It's been a little hectic this week as I have been home not feeling well. I think the students were in good hands with the two subs that I had.
I have sent home math homework still--thank you for doing that. Please make sure that you help your child remember to put their name on that homework. It is nearly impossible for me to decifer numbers in handwriting. If there is a no name I just give the grade of 0.
If you child is absent I will send home their morning work, and another other work that they miss. I will write HW on top of it and date so you you will be aware that it is homework. I still hope you are practicing sight words with your child and reading every night. Our new and improved Take home library will start next week. Please send back the portion of the Take home library letter so that I can start your child (coral paper).
Next week our reading groups will start. I will inform you at SEP conferences if you child will be attending a reading intervention group. Some of my students will also have additional help in math, and I will let you know if you child will receive that extra intervention as well. I am going to try a new format with math and would love some volunteers as I get it off the ground or help all year would be great. If you could help starting next Tuesday, Thursday or Friday at 1:00-2:15 I would appreciate it. Send me an e-mail if you would like to. I will let you know about reading volunteer opportunities soon. My guess is that I will start using reading volunteers in October. Remember that time is from 9:00-10:30 every day except for Wednesday.
It is picture day this Friday. If you would like to purchase pictures please send back the picture form.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Monday, September 8, 2014
September 8 - 12
We have done two lessons from our Go Math program and I will now be sending home math homework most days. It is nearly impossible to complete it all in class during our allotted time. My hesitation with sending home math homework and the reason that I really didn't want to send it home this year, is that many will only do the math homework and not include reading as part of their nightly routine. I surely don't want your child to have homework bombarding them nightly, I know they are kids and need their "play time". Please try to stick to 30 minutes total homework a night. Include reading practice with their math homework. Have your child help read the instructions. The math homework will be due the next day, but I do understand we have busy lives so if you child turns it in late, I will not deduct any points. Thank you for this help. The one-on-one math help that they will receive with homework will be very beneficial. I have put the lessons that we will be working on on the left sidebar of this blog. That way you can anticipate which math homework will be coming home.
Now that I have returned two spelling tests, I wanted to let you know how I grade them. If I can't read the word, I mark it wrong. I do not mark reversals wrong if I can tell what letter it should be. B and D reversals are different. If your child reverses the B or D I will verbally ask them how to spell the word and if they can spell it orally I will mark it correct as well as pointing out to the child that they have reversed the letter. Letter reversals are still very common in first grade. Do not be overly concerned if you child is reversing some letters or numbers. We start becoming concerned if reversals are still happening regularly in third grade.
The Scholastic book order that I sent home last week is due this Wednesday, Sept. 10. The easiest way to order is online using our classroom code.
Tomorrow all students will be given health screenings. They will have their eyes checked as well as a quick oral screening from a dentist. The hearing screening will be done on a different date. If something was noteworthy from those exams, the school nurse will contact you.
This week we are going to start our unit on punctuation. This is a fun unit where I introduce correct punctuation with "Punctuation People". Our first punctuation person will be "Period Pete". We have been working on an "All About Me" writing and in science we are working on a little weather book especially concentrating on weather words.
I really love my sweet first graders. I am a lucky teacher.
Happy Reading!
Now that I have returned two spelling tests, I wanted to let you know how I grade them. If I can't read the word, I mark it wrong. I do not mark reversals wrong if I can tell what letter it should be. B and D reversals are different. If your child reverses the B or D I will verbally ask them how to spell the word and if they can spell it orally I will mark it correct as well as pointing out to the child that they have reversed the letter. Letter reversals are still very common in first grade. Do not be overly concerned if you child is reversing some letters or numbers. We start becoming concerned if reversals are still happening regularly in third grade.
The Scholastic book order that I sent home last week is due this Wednesday, Sept. 10. The easiest way to order is online using our classroom code.
Tomorrow all students will be given health screenings. They will have their eyes checked as well as a quick oral screening from a dentist. The hearing screening will be done on a different date. If something was noteworthy from those exams, the school nurse will contact you.
This week we are going to start our unit on punctuation. This is a fun unit where I introduce correct punctuation with "Punctuation People". Our first punctuation person will be "Period Pete". We have been working on an "All About Me" writing and in science we are working on a little weather book especially concentrating on weather words.
I really love my sweet first graders. I am a lucky teacher.
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Newsletter September 1 - 5
I hope that you all had a nice Labor Day weekend. We are buckling down again and getting back to work.
If you child has not passed of Sight Word List #1 then please help them with this list at home. Your child should have at least passed off that list by now and be working on List #2. Remember that they can pass these words off as quickly as they can.
The August reading record is due today! I sent home a new September reading record today (paper with apples on it). This is to record the number of times your child has read in the month of September. Color each apple for 20 minutes of reading time (can include sight word, and spelling practice). I also sent home this week's list of spelling words and a Scholastic book order. Just like last week, I will test on the list of spelling words on Friday. The Scholastic book order is due, Wednesday, September 10. The easiest way to order is to use the code and to order online, but you can still send the order back with a check. You only need to write out one check, and make it out to Scholastic. With each order our classroom earns points for free books!
We will start with our Go Math program this week. We will be learning about addition. I really hope that we can do our homework in class. I think that this week will be a good gauge to see if we can accomplish that. I have put the lessons that we will be working on on the left side bar of this blog. Next week I will let you know if I will be sending home a math homework sheet most nights.
We have started talking a little bit about the seasons and weather in science. We will continue with that unit of study throughout September.
This Friday, our class will have a reading test (RLA). This will put your child on a "grade level" for reading. Next week, the students will take the DIBELS test. This is also an indicator to find out about your child's reading abilities right now and where to start instruction. After those tests are complete we will start small reading groups in our classroom. Some students will get the extra privilege of attending another reading intervention group with our qualified reading aides. I will let you know if your child will be attending a reading intervention group. We plan on starting those groups on Monday, September 22.
Happy Reading!
If you child has not passed of Sight Word List #1 then please help them with this list at home. Your child should have at least passed off that list by now and be working on List #2. Remember that they can pass these words off as quickly as they can.
The August reading record is due today! I sent home a new September reading record today (paper with apples on it). This is to record the number of times your child has read in the month of September. Color each apple for 20 minutes of reading time (can include sight word, and spelling practice). I also sent home this week's list of spelling words and a Scholastic book order. Just like last week, I will test on the list of spelling words on Friday. The Scholastic book order is due, Wednesday, September 10. The easiest way to order is to use the code and to order online, but you can still send the order back with a check. You only need to write out one check, and make it out to Scholastic. With each order our classroom earns points for free books!
We will start with our Go Math program this week. We will be learning about addition. I really hope that we can do our homework in class. I think that this week will be a good gauge to see if we can accomplish that. I have put the lessons that we will be working on on the left side bar of this blog. Next week I will let you know if I will be sending home a math homework sheet most nights.
We have started talking a little bit about the seasons and weather in science. We will continue with that unit of study throughout September.
This Friday, our class will have a reading test (RLA). This will put your child on a "grade level" for reading. Next week, the students will take the DIBELS test. This is also an indicator to find out about your child's reading abilities right now and where to start instruction. After those tests are complete we will start small reading groups in our classroom. Some students will get the extra privilege of attending another reading intervention group with our qualified reading aides. I will let you know if your child will be attending a reading intervention group. We plan on starting those groups on Monday, September 22.
Happy Reading!
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