Happy Thanksgiving Newsletter!

I hope that everybody had an enjoyable thanksgiving weekend. If you are feeling tired or a little groggy, it could be lack of sleep and over excitement. It's more likely to be turkey - that is if you helped yourself to this favorite harvest feast pastime. Turkey contains a chemical known as tryptophan which increases an individual's fatigue level. So next time you can't sleep, don't count sheep - nibble on some turkey leftovers! Research seems to indicate that broccoli has the same effect.

This week is going to fly by, so we need to work hard to keep on top of the events at school and at home. On Friday any October book orders are due to Mrs. Thomson. It is also deli sandwich day for Friday lunch. If you have not placed a year order and would like to order by week, watch for the small yellow slip coming home with your child. The cost is $2.50, and needs to be returned Wednesday morning by recess. if you have ordered for the year, please just recycle any forms that come home.  Friday is also library returns, so please ensure that your child comes to school with the books they borrowed last week.

Spelling words this week are:  1. new  2. but  3. for  4. get  5. now.  Here is this week's try-it:  Try pouring a cup of salt or sugar into a 9 by 13 pan or tray.  Use your fingers to trace through the flour, salt or sugar and practice your spelling words.

In school this week we have started a new unit in gym - basketball skills!  We are learning to dribble, roll and pass balls to our classmates, and throw them in a hoop.  We are showing great sportsmanship in our basketball relay games, and that makes Mrs. Thomson very proud!  High five for grade one!

In our five senses unit for science we have moved on from sight and sound and are now learning about touch.  This week our grade one students will be bringing small items with varying textures as we learn about the different way things feel.  We will also be looking at Braille, a language consisting of raised dots on surface to aid individuals with poor or no sight, allowing them to read.

Because of national current events that are happening this week (federal election) our grade one class is interested in learning about the difference between rights and responsibilities.

Check out the side wall on our blog to see our growing list.  Some ones we have decided so far are these:  We have the right to learn, play, drink safe water, eat healthy food, have friends, and to give our ideas.  We have the responsibility to work hard and follow directions at school, to share and be kind to others, to not waste water, to limit the junk that we eat to keep our bodies healthy, to be a friend to others, and to wait our turn and respect other's ideas.  Continue to reinforce these ideas with your child.

Our class goal this week is to 'bee' joyful.  We are grateful last week to all parents who helped us find ways to 'bee' thankful.  What are some things this week that we can be happy about?  Can we find some things to choose to be happy about, though it might be more difficult?  One student in our class pointed out that he was happy to be healthy, even if that meant that sometimes doctors had to give needles (immunizations) and checkups to keep us growing strong.  What a bright idea!  

We appreciate all of the recyclable material donations that are coming in each week.  Keep sending whatever you might otherwise throw away.