Mrs. Armstrong's Awesome First Grade: Newsletter December 16

We have one more week until our two week Christmas break. We are going to do some fun things but we are also working up until the end. We will still have reading groups this week as well as finishing our math unit with a test on Wednesday.

I sent home spelling words today. Please help your child study these words at home, especially if they have been missing several words on previous tests. This week's spelling pattern is a little tricky because the "er" sound is represented several ways--/ir/, /ur/, and /er/. The sound is exactly the same, but your child will need to know which words to use which letter combination. I have given you a Christmas gift and only assigned one sentence for this week's list of words.

Both of our librarians, Mrs. Clark, and our Take-home librarian, Mrs. Bowen will be collecting all books this week before Christmas. Tuesday will be our last day before the break that Take-home books will be sent home. Please return all take-home books by Wednesday, December 18. This service will resume when we return on January 6th. I have noticed a decline in these books being returned, I hope that doesn't mean that you aren't reading with you child every night! Our library day is Friday, we will still go to library, but we will not check out books then. Please help your child remember to bring their regular library books by Friday. We have found that many books get lost over the break, so returning all books before the break helps lessen that loss.

Mrs. Humphrey's, my student teacher, will administer the Unit #5 math test this Wednesday. Please keep up with your child's math homework so that they will be better prepared for the unit tests. We have cruised through this unit so thanks for helping with math homework nightly.

Thanks to those that have sent candy, or icing, or crackers for our Gingerbread house project. If you can still send the item that I requested please do so by tomorrow, Tuesday, December 17th. I still need help that day. So far it's just Mrs. Humphrey's and I that will be here. If you can help that day, Thursday, December 19th from 1:00 - 2:30 I would appreciate it. Please let me know if you are planning on coming.

I sent home your child's fragile "secret gift" today. I hope that you enjoy them. Thanks to those that have allowed your child to earn $1.00 for this gift. I think the gift has more meaning when they have helped to "earn" it for you. You can still send the $1.00 this week if you haven't already done so.

I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas break. I know I will--my son who has been serving an LDS mission in Belgium and the Netherlands will be returning on December 27th. This week I will read a book to my students titled, The Best Christmas Present of All, and I always conclude by telling my students that they are "my best Christmas present of all". I truly believe that, along with my family, these students are the best thing in my life! I adore them and am so glad that I can be their teacher.

Happy Reading. School resumes January 6, 2014. Enjoy the pictures from Santa's Flight!