Big week in our classroom!

Moments to remember
      If you have not heard about our exciting adventure watching the monarch butterfly life cycle, I would be amazed!   We were so fortunate to see the life cycle in action.  Just over a week ago, we witnessed one of our six caterpillars split his skin and saw the chrysalis emerge!   This week, the kids came in to school on Wednesday morning and commented on how dark one of the six chrysalis' was (they start out green), and the wings could be seen right through the walls of the chrysalis.  Then, within ten minutes, the butterfly emerged!   We saw the wings start out wet and crumpled.  The body was very large at first.  As the butterfly moved his wings to pump blood into them, they dried out, the body slimmed out, and he practiced flying in the net.   We ended our day outside to release him and watched him fly away!   The excitement in their eyes, words and actions was fantastic to watch!   Then, the very next day, two more butterflies emerged just before the kids arrived at school, so we got to do it all again!

Clifford Day
     Today we celebrated Clifford, the big red dog's birthday!   His real birthday is in early September.  Thank you to Missy Eustice and her daughter Sydney for baking cupcakes for us!  We did several Clifford activities in class, read some Clifford stories, and of course watched a Clifford movie!

Friday Folders
     This week your child has more than usual in the "Return to School" side of the folder.  For class, there is a math paper (practice test) and Short I word strips along with an opportunity to volunteer in our classroom and a form to fill out for our classroom phone book.   For the office, there is a parent teacher conference form to fill out and return as well as some other optional opportunities.  Normally there is not so much to return.   In the "Keep at Home" side of the folder are this week's newsletters from both the office and our classroom.   Note the spotlight on our class in the office newsletter this week!  This week's story from our reading series along with the two decodable books, which highlight the short I vowel sound and the final X sound in words, are also in the folder.  Please have your child read these to you at home.  If the stories are not fluent, please practice often.  Keep these at home in the special yellow reading folder, which I sent last week.

Show and Tell next week
   The topic for next week will be to bring in an item that reminds you of fall!   We did a couple of fall activities yesterday, but will do more with the new season next week.  We were side tracked a bit with our butterfly excitement and Clifford activities.

Check out the links
     If your child has not seen this blog, please take some time soon to share it with him/her.  They do know about the blog, and have asked me when I take photos if I am going to post them on "our" blog!  You may also enjoy trying out some of the links to various web sites.  There are some very neat games and activities that are free and would be a much better use of time than watching cartoons and playing Mario on the Wii.   Spread the word to others in our class if you enjoy reading our blog.  If you have not signed up to receive emails when we post, you may want to consider doing that as well.  You will get an email each time we post so you will not miss a thing and do not have to remember to check on your own!

Book orders
     Orders were due today.  I will send the order out on Monday, and it usually takes two weeks or so to get them.  Thank you for your order.  Each dollar spent earns us a bonus point, which I use to order books for our classroom library.

WEB (Wonderfully Exciting Books)
     This program starts up in early October.  I am looking for volunteers to commit to 90 minutes per week or biweekly to help listen to children read.  This is super easy and very rewarding.  If you are interested, please send in the blue paper, which is in your child's Friday Folder today.  More information will be coming home soon about WEB.

Paper Newsletter
     You can read about each subject area's progress in our paper newsletter this week, which is also in your child' Friday Folder today.  If you have questions or concerns, please feel free to email me or call school and leave me a voice mail.  I will try to get back to you as soon as I am able.