$177.82 for Children...

After Halloween and many days of illness, we finally got to count our monies for UNICEF today. We gathered together to estimate how much money we had collected by dumping all the boxes into a single container. Then we divided up the coins and sent each child to sort and count the coins. By the days end we celebrated knowing how children in other places would be helped by our efforts. "It's the joy inside that we celebrate knowing that we are helping others," someone said.

We've also been talking and reading a great many books with patterns as we look ahead to writing some of our own. Today a pair of children was given a picture book and asked to read it with and decide upon whether it contained a pattern in it. After a time partners came up to explain their findings to classmates. Tomorrow we'll begin writing some of our own.

At lunch time we "mixed-it-up." We let children sit anywhere they wanted and they did such a great job of selecting new friends to sit with. It was nice seeing the dining room from a different perspective and hope we can do so again very soon.

Happy Veteran's Day...and Felix

We began the day singing America the Beautiful from a picture book in honor of our Veterans this year. Then we wrote letters to friends, fathers, and others who have served our country so faithfully. It was a great day to remember and learn about those who have sacrificed for our country.

Felix is also such an important member of our classroom community. I found him several years ago when he was readily available in the US, but he is now very hard to locate. Each day when some takes him home I include a picture book of his from my collection. One parent came in this morning and mentioned she had looked for the book online to purchase. The only copies of the book available were uses...selling for between $100 and $200 dollars! So handle with care!! :) Students write about what they've done and draw or take pictures to include with their entry. We are completing his first round of visits today with Hannah...so look for him to come for a visit again soon.

Sitting outside waiting for parents to arrive a former parent stopped me with words of wisdom.

"Life," she said "is like a roll of toilet paper. The more you get into it the faster it goes." Such wisdom!

Congratulations First Graders!

It was a good day for yet another celebration. Today we were all treated to a special lunch for selling the most wrapping paper at our level. Thanks to all the parents who asked friends, co-workers, relatives, and emptied personal bank accounts on our behalf. We thank you once again for filling our stomachs with good things yet once again...and a special thanks to Jennifer for making the #1 Cookie Cake!

Our writing today began with a new focus on pattern books. We read several titles including When I Was Five by Arthur Howard and Water by Susan Canizares. In the upcoming weeks we will be working on two stories to bring to publication. One "easy" pattern story and one a bit more challenging. As you read at home notice stories that have simple patterns and point them out to your child.

Mrs. Perry stopped by this month for her lesson on humility. They spent time talking about how to esteem others and then went to the playground with Harriet to practice. The two main areas to work on were saying compliments and letting others go first. Mrs. Perry mentioned afterwards how well everyone participated. Check out her link on our website for more information.

Finally special greetings to Jarve' and Hannah...we missed you today...and hope tomorrow finds you here with all of us...