All Around the World

C-O-N-T-I-N-E-N-T-S! Continents! Continents! Oh, YES!
 How many are there? SEVEN! SEVEN!
Now can we name them? OH YES!
 We started around the world today and boy was it a good trip! I can't wait to start our study of Africa tomorrow. I have some great Caldecott winners and some traditional African art and music to share.

 As for today, we played a reading game with ping pong balls, practiced writing our numbers, started learning our poem for October and reviewed our colors in Spanish. We did a worksheet to help us remember to look for shapes in all pictures and read a book about counting money. We started our 'continents book' and sang a song about the 7 continents.
 Interested in details about what we did today? Don't hesitate to ask!

 Our October recitation:
 Fall Song
 Ellen Robena Field

 Golden and red trees
Nod to the soft breeze,
As it whispers 'winter is here'.
 And the brown nuts fall
At the loud wind's call,
For this is the Fall of the Year.

 Good-by, sweet flowers!
Through bright Summer hour
s You have filled our hearts with cheer
We shall miss you so,
 And yet you must go,
 For this is the Fall of the year.

 Now the days grow cold,
As the year grows old,
And the meadows are brown and sere;
 Brave robin redbreast
 Has gone from his nest,
For this is the Fall of the year.

 I do softly pray
 At the close of day,
That the little children, so dear,
May as purely grow
As the fleecy snow
That follows the Fall of the year.

October Newsletter

There are so many things that I would love to do in school. There just isn't enough time. Unfortunately, a lot of things, a lot of really COOL things have to be cut to make room for, well, cooler things. So, in order to sleep at night I have to assume that parents are supplementing at home.
Last year I did a really big, huge, awesome unit on Columbus. I don't think I will have time to go in depth this year. It is up to you Mom and Dad. Fill it in. I am taking the "Columbus Day is on a Monday, when we don't have school" excuse. I feel okay with that.

Also National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day. It doesn't fit into our schedule. You know it will fit into MY schedule. . .maybe weekly. I hope it fits into yours, too, because if not that is just sad. I mean, skipping Columbus is a slight to our country history, but skipping cheesecake? Now that is a slight to humanity.