Newsletter August 27-31

Our first full week of school is complete.  My students are starting to get used to a full-day of school, even though, I still hear, "when is it time to go home?" throughout the afternoon. Thanks to those of you that have sent snacks for our morning break.  It really helps with the transition to a full-day of school.  I still have several days available if you would like to help with snacks so let me know if you can help and I can assign you a day.

I hope you were able to see your child's spelling test in their homework folder today.  Most of my students did very well.  You will find spelling words for this week in your child's homework folder today.  Please help your child study these words for our test on Friday.  Next, week I will start including a dictation sentence as part of their spelling list.  This sentence will come home with the spelling words next week.

Today I checked my students knowledge on our first sight word list.  Only three students were able to pass off the words.  I don't pass them off, if they are trying to sound out the word or if it takes them too long to generate it.  Please help them practice their sight words at home.  I will test again this Friday, and this will be part of their grade.  It is SO important that your child learn these words, and most need individual help at home to master them.

Today we wrote about what we wanted to learn about in first grade.  I had some cute answers--belts, porcupines, how orange juice and milk are made, and even why moths have dusty stuff on their wings.  I hope I can answer some of those questions this year, along with improving your child's reading and writing abilities.  We have been learning about weather, and are using weather words.  In the next few weeks we will continue with weather, but add seasons into the mix.

Please continue to read with your child each night for 20 minutes.  The first reading calendar (the one with suns on it) is due on September 4.

I so enjoy your children!!  They are delightful.

Happy Reading!

Newsletter August 20-24

We have had a great first three days in school.  The first day we talked about first grade feelings and made "Jitter Juice" to wash away our "butterflies".  On day two, we sorted and graphed Gummy Bears during math, and talked about what we did over the summer, we also started our first "Fun Art Friday" project. This week we will concentrate on the Utah Common Core Standard of understanding print.  We will start to remember how to correctly form our letters and learn what word families are.  We will also compare and contrast two alphabet books (Alphabet Rescue and Alphabet Weather) We are continuing to go over rules and procedures and will talk about what my job is--TO TEACH, and what a student's job is--TO LEARN.

Today in your child's homework folder you will find, August's reading record, spelling list, sight word list, and sight word phrases.  Please start reading with your child tonight.  Remember that I require that you read with your child for 20 minutes each school night.  After your child has read for 20 minutes have them color in one sun (20 min. = one sun).  You do not need to send the reading record back everyday, keep it at home and return it on the last day of the month. This month's reading record will be worth 50 points, the remaining months of the year it will be worth 100 points. We will have a spelling test every Friday.  Please help your child study the spelling words at home.  I will test on the sight words, and phrases on the last day of the month.  You can count sight word practice as part of your child's daily 20 minutes.  It is so important that these words become automatic.  The more automatic they are for your child the better reader he or she will be. I hope you were able to read the two papers I handed out at Back to School night regarding reading.  One of them gives comprehension helps and the other is advice for when your child gets stuck on a word.

We celebrated sweet Amilia's birthday today.  We learned that she likes corn dogs and the color pink.  Make sure you look over to the right of this blog at my calendar.  It will let you know of special days like birthdays or field trips etc. 

I am excited about this class.  They are a wonderful bunch of first graders!  If you ever have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call or e-mail.

Happy Reading!

Welcome Back!

Back to School Night will be Tuesday, August 14th at 6:00 p.m.  Meet in classroom #7 first, and then plan on attending the PTA meeting in the gym at 6:30 p.m.  We are going to have a great year!