Handwriting

We've been working hard on handwriting. We have daily lessons using the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum along with daily exercises to help reinforce proper placement of strokes within the lines. Three phrases we use all the time you might want to use at home are:

• "touch the sky" - letters that touch the top line (ex.- all uppercase letters, all numbers, lowercase b, d, f, h, k, l, t)
• "short" - letters that touch the middle dotted line (ex.- a,c,e,i,m,n,o,r,s,u,v,w,x,z)
• "go underground" - letters that go below the bottom line (ex.- g, j, p, q, y)

Favor to Ask...

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade parent coffee with Mrs. Dauber is on Friday, October 3rd at 8:00am. I have a daughter in 4th grade and would like to be included if someone could watch my class during journal 8-8:30 and then possibly read a "Help Me Be Good" book afterwards! Please let me know if this is something you can do for me. Thank you in advance!

Newsflash: Class Party!!!

I've been told that our class party will be held on the school basketball pavilion on Tuesday, October 7th from 5:30 - 7 pm ish. Be on the lookout for a sign-up sheet asking for supplies, side dishes, drinks, etc. Anne Godinich is our class party coordinator. She will put a class party insert in the red folders tomorrow and send an evite to Mrs. Phillips' class. Thanks Anne!

Give a Dog a Bone

We learned a new computer game online today called Give a Dog a Bone that was one of our jobs during reading groups. It's a great game to help your child be more familiar with place value and the hundred's chart. I have it posted on the bottom of our classroom blog so that your child can play it as much as they want at home...hint, hint!

Pencil Sharpener

Here are the sad facts...our pencils are of terrible quality and our classroom electric sharpener doesn't sharpen very well. Next time you are at Walgreens, Target or even the grocery store...I am BEGGING you to buy a little plastic pencil sharpener with a lid (or else shavings are everywhere) for your child to put in their box for personal use. Thank you for your continued support!

School Pictures

Sorry for the late notice...individual school pictures will be taken Thursday, October 2nd! A information note and money collection envelope will be in your red Tuesday folder tomorrow. If you want pictures be sure to bring the money no later than Thursday morning.

Reading Groups are back!

We are finally back on track after the storm! I will be sending home reading levels home on Tuesday folders. This information is just for you...not your child or other classroom parents. I give it to you so you can monitor your child's progress. Look for homework tonight. Here are the stories we read in groups today...ask your child about which story they read:

• Pigs at Home
• Todd and Matt
• The Tapping Tale
• Rip's Secret Spot
• Carmen's Star

Attn: class of 2008

Remember the 100 year-old Saguaro tree we read about! Look how small Nate and Sophie look standing in front of one!

Remember Nate? I know you do...we all miss him and his wonderful family! I recently received a sweet care package of letters, photos, poems and pictures all the way from Arizona! It sounds like he is doing well. He misses Mark Twain and his friends but loves his new school, library and spray park near his home. His sister Sophie started kindergarten and he helps her with her school work.

Nate in front of his new school!

Lost!

Haven tells me she lost a tooth at lunch today when she bit into the corn on the cob. Problem...she doesn't know where it went! :-)

Fantastic Friday

The kids had a great week...no problems transitioning into school from the long unexpected break. Well done, guys! We are writing in big journals now. Next week we will be starting reading groups and jobs!

We are 100%

Rolling for 50

We played a Everyday Math game called Rolling for 50. It's purpose was to provide practice navigating along a number grid. The rules were simple...and a lot of fun!

Pennies Update

It appears that the children found time to devote to our Pennies for Peace mission over the unexpected break. They came to school with their backpacks heavy with pennies! FYI...we will be collecting until Thanksgiving.

Scholastic News

I subscribed to a publication called Scholastic News. We will be getting 4 issues each month. Each one comes with an additional activity to do. They are great at incorporating social studies, science and current events into our busy day. It would help me tremendously if you would please consider contributing $5 to this cause. I mentioned it during at Open House but after the whole hurrication, I understand if you have forgotten. :-)

We didn't like Hurricane Ike

Everyone got a chance to share their hurricane stories with the class. It was interesting how grown-up they sounded. The children asked questions after each child spoke. It was clear to see their questions were a reflection of what they have been hearing all week... "Was there any roof damage?" "Did you stay out past curfew?" "Did your transformer blow out?" "We got power last night." "Did you have a generator?" We got it all out of our system and proceeded to have a great day! Surprisingly, only 4 of us still don't have power!

Here's What I Know...

• school starts tomorrow...Tuesday, September 23rd
  
• we will not have early dismissal on Wednesday
  
• relaxed dress code
  
• extended day program will resume tomorrow
  
• free breakfast and lunch for all children for 2 weeks - no to the teachers!
  
• no homework

I know many of us still have no power, myself included. Mrs. Dauber knows and understands that many are living in different living situations, have no laundry facilities, eating on the run, difficult traffic challenges, etc. Two-thirds of the district will not be returning tomorrow... we are one of the "lucky" ones. It is not clear yet whether we will be getting any Galveston refugees...we'll just have to wait and see. I know we are all tired and didn't have a restful hurrication. I am looking forward to seeing all the children and hearing their stories...I know there will be many!

What a Ride!

Our classroom did well during the storm! I am seeking refuge at Twain for a couple of hours during the day because they have power...A/C, TV, phone, Internet, Disney, Webkinz, etc...all of which we don't have at home right now! As far as I know officially, we don't have school all week. I've heard rumors that we will be out longer...please don't quote me on that! There are other schools that have not done as well and so many are still without power. I hope everyone is safe and using their unofficial "home vacation" time wisely! I shudder to think how the district will want to make up the days!

Questionnaire

As a parent, we received our questionnaire in the mail at home today regarding past and current observations of our school, staff, faculty, facilities and administration. I strongly urge you to take this seriously and answer the questions as honestly as you can. It will only take a moment. You input is anonymous and a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided. Thank you.

911

I didn't mention 911 but I was prepared to if someone in the class did. Nobody said a word. Even still, we made flags. The whole lesson about the number of red and white stripes, stars, etc. went way over their heads...it was evident when we got 22 DIFFERENT looking flags! A few got it. I'll post pictures when we get back to school next week after the hurricane. They're cute...all in their own way. A few had time to make these snazzy pins...left over from a girl scout project left over from my daughter's troop! Waste not, want not.

We're Millionaires!

Half of the kids in our class turned in their reading list and participated in the HISD reading program...well done! When everyone left today...everything and everyone was crazy. Someone stripped their shirt off and left it on the floor. Other than RHM who was absent, let me know if your millionaire made it home without their shirt! :-)