Scarecrows! Pumpkins! The Color Run!

We listened to many different stories about scarecrows this week, and created scarecrows of our own!

We used little crows to do some scarecrow math. 

Our new coping skill was "count to 5"...counting slowly helps us calm down and gives us time to think and calm down when we are in the yellow zone (frustrated, upset, mad). 

We had so much fun at the Color Run! 

Our new coping skill is "ignore the behavior". We practiced ignoring things that a classmate might do to bother us, such as stick out their tongue, call us names, or try to tease us...we turned our eyes and faces away and did not talk to the person we were ignoring. It is important for students to learn that giving attention sometimes makes the problem bigger, and taking away our attention may make it stop. Ignoring is an easy first step students can try for small problems.

We finished up our Laura Numeroff books by reading "If You Give a Dog a Donut" and "If You Take a Mouse to School" - these books were very well liked by our class!

We began creating some fall art to go along with some books about leaves and squirrels. 

We had another practice fire drill and a tornado drill - practicing helps us know what to expect and what we need to do to remain safe at school. 

We got our school pictures taken on Friday - we think we looked pretty good!

We introduced a fun, new center this week...

...and we continue to work hard building our stamina for writing in our journals. I am sending home our September journals and we will begin a new journal next week for October. 

Our PTA would love to have a parent from every classroom attend their monthly PTA meetings - it is a great way to meet people and become involved in our school. If you would be interested in attending and representing our classroom, just let me know. I am including the PTA meeting dates here:

WLE PTA Meeting Dates

Please join us in the Media Center from 7-8 pm

Find out what's happening at WLE!
Hear updates from our PTA Board and Principal, Beth Timlin.
We will plan for upcoming PTA events.
Free childcare for school-age children.

Upcoming PTA meetings:

Sept 9, 2019                  Jan 6, 2020                  May 4, 2020

Oct 7, 2019                    Feb 2, 2020

Nov 4, 2019                   Mar 2, 2020

Dec 2, 2019                   Apr 6, 2020

If you give a Mouse a Cookie and other books!

We read many Laura Numeroff books this week, including "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", "...a Moose a Muffin", "...a Pig a Pancake" and "...a Cat a Cookie". These books are a great way to understand cause and effect. 

We introduced the Coping Skill, "move away". It is important for students to understand that they shouldn't tease, touch, get close to someone who is already upset...they should move away from the situation. 

                                

We had a fantastic practice fire drill on Tuesday morning - everyone did a great job! 

We noticed that our monarch chrysalis had turned dark, almost black...and then on Monday we saw that a beautiful monarch butterfly was flying in the butterfly habitat. We were able to observe it and let it go out the window!

                            

When we went to the Media Center, we were able to use the computers there!

We sat with partners to share book boxes for partner reading!

Apples and our author study...

We read more apple themed books this week, and used a real apple to print a head for a Johnny Appleseed project. 

We also finished our Leo Lionni author study. We read "Fish is Fish" and "A Busy Year". Our books are ready to go home!

We spent some time talking about the green, yellow and red zones. The red zone is when we feel very angry and really lose control. People in the red zone are often unsafe, and others feel uncomfortable around them. People in the red zone need to use a coping skill or let an adult help them get calm and safe. We talked about a new coping skill: Stop and take a Break. Students are encouraged to just stop - stop working, stop talking, stop arguing...and take a few minutes to just sit quietly. They are never in trouble for taking a break. You can review deep breathing, getting help and stop/take a break with your child at home- praise them when you see them using these coping skills. 

We worked together to make this fall bulletin board in the hallway. Can you find us hiding in the leaves? 

We are working hard at being learners and building our stamina for challenging tasks!

***Reminder - next Tuesday, Sept. 17, is a half day of school for students. 

A Peek at Some of our Routines...and a new coping skill.

Every morning we meet outside our classroom and say/read these words together. They help us begin our day knowing that our room is a happy place and that everyone is loved and cared for. 

During our morning group time, we take turns being the morning greeter. This gives us an opportunity to choose how we'd each like to be greeted: a handshake, fist bump, high five or a hug. We also have practice learning our classmates' names. 

We continued our Leo Lionni author study this week and read "A Color of His Own","Inch by Inch" and "The Enormous Egg". We're working hard on creating special pages for each book we read! 

We also have been reading some folktales about Johnny Appleseed, and created some Johnny Appleseeds of our own! We used special chalk to make some colorful apples too.

We introduced a new coping skill this week - "Get Adult Help", and learned how to raise our hand and wait quietly for teacher help in the classroom. Getting help for problems is a great strategy - whether we are feeling sad, can't do our work or are having problems with a friend. We learned about the "yellow" zone this week too. When we are frustrated, upset, or annoyed, we are in the "yellow zone". This is a great time to stop and use a coping skill - yellow is like a warning signal that we are beginning to lose control. A coping skill will help us get back to the green zone. 

We also learned what to do when a direction is given...we practiced stopping, listening, saying "OK" and then doing it fast! 

A fourth grade classroom gave us a surprise! It was a Monarch Butterfly Chrysalid. We have it in a butterfly habitat and are waiting for it to come out so that we can let it go! 

Curriculum Night for parents only will be on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 6:00. We ask that children do not come to Curriculum Night. I hope many of you will be able to come!