Holiday Concert

Thanks to everyone who came back Monday night for our Holiday Concert. It was a HUGE success. There were over 500 parents in the audience and the place was packed! The kids did a fantastic job singing. Joey, your solo was SUPER! The band also did an excellent job. It's hard to believe but Mrs. B's class put that entire play together in a little over 2 weeks. They did a great job with the bells in Jingle Bells. I heard some nice compliments from parents, including that this was our best concert ever! As always, thanks for your support.

Holiday Party

Someone requested a class list for our Holiday Party. Please look for it tomorrow in your child's backpack. It will be attached to a memo providing more information about our Holiday Party. Reminder: If you will be sending in a treat, please make sure it is a "healthy" snack. Just to let you know I have already received juice boxes and paper goods from Anthony's mom. If you need some ideas, here are a few suggestions:

• cheese and crackers
• cut up fruit
• mini muffins
• yogurt
• cup up vegetables and dip

Thank you!

Holiday Hat Fundraiser

Look for a memo coming home about our Holiday Hat fundraiser. On our last day before the break, December 23rd, send in $1.00 and your child can wear his/her favorite Holiday hat. All proceeds will go into the Long Branch Student Funds account. Don't be a Scrooge! Wear your favorite hat!

PTA Monthly Sale

The PTA asked us to remind all the parents that their monthly sale is scheduled for THIS Friday, December 19th. They will sell pencils, pens, notebooks, and other school supplies from 25 cents up to $2.00. If you will be sending your child in with money, please put it in an envelope labelled with your child's name.

Congratulations

Congratulations to Phillip and his parents for the new addition to their family. His mom finally had a baby girl on Friday night. She is now home and getting adjusted to her surroundings. Her name is Daisy Anna and Phillip says she looks just like him!

More Silent "E" Discussion

Many of you still are asking questions about long vowels and the silent "e". I know I have already posted the silent "e" video but I thought if you watched it again it might help with some of your questions.

Below you will see a list of long vowel words that you could use to make flashcards to help your child practice these words.

I also added a sample worksheet that could be used to practice writing long vowel words. See the picture below.

Here is a website phonicsworld.com that has some great worksheets and ideas for you to use.

FunBrain.com Website

FunBrain.com is an educational game website. Check out the video below to see what it has to offer!

Click to play

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas Music

Here is a sample of the song we will be singing for our Holiday Sing-a-long!

http://www.switchpod.com/users/ljscils598f08/IWantAHippo.mp3

Or, listen right here!

Long Vowel Sounds

We have been learning the long vowel sounds in reading and they are very hard for the kids to learn. Below is a video of how I teach them about long vowel sounds with the "silent e." Watch the video to help you get a better understanding of how to help your kids when you are doing reading homework with them.


Click to play

You can also find this video at my blip.tv station. Just click on the following link: http://ljscils598f08.blip.tv/file/1447045/

How to Navigate the District's Homepage

Check out this video about how to navigate the Long Branch School District Homepage. It will identify such things as the district calendar, the athletic schedule, and Gregory School information. If you still have any questions, please let me know.

Click here to view the video

Long_Branch_Home_Page_Tutorial

Pictures of Class Activities

If you have any pictures that you have taken at different class functions, please feel free to forward them to me and I will add them to our class Flickr pictures.

Don't Forget to Send In...

Don't forget to look for a picture of your child. I will be using these to make your child's holiday presents. Please send it in by Tuesday at the latest. Thank You!

Check It Out!

Check out the class wiki that accompanies this blog. It shows how to use some of the tools on this page. It also has great websites that both you and your kids can use. There are links to the district website, reference resources and book recommendation. The wiki also has a class calendar with homework and important dates, along with a chat room for you to use.