The First 3 Days of School

AND WE'RE OFF

TO THE START OF

A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR !

This has been a very exciting and educational first "week" of school. The first few days were filled in part with learning the perfunctory "rules" of the school. Starting first thing Wednesday morning we had a special all school Gathering. Mrs. Wollum explained all the important "Playground Safety Rules" and students were taken outside and shown precisely how to use the equipment and how to stay safe.

Back in the classroom we learned about "sanitary safety" which is the need to always either wash our hands with soap and water or use the antibacterial "Germ-X" solution when we arrive in the classroom each morning. We reviewed how to keep germs at bay. I walked off 20 feet to demonstrate how far a sneeze can actually travel if one does not cover his/her face. I can not stress enough how vital it is that we all take the necessary precautions to always keep our hands clean, not only when the students enter the classroom in the morning, but when they return from recess prior to snack, before eating lunch, and upon their return from lunch recess. I mention this as one of the ways we can help each other to be as healthy and respectful of the health of others as we possibly can.

Throughout these first 3 days, students were given both informal and formal assessments in Math, Reading and Spelling. These assessments, along with other subjects, will continue throughout the following weeks.

While reviewing number 7 on our homework homework, I asked the class if they ever wondered why September was the 9th month when the first 4 letters in "sept", really means 7, as in French, even though it is the 9th month of our calendar year. I also reviewed how October was origionally the 8th month, "octo" meaning eight as in "octopus"; November the 9th (neuf in French for 9) and December as the 10th as in "deca" for ten. Students also learned about Julius Caesar, who incidentally did not invent the Caesar salad, and also learned about Augustus Caesar. With the egotistical Julius Caesar inserting two additional months between June and September named for himself, Julius, ie. July, and for his nephew, Augustus, ie. August, we then had the 7th month of September being bumped to 7 plus two (for the two additional months) so September now became the 9th month. Ditto for October the eighth month plus 2 extra months to then become the 10th month; the origional 9th month of November becoming 9 plus 2 for the 11th month; and of course December then becoming the 12th month. They loved learning about this!! They're a great class.

We created our Time Capsules and invited the Navigators in to open theirs from last year. It was great fun getting to see how much they had grown from the beginning of last year to this year. This year's Beacons were quite excited to get to make their own and open them next year!

We began our trimester unit on World Cultures and Geography this Friday. We'll be packing our suitcases and taking a trip around the world to visit the 7 continents and identify indigenous animals for our passport stamp. Our first stop is a Safari in Africa! We'll first be learning about reading maps for we don't want to get lost in the African jungle! More on our continental expedition next week!

Even though parents were e-mailed their child's first day of school photos, I've posted them below this entry for you all to see. ENJOY!

The next time you enter the Beacons' classroom, make sure you look straight ahead for you'll see their outstanding self portraits that they completed on Friday during art. They look amazing!

As you know, the Friday Folders went home today on Friday and all parents are to look inside, get their child's homework/classwork and pertinent school information, as the Puyallup Fair's free entrance ticket ! Parents are to then sign the sheet inside the green Friday Folder. Students are to return it every Monday. Of course the exception is this Monday, Labor Day. We look forward to seeing your Beacon bright and early on Tuesday.

"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."

~John Dewey

Here's to a great start for an amazing school year!

Until next week,

Betsy and Tamara