Hi Everyone! Happy Friday!
What a fun week! We have been reading gingerbread stories all week. I call out, "Gingerbread break!" The kids drop everything, scramble to their dot on the story carpet, and we read one of the 16 (!) versions of The Gingerbread Man story we've discovered. Thank you to those of you who allowed your child to bring a gingerbread book to add to our tally. We watched a couple of videos about how gingerbread houses are made too.
The Willard band visited this week and we enjoyed a holiday concert. We have started a secret project for the moms and dads and I even hung some lights in our classroom.
Meantime, it's about to be my favorite week of the entire school year! The anticipation for Christmas and Winter Break is in the air, people are in a festive mood, and everyone is even kinder than normal. We have some fun events planned next week to mark the Holiday, and will be finishing up some of our academic units too. Please hang in there and read this entire message. :)
Gingerbread House Supplies:
As a culminating activity to our unit on gingerbread stories, we will make gingerbread houses on Wednesday. I sent a note home in last week's Thursday folder requesting supplies for this project. I am asking each student to bring 2 items from our supply list, and I highlighted the items I am requesting from your child on the letter I sent last week. If you have not already sent them, please send the supplies no later than Monday.
Coins for Our Money Unit:
I sent a note home in last week's Thursday folder requesting coins for our upcoming Money unit. We will be starting this unit when we return from Winter Break. I would like the kids to have real coins available to count, and am requesting that you send the coins to school no later than Thursday, December 20th.
Next week, we will read and explore the holiday classic The Polar Express. As a special treat, Thursday will be a pajama and movie day! Students are welcome to wear pajamas to school. I will offer hot chocolate to drink too. I will make the hot chocolate with water only, without marshmallows, and I will offer a candy cane on the side. I sent home a gold Polar Express "movie ticket" in yesterday's Thursday folder. This is your child's permission form so he/she may watch the movie and enjoy the hot chocolate. Please kindly sign and return the ticket as soon as possible and no later than Wednesday.
Winter Break Reading Log:
I sent home a Winter Break Reading Challenge in your child's Thursday folder yesterday. If you have any questions about this reading incentive, please email me. It is not required but I highly encourage your child to discover some fun, new ways to read over the break!
Holiday Travel:
Holiday Travel:
If you are traveling over the Holidays, and your child will be absent from school, please kindly notify the school in advance. You can send a message or note to me, which I will forward to the office. You may also submit your notification to the office directly by using the "online absence excuse", which is found on the Pinebrook home page. The link to the Pinebrook home page is HERE.
Focus Areas for the Coming Week:
Focus Areas for the Coming Week:
- Reading: We will read the Holiday Classic The Polar Express, and review many of the good reader strategies we have learned this year, such as predicting, retelling, making connections, and story mapping.
- Math: We will finish our measurement unit.
- Writing: We will continue our All About Books.
- Science / Social Studies: We will finish our Holidays Around the World and Economics units at our World Market on Tuesday afternoon.
I CAN'T WAIT!!!!! The World Market is Tuesday, we decorate gingerbread houses on Wednesday, and Thursday morning we watch The Polar Express. Thursday ends with our school-wide Holiday Sing-a-long. The entire staff and all the students pile into the gym. We sing Holiday songs from the many faith and cultural traditions represented at Pinebrook while the teachers and staff all take turns leading the songs. Seriously....I CAN'T EVEN CONTAIN MYSELF. I am 44 years old, but at this time of year, I am a 6 year old. It's one reason why YOUR children are "MY PEOPLE"! (It's also the reason I am typing in so many CAPITAL letters. #calmitdownjenna)
Have a great weekend! I am looking forward to time with friends, wrapping gifts, and some Christmas cooking. Savey's last day at Cox Farms is tomorrow; thank you to the many of you who have asked about him, and even stopped by to see him! That boy can drive me bananas at home (ask the kids), but I sure am proud of the person he is when he steps into the world. 💛
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