Hi All,
Happy Halloween -- almost!  I imagine many of you have begun your celebrating. We will have the traditional parade at school tomorrow, at 10:30. Your Room Parents, Karrie and Laura, have planned a great lunch party immediately after the parade. Thanks to all who are helping with this party, and to those of you who've sent in contributions for party expenses. At home, I encourage you to have your kids sort and count any trick-or-treating candy; it's a great math activity! Also, please keep candy at home during this week, as the kids are pretty excited without adding in the extra sugar.

In class, we are working hard on our Information Writing. Kids are focusing on learning how to organize and write this kind of paper without the added stress of research, so they're writing about topics they already know a lot about.  Later in the year, they'll write a research report. In math, we are continuing to work on double digit multiplication, and story problems that call for it. However, the kids are learning many conceptual ways of addressing this sort of multiplication, rather than the standard algorithm we all learned but didn't necessarily understand. Ultimately, they will learn the standard algorithm as well! Kids are also learning about food chains in science, and will wrap up this science unit with a food chain art project.

Finally, I still need a few more volunteers if we are to go on our field trip to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Right now I have drivers that can take about half the class. The aquarium limits us to 1 chaperone for every 4 students, so people that can take lots of kids would be ideal. In addition, you must have volunteer clearance from the district, which means a TB test and fingerprints on file with the office. Just to be clear, we are not simply visiting the aquarium, but will be participating in a lab in their classroom space as well.

Have a great week, hopefully with the right amount of rain, at the best times!

Carroll Mayer