November Letter
Dear Families,
I enjoyed talking with you at conference time. Your children are making wonderful progress and they really seem to enjoy school!
The new theme has arrived. Nocturnal Animals! We will be focusing mainly on owls and bats, but will learn a bit about a few others as well. Science concepts include life cycle, structure and function, food chain, habitat and characteristics of nocturnal versus diurnal animals. Sharing is encouraged as long as it is connected with what we are studying. Thanks for all the great plants and plant books that came in last month. It made our study a lot more fun.
For whole group reading instruction, we are focusing on questioning strategies. By asking questions before, during and after reading we can dive deeper into the meaning of text and remember the most important parts of what we read.
Room 12 students love writing time and I am pleased to announce we are currently working on our first addition of the Room 12 Journal which features writing by every student. Look for this to come home at the end of this month.
In math, we will soon begin a unit on Geometry. Students will also continue to work on math facts and problem solving. Third graders will bring home a practice page to help them begin memorizing their multiplication facts. Please come to Hilltop this Wednesday evening to participate in Family Math Night. Math stations will be set up in classrooms and your children can teach you some of the games they play at school to help them practice their math skills. Room 12’s stations will be set up in Unit A (room 6).
A big 'thank you' to Mr. Horton who designed the Room 12 webpage and is helping me add additional information all the time. Please check it out when you get a chance. http://staff.edmonds.wednet.edu/users/blackstonej/
I would like to put pictures of classroom event on our website, but I need permission from you to show your children’s faces. Please fill out the attached paper to let me know if this would be alright with you.
Calendar of Up-coming events:
11/7 – Veterans’ Day Assembly at 9:15 (Room 12 students have created a slide show for this event.) 11/8 – Family Math Night from 7 – 8 (Come at 6:30 if you would like to view a video about how math is taught in the Edmonds School District.) 11/9 – Non-Student Day 11/10 – Veterans’ Day 11/17 – PTSA Pool Party 11/23 & 24 – Thanksgiving Holiday
Thank you,
Jennifer Blackstone (425) 431-7311 ex. 2703
October Newsletter (Hilltop virtue of the month: Cooperation)
Dear Families,
We are off to a great start this school year. The students are really showing progress in all areas. Parent/Teacher Conferences begin the week of October 23rd. I will be sending out conference times this Wednesday. Please let me know you need to meet with me at a different time. I will do evening conferencing on Oct. 25 if later works better in your schedule. I am eager to meet with each of you and discuss your wonderful children.
This week concludes our study of Reptiles and Amphibians. Next week we will begin a four week study on “Plants of the Rainforest”. Students are encouraged to bring in items to share that relate to our study.
What great readers! We have been working on the comprehension strategy of “schema” (making meaningful between characters, events and ideas in a story and your own life.) In addition small book groups have been reading both fiction and non-fiction literature about reptiles and amphibians. We have had some great discussions and sharing times. Our next comprehension focus is on the comprehension strategy “creating mental images”. Children are more likely to remember stories and facts they read when they create a pictures of them in their minds.
In math we have been working on the concept of doubling and number facts through problem solving and skill based games. Soon the 3rd graders will begin a unit on multiplication, while the 2nd graders focus on number station games and an introduction to double digit addition.
Many birthdays are coming up this month. If your child would like to bring treats, that is fine. We have 25 children in our class. (I have plenty of napkins left over from last year!!!)
We are still investigating the artwork of Vincent Van Gogh through stories and paintings. The children have created gorgeous works of art about starry nights and sunflowers. Please check out the Artsonia website listed below. It is a virtual gallery of Hilltop Artwork on the web. I will be adding new projects soon. www.artsonia.com/schools/school.asp?id=808
Yea! The room 12 website is up and running. Please take a look at it when you get a chance. I am open for helpful suggestions. What would you like to see? http://staff.edmonds.wednet.edu/users/blackstonej/
As always, please give me a call or e-mail with any comments or questions.
Upcoming Events: · Fundraiser orders due – Oct. 6 · Book Order due – Oct. 12 · Non-student day – Oct. 13 · Picture Retakes – Oct. 18 · PTSA Sock Hop – Oct. 20 (6:30 – 9:00) · Conference Week - Oct. 23 – 27 (half days)
Thank you
Jennifer Blackstone (425) 431-7311 ex. 2703 September Newsletter
September 5, 2006
Dear Families,
Welcome to a new school year! I am excited to be working with many of the same children this year as well as getting to know some new individuals. I will keep you up-dated about curriculum and special events through a monthly newsletter. (Look for this in the blue communication folder the first Monday of each month.) This first newsletter is filled with information to help you understand some of the classroom and school procedures. For more specific information, I invite you to attend Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 21 from 6:30 to 7:10.
Homework will begin next week. It will go home every Monday to be returned the following Monday. I find that weekly homework is helpful. Many families are busy with other activities and find it difficult to complete homework each evening. Weekly home work gives parents and children some flexibility in scheduling. Reading is the number one component of homework. I encourage your child to read each evening for 10 minutes or more. Students will take home a reading chart each Monday to keep track of their reading over the week. This chart should be kept in the blue take home folder so that parent volunteers and I can check in on progress each day. I let the children select the books they want to read. I have an extensive library from which students may borrow books. I will also help them select a reading level that is appropriate for them. In addition to reading I will send home the following each week for homework: · Poem of the week to practice and memorize · A math problem solving sheet · Spelling words · Writing Journal
Attached to this letter you will find two forms. One is for classroom support. The students and I love having volunteers in the classroom. Please select a day and time that works best for you. If you have a favorite subject/job please jot it down for me. The second form is something I have found very helpful. It lets me get to know your child better so that I can work with him/her is the best possible way. Some of you did this for me last year, but if you don’t mind, please fill out one again. Kids change so much over the course of a year. Thank you for your help!
Each month I decorate the room to match a science or social studies topic. We study this topic in depth through reading, writing, art, dramatics and song. Children learn in many different ways and are very motivated by interesting topics. We are beginning this year with a study of Reptiles and Amphibians. There is not a regular ‘show and tell time’ in our class, but students are encouraged to bring in items related to the topics we are studying.
Art is one of my favorite subjects. This month we will focus on the element of line and learn about Vincent Van Gogh. We will explore this amazing artist’s life and works and create our own masterpieces.
Please encourage your child to bring a healthy snack to school. Fruit, veggies, crackers, cheese and yogurt are all great choices. This will help keep our minds and bodies alert. Snack time will be at 9:50 each day.
I believe a strong home-school connection is very important to the lives and needs of our children. Please feel free to contact me any time with questions or comments. I am in the process of setting up a Room 12 webpage which will highlight student work, classroom activities and educational websites. I will let you know as soon as it is up and running.
Sincerely, Jennifer Blackstone (425) 431-7311 ex. 2703 |
