Dear Parents,   

Monday, February13 is the 100^th day that the children will have attended school this year.  We will be celebrating “100 Day” with various activities about the number concept of 100.  I am asking that each child bring in:·         A set of 100 small objects such as buttons, pennies, toothpicks, shells, beans, noodles, etc., so that we can investigate these sets of 100 by grouping them into tens, counting them and discovering much about what makes 100.  For this activity it would be best if the objects cannot break apart (cereal, crackers) or roll around too much. 

Our class will also be exchanging our valentines on Tuesday, February 14 in the afternoon.  This is an optional activity.  I will send home a class list with each child.  If you choose to send treats, they must be pre-packaged with the peanut free symbol on them.  Any treats without the peanut free symbol on them will be sent home, according to school policy.  Please remember we cannot accept any treats that may contain traces of peanuts or may be manufactured on the same equipment that processes products with peanuts.  For this reason we are also not allowed to accept any homemade treats.  Kids enjoy stickers, pencils or erasers as alternatives to food items! 

In Language Arts, we are working to help the children develop their reading skills by using phonics, picture cues, and words that make sense, when decoding unfamiliar words.  When reading stories with your child, you may wish to look for: endings (s, ed, ing), compound words (ex. snowman), root words, and contractions (‘s, n’t).  It is beneficial to discuss the stories your child reads to you and to ask many types of questions including ones where your child will have to gather the information from the story and formulate an answer or opinion.  It is also very important to have your child retell the story.  All of the events, important details, and characters should be included in the retell. 

In Math, we will continue to study addition and subtraction.  Children are learning to realize the process that is required to solve a problem.  At home, please challenge your child with stories involving numbers and have him or her determine if it is a situation involving addition or subtraction, and what the answer is.  Please also continue practising addition and subtraction facts with your child.  We will also be studying 2-D shapes.  We continue to study the number system to 100 and counting patterns by 1’s, 5’s, and 10’s to 100.  Emphasis will be placed on what each two-digit number means, grouping tens and ones, and being able to print single two-digit numbers from memory. 

The children have received new Math,
Reading and Word Study duotangs for Term 2.  Thank you for sending them in September!  The 3 old duotangs may be kept at home now. 

Please continue to check with your child to see if he or she needs any pencils or colouring things. 

Thank you! 

Elizabeth Marshall