A Very Specials Newsletter
October, 2016
What's Happening in the Library
Book Fair!
October in the library means it's book fair time! This year you will be able to shop the book fair at school between October 25-27, or online between now and November 4th! Online order will be sent to the school for free at the conclusion of the online book fair. Either option provides the school with money for new books!
Shop here: http://www.scholastic.com/bf/junethompsonelementarysch2
Makerspace!
We'll be having our first round of Makerspace in the library October 17-19. This is a time for students to learn through creative play, collaboration, and trial and error. As you clean out your houses, please keep us in mind if you have craft supplies, legos, etc. that you're looking to get rid of. We'll gladly create with them!
Story Book Pumpkin Patch!
It's time for our 3rd annual story book pumpkin patch! Families are encouraged to create a pumpkin that looks like an adored story book character. The only rule is that they can't be carved. Carved pumpkins can rot! Get more information, and some inspiration here:
http://thompsonlib.weebly.com/character-pumpkin-patch.html
Reading Olympics!
The October challenge can be done two ways. You can create a pumpkin for the pumpkin patch, or color a paper pumpkin. Get the flyer and a sneak peak at this month's Pokémon at our library website:
http://thompsonlib.weebly.com/reading-olympics.html
Mrs. Wiggins Wants to Know!
Our campus goal is to encourage more writing. I'll be asking a monthly question for students to answer. By answering the questions, they'll be entered into a random drawing for prizes each month. This month's question is...
What book character would you want to dress up as and why? Answer in 3-5 well written sentences.
Answer the questions by clicking HERE
What's happening in P.E.
The Month of October we will be skating!!
K-2 will be focusing on skate safety. They will be practicing putting on the gear and learning why it’s important to wear the gear, how to skate safe in neighborhoods, and learning some basic skate maneuvers.
3-5 will focus on learning new skating skills and touch on skate safety. It is important for them to know this can be a lifelong sport. Skate 101 focuses on educating them on following the rules of the road, skating on appropriate surfaces, and learning how to turn to maneuver around obstacles.
What's Happening in Art
We are working on some wonderful projects in Art this month.
-5th grade is going to begin their Day of the Dead metal tooling project.
-4th grade will begin their Lego portraits.
-3rd grade is finishing up their OP art compositions.
-2nd grade just finished their self-portraits which are turning out awesome. ----Kinder and 1st are learning about line and are drawing a person with crazy hair using a variety of lines to create the hair.
What's Happening in Music
Music in October:
Thompson’s musicians have started October strong! Here is what lies ahead this month.
Kindergarten & 1st Grade are singing fall and Halloween songs this month and playing some fun seasonal music games. Their focus concept this month is demonstrating and recognizing the difference between beat and rhythm.
2nd Grade is also singing seasonal songs and playing seasonal music games. They are also working hard on xylophone mallet technique. Check out their hard work below!
3rd Grade is diligently preparing for their Literacy Night performance on October 25th. Come out and support them as the perform “Seussical the Musical”!
4th & 5th Grade will be working on mallet technique and ensemble skills the month. They are also keeping their rhythm reading skills sharp! 4th grade is focusing on sixteenth notes and 5th grade is focusing on syncopation this month.
Cougar Choir: T-shirts have been ordered and will be arriving by the end of the month. There will be no choir rehearsal on Monday, October 31st. Have a safe and fun Halloween!
What's Happening In Counseling
Guidance Lessons this cycle will focus on making good choices, not giving in to peer pressure, and being an Upstander. Peer pressure begins at an early age and kids need the skills say no to healthy and unkind behaviors.
3rd -5th grade will read and discuss how to deal with peer pressure and how to become leaders and make healthy choices. We will read a series of books along with some games and clips:Hunter’s Best Friend at School, a story about a classmate who is very silly and tries to get his other classmates to be silly too. This lesson reinforces the idea that we don’t have to follow what our friends are doing if they aren’t making the right choices.
The Band Aid Chicken. They are learning the importance of being an “Upstander” and standing up for what is right and not to pick on others.
We will be learning how not to get caught in the web of peer pressure. We will be are practicing the following steps to say “No” and still keep their friends:
1. Ask Questions (what are we going to do?)
2. Name the Trouble (that’s...)
3. Identify Consequences
4. Suggest an alternative (why don’t we…)
5.Making good decisions independently is hard enough as kids get older, and kids are surrounded by peer influences. You can remind your child that its normal to listen to and learn from other friends in their peer group, and some peers have a really positive influence, but it is up to your child to make safe and healthy choices instead of giving in to bad influences. It is a hard thing to say no, but see if they have at least one other friend who can join your child in walking away fro peer pressure. Have someone else willing to say “no” will take the power away from the peer pressure and possibly make it easier to resist. Remind your child that, if he or she continues to face peer pressure, talking to a trusted adult can help him or her feel better. You can role-play how to say no or how to come up with an alternative response and walk away from a situation that may get your child in trouble. Peer pressure is tough for, but the more you talk about and practice with them, hopefully the easier it will become to say no in the future!
What's Happening in Computer Lab
Kinder:
Kinder kids are learning the basic parts of the computer and how to control the mouse.
1st grade:
1st grade is touching on internet safety! When they are done with this unit they'll be moving on to the basics of Microsoft Word
2nd grade:
Second grade is diving into more advanced features of Microsoft Word like layering pictures and spell check.