Harvest Party Time!

On Friday, our class celebrated our Harvest Party!  The children all looked great in their costumes.  Even the teachers dressed up!

Here is The Cat in the Hat (Ms. Mirjah), The Statue of Liberty (Ms. Demsky), a Mouseketeer (Mr. Kefgen), a Pink Crayon (Ms. Josephson), a Leopard (Ms. Bryant), Miss Viola Swamp from the children's book Miss Nelson is Missing (Mrs. Woolsey) and a New Mom (Ms. Standand)!

Our class was also full of some great characters! 

A fairy princess (An'Niyia) dazzled us in her tutu and crown!

Our class chef (Dominique) was really cookin'!

2-4-6-8, who do we appreciate? Kesia!  Keisa!  Go Keisa!

The wolf (Ronin) tried to scare Little Red Riding Hood (Kyndal)!

There's a new sheriff in town...Sheriff Nico!

I couldn't have said it better myself, Noah!

("Who needs Halloween?  My sister scares me enough")



I don't know if the Joker (Keveon) can take on all those superheroes!  Optimus Prime (Morgan), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (Emmanuel), Batman (Romeo), Supergirl (Reigna) and Superman (Kyle) to the rescue!

I knew I was safe with ninjas Peyton, Kameron and Malik around!

In the morning, we combined with Ms. Mirjah's kindergarten class for some harvest fun!  First we made pumpkin mosaics to decorate our cubbies.

Then we played Harvest Bingo!  The first graders did a great job being leaders and helping the kindergarteners play the game.

We then practiced what we have learning in science and used our 5 senses to describe a pumpkin.  First we explored the outside of the pumpkin:

"It smells like dirt!" - Romeo

"I see something green on top." - Keveon

"It looks orange and round." - Emmanuel

"It feels smooth but with some bumps." - Noah

"It sounds like a door when you bang on it!" -Kyndal

Then we opened them up and explored the inside!

"It smells bleachy!" - Malik

"It tastes like vegetables!" - An'Niyia

"It feels cold and slimy!" - Reigna

"It looks like mud, but it's orange!" - Peyton



Finally, we all counted the seeds we pulled out of the pumpkins to see who had the most.  Reigna won by counting 153 pumpkin seeds!

We had such a great time!  We even got to trick or treat at every classroom.  The first graders did a great job of saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" to all the teachers.  We received many compliments from teachers on each floor about what great leaders we were for the younger kids!

Thank you to each family who donated treats for our Harvest Party!  I know the children had a great time!

NO SCHOOL ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2

This is a gentle reminder that there will be no school on Tuesday, November 2.  The other teachers and I will be participating in professional development.  School will resume the following day, Wednesday, November 3rd.

Dome Movie

On Monday, November 1st, our school will be welcoming the Dome Theatre into the gym!  This is a fun, portable, dome movie experience for the children.  Our class will be learning about dinosaurs!  A reminder was placed in your child's homework folder asking for $5.00 to be brought in prior to the movie.  Please remember to send your child in with their $5.00 by Monday, November 1st.  Thank you!

Harvest Party Volunteers Needed

This Friday, October 29th, our class will be having a harvest party!  In the morning, we will be working with Ms.Mirjah's kindergarteners for some fun fall themed activities.  In the afternoon, we will be trick or treating at each classroom.  I am looking for volunteers to join us for our celebration!  If you or any member of your family would like to join us for Friday afternoon, please let me know.  I am looking forward to seeing all the costumes this year!

Apple Orchard Fun!

We had a great time on Friday at Blake's Apple Orchard and Cider Mill!  The weather was beautiful and we took advantage of the brisk, clean apple-scented air!  As soon as we arrived, we ate lunch under a huge tent next to the orchard:

Then we all boarded the train to take us to where the apple trees were! 

Along the way, we drove through pumpkin patches, raspberry bushes and corn fields until finally, we reached our destination!

We had so many different apples to choose from!  The children were able to pick Ida Red, Red Delicious, Granny Smith and Gala apples right off the trees!  After picking apples, we headed back on the train for some fresh cider and donuts.  Along the way, we found some of the biggest pumpkins the children had ever seen!

We also got to play in the Barnyard Funland.  This included a petting zoo, playscape, haystack maze, truck tire obstacle course and games.  The most popular with our students was the HUGE haystack they could climb!

Needless to say, we were exhausted by the end of the day...

A special thank you to our chaperones Mrs. Booker (Kyle's mom), Ms. Miller (Romeo's grandmother), Ms. Ratliff (Keisa's mom) and Mr. Burton (Morgan's dad)!  We would not have had such a great time without your help!

Red Ribbon Week

Red Ribbon Week is the nation’s oldest and largest drug prevention program in the nation reaching millions of Americans during the last week of October every year. By wearing red ribbons and participating in community anti-drug events, young people pledge to live a drug-free life.

Our school will be supporting Red Ribbon Week by participating in the following themed days from Monday, October 25 - Friday, October 29.

Monday           Born to Be Drug Free
Students will bring in a baby picture of themselves to school                              to share with the class.

Tuesday          Sock it to Drugs
Students can wear crazy socks to school with their uniform.

Wednesday    Hats off to Saying No to Violence
Students can wear hats to school with their uniform.

Thursday        Team Up Against Drugs
Students can wear a sports jersey or shirt over their uniform.

Friday              Dress up in Good "Character"
Students can wear a costume to school.

No goblins, witches, masks, or weapons. Violations of these rules will result in a                                     phone call home and a change of clothing into school uniform. There will be planned activities
during class as well as safe trick or treating for your child at the end of the day.

Book Fair

Our school's Book Fair this year will be on November 3rd from 4:30-6:30pm.  We would like to invite you and everyone you know to visit our event.  There will be a great selection of books and fun items at the fair.  We will have literacy workshops and special book readings beginning at 5:00.  Get a jump on the holidays and start your shopping here.  Visit all of our literacy stations for your chance to be entered into the raffle for a free gift.

Silly BANDZ Day

In an effort to reduce the cost of camp, the fifth graders will be selling Silly BANDZ.

Your child will be able to purchase Silly BANDZ on: Tuesday, October 19 - Thursday, October 28 for only 50 cents. 


Students are only allowed to wear the bracelets on "Silly BANDZ Day," which is Thursday, October 28.

Purchasing:

Dates:  Tuesday, October 19 - Thursday, October 28

Cost:  50 cents a peice

Location:  Office Hallway

Time:  7:50a.m. - 8:20a.m.

Happy Birthday Noah!

This weekend, our very own Noah will be turning 6!  On Friday, Noah's parents surprised him with a class birthday celebration.  Here is Noah wearing our class birthday vest:

Noah and his proud parents!

Thank you Noah for sharing your special day with all our friends!

Noah was also chosen as this week's Shining Light!  He was selected because of his enthusiasm in everything he does, as well as his ability to motivate his classmates to try their best! 

Congratulations and happy birthday, Noah!

New AMPT schedule starts next week

Our new AMPT schedule from October 18 - Decemeber 3:

Monday - Music
Tuesday - Physical Education
Wednesday - Technology
Thursday - Music
Friday - Physical Education

Please remember to send your child in with gym shoes on Tuesdays and Fridays.  Those who do not have appropriate shoes to change into will be asked to sit out of most activities for safety reasons.

Also, we are very excited to be going to our first music class with Ms. Ritter!  Our class invited her to meet us earlier in the year since we wouldn't be seeing her until next week.  We taught her one of our favorite songs, "Going On a Bear Hunt!"  Check back for more updates about upcoming music concerts!

A few reminders

Please remember that the field trip money is due on Friday, October 15th.  The cost is $8.00 per student, as well as for chaperones.  I would like to thank all the parents who volunteered their time to accompany us next week!  The first 4 family members to ask were Morgan's dad, Keisa's mom, Kyle's mom and Romeo's grandmother.  I look forward to having the other interested families join us on the next field trip.  As the money must be turned in to Blake's, I will not be able to receive money past this Friday.

Also, milestone #2 is due next Thursday, October 21st.  This milestone is the 10 new facts that your child learned about the special place they selected.  A worksheet was included in your child's exhibition packet.  Please remember that the facts must be written in the child's handwriting and be in complete sentences.  Those who complete their second milestone will be able to join us on the field trip.  Unfortunately, those students who do not complete and turn in their second milestone on October 21st will not be able to join us next Friday at Blake's.  If there is any way that I can assist you and your family in completing this in the next week, please let me know.

Finally, our schedule will change next week, beginning on Monday, October 18th.  As our first social studies unit comes to an end this week, we are excited to begin science with Ms. Mirjah.  Also, our AMPT schedule will be changing as well.  That schedule will be posted soon.

As some families with older students know, MEAP testing began this past Tuesday.  While this state test is not taken by our students, it does alter the AMPT schedule for the next two weeks.  Our current AMPT is first thing in the morning, from 9-9:55am.  Please make every attempt to bring your child to school on time each morning as we are trying to accomplish our morning meeting in its entirety before we leave. I apologize for the disruption of the 1st graders normal routine.  I have not noticed any problems thus far, and would like to compliment the children on their positive attitude towards this new schedule. 

As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns.  Thanks!

Apple Orchard

So far we have two volunteers who are joining us on our trip to Blake's Apple Orchard.  Thank you to both Keisa and Kyle's moms!  Please let me know if you would like to come.  I am still looking for two more chaperones to go apple picking on Friday, October 22.  Thank you in advance!

Shining Light

This week, our Shining Light was Cheyanne.  She was chosen because of all the polite words that Cheyanne used this week.  She always remembered to say please, thank you and your welcome.  I am so proud of you, Cheyanne!

Fire Safety

On Wednesday, Firefighter Shane from the Detroit Fire Department came to talk to our village about fire safety.  The children talked about different things that can be hot, making a map with their families about where to go in case of a fire in their house and choosing a family meeting place to go outside of your home if you need to leave in case of a fire.

The children also practiced Stop, Drop and Roll if their clothes catch on fire.

Firefighter Shane explained to the children that sometimes firefighters can look a little scary when they have their full uniform on.  Mrs. Woolsey help demonstrate by putting on all the different parts of the uniform.  She started with the boots and pants...

then she put on the coat...

then the oxygen tank...

then the face mask...

and finally the helmet...

Show us your best firefighter pose, Firefighter Woolsey!

The children also talked about staying low to the ground if a room is filled with smoke.  Firefighter Shane taught us how to crawl under the smoke so that we could breathe cleaner air.  Then we all got to crawl under the fake smoke that Firefighter Shane brought!

Here are Reigna and An'Niyia as they entered the smoke:

Here are Kyndal and Keisa getting ready to crawl:

Emmanuel and Kyle showed they could crawl really low and fast!

Thank you Firefighter Shane for visiting and teaching us about fire safety!