Back to School!

Hello everyone!  I would like to welcome all of you to our classroom blog!  One of the best ways to let you know what is going on in our class is through a blog.  This is a place where I can show you what your children are learning, as well as suggestions as to how you can work with them at home.  I sometimes include links to various websites that provide good practice for concepts that we are studying.
The first two days have been very busy!  A lot of time is spent during the first month establishing routines and procedures so that learning can take place more easily during the rest of the year.   Students have been learning about important behaviours so everyone can learn and be safe in our classroom.  They have been practicing active listening skills too!  (See what your child does when you say:  "Super scholar style in 1-2-3!")
Today we started learning about "popcorn words".  (If I have taught other children in your family, we used to call them "heart words" or sight words.  The students voted and decided that we would call them popcorn words because they pop up all over the place!)  These are words that don't always follow the rules and can't always be sounded out.  Our first two words were:  I  and am.
In Math we began a unit on patterns.  We discovered that patterns repeat.  Maybe you can help your child find some things at home that have patterns (pictures, clothing, carpets, wallpaper).  Below you will find some pictures of students working together to create patterns with a variety of math manipulatives.
Finally, it is so important that there is open communication between your family and me.  I encourage you to call, e-mail or write a note if you have any questions or concerns about what your child is learning at school.  No question is too small!