Tuesday, October 6

 Hi parents,

We had a relatively good day today, although the afternoon was a bit unruly. Last year, Tuesdays were always a bit off, for some reason, so maybe the trend is continuing.

This morning, we talked more about Thanksgiving, and the students watched a "Bookflix" video called "Giving Thanks". It was an indigenous story that expressed gratitude to the natural world. In their journals, the students responded to the writing prompt: "I can say thank you when..."

We brainstormed ideas about everyday situations in which we should say "thank you". Most student responses were something along the lines of "I can say thank you when my mom / dad helps me _____". So hopefully you're all hearing an adequate number of "thank you's" at home, and if not, feel free to remind your child about this writing task. :)

In math, we did a Number Spotlight on the number 18. I'm noticing that many students are struggling with the concepts of 'before' and 'after' in terms of numbers. I think we need to practice counting some more.  I want it to be like second nature to the students by the end of the year.

In the afternoon, we revisited our "I am..." sentences from last week. I asked the students to choose their favourite of the three they had written, and write that sentence in big, neat, letters on a piece of cardstock paper. This proved to be a bit challenging because students had a hard time determining the optimal sizing for their letters, which is fair. 

The plan is to take a picture of each student holding their sign, and put them up outside of the classroom as a shining beacon of self-confidence, positivity, and individuality. I'm looking forward to seeing how they all turn out!

Have a nice night,

Zac