Brrr its cold outside!

I hope you are all staying warm these last couple of days! Its hard to get motivated to get out and do when its that cold.

This week is flying by, the whole month of February I feel is flying by too. This week in French we are finishing up the booklets J'aime...Je n'aime pas. We are also working on writing small stories, where students can chose to write what they wish or follow a repetitive text. This story will be evaluated for their report card. I have told the students that I am looking for neat printing, spaces between words, periods at the end of their sentences and that their sentences make sense. We are reviewing vowels and their sounds. We have a weekly message and each morning we work on a different concept or strategy. The students are loving this and find it so silly when I mix up the sentences. I must say, some of them are getting better and picking out the mistakes by simply listening to me read it a loud.

In math we have finished our testing of counting by 2,5,10 as well as identifying written numbers up to 20. They also had to fill in the missing numbers on a hundreds frame. They students got to play with the geoplan boards the other day. It was interesting to see them trying to manipulate the elastic into shapes. We played a game of what am I, where I give characteristics of shapes and the students have to represent them on their geoplan.

In English we are finishing up our colours booklet and we will be working on a small story about ourselves. If any of you would like to volunteer your time once a week to come in and read with the students we would greatly appreciate it. If you are interested please let me know. Don't forget if you have time to practice the English sight words! You could always play tic-tac-word!

In social studies we have been talking about the environment, how to be responsible and how we all have responsibilities at home, at school and in our communities. I had chatted to some of you about my ideas on creating a project that the students can do at home to help them with their listening skills and make them more responsible....aka  doing chores! I found the perfect sheet at Scholars choice the other day. I have laminated it so you may use it over and over again!! I will be sending them home on Monday in the reading package. You may keep these home to use. My goal for doing this project is to have the students work on listening skills, once you tell them their chores or to go do their chores they are to listen to you the first time. NO REPEATING! This requires you to think of a consequence though, so I am relying on you all to be tough! I will send home a note attached with more details. Here are some  articles I read about how to make kids listen... I am trying some of the strategies in class.

http://www.smartclassroommanagement.com/2010/03/20/how-to-get-students-to-listen-to-you/
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/parenting/discipline-behavior/25-ways-talk-so-children-will-listen

In religion we are learning about paraboles. If you have not done so yet please send in the meaning and reasoning why you named your child. I am loving reading the ones so far, each one of them have touched me!

Tomorrow we have a theatre group coming in to present to the students. On Friday there is also another group coming to present to the students and in the afternoon the students will have their Valentine's dance. Students are asked to wear pink and red that day. If you wish to send in valentines I will be sending home a class list with the students names. You might notice a new name on there, we are suppose to get a new student Monday.

I think that is all this week.
Stay warm,
Laurie Anne