A few photos and your weekly class update...

     Hi everyone! I know it has been a while since I've posted some photos on here.  I also know that I should have sent out a form asking you for your consent to post photos of your children on the blog.  Things have definitely been a little on the busy side, but that consent form will be heading out soon.  In the meantime, I will make sure no students' names are included in any photos, and I will try to stick to photos that are not so close-up.  Hope this works for everyone! If not, please email me and I will remove any photos at your request, or place a nice grey blur in front of your child's face = )

Here are a few photos from our visit from Paramedic Jeremy:

Jeremy talking to the kids about safety.

Jeremy getting volunteers to try out the EKG monitor.

     And here are some photos of the kids on Red Ribbon Week Pajama Day- they are working with their partner for a Math Lesson. Firsties always split up their daily Math lessons with time at their desks watching Ms. Hudson teach them the lesson for that day, then, if they listened really well, they get to partner up with a friend and complete the worksheet on the floor.  We finish our Math lessons by checking our answers with Ms. Hudson on the interactive whiteboard.   

 

And here is a group photo from Career Day on Red Ribbon Week (Sorry, it is a little blurry!) 

      This week was another exciting week in First Grade- we had a special visit from Father Jim.  The kids couldn't believe that he is the oldest of 11 children in his family!  They enjoyed meeting him, and I think they were pleasantly surprised that a priest could be that funny!  
 
      Now that Red Ribbon Week is over, we move on to the week of Halloween! Hooray! I hope you all checked your child's Green folder, because inside you will find a bright orange piece of paper with a nice reminder to purchase a small pumpkin.  The pumpkin will serve two purposes: provide us with a Science experiment and an art project!  Please have those pumpkins turned in on Monday! 

     We will be working with pumpkins during a Math activity, too.  It will involve some estimation and guessing, along with a little counting.  We will definitely post pictures of all of our pumpkin activities this week!

     Wednesday is Halloween, which means our annual costume parade and school carnival is upon us!  Please send your child to school on Wednesday in their school uniforms.  They will bring their chosen costumes with them in a separate bag.  Please follow the school guidelines for costumes- a flier should have been sent home in your parent envelope earlier this week.  No makeup, masks, weapons, short skirts (w/out leggins), etc.  They will still wear their school shoes with their costumes.  A good general guideline to use with your costume: if you are afraid you will lose it or ruin it, then we suggest you leave it at home for your trick-or-treating that evening! We also highly recommend writing your child's name on all of the pieces of their costumes... just in case! = )  Siblings and paparazzi = )parents are all welcome on the playground for the parade and the carnival, but only the parents who are signed up to help the children change into their costumes are permitted in the classrooms- otherwise it will be way too crowded in our already-crowded-classrooms! Thank you!

    Halloween also marks another special occasion in First Grade- at this point in your child's year, teachers will no longer tie your child's shoes (with a few occasional exceptions).  We know that tying their own shoes was something they needed to master in order to graduate from kindergarten (they earned that ice cream sundae!).  We have been warning them for quite some time now that by Halloween they need to re-train themselves to tie their own shoes.  On the same note, they also know that it is unsafe to run around at recess with untied shoe laces. So, if Mrs. Coulter or any other teacher/supervisor sees a Firsty running around with untied shoe laces, students beware! You will be asked to sit down and tie your shoes before going back out there and playing! Please help your child become a shoe-tying wiz by promoting this same behavior in your homes.  You may also consider purchasing shoe laces of a longer length than the laces that come with your child's shoes... we've noticed some very short laces, which obviously makes it very difficult to tie.  Together, we will help your child accomplish this challenge! 
In the meantime here are some helpful websites on shoe tying ideas:   

• Songs and poems created by teachers to help your child tie their shoes teacher hints     

• I can't tell you if these work or not, but here is a website with something called Tie Buddies

• And if those fail, here is a video of a lady with a lovely English accent showing you how to tie your shoes- Enjoy!  Video                                

     Now, despite all of the excitement from Halloween, there is still school on Thursday.  I know I will be there with my venti soy cinnamon dolce latte = )  Please remember that candy is not a healthy morning snack, especially after a long night of trick-or-treating!  We will be attending MASS on THURSDAY this week, since it is All Saints Day.  Please try to remember to send your child to school that day in mass attire (no shorts).  Please feel free to join us, too!

    Finally, did you know that tomorrow (SUNDAY) is the Feast Day of St. Jude?  If you are able to attend mass at St. Jude, Mrs. Schulte asks that the students wear their uniforms to show their school pride to the entire parish.  

Well, off I go now to rest up before another exciting week in First Grade! Wish us luck! 

Take care, and enjoy this gorgeous weekend!
~Ms. Hudson