Our first field trip is coming up at the end of the month.  We will be visiting Heyser Farms in Colesville, MD.  It's a local farm that produces many things, including apple cider.  We will get to observe the process of making apple cider from start to finish, and we will even get to take home a sample!  Please send field trip permission slips in with cash or check.  We have space for one parent volunteer to come with us on the bus.  Please let me know if you are interested!  

This week we read informational books about Fall and U.S. Symbols in whole group reading. In guided reading we worked in small groups to learn reading strategies and practiced letters and sight words. Some groups made "cut up sentences" with a familiar part of the book. As beginning readers, your child will use picture clues, sight words, and familiar language patterns to help them read.  We have new centers, including a play-doh sight word center.  Thanks to Linus' mom for making homemade play-doh this month!  

In writing, we took a huge step forward developmentally.  Up until now, we drew pictures and added labels to them. This week, we wrote lists! We wrote letters together to make words and drew our pictures last.  We wrote a grocery list, a list of colors, and a list of toys.  One day, we went to the computer lab and made a list of animals using the program Kidspiration.  It was really fun!  In math, we continue to count and represent numbers in different ways.  We can show a number with words, tallies, a picture, a domino, on a ten frame, on a die, with fingers, or just a numeral.  We only have six or seven children left to bring home the counting jar, so it's almost your turn if you haven't gotten it yet!  Here's what Sonora brought one day to count!! 

We had a fun and educational visit from Thomas' dad this week.  He came as the mystery reader and taught us all about oviparous animals.  

Exciting news!  We have five members of the shoe tying club!  If your child is still working on learning this skill, don't worry!  We will add more children to the shoe tying club next month.  

The October sign up for volunteers and mystery readers will be sent to you this evening!