December 17 - 21

I am still deeply saddened about the recent events at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut.  As a first grade teacher, it hit me especially hard.  Those wonderful teachers and beautiful students are my colleagues and babies too.  As we approach this week of learning and excitement, my mind will reflect on the brave teachers and administrators and my heart mourns with the families that lost their child.  I know that I will be giving "my kids" (your kids) extra hugs this week.  Those who lost their lives this past weekend will be on my mind as we go forth in our First Grade classroom.

Thank you to those that have sent $1.00 for our "secret gift".  I will send those home with your child this Wednesday.  They are fragile so I will warn your child of that potential breaking hazard.  They are so excited to share their gifts with you!  Thanks also to those that have sent items for our Gingerbread houses.  If you still haven't sent your item, please  send it with your child by Wednesday, December 19th.  Remember that we will be making our Gingerbread houses this Thursday, December 20th at 1:00.  Thanks to Kaden's dad, EZ's dad, Cason's mom, Dalton's dad, and Kody's uncle for volunteering to help out that day.  I could still use volunteers so if you would like to come and help let me know.  I could use volunteers that day from 1:00 - 2;30.  After the Gingerbread houses, the whole school will congregate in the gym for our annual Christmas Sing.  On Friday, December 21, East Elementary is privileged to have a "special visitor"  visit our classroom.  We are lucky here at East Elementary.  I think this is the only elementary school where he makes a stop :) He will stop by sometime after the "Christmas movie".  This year the children will be watching "Horton Hears a Who".

I sent home new spelling words this week.  We will have the spelling test right at 9:00 on Friday so please have your child here on time!  I only assigned math homework for Monday and Tuesday.  We are finishing up Topic 5 on Tuesday and I will test on Wednesday. Please continue to read with your child--I know it's tough to squeeze in this time of year, I have a 4th grader myself, but it is so beneficial!  Remember that I will only require these three weeks in December for full credit on the December Reading Record.  Of course you can read over the break though :)  Today we logged in and started the computer program "Ticket to Read".  The kids were excited about it.  This will be one more method to help my students become better readers!  We will go to the computer lab twice a week now to use this program.

We have one more Gingerbread book to read and then we will write about our favorite one.  We will also have a Gingerbread cookie tasting day and Gingerbread math on Thursday.  My students have loved these books.  They are understanding things that are the same in each book and things that are different.  They also know what the characters are in a story, the setting, and the plot.  I am impressed that they use transition words like: first, then, last etc. to explain their thinking concerning the plot.

My hope for you all is that you will have a wonderful, Merry Christmas. Enjoy your break and your child!  School resumes on Monday, January 7th.

Happy Reading!