"Commotion in the Ocean" is finally here!

Dear Parents:

The kids were so excited this morning! We began rehearsing in the theater for our big show on Friday! I hope that you will all be able to be there! We will have a dress rehearsal on Thursday morning for the lower school students and teachers. Please have your child wear jean shorts, skirts, or skorts on both Thursday and Friday this week. We will have the t-shirts they made waiting to put on them Thursday morning. They will only wear them for the dress rehearsal so they will stay clean for Friday. We will send the t-shirts home on Thursday afternoon so the children should come to school dressed in them Friday. Please don't forget!

I want to thank you for practicing the speaking parts with your children. They came back to school last Tuesday and did a great job! Please continue to practice with them this week on volume and expression!

This week in...

Reading/Language Arts: The spelling and wall words this week are vocabulary from our study of dolphins. They are toothed, bottlenose, echolocation, flipper, dolphin, trap, safe, slap, turn, and sound. Please be sure to practice these words daily with your child. Again, the children need to be able to read them, spell them, and know their meaning. We continue to read mostly non-fiction books and learn how to use all the features to help us research, find information, and learn from these texts.

The children will be bringing home books about the dolphin in their reading folders this week. Don't forget the "making words" activity in the reading folder. This is a part of their assignment. Please make sure that this assignment is complete and turned in by Monday.

Writing Workshop: We continue with our non-fiction writing unit. We hope to publish our "How-To" books and begin our "All About" books.

Math: We will review fraction concepts, compare fractions, and introduce the idea that fractional parts of a whole have many names (equivalent fractions).

Science: Did you see us in e-bytes? The children enjoyed learning about whales last week and seeing just how big they are! They particularly enjoyed experimenting to see how blubber helps keep the whale warm in the cold ocean waters. Check it out if you didn't read it yet! I put some pictures in this blog as well. Our main focus in our ocean unit this week will be dolphins which, as your child learned last week, is a toothed whale. We will be reading and researching about these gentle and intelligent creatures, writing about them, observing them in video, and exploring many attributes about them. You will be amazed with all the children have learned! Our show is this Friday and promises to be an exciting adventure through the sea!

Volunteers this week:

* Tuesday - Art - Kristen Danielson - Kristen is out of town this week. Is there someone that would be able to replace her? (12:05)
* Library Check-out has ended. All books are due back by this Wednesday!
* Friday - Parent Reader - Dean or Gretchen Walsh (2:15)

Other Important Reminders/Dates/Information:

Our last library check-out day will be this Thursday! All library books must be turned in by this Wednesday, May 11th!

First Grade Program: Commotion in the Ocean is this Friday, May 13th at 8:30 a.m. Children will wear jean shorts/skirts/or skorts with their "Commotion in the Ocean" t-shirts.

Splash Day May 18th with a rain make-up date of May 25th.

Field Trip to Florida Aquarium May 26th - Students will wear their "Commotion in the Ocean" t-shirts with jean shorts/skirts/skorts. If you would like to join us, please send in your reply with a check for $7.00 by this Friday, May 13th. Parking will be $3.00 per car. Unfortunately, parents may not use Aquarium memberships for admission.

End-of- the- Year Party - Tuesday, May 31st - Students again may wear their "Commotion in the Ocean" t-shirts with jean shorts, etc.

Last Day of School - Wednesday, June 1st, noon dismissal

See you Friday!
Susan and Beth