Hi there,

We started off the day working on a comprehension activity.  This is going to be a new focus of our classroom as I aim to have students' comprehension levels rise and improve.  We read a short story together today, and then the children had to re-read the story independently and answer the four corresponding questions.  I suggest that all children make comprehension/summary questions a part of their nightly reading routine to help improve this skill at home as well.  They will be bringing home their marked comprehension activity with them tonight.  In language the children also worked on root words, suffixes, picture words and cursive.  In our IB unit of Inquiry we read a book called 'The Kids Solar Energy Book' that focused on the importance of solar energy.  It also highlighted some of the environmental problems with other sources of energy.   Ask your child tonight to share some of these interesting facts with you.  After reading, the children got into pairs and worked on summarizing the importance of energy in the environment.  In math today the children worked on length (grade one) and combining numbers to make ten (grade two).  They also went to french and music classes.

Homework:  Read for 15 minutes and record in the reading chart, practice weekly spelling words, cursive page 80- 81, math page 108 - 109, and Letters and Sounds page 86 - 87.

Important information:  Tomorrow after school there is going to be a FREE demonstration class offered by the You Got Dance coaches.  This is for any student who is/may be interested in signing up for the new dance class being offered at SJA.  Tomorrow's class is free and can be taken by any students who would like to see what the class is going to be about.  The free demonstration will begin at 3:40pm tomorrow.  Please email/call Mr. Browning for more information about tomorrow's session.

The next Parent Guild meeting which is taking place on January 11th, 2012.  Please make a note of this important meeting.

A month or so ago our class submitted poems to the Polar Expressions contest.  The winners for the contest have their poems/stories published in a book.  We are lucky enough to have winner selected from our class that are going to have their poems published in the Polar Expressions book!  Please keep an eye out for a letter with the winning notification in your child's home folder tonight.

The SJA Gala has been scheduled for February 11th, 2012.  It begins at 6pm.  More details will soon follow but please mark this important event on your calendars!

Thank you to all the families that have been making a point to read and sign your child's agenda nightly.  Most children are doing really well with this new system and I have encouraged them to keep up the good work!  Thank you for helping to keep the lines of communication open.

Best regards,

Mrs. Nelson