Newsletter January 10-14

This Friday is the end of our second quarter.  I can't believe that we are half-way through the school year already.  I have noticed some significant improvement with my students and their reading abilities.  I am excited to see the growth that they will make throughout the remainder of the year.

Today in your child's backpack, please look for new spelling words, Dolch words, three decodeable books, a new poem in  their poetry journal, and Scholastic book orders.  I included three books this time because our spelling pattern this week is "r-controlled" vowels.  These sounds are the same, but sometimes it is /ir/, /er/, or /ur/ that makes the sound.   Reading these books will help your child to remember which combination to use in their spelling.  Please practice the spelling words with your child.  You could have them write them a few times, spell them orally, and especially use them in a sentence.  I will continue to include a sentence as part of their spelling test, eventually I will include two or three. The book orders will be due Wednesday, January 19.

Curriculum Night will be Thursday, January 27 at 6:00 p.m. This is a night where we showcase some of the curriculum that we are learning in class.  We have started learning about the Water Cycle in science and for Curriculum Night our class will be performing a Reader's Theater about the Water Cycle.  We will perform our Reader's Theater at promptly 6:00.  I will send home your child's part next week so that you can help them memorize it (it will be a one sentence line). Watch also next week for a note about our 100 Books Challenge!

I have had only about 1/3 of my class turn in their December Reading Record.  Remember that this is now worth 100 points.  I hope this is because you have just forgotten.  If you have lost the Reading Record you can just send me a note letting me know how much your child read over December.  I give a certificate with a free mini-pizza coupon attached to it and your child gets to pick out of my treat bucket.

If any of you would like to come and help with reading in the morning I would greatly appreciate it.  We have reading groups everyday from 9:00-10:30, except for Wednesday.  Let me know or just drop in and I'll put you to work!

Remember to have your child read the new poem in their journals so that they will be prepared to perform it on Friday.  Last week, I had a few children who could not perform because they forgot their journal and could not recall which new poem they had.  Remember also that we have library on Thursday.

I am so lucky to have such a great group of first graders.  They keep me smiling!  Scroll down and check out some photographs of our December fun.

Calendar Items:
January 10-14:  Jonny is "Star of the Week"
January 11:  Ballet West at 10:30 a.m.
January 13:  DIBELS test
January 14:  End of 2nd Quarter
January 17:  MLK Day Holiday
January 18-21:  Jesse is "Star of the Week"
January 19:  Book orders due and celebrate Skylar's 1/2 Birthday
January 24-28:  Dallas is "Star of the Week"
January 27:  Curriculum Night at 6:00 p.m.
January 28:  Flag Ceremony at 2:00 and celebrate James' Birthday