Week of October 24

Dear Families,

It's hard to believe that November is at our door. The time just seems to fly by. In our class this past week, we continued to overflow with learning and activity.

In Language Arts, the kids continued to work on many writing pieces. This week we will be choosing the one to revise, edit, and publish. The kids are looking forward to this. Thank you to Bethany Pritchard for working hard to get our computers up and running, right in time for this step in our writing process.

We have been reading short stories in class, focusing on reading for meaning. The recent connection we discussed and applied to these stories is Text to Self, where the reader finds moments where they connect to the character(s) in a story. We added this connection to Reminders and the students will continue to practice both through in-class read alouds and their independent reading books. Please make sure your child comes to school each day with his/her independent reading book. On Wednesday, I will be making sure each child is in a book that is appropriate to his/her reading level. In addition, we started a new read aloud, A Haunting in Williamsburg. The book is older and, as you can tell from the title, is a mystery. What is great about the book is that it connects to Social Studies where the kids are learning about the landmarks of Virginia. I expect to finish the book within a few days and then we will dive into another read aloud and whole class book selection. I will keep you posted as to the title of our next book.

We started Word Study this past week and the kids really love it. Our first sort is a whole class, concept sort as opposed to small group sorts based on spelling patterns. Our words this week are related to what we are learning in Science and Social Studies. Ask your child to share a few. We created Word Study journals, and the class was introduced to the weekly routine of activities related to their current sort. That routine is pasted to the inside of their journals. They will have some time in class to complete their activity for that day but if they don't finish, they will finish at home.

In Math, we moved into smaller groups, focusing on rounding and multiplying numbers. We also did estimation activities. The class will be getting used to the routine of math warm-ups which will be problems related to what we are learning and others that are from other strands of math. This is an opportunity for reinforcement and revisiting. After warm-ups, we break up into target groups, working on specific concepts.

The brochures the kids are working on in Social Studies are really coming along. The kids are writing paragraphs about the different regions of Virginia, including information from natural resources to specific landmarks. In addition to their writing, they are also illustrating their brochures. We are in the beginning stages of planning a field trip with the Middle School class to Jamestown. It will be great! I will let you know the date as soon as we confirm.

What a great field trip to Riverview Park! The weather was glorious, the walk was refreshing, and the kids had a wonderful time. The only drawback was that we were unable to spend the whole day there. While there, groups rotated through going on a leaf walk, playing on the playground, and going down to and exploring the river. Needless to say, we had a hard time getting the kids out of the river, they were so excited to investigate with their seine nets. It was a fantastic trip. We are now moving into plant life and on Friday the class was able to share all they know, or think they know, about plants. It was fun to hear knowledge flow. And, it was informative. My fact about plants was wrong!!! I can't believe it. It will be a great unit of study.

Reminders and Announcements

- Tomorrow, October 31st is our Harvest Festival from 10 - 11:30 AM. PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD WEAR FALL COLORS. Our booth is Tootsie Pop Coffee Filter Ghosts and should be simple yet fun. Several parents have donated the lollipops, and offered to help with set-up and clean-up as well as hanging out during the festival. Thank you!

- School dismisses immediately following the Harvest Festival at 11:30. Please call Kim if you need to sign your child up for Kids Camp.

- There is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, November 1st as we have Parent/Teacher Conferences. Please make sure you signed up for a conference and, if you are unable to make it on Tuesday, please let me know so we can make other arrangements. We do not provide child care during conferences. If you need to sign your child up for half or full-day Kids Camp, please call Kim.

- Please remember to send your child to school with water and tennis shoes.

- You now have the option to order pizza for your child on Thursdays. An email with the sign-up forms attached went out recently. Please let Kim know if you need these forms resent.

- Elaine Cafferillo has been selling SCRIPS giftcards before and after school on Fridays. There is a huge selection -- Giant, Sams Club, Starbucks, and Outback just to name a few. Using these cards rather than your credit or check card, checkbook, or cash for your expenditures greatly benefits the school, providing money back for every card sold. It is such an easy way to contribute to CDS, at no additional cost to you. Please check out the selection and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask. A little bit of planning can bring a lot of benefit to our school.

It will be another great week for the Sunbears. I hope you have a great week too!

Thanks for all of your support,

Annelise

Week of October 17

Highlights

What better way to begin a week than with a birthday to share with a classroom full of wonderful kids! Thank you to all for helping this be one of the best birthdays yet. And, then to end the week with a day as special and wonderful as Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day! It was fantastic!

In Language Arts this week we were writers, readers, creators, interviewers, and connectors. The kids worked hard on their personal narratives, employing new strategies for generating ideas, and beginning to look at the qualities of good writing. They certainly are eager and proficient writers and story tellers! We will continue our narratives this week, adding conferences and revision to our repertoire.

We also began making connections with text we read, more specifically learning how to note parts of text that remind us of something related to our lives. Paying attention to how stories and print can remind us of our own experiences forces the kids to look at text differently, and is the first strategy for making connections with what we read. This week we will talk about and practice making text to self connections as well. The students will practice these strategies in their independent reading books by keeping post-its nearby and writing the connections on post-its and sticking them next to the relevant text. We will also practice it as a class with our read alouds.

To end our last read aloud, Maniac Magee, we talked in depth about the book and the main character, listing characteristics that describe him. We then made comparisons between his attributes and our own, looking at specific times in our lives when we have demonstrated certain characteristics. Each student picked a shared attribute and illustrated scenes from his/her life and from Maniac's life when that attribute was prominent. It was wonderful to see what characteristics were chosen and the insightfulness that went into selecting the connecting scenes. Please take a minute to see these creations up on our walls in our room.

In Math, we continued to explore place value, comparing the place of a digit with the value of the digit. The students are practicing putting numbers in standard, expanded, and word form, strengthening their understanding of how our place value system works. This week we will be rounding numbers and jumping into number operations, from subtraction to multiplication. Tomorrow I will introduce Speed Racer, an individualized way for students to practice their math facts at the same time, at their own pace, while providing me with information about how each is progressing through their facts.

Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day was such a special event. The kids were delighted to share their classroom, work, and friends with all of our guests. It was heartwarming to hear each child give tours of the room, explain what we are up to in class, and talk about CDS in general. There was such pride and happiness in the air. And, the interviews were fun to listen to. The kids came up with the creative questionnaire as a class and had a blast interrogating their guest(s).

When asked what her greatest talent is, one grandmother responded with "talking". When asked what he wanted to grow up to be when he was a child, one grandfather responded with "smart". The responses were compared and talked about all the way to the Jefferson Theater for our WSC. Being at the Jefferson was such a treat and the kids did a great job! We then went to the park and ended our day and week at the library.

Reminders and Announcements

- Next Monday, October 31st, is our Harvest Festival. We will host an activity for which we will need volunteers to set-up, manage, and clean-up. Once we decide what our activity will be, I will let you know. SCHOOL DISMISSES FOLLOWING THE HARVEST FESTIVAL at 11:30 AM, unless your child is signed up for Kids Camp with Ms. Breeden. Please call Kim if you need to sign your child up.

- On Tuesday, November 1, we have Parent/Teacher Conferences and there is NO SCHOOL for the kiddos. If you need to sign your child up for Kids Camp, please call Kim. I will post a sign-up sheet with conference times tomorrow. Let me know if you are unable to meet on November 1st so we can set up a different time. Please note that care is not provided for children during conferences unless your child is signed up for Kids Camp.

- Hopefully we will be able to go to Riverview Park this week. We will meet tomorrow to determine the day and I will let you all know.

- Please help your child remember to bring his/her independent reading book to school on a daily basis.

There is no doubt that this will be another great and busy week! Please let me know if you have any questions.

All the best,

Annelise

Week of October 11, 2011

Highlights

While this past week was only four days, it was filled with activity and experience. In Language Arts, we launched our Writer's Workshop, beginning personal narratives. Different strategies for writing are introduced on a regular basis and the students are invited to use them as needed. They have been excited about their writing and have been showing more independence as they develop new strategies. This week we will continue with these personal narratives. Both Maniac Magee and Dear Mr. Henshaw are coming to a close. We read the final, tear-jerking pages of Maniac Magee on Thursday. What a fantastic book! This week we will reflect on both novels, making connections with the text and characters through discussion and projects, before starting new books next week.

In Math, we finished our Graphing Unit with an exciting game of Battleship using ordered pairs and a coordinate grid. Prior to that, we finished our circle graphs, learned when to use different types of graphs, and continued extracting data and information from graphs. The students took a pre-assessment in Number Operations and I am looking forward to diving into place value and rounding tomorrow. We will begin small group rotations tomorrow as well. You can expect DLA's in math at least twice a week from here on out.

In Social Studies, the class is continuing with Virginia geography and investigating each region. They continue to work on their brochures of the regions, and are reading text related to what they are studying. Mrs. Reed and I will be working to schedule a field trip in the near future.

Mother Nature forced us to postpone our field trip to the Rivanna River but we managed to get to the creek at Northeast Park. While there, we explored the creek, using screens to investigate the silt and look for life in the water. The kids had a blast! They were so excited to find living creatures, it was near impossible to get some of them out of the water. We will be rescheduling our trip to Riverview Park and I will update you with the details once we figure out what day works best. The kids are even more excited now that they got to practice at the creek.

Reminders and Announcements

- This week the schedule is going to be a bit different as we have Whole School Circle rehearsals on Tuesday and Wednesday and then have Grandparents'/Special Friends' Day on Friday.

- Please make sure your child brings tennis shoes on a daily basis. It is often helpful to have a pair that are left in the locker.

Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day Important Information

- If you have not already done so, please let me know by tomorrow who we can expect on Friday.

- In the event of rain, parents should expect to get their child to the Jefferson Theater for the Whole School Circle. If you are not planning to attend the WSC, please let me know so I can plan a ride for your child should it rain.

- Here is the schedule for Friday. Please read carefully and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Parents, We are looking forward to next week and having Grandparents & Special Friends join us. Please don't miss our first whole school circle at the Jefferson Theater and our Saturday Night Concert in the MAC. Here is the information you need so that everything runs smoothly! Grandparents & Specials Friends Weekend Events (GP Day, Whole School Circle at the Jefferson, Saturday Concert) 1) What to wear for the Whole School Circle? All students should wear a white shirt or the white CDS shirt and jeans or dark pants/skirt. 2) Friday Schedule a. For Grandparents (Itineraries Coming...) 9:00 - 9:10 Greeting at the Front of the MAC, Room Parents will escort to Session #1 9:10 - 9:35 Session #1 9:35 - 9:45 Transition/Snack in the MAC 10:10 - 10:25 Cubs & Panda Song in the MAC 10:10 - 10:30 Parents/Grandparents drive or walk downtown to the Jefferson (remember, most school parking is 2hours) 11:00 - Whole School Circle Starts at the Jefferson (Pandas and Older Performing) The Jefferson will open at 10am and there will be Coffee 11:45 - 12:00 Whole School Circle Ends 12:00 - Everyone leaves the Jefferson - End of Circle and Friday events b. For Parents 7:45 - 8:20 REGULAR MORNING DROP OFF 9:00 - please drop off Grandparents and Special Friends unless they are driving themselves; if you prefer to stay at school, you can stay for the 21st Century Education Presentation in the MAC (classrooms will be too crowded for parents to attend) If your child does not have a Special Friend or Grandparent attending we will match them up with a buddy OR one parent can be the "Special Friend" 10:10 - 10:20 Cubby Parents and Panda Parents can see a special "Music Class" in the MAC 10:25 - All Parents Driving Grandparents or Children to the Jefferson should be ready to get people in cars. (Teachers will send details.) 10:45 - Get your seat at the Jefferson Theatre - bring your cameras! 11:00 - Whole School Circle Begins 11:45/Noon - Circle Ends; Noon pick-up at the Jefferson (YOU MUST CHECK YOUR CHILD OUT WITH HIS/HER TEACHER) 12:00 - Kids Return to School 3:30 or 5:30 - Regular Pick Up 3) Saturday NIGHT Concert a. Please join us for a celebratory concert in the MAC. b. Featuring John D'earth and Pete Spaar! c. Heavy Hors D'oeuvres, Wine and great friends!!! d. Cocktail Party attire. e. Please come and bring Grandparents & Friends. f. RSVP to Kim kkotarski@charlottesvilledayschool.org or 817-2371 g. Our community deserves this celebration. Please make a commitment to attend. It means a lot to the whole faculty to see you there. Cottage Babysitting is available.

Week of 10/3/11

Dear Parents,

We are getting closer to a blog with photos to support. I have figured out how to add the photos, just not quite where I want them. Hopefully next week.

Highlights

Last week was as busy and exciting as usual. In Language Arts, we continued to read and discuss Dear Mr. Henshaw. We had really good conversation, diving into the less than obvious meaning of the book. These kids are quite insightful, adding meaningful comments, questions, and connections to our conversations. We will finish Dear Mr. Henshaw this week. We will also be wrapping up our read aloud, Maniac Magee. Once we finish both books, we will analyze our Newberry books and guess what criteria a book must have to be selected for a Newberry.

We have also been plugging away at our book summaries. Tomorrow we launch our Writer's Workshop, starting with personal narratives. We will work on these for the next few weeks and will end the unit with a Publishing Party in mid-November. I will keep you posted.

In Math, we created, analyzed, and interpreted line graphs and circle graphs. We will begin this week with coordinate grids which will end our graphing unit, for now. We will then jump into Number Sense and Operations. We will begin with pre-assessments and will then break up into groups where we will start N&O exploring place value.

In Social Studies, the class began a project about Virginia's five regions. With the information they have gathered and will continue to acquire through research and discussion, the kids are putting together brochures packed with important facts.

We welcomed our new batch of trout eggs last Tuesday during Science! The kids were so excited. Ms. Lockwood and Chubby introduced the class to the eggs and what they will need to do to take care of them. The trout are a great connection to our river studies. This Friday we go to Riverview Park and the Rivanna River. While at the river, the students will identify leaves from the trees surrounding the river, examine the rocks in and around the river, and will use instruments to investigate the river's water. It will be a great trip.

On top of all of this, we had Spanish, Music, and P.E., spent time with our Book Buddies, walked to Meade Park, and ended our week with a great trip to McGuffey Art Center. While there, we experienced many different styles of art, utilizing many different mediums. The exhibit Art for Heart, highlighting local children's painitings and photographs auctioned off to benefit the UVA Children's Hospital, was very touching. It was good to experience kids giving back to their community. Thank you Lindsay for bringing this to our attention.

Notes and Reminders:

- This Friday, we will be walking to Riverview Park. We will leave at 11:30 and will return by 3:30. We will eat lunch at the park, spend time at various science stations, and play on the playground before walking back to CDS. Please make sure your child wears appropriate clothing and shoes. Water shoes are great so long as your child can comfortably walk in them. Please pack an additional bottle of water for this trip and a brown bag lunch, using disposable containers and utensils.

- Friday, October 21st is Special Friends' and Grandparents' Day. On Saturday (October 22nd) you and your families are invited to attend a special concert with local musicians John D'Earth and Pete Spaar. Specific details about this wonderful event will be sent out soon.

- Monday, October 31st is our annual Harvest Festival. While details are soon to come, please note that school is dismissed following the Harvest Festival at 11:30 a.m.. If you need your child to attend our Kids Camp, please contact Kim Kotarski or Jan Breeden.

- Tuesday, November 1st are Parent/Teacher Conferences and there is no school for students. If you need your child to attend our Kids Camp, please contact Kim Kotarski or Jan Breeden.

* Our class is still in need of parent volunteers. We need people to help with Whole School Circles, class parties, Harvest Festival, Earth Day Celebration and more. If you are able to help, please sign up. I will post the sign-up sheet on our bulletin board. Thank you SO much!

As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.

All the best,

Annelise