Sunday, November 7th 2011
Dear Families,
It’s finally starting to feel like fall! The change in weather is likely to be a little tough on our immune systems! Let’s make sure to bring healthy snacks in every day, rather than candy or other sugary “crashers”. The students are also encouraged to dress appropriately. (Keep in mind that students may only wear the Archway Sweaters inside, but any outerwear is acceptable for outside use.) Finally, I came across some notes from my Sleep Psychology class this weekend and thought I would share them. I’m making it my goal to improve my sleep habits this week, to try and give my immune system a fighting chance! You can find them at the end of this update!
A Few Reminders/Important Dates:
Spanish Test: Monday, November 7th.
PE Test: Thursday, November 10th.
Skeletal System Unit Test: Thursday, November 10th.
NO SCHOOL Veteran’s Day: Friday, November 11th.
This Week at a Glance
Language Arts: Your students are encouraged to bring home their spelling notebooks each night to better prepare them for Spelling Practice. We have found it is often difficult to fit the words and markings in so little space in the agenda. In Writing, we are working in our Aesop’s Classical Writing Workbooks on Lesson 5 with The Princess and the Pea. We will be discussing elements of stories- characters, setting and plot. We will read and discuss chapters 5 and 6 of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I still strongly encourage discussion of this novel at home! There is a lot of fun to be had with word play and witty references which might be exciting to explore together!
History & Geography: We are beginning the very exciting unit on Ancient Rome! We will begin on Monday by looking at the geography of the Mediterranean Region. Tuesday we will read Lesson 1 and discuss the importance and evolution of myths and legends. The students will create books on the legend of the founding of Rome with the story of Romulus and Remus on Wednesday. We will read Lesson 2 on Thursday.
Science: We are wrapping up our study of the skeletal system. Students will be learning about the composition of bones, as well as constructing models of joints. We will have an in-class review on Wednesday. On Thursday’s Unit Test, the students are expected to be able to recall the functions of the skeletal system, label bones with their scientific names, recognize and describe the types of joints, and understand and describe the composition of bones. I highly recommend a game or two of Skeletal Simon Says at home this week (where Simon indicates the scientific names of bones to locate, i.e. “Simon says touch your clavicle.”)
Virtue: Our school will focus once again on the virtue of perseverance. The students have been challenged by Mrs. Fawcett to memorize the entire Code of Conduct by Winter Break. I will pass along the names of any student who can do so to her, and she will have a special reward for their hard work!
As promised, here is a summary of what I learned about building better sleep habits.
Good Sleep Habits
Observe a consistent, regular bed time. The human body automatically follows internal circadian rhythms. Our “inner clock” is mostly programmed by our exposure to sunlight, but it is also affected by our activities and levels of arousal. A consistent bed time helps maintain our “programming” even into our sleep cycles, ensuring that we get enough of both kinds of sleep.
Follow a regular routine prior to bed-time. We are absolutely creatures of habit. We unconsciously respond to cues in our environment that prompt physiological reactions. Thus, if it is consistently paired with falling asleep, the very routine of getting ready for bed can cue your body to begin slowing down and preparing for sleep.
Limit non-sleep cues in the bedroom. It is best to set up your sleep environment so that it is conducive to sleep. For kids, this could mean putting away all toys and distractions prior to the bedtime routine. For adults who struggle with falling asleep, the first suggestion is to remove TVs, computers, and books from the room!
Avoid bright lights immediately before bed. (This one is tough!) As I mentioned, our internal clocks are light-sensitive! Prolonged exposure to the bright lights of a television or computer can actually confuse your circadian rhythm and disrupt your sleep cycles. If you do (like me) have to do a little computer work before bed, try to dim down your screen as much as possible (without straining your eyes).
I hope you found some useful information somewhere in this update! As always, please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any comments, questions, or concerns.
Warmly,
Miss Smith
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