NOVEMBER MCMONTHLY NEWS

THEME

We turn our focus from tasty treats and fun costumes to crisp weather and the thrill of Thanksgiving time.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Our reading program continues to take us on a decoding journey, blending all the consonants with different vowel sounds and learning tricks to figure out larger words. Books are becoming more challenging, and we continue to write in journals, complete Reader Responses, and work on some of our own story creations in Writers Workshop. We have put aside our true Small Moment stories and are beginning to focus on Realistic Fiction stories where the stories have some kind of big adventure or a problem that needs to be solved. It might not have happened in real life, but it actually could! We are constantly practicing our speaking skills as well as good listening, especially when our Mystery Guests visit!

We’ve noticed that the Monday WordsTheir Way homework can be tricky at times. If the homework takes up a lot of time, simply choose a handful of words (perhaps 10) to try certain homework choices (such as the Letter Change choice). The idea is to get used to the spelling patterns and sounds, but not worry so much about memorizing the words.

Take an extra day to finish if your child needs it. Likewise, if your child would like a challenge, doing more than the sorts each night is fine too, as long as it doesn’t feel overwhelming to your child.

MATH

We have been concentrating on the “measurement” of time, money, and length.  Please ask your child how much time has passed between one activity and another to reinforce the duration concept of time.  We continue to use literature and manipulatives to reinforce addition, subtraction, and problem solving. 

BIRTHDAYS

There are no November birthdays.

REMINDERS

Tues., Nov. 1: Nature Walk (at school)

Wed., Nov. 2: Field Trip to a real college! - Fairfield Univ. Theatre

Mon., Nov. 8: Family Turkeys Due

Nov. 7-9: Book Fair (even Election Day!)

Tues., Nov. 8: Election Day/StaffDev/No School

Wed., Nov. 9: Field Trip/Darien Historical Society

Thurs.,Nov. 10: Veterans visit   *(wear red, white, and/or blue)

Fri., Nov. 11: Veterans Day   *(wear red, white, and/or blue)

Fri., Nov. 11: Scholastic Orders Due

(just in case you don’t find what you wish from the Book Fair!)

Mon., Nov. 14: Ancestor Info Due

Wed., Nov. 23:Thanksgiving coming/Early Dismissal

Nov. 24-25: Thanksgiving/No School

Nov. 29-Dec. 2: Conferences, shortened days

SPECIAL NOTES

• This Fall’s Book Fair comes at the same time the monthly Scholastic orders are available. Due to popular demand, I am still sending the order forms home in case you’d like to “elect” another option for some great books!


• This month also begins Scholastic online ordering. If you are not comfortable with on-line ordering, simply fill in the books you wish from the book club catalogs, send in the order and a check by the deadline, and I will order for you! Thanks!

• Thank you for the Halloween Boo-Grams. They were most appreciated and were a fun way to start our exciting Halloween day!

• With the weather getting chillier, please label any extra clothing your child brings in.

• Thank you all for helping us get off to a great start with our Volunteer schedule! The school year gets so busy and I often don’t get the chance to say thank you. The children and I appreciate all your help in the classroom, behind the scenes at home, and with your daily support for homework and encouragement for being grown-up first graders!

OCTOBER SIGHT WORDS

a

an
am
at

big

come

down
for

go

help

I

in

is

little

me

my
one

red

said

the

to

two

we

yellow

you