Griffin Gazette and a short week reminder!

Yes...it's me...the APG {aka- Alta Pumpkin girl} to the rescue...saving kids from turning into pumpkins! Or something like that! Happy Halloween! I am taking lots of pictures..so hold on for updates later in the week of the kids and our party!

This week in K....
We are reading Life in an ocean by Carol K Lindeen. This will be the first time that I refer to a non-fiction book as non-fiction. We will start to sort books non-fiction and fiction in reading and in writing.
Letter of the week: Aa
Snap words: have, is (and review: the, a, to, little, I, am)
Comprehension skills- Compare and Contrast AND non-fiction features
See the family times for more! *Coming home today...but you might not see it because of the HALLOWEEN madness...right!?

Writing this week: We are going to publish one more time Tuesday or Wednesday. We hope to celebrate on Thursday. This will be a party where we will share our writing using the promethean board and eat some popcorn.
Kids will concentrate on the following skills:
How to fix and fancy up.
Editor's checklist
How to share and be an audience when others are sharing.

Math this week: Click the link below to watch THE BIG NUMBERS SONG...it's calming and the kids love it! You will too!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0dJWfQHF8Y
Tricky teens - introduce and practice with counting and recognizing teen numbers.
Sorting objects (review)
Playing oral counting games: give the next number (review)
Listen and Do (reinforce oral counting and recognizing teen numbers through a movement study)
Teen Partners (To introduce the concept that teen numbers represent "10 and some more"
Arranging objects by length and paper chains (10 links same color...and 11-19 are a different color to show the teens)

November brings on our first Science official Science unit: Animals two by two
 which provides the students with close and personal interaction with some common land and water animals.
Expectations:
-develop a growing curiosity and interest in the living world around them
-observe and describe the structures of a variety of common animals (fish, snails, earthworms, isopods, and chicks)
-Compare structures and behaviors of different pairs of animals.
-Observe interactions of animals
-Communicate observations and comparisons
-Acquire new vocabulary
-Handle animals carefully, and participate in the are and feeding of classroom animals.

Other news:

No school Friday for kids...teachers will be participating in professional development and getting report cards ready.
Your SCHEDULED conference sheet should come home Tuesday after school. Please sign it and send it back to school filled out. Please let me know ASAP if your scheduled time does not work for you.
November volunteers are the same as OCTOBER...and all volunteers are cancelled for Christmas except my book orders and my To-do volunteer. Sign-up for January will be hanging outside soon!
Until then....let the night begin!

Happy Halloween!