The next time you are at Stratton, check out our first digital bulletin board. Use your smart phone or iPad (feel free to borrow an iPad from us). Download a free QR Reader app and scan the barcodes. You will be able to hear the students talk about their favorite books.

Stratton students have been adding beautiful feathers to this turkey in the lobby. When students walk to school this week, they will receive feathers in their grade level's PRIDE color. The children have then written what they are thankful for. If you are passing through the hall, please take a moment to read the sweet notes!

On Monday we sent home small containers to collect money for the Arlington Giving Tree project.  If you would like to have your child participate, please return any donations on Monday.  
Thank you very much!

Ask your child how we played the "Build a Floor" math game!

Each day we have children leading the class; one student runs our Morning Meeting and one child guides our FUNdations review. We have been very impressed with how serious the students take their responsibilities and how respectful the other children have been while listening. Keep up the great job Room 4!

This rainbow was seen right before the start of our Monday PRIDE assembly.

Registration for parent/teacher conferences is now open.  You can schedule your conference through the following link:
http://www.arlington.k12.ma.us/parentconferences/
If any of the dates are not convenient for you, please let us know and we are happy to work around your schedule.

I was very pleased to have attended the Boston iPad Summit today.  I learned about some cool apps. and many interesting ways to develop and share student learning using ipads.  I would like to thank the Arlington Public Schools for sponsoring this great day of learning for me.  
I would also like to congratulate Stratton's 4th grade teacher Mrs. Abbott on her presentation regarding using social media to communicate with parents.  I feel fortunate to be part of a great community of learning at Stratton!
 
Mrs. Barth

This week the first graders began a unit on Africa.  We will read many African folktales and study the geography and animals of Africa.  Please visit our Africa webpage.  There are some videos and links to other websites about Africa.  Take a look at our Shelfari bookshelf on our homepage to see some books that we have read or will read shortly!

We had a very successful morning learning the iMovie app at the Apple Store today.  We would like to thank the parent chaperones.  I think we all learned a great deal today!

This weekend, we would like to say a special "thank you" to veterans who have served our country. In particular, we would like to thank some family members who have served; Mrs. Pratt's brother Stephen (Marines), Mrs. Barth's sister-Clare (Army), brother-Vincent (Army) and dad-Daniel (Army and Navy).

Please visit our new page regarding our First and Third Grade Buddies.  This page includes information about an upcoming (optional) service project.  

We are looking for donations of earbuds/earphones that are compatible with ipads.  If you have an extra set could you send them into class marked as "donation" ? Throughout the week the children will be using ipads to watch videos and listen to books on Raz-kids.  

If you have not returned your iMovie Training permission slip, could you please do so by Friday.  Thank you!
The children have worked with partners to create a script about bats for their iMovies!  
If you have volunteered to be a chaperone, feel free to meet us in the classroom by 8:30 or at the Apple Store in the Burlington Mall on Tuesday.
Each student will receive his/her iMovie on a bracelet zip drive (on Wednesday).

Today the children played a math comparison game.  This game focused on the students sharing their math language verbally and in written form.  We also had a few  Arlington teachers join us in class.  They seemed impressed with the children's math skills!

Our first graders have been learning all about bats! Please check out our new Bat web page. It has cool videos and links. Next Tuesday we will be attending an iMovie training at the Apple Store. Take a look at the homepage of our site. It has a "bookshelf" that displays some of the bat books we have been reading (or will read shortly). Please let us know if you did not receive the iMovie permission slip.

The Stratton Book Fair will be happening this week from the 5th-8th in the Library.  Parents are welcome to come by at drop-off or pick-up times.  (Parents can use credit cards if they wish.) Our boys and girls will have an opportunity to attend the fair on Wednesday during our Library session.  Most books for grades K-2 range in price from $3.99-$8.00.  Feel free to send in cash with your child on Wednesday.  On Thursday from 8:20-10:00 you are able to have your books gift-wrapped for free!  All proceeds from this book fair will support the classrooms and our summer reading program at Stratton.

We hope you're having a wonderful fall weekend!  
Mrs. Barth wanted to share some photos from the World Series parade!