  The children had to research each site and find a picture to add to posters they are creating.  We will also read about Henry Hudson’s journey aboard the “Half Moon” so we can compare our trip to his original voyage.

We are also studying Franklin Delano and Eleanor Roosevelt.  We have researched these famous Hudson Valley residents and are writing biographical reports about each “Roosevelt”.  On October 22nd we will visit the FDR Home and Library – more information to follow!  

Our next social studies unit will focus on world geography.  The children will be learning about the continents, and how to locate places using lines of latitude and longitude. We will be making beautiful world maps!

Science

Next week we will begin a unit on Autumn.  The unit will focus on the process of photosynthesis, as well as how and why leaves change colors. We will learn about the chemical changes responsible for beautiful foliage.  We are very fortunate to live in the beautiful and colorful Hudson Valley at this time of year!

Author of the month

Our author of the month for October will be Chris VanAllsburg.  I think we will all enjoy his eerie style!

October Project

A long term project about the Hudson Valley will be coming home soon!  It will be due near the end of the month.

Technology

Everyone has been practicing their computer skills!  We have used the computer lab for research, and have learned to locate, and copy and paste pictures into Word documents.

Keep your eye on Mrs. B’s website – new information will be added!  Puzzles, challenges, and enrichment work will be coming soon.

 Halloween Party!!

  Our party will be on Friday, October 31^st.  The party will begin at 2:00 unless it is a “B” day, then the party will be at 1:15 because the students go to their special class at 2:05!!

Coming events………..

1.      October Project

2.      Everyone will need to bring in a small pumpkin

     ( under 5 pounds).  I’ll let you know when we’ll need them.

Extras……………

October is “adopt a shelter dog month”. 

It would be fabulous if we could collect a box of “goodies” for the animals at our local SPCA.  If anyone would like to send in something for the animals, I will drop everything off by the end of the month.  I’m sure the shelter workers and their animal pals will be very appreciative!  The following is a list of items the shelter could use:

Old, clean blankets, towels

Chew toys

Dog Biscuits

Leashes

Paper towels

Spray cleaners

Food

Collars

Happy Halloween!