Summer Reading

I have some information for you regarding the Summer Reading Program at the Public Library. The program this year is called - "Make a Splash - READ!" Sign ups begin on Tuesday, June 8. You can sign up at the downtown library, West Salem branch or online. Students sign up, receive a booklet and keep track of their reading. Each hour read earns either a prize drawing ticket or book bucks to spend at the Club Store at the end of the summer. This is a fantastic way to keep your child reading all summer long!

Check out the website for more information:
http://www.cityofsalem.net/Departments/Library/EventsAndPrograms/children/Pages/childrensactivities.aspx
Additionally there are activities happening at the West Salem Branch of the Library.  On selected Monday at 2 PM the library will have special events ranging from the Reptile Man to making a sand castle to a juggler. The first event is on Monday, June 21st. Space is limited and you must pre-register 2 weeks before each program. Call Call 503-588-6301 for additional information and registration.
Happy Reading!

Champoeg Field Trip

Dear Parents,

Just a quick reminder that our field trip to Champoeg is this Thursday, March 11.

Here are some important details to remember:

1) We will be gone from 9am-2pm

2) If your child brings a lunch from home make sure it is in a paper bag and that the contents can be thrown away after eating. Also, please put your child's name on the bag

3) Dress your child in layers (part of the field trip is outdoors)

4) You child needs to wear tennis shoes - we will be outside rain or shine.

5) ALL parents volunteering need to carpool because we do not have room for everyone on the bus. If you are volunteering please be at Myers by 8:50am

Thank you!! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Grandparent Lunch Update

Just wanted to let you know that the flyers that came home about Grandparents Lunch had the wrong time.

Here is the correct info:
Date: Tuesday, March 2
Time: 11:30-12:00
Classrooms included: Kahler, Haaheim, Berry, Brenner, Matthews, & Bradford
Price: $3.00/adult & $1.75/child

Tickets must be purchased in advance at the main office.
Please contact the office 503.399.3175 with any questions.

Valentine's Party

On Friday, February 12, we will be having our Valentine's Day Party.  We will be celebrating at 2:15.  Students are welcomed to bring in Valentines, but please make sure they bring one for everyone.  They may begin bringing in Valentine cards on Wednesday, February 10th.

A class list is included on the February letter/calendar going home in Friday folders this week (1/29).

We will be having ice cream sundaes as a part of our celebration.  A sign up sheet for this will be posted outside our classroom door.  Please contact Mrs. Kahler if you are interested in volunteering at the party or helping with supplies for the sundaes.  Thank you!!

Planetarium

On Thursday, January 21, our class went to the Chemeketa Planetarium.  We had a wonderful time watching the night sky.  It was really neat to see what we have been learning about come to life right before our eyes!  Be sure to ask your child about what he/she learned and his/her favorite parts.

Thanks to the volunteers that came to help make the trip possible!

The Planetarium has shows on Friday nights at 7:30 PM.  From Jan. 8 - March 12 the show title is Islands in the Sky.  Adult tickets are $4.00 and children's tickets are $3.00.  Tickets gone on sale for that night's performance at 7:15 PM. 

For more information check out their website: http://www.chemek.cc.or.us/collegelife/planetarium 
or call the information line 503.399.5200

Homework & Classroom Needs

I just wanted to clear up one thing related to homework. Occasionally on the School-Home Links pages the instructions will say something like "read a nonfiction book sent home by your teacher" or something related to a book sent home by me. In all these cases please use a book you already have at home - I will not be sending books home specifically to be used with homework. Your child may use a library book or any other book from home.
As always if you have questions regarding homework please don't hesitate to email or call me. Thanks!

As for classroom needs, several parents have checked in and asked if we need anything for our class and I have not been able to think of anything. Today I had a brainstorm and have listed a few of the items in this email.

1) Wipes --we use these to clean our hands before snack. We had a Costco pack and that worked wonderfully, but any amount will help.

2) Snack - thanks to those of you that have sent it in regularly. If everyone sends in snack about once a month we should be fine. You may send it in at anytime. Please plan for 25 students.

The final item is more of a wish list item.

3) Walkmans - we listen to books on tape during literacy time and the students use Walkmans to do this. I had to have several but they have gotten worn out with years of use. A couple have bit the dust in the last few weeks.

I used to be able to buy them at Walmart for around $5.00 but they have been difficult to find lately. Anyway - I did look online to see if Walmart had them and they do have them for around $9.00, but I believe they are available only online. I will even take used walkmans if you happen to have any you are not using that haven't been donated to Goodwill yet. :-)

I don't need anything fancy - just the simple old walkman that plays cassette tapes and takes AA batteries. If you are able to find one and can help in that way - thank you!!

Thanks so much!!

Space

We are well into our science unit on space. The students have been enjoying reading books about the planets, learning new space vocabulary, and chants related to space facts.

The two words we have been working on lately are orbit, the path of an object around another, and astronomer, a person who studies stars, planets, moons, asteroids, comets and all other heavenly bodies.

As we learn about the planets in our solar system we have discussed how Pluto is now considered a "dwarf planet", so we have had to adjust some of our songs and chants to reflect eight planets instead of nine. We have also discussed how it is important to learn about Pluto even if it isn't a planet since it is an object in our solar system.

Here is the text of one of our chants - ask your child to read/chant it to you:

Planets Here, Planets There

Planets here, planets there
Nine (eight) planets everywhere!

Close planet - speeding (Mercury)
Bright planet - steaming (Venus)
Watery planet - living (Earth)

Still more planets don't you know!

Red planet - rusting (Mars)
Stormy planet - swirling (Jupiter)
Ringed planet - spinning (Saturn)

There are more planets yet to go!

Green planet - tilting (Uranus)
Blue planet - icing (Neptune)
Tiny planet - freezing (Pluto)

Planets in our Solar System
Planets in the Milky Way
Planets in the Galaxy
Planets in the Universe
Planets here, planets there,

Nine (eight) planets everywhere!
Planets! Planets! Planets!