Sept 27

Hello families!

This was an exciting week and we will have another one next week.

Field Trip: We have our field trip on Wednesday, October 2. Students need to wear uniform bottoms with a uniform top or a landmark spirit wear top. Check the weather. If your student chooses to bring a sweater they will be responsible for it. Students need to bring a SACK lunch, which means EVERYTHING can be thrown away. I suggest that you label each item in your student's lunch and pack it in a big ziploc or brown paper bag. We will board the bus here around 9 am and will return around 1. Chaperones please be here by 8:30am. 

• We earned Movie Day from Apex. We will do this after the field trip. I am attaching a link to poll to see which movie everyone wants to watch. All are rated G. Movie survey

Conferences: Fall Conferences are here! Please be sure to sign up! I tried to cover as many days as I could! 1 conference time per student. I will review academics and social behavior at these meetings.  Here is the link!   Fall conferences!

Progress reports: I will be sending another progress report home today in Friday Folders.

Just a quick reminder that there is a half day on the 17th and not school on the 18th or 21st of October.

Friday letters: We have not been able to write Friday letters recently. We just have not had time on Fridays like I thought we would. Next time we write them I will be sure to let parents know.

Reading Comprehension: We will be working on asking questions and finding the answer in text. For example, "Where is this story taking place?" We would read and look at the illustrations for evidence for our answer.

• I will be sending home the reading log today. It is setting and character. It is on a white sheet. I have noticed since I have switched to white paper families have been losing them easily. I have run out of reams of colored paper. If you would like to donate a ream of colored paper that would be so helpful!
• Please be sure your student is putting their name on their homework. I am keeping track of who turns in their homework and it is hard to do when there is no names :)
• Also I am sending home unit 4 rapid word chart with our 5 heart words on them. Please be practicing these!

Phonics: We are working on long and short U words and still talking about what a closed syllable is. A closed syllable is a word with one short vowel, followed by one or more consonants.

Writing: We are still working on parts of a narrative and working as a class through the writing process.

Math: We have been exploring with dominoes and coming up with several strategies on how to add. We will be exploring this more next week. They have been really enjoying Math centers. I think if I ever had to skip Math centers they would mutiny. :)

• Today's Math homework will be due on Monday (pages 19 and 20)
• Tuesday's homework will be due on Wednesday (pages 21 and 22)
• Friday's (Oct.4) homework will be due Monday (pages 23 and 24)
• Math homework needs to be turn in on time and completed.

Geography: We will be wrapping up Geography part way through next week and then start into our Engineering unit. We are introducing a new Science curriculum this year and it is based a lot on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). I will enjoy exploring this with your student.

Sept. 20th!

Hey! This week was awesome!

Quick note: I have been asked about volunteer opportunities from a lot of parents! This makes my heart so happy that you all want to be involved. The class is still getting into routine so I don't want to add parents until I feel as though the majority of the class is finally settled. Last year, I had parents start coming in October. I hope we can start then too! However, I do need 1 more chaperone for our Oct. 2nd field trip!! Email if you are interested!!!

SEPT. 27th! First grade is hosting the assembly on next Friday and we will be preforming a short poem. We would love if you could make it but understand if you can't! If you do attend please be there before 8:10! Also a quick hug and go at the end would be the best so we can start our day!

Apex: I know I am sending a lot of Apex emails but Apex is an amazing fundraiser! We can earn a lot for our individual classroom too! Last year I was able to buy new books and tools for the classroom! Please consider participating!

Reading Comprehension: Next week we will be working on asking questions about the stories we read. This helps readers think deeper about the text. This is a fun week because of all the questions they ask. Some of them get interesting and funny! Reading homework is due on Friday! P.S. Double check that your student puts their name on it!!!!!!!

• Videos for reading! Parent consent!
• Green eggs and ham!
• Bad Apple

Rapid Word Chart: I am sending this home with our Heart words on it. Heart words are words that cannot be sounded out or they don't follow the rules. They are important to practice. The Rapid word chart is grid with these words on it. Your student should be able to read them quickly. If you see that your student is struggling you can have them write the words out, play a game with, or cut it apart and do a scavenger hunt with it. On my last blog I talked more about different ways you can help. So please refer to that if needed. If you have any questions you can email me. This is not homework but is great for practice. You do NOT need to return this.

Blast: We will be focusing on words on words with short and long i. We are looking at words to see if they are a closed syllable. A closed syllable has one short vowel within the word and is followed by one or more consonant. Examples: Ship  ( this has a vowel saying its short name followed by a consonant).

Writing: We have been working on transitions in our class story! I am hoping to make a big book out of it soon for our classroom library!

Math: We wrapped up Unit 1 of Math this week! We will be diving into Unit 2 this coming week. Unit 2 is working on developing their addition skills with slightly bigger numbers! We will also be looking at the relationship between subtraction and addition.

• I will be sending home their Math homework today. This one will take a while to do so please don't wait till Sunday night!
• Next week Math homework will come home on Tuesday and Friday. It will be due back the following school day.

Geography: We are looking at different types of land forms this coming week. They are very excited about it!

Sept. 13th

Next week!

Phonics: We will be working on words with the short and long A sound in them. We are also going to start introducing Heart words. These can also be called sight words. These are words that are not easily able to sound out or words that don't follow the rules. I am attaching a link to the Scholastic website, they have some great ideas that you could do at home if your student is struggling with the sight words. I also am giving students a bookmark with their heart words on it so they can practice at school.  Next week I will also be attaching the Heart words to your homework to be practicing at home.    Heart word practice

• Heart words: the, of, you, and, to
• Homework:  Read! Due next Friday!

Comprehension: We are going to continue to work on retell this coming week. We want to be proficient at this skill. When reading with your child you can be asking what happened first? What happened next? This will help in developing their retell skills.

Math: We will be wrapping up this unit next week. On Friday I will be giving an assessment. I do believe thus far everyone is ready. There is nothing you can prep for at home. The assessment will be looking at subitzing, counting, filling in number lines, and using their basic math facts (they have their number racks). 

• Math homework will come home on Tuesday and is due on Wednesday (Sept.18th) pages 9 and 10
• Next Friday I will also sending  homework, this one will be long and does REQUIRE parent help! Pages 11-16. It will be due Monday, Sept 23.

Geography: We are going to start looking at different land forms and where they are located. We will also be discussing differences between rivers, lakes, and oceans. You could also follow up with your kids about where are some places you have visited and show them on a map!

Progress reports: I am sending these home in purple folders today! If you have questions please don't hesitate to email me but it is the weekend so I will not respond till Monday. Don't wait till Report cards come out to worry about grades, it will be too late!

Field Trip: Thank you for reading everything thus far on the blog! :) We will be going to the Children's Museum on Oct 2nd! I am in need of 5 chaperones! The first five to email me will be my chaperones! You will need to be available all day and cannot bring siblings with you.  The cost is 16 dollars, the school prefers checks made out to them! I will send out more details the closer we get to it. If your child brings back their permission slip and money by Sept. 20th they will get to pick from the treasure box. The permission slip is coming in purple folders.

Aug. 6th

Aug 6th!

Wow, it was a fast short week! We got a lot accomplished this week!

Please be replying to your student's Friday Letter Journal.

Reading/ Comprehension: We will be working on retelling stories. After a story a student should be able to retell three major events. This is something you could talk about during reading homework. Students can go back and look at illustrations for help in retelling.

• Reading homework: It is coming home today, and it will be due next FRIDAY. I am keeping track of who is doing the homework and who is not. 
• You can find books online (youtube, Epic Reads, Storyline Online), local library, dollar store, Arc or Goodwill, King Soopers, etc. Please be sure you are reading with your child and completing the homework.
• Here are some read alouds to help complete the homework ( as always use parental consent) The Day You Begin and Wemberly

Phonics: We are working on pulling part words to explore its phonemes (sounds) and then attaching the letters to those sounds. For example we are stretching out words like cat and looking at each sounds and attaching the letter.

Writing: We are still working on letter formation but we are also starting to look at the parts of narrative stories. We will be creating whole class stories until I see that we have a good grasp on the required writing skills. I will then help guide students to write stories independently. This will take a while but it is an amazing process to witness.

Math: We are still looking at ways to subitize and different strategies to add. Here is another link to a helpful video to practice at home. subitize rap   Always use parental consent.

• Math Homework: I will be sending home the workbooks today. Complete pages 5 and 6 and turn it in on MONDAY.
• Thursday of next week I will send home the workbooks again. Complete pages 7 and 8 and turn in on FRIDAY.

Social studies: We will continue to study Geography. This is an exciting unit that we get to explore different land forms and places around the world.