Storyline:
The frieze is up with only a few details to complete. It is a wonderful piece of art. I am continually amazed at what the children are creating. Storyline is truly a gift to the teaching profession in so many ways! Most of the children have finished their autobiographies. They are located in the hall outside out classroom. Please take a moment to read them. The children wrote and illustrated their books and edited their own writing. This means that you will find mistakes in the spelling or grammatical errors. This is truly their writing. As you read these autobiographies, notice how the children have become school children in Venice! Again, another gift of storyline.
This week we will begin exploring sound, as it will become a very important part of our storyline. Remember, we will be going to the Bend Science Station this Thursday and Friday. Please make sure your child returns the permission slip that went home last week.
The Great Venetian Reading Race:
Our race is off to a great start. It has come to my attention that some children are feeling some pressure with this event. It is VERY IMPORTANT that this does not become a burden for your child. If this occurs PLEASE contact me. I will make accommodations for your child. Please help me emphasis it is not a race against other children, so there are not winners or losers. If I hear "Stella" putting another child down or criticizing a child's efforts, Stella's gondola will have to go into the gondola repair shop for one or two days.
Cooking on Thursday!
WOW! What a fun (and exhausting) afternoon. The combined the three first grade classrooms and divide them up into three groups. This children when through three cooking stations. They made pizza, pasta and watched learned how to make gelato. After going through the rotations, the children went out to recess while the parents cooked and set up the cafeteria downstairs. The children came in and had a feast! They ate their pizza, some pasta and desert. Some characters from the Gabriella's song came to visit as well. Luigi, the singing Gondolier and the Signor Pagliani, the happy baker came to visit! It was a great time for everyone. I want to thank Susan Cunningham, Shanna Laherty, Jenny Cornutt, Janet Chase, Tami Hatfield and Nicole Wood for helping with this event. Please let me know if I missed anyone!!!!
I would also like to thank Mark Cunningham for making the Realto Bridge for our classroom. It is a great hit!
On Friday another character from the book came to visit. Widow Santucci came for a few minutes. She is a very sad woman who's husband passed away many years ago. We will be learning more about her in the future.
Reading Logs -
Please excuse the long message, but it is important.
To piggy back on the Venetian reading event, I would still like children to turn in their reading logs. For the past two weeks, I have been having some children stay in for part of the morning recess to complete their weekly reading homework (As I mentioned I would in a past newsletter). The homework is to read at least 10 minutes a night for 5 nights a week. Reading 50 minutes in one night is good, however, reading fewer minutes over more nights is better.
If your child does not turn in their reading log or does not have five days checked off on their reading log, they will owe me time during recess. For example, Stella read three nights and turned in her reading log. She has not put down the amount of time she read, so I have no way of knowing how long she has read. Stella will owe me 20 minutes of recess time, which would be two days(10 minutes per day). Caterina read seven nights and she did not write the times down. She does not own me any time because she met the five night requirement. The children that stay in and make up reading homework will be able to use that time for the Great Venetian reading event starting this week.
Why am I doing this you may be asking. I feel like that the children need to be held accountable for the homework assignments. I feel reading is one of the most important academic subjects in school and just as important in our lives. Children will not improve if they do not practice. Please contact me if you have any questions about this.
I hope you have had a restful and enjoyable weekend!
Becky
