This week in FLK-3: After our trip to Apple Land, things were coming up apples!

In Language: We learned two new sounds, Nn and Cc/Kk, and started building words using letter tiles for S,A,T,I,P,N. We learned the difference between letters and words. We discussed sounding out words using our Jolly Phonics and having to learn those dreaded POPCORN words that just POP up and dont follow the Jolly Phonics rules, ex. the, what, etc. We added 6 POPCORN words to our word wall. I have begun individually assessing each child for reading levels to make reading groups. Our Star Students this week were Liam and Isaiah..thank you gentlemen! Nicely done! In Gym: Fall reigned! We ran an apple relay, an apple spoon race, and hugged an apple between ourselves and a friend and raced sidestepping..really funny to watchand do!!!! We ran a pumpkin relay and played Rake the Leaves. Isaiah was a great first rake while Hayden was quite the forceful wind!!! In Religion: We celebrated Fall in our many different Fall activities and read the best apple book ever written, The Giving Tree. We watched part of a YOUTUBE video of the Plain White Ts singing The Giving Tree. We made the connection that the tree was like God because it gave the boy everything he needed and only wanted to make the boy happy. We discovered, surprisingly, that the boy was a bucket filler! Each and every time the boy received something from the tree, the tree was happy. Bucket fillers make others feel happy. A truly AWESOME book! Science: We used many of Falls bounty for our learning this week.walnuts, acorns, apples, cedar seeds, mini pumpkins, etc. We had a great day at Apple Land

and discussed our trip. Most of the children voted the sand hill as being their favourite part! Go figure! We made applesauce. We reviewed and sequenced the life cycle of an apple tree. Using an apple to begin our discussion, we discussed why objects sink or float. We performed our own experiment using big sciencey words like hypothesis and investigate! We learned that objects float if the water they displace ( or move out of their way) weighs MORE than the object itself. This lesson pointed out the very broad knowledge base of some of our students possess very impressive! In Fine Motor Development: We used small and large curved and straight lines to build Nn and Cc/Kk. We used plasticine to design boats that would float. Special kudos to Hayden, Megan D., and Liam who really persevered at this task! Wow! Some worked on letter formation of N,n,C,c,K,k while others colored. Some of us used apple stamps at the craft table. In Art: We continued on with the fall theme of apples and made our very own Stained Glass apples. Using Mac Tac, Construction paper and Tissue Paper we made our own version of stained glass widows in the shape of apples. The turned out beautiful and will look awesome up on our class windows! In Music, Drama and Dance: We celebrated fall during our lunch and classics this week by listening to Vivaldis Four Seasons Concerto of Fall. The children loved it and the atmosphere at lunch was very relaxing! Dance parties have also continued on this week at the end of clean up and yes that train still keeps on happening! In Mathematics: We counted up to 22 days of school using various visuals and manipulatives. We practiced different ways of showing numbers. We had a number scavenger hunt in the class. We each chose a leaf from outside and then graphed our findings. We were able to read a surprising amount from the graph! We predicted if an apple would sink or float and then tried. We weighed an apple in plastic bears. We estimated the number of walnuts, acorns and cedar seeds in jars trying to use some strategy instead of blindly guessing. In Personal and Social Development: We have seen the development of many new friendships in the class this week! The children are now settled into the class atmosphere and are exploring new relationships with friends, which is always

wonderful to see. We are becoming a class where everyone is working and playing together and ensuring that everyone is included!

In Inquiry/Directed Play: We have yet to find a focus of the whole class. Many of the children are playing house and the game has become rather elaborate with pets on the move all over the classroom. We have started a conversation on what animals need to survive and the children have hit all of the major elements of survival themselves. After having this conversation and making a list the children made modifications to their game allowing for better living arrangements for the pets. The creation of portals remains a favourite of the builders in the class! The have become much larger and far more elaborate this week which is very impressive!

Upcoming Events:
October 4 and October 18 we are encouraging children to bring their own bike helmets to school..there are several tricycles available to ride. If you dont have a helmet, were sure we can share. October 10 Class Thanksgiving Celebration- please have your child bring a favourite snack and one to share with a friend. We will set all the snacks on the Sharing Table and have a Feast! October 11- PA day no school for students Thursday October 18 9:30 Mass in gym October 31- we will wear Orange and Black and have a Halloween Celebration with the other 2 Kindergarten classes. We will rotate with our own classes thru the three rooms and complete various fun activities.