I have been blessed again with a gift that will allow me to be with my mother who is ill.  I applogize for taking so much time off this year, but I leave you in great hands with Mrs. Morelli.  I thank you all for your support and kindness.  I feel like you all are family and I'm not alone but surrounded with care and support.  I have experienced so much love and appreciation I'm overwhelmed daily.  Because of the short week and my absence homework is to give your kids an extra hug for me!! 

Wednesday  we will celebrate our 100th day of school with fun activities throughout the day.  The Friends can wear their PJ's, bring a stuffed animal, and have crazy hair if they choose. We are asking that they bring 100 of anything small i.e., stickers, pennies, cereal, goldfish you get the idea.   They will count, group, and exchange their things with others in the class.  Happy counting!!

Kindergarten will go to the Arvada Center Tuesday, Feb. 26th. to see a charming musical called,  "A Year With Frog and Toad."  The play follows the adventures of two best friends, the cheerful and popular Frog and the grumpy, worry-wart Toad, as they journey through four fun-filled seasons.

Everyone please bring a sack lunch so we can eat in our room when we return.  Half-day students need to be picked up by 12:30.   We look foward to all the fun!!

Our next theme unit is the great continent of Africa.  We will learn about the rich diversity of the people, land, and animals.  We will explore life on the African savannah, and other habitats including the rainforest.  Through literature and folk tales we'll emphasise the strength of common ties between cultures. 

The students will do an in class animal project.  They will choose an animal, research it and report what they learned to the class.  They will have a partner to work with on this project.  African shares are welcome!!!

This week weather permitting we will work in our Sun and Shadow journal.  The students are writing about why and how shadows are made, also drawing and comparing them at different times of the day.  Along with that, we are finishing up heat energy and learning vocabulary such as friction, radiation, conductors, and heat insulators.   Our next unit is sound energy where we will learn about vibrations, and how sound travels.

We are sending home a letter explaining our Everyday Math first grade curriculum in the Monday folders.  We will occasionally be sending home letters of this sort, so you will be able to learn some vocabulary and keep you informed on what we're doing in the classroom.

For homework please have your child collect examples of numbers.  They can write numbers that are important to them too.  We will have them share the paper in class. Thank you for your support.

Last week we took a pre-assessment of first grade Everyday Math. This assessment will help guide instruction, and show growth at the end of the year.  Next week we'll introduce our first grade curriculum. The Friends are getting excited about this, and about having a workbook, and tool kit. This week we'll work on measurement skills, including volume, area, and length.  The Friends drew a map of their bedroom and shared it a group time. The maps turned out cute, so we're saving them for their portfolios.  Because of the short week, no homework!!  Enjoy your long weekend.

This month we will investigate three forms of energy, heat, light and sound.  We will discover energy can move and change things, and that energy exists in different forms. With many of the activities the class will practice skills such as observation, prediction, comparison, critical thinking, and analysis.

I feel so loved, blessed and fortunate by all your Holiday well wishes, gifts, and cards.  You are all so wonderful and have the best children to show for it. Mrs. Morelli and I are always saying how terrific our class and parents are, and we appreciate it so much!!

Special thanks to Pam Davis and everyone who helped make our Holiday party so fun.  You all make it seem effortless, and I know it's not.  Everyone had a super time.  I hope all your dreams come true in 2008!!

We will have our Winter Party on Friday, Dec. 21 after lunch.  We invite all the morning Friends to please bring a lunch, so we can all eat in our room and have a fun party.  The party is well palnned, and we will have crafts, games, and holiday foods.  The Friends will all need a sack lunch then so we can eat in our room together. Thanks for helping and making our parties possible.