Newsletter November 28 - December 2

Welcome back after a nice Thanksgiving holiday (I hope).

Here are this week's happenings:

• Scholastic book orders were sent home today.  They will be due on Tuesday, December 6.  Orders will be received in time for Christmas.  I can help "hide" books if you want them as gifts.
• Today we took the Chapter 5 math test.  We will start Chapter 6 "Number Operations in Base Ten"  (think place value) on Thursday.  
• In our reading program (CKLA), we are reviewing now and will test on Thursday and Friday of this week.  We have learned about the two sounds of /oo/ and also /aw/, /ou/, and /oi/.  We have also explored past tense and present tense verbs as well as proper and common nouns. In Unit 4, (which we will start on Monday), we will learn the /er/, /ar/, and /or/ sounds as well as continue our study of past and present tense verbs in addition to future tense verbs.  We will also begin writing descriptive paragraphs.  We have worked on sentences and now will begin to put those sentences together into paragraph form (this will take all year :).  
• In the listening and learning portion of our program we just finished with the early civilization of Mesopotamia and will now move onto the Ancient Egyptian civilization.  Ask your child what they have learned about farming, cities, writing, leaders, and religion in Mesopotamia.  
• Please make sure that you child comes to school dressed in appropriate winter attire and that they have a warm coat.  Students go outside everyday during lunch break--I would suggest putting your child's name on their coats as we continue to get mountains of lost coats in our lost and found collection.
• December is one of the best months in first grade!  We will be doing some Christmas activities/art projects during the month in addition to our regular math and reading curriculum.  One project will be a small gift that the students will make.  Tomorrow I will talk to them about helping to earn money for this little "secret gift".  Could you please help your child find a little job and earn $1.00 for this gift.  You can send the $1.00 anytime before we leave for the Christmas break.  I will also send home a note about this.  On the last Wednesday of this month, before we leave for the break we will be making Gingerbread houses.  I can't do this without help.  I will send home a note asking for a donation (candy, graham crackers, icing etc.), but I also need extra hands to help that day.  Please send me a note if you can help.  I plan on doing this activity first thing on Wednesday, December 21 (9:00 am).  This first grade will also be doing a Christmas Around the World activity where the students will rotate from classroom to classroom and learn about Christmas traditions in four different countries.  
• We don't have spelling words this week.  

Please be diligent in reading every night with your child, checking their homework folder daily (and returning is daily).  These little things really help--I can always tell which students read at home consistently.  Thanks for all that you do to help your child succeed.

Newsletter November 21 - November 22

It's a short week before the Thanksgiving holiday, but I have a few items of information and we will still be working through tomorrow :)

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tomorrow, Tues., November 22 we will have our third spelling test.  I sent home words last week and they are also listed on this blog.  You might have to scroll down and change from mobile version to "view web version" if you use a phone to view my blog.  Otherwise, you will not be able to see the information on the sidebar of this blog and that's where the spelling words are.
• We will be reassessing those students that are in reading intervention groups tomorrow morning.  It's a convenient time to do some rearranging before the holiday.  If your child will be switching groups or will no longer be serviced through a reading intervention group I will let you know via e-mail.  Those changes will go into effect when we return after the break.
• Mr. Moyle sent out a school-wide e-mail about the amount of coats, hats, jackets, mittens etc. that are in our lost and found.  All of those coats will be donated after tomorrow.  I will take my kids on a "tour" of the lost and found items tomorrow, but it would be helpful if you would tell you child if they are missing a coat so they can look for a specific lost item.  To be extra sure that your child gets a lost item, it might be helpful if you came tomorrow and helped to look for it with your child.  You can come anytime during the school day and check out the lost and found.
• Students will not be bringing home take-home books tomorrow (Tuesday, November 22). Happy Thanksgiving :)
• Last time I mentioned that the PTA has purchased a license for Raz Kids--an online reading program.  I mentioned that I would send home a letter explaining this.  Instead, I will just give you the information here.  The site is www.kidsa-z.com  The username for our class is East01. The students then click on their name and their password is their "last name".  I will send home little cards with this information on it tomorrow.  If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask. This is a great way to access books on your child's level through an interactive online program.  My kids have enjoyed using it in class.
• Thanks to Jay's mom for helping supply items for our little Thanksgiving cookies that we'll be assembling tomorrow.  Due to time, and the fact that I didn't get any response for "extra hands", we will be making pilgrim hat cookies instead of "turkey cookies".  Our thanksgiving activities will be in the afternoon.  We will have PE and Computers as usual, and in between that we will make our cookies, assemble a bracelet that tells the story of the "first Thanksgiving" and watch Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving with Mrs. Rieff's class.  

Have a blessed Thanksgiving holiday with those you love.  Travel safely!  

Newsletter November 14 - November 18

I told you that Thanksgiving would be here before we knew it.  This is our last full week until Thanksgiving Break.  We will continue to work up until the break.  We will have a little Thanksgiving activity on Tuesday afternoon (of next week), but will have regular reading instruction and reading groups up until the break.

Here are the happenings in our class this week:

• Scholastic book orders were sent home today.  They will be due this Friday, November 18.  If any of you want me to hold or save anything for Christmas let me know.  I will also send home December issues at the beginning of December so that you can get your orders before Christmas.  The best and easiest way to order is to use the code and to order online.
• We are are already mid-way through the second quarter.  I will work on grades this week and send home a power school print out on Thursday.  If you have any questions about those grades please send back the printout with notes made or send me an e-mail.  Remember that take-home books counts at 5 points each day.
• Our second spelling test is tomorrow, November 14.  A number of my students need a bit more practice at home ( you can tell by last week's score).  You can work on those spelling words for part of your 10 minutes of reading time (just read the take-home book once and practice the spelling words for example).  
• The PTA has generously supported an online reading program called Raz Kids or Kids A-Z.  I will send home a note this week explaining how your child can access that program at home (I know some of you have already figured that out).  We are doing that as part of our reading groups here in class and it would be a nice extension and more reading that your child can do at home.  Watch for the note by the end of the week.  I will send a text letting you know when I have sent that home.
• In reading, we have moved from "Different Lands, Same Stories" to "Early World Civilizations".  We will especially concentrate on the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.  Today we dove in and learned about the importance of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers and how the Mesopotamian people used canals and reservoirs in order to harness that important water source.  We also discussed how they used the rivers as a source of trade and drew and wrote about something that we would be willing to trade.  I loved the great ideas! Ask your child to show you their drawing and writing (it's in their folder or backpack).
• For our Thanksgiving activity we will make "turkey cookies" out of Oreos and have a little lesson on the first thanksgiving and create a memory bracelet as we tell the story.  I would love some help during the cookie construction. I will e-mail those who signed up to help with the Thanksgiving party at Back to School night and ask for donations and/or help, but I could use as much help as I can get :)  If you are willing to help please send me a quick e-mail and I will give you an assignment.  Thank you!!!!  We will have that "party" on Tuesday, November 22 at 2:00 ish.   

At this time of year, we are more apt to count our blessings and I am grateful for the opportunity I have to teach your children.  Thanks for all that you do to support me!

Happy Reading!

Newsletter October 31 - November 4

This newsletter post will be short and sweet today.

Here is some information from our class for this week:

• The October Reading calendar is now due.  A treat and certificate will be given to those that turn it in by this Friday.  The November calendar was sent home today.  I got one calendar without a name or signature on it.  Nearly every day was filled in with 10 minutes some spots with colored pencil.  If you think that belongs to you child send me an e-mail and I will return it for a signature.  Thanks. 
• We will have a test on Chapter 4 in math this Friday.  Today we learned about "using a ten or make a ten" to subtract.  
• I sent home information today about a contest sponsored by Cedar City.  If you child wants to participate please send back the completed form and essay by November 4 (Friday).  
• In reading we are moving onto unit 3.  We have learned about the "silent e" rule for all vowels (except e itself) and now will move onto vowel digraphs (/oo/ as in soon and /oo/ as in book, /ou/ as in shout, /oi/ like oil, and /aw/ as in saw).  We are continuing our versions of well-known folktales. Today we read Thumbelina and tomorrow we will read Issun Boshi (The One Inch Boy).  

Halloween was great.  It was fun to have a parade and be get excited about the day as you only can through a first graders eyes.  I hope that you enjoyed the apple head witches that came home yesterday :)  

Happy Reading!