Newsletter December 10 - December 14

I'm just going to get right to it.....

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tomorrow is our DIBELS test.  Please help by making sure your child gets plenty of sleep and and eats a  healthy breakfast.  If your child is sick please keep them home as they won't perform as well on the test if they are really sick--they will be able to make up the test when they return.  I will let you know the results of this test as soon as I receive them.
• This week we will be making our "secret gift".  Thanks to those that have helped your child earn $1.50 for this gift.  You can send that with your child anytime until we leave for Christmas break.
• Next week, on Thursday December 20 at 1:00 (our last day before the Christmas break) we will be making Gingerbread houses. I sent home a note about this (and the secret gift) at the beginning of December.  Thanks to those that have already sent in the donations for the houses.  I have received plenty of sprinkles as of now so other "candy" type items might be better at this point, but we'll be happy with and use whatever is sent.  These items can be sent anytime before December 20.  I would prefer by December 19th (next Wednesday) just in case we are short something.  I have had one parent volunteer to help that day.  I really need 3 more to help.  Please send me an e-mail if you could help that day.  
• Today I sent home another PTA t-shirt order for East Elementary t-shirts and a note about a "free thermometer" and a donut party for the class that gets 100% first for signing up for the free thermometer and healthy app. 
• As far as our learning we just started a quick unit in math on three-dimensional shapes.  Today we talked about the names of the shapes (cylinder, cube, sphere, rectangular prism and cone).  We sorted these shapes by attributes such as flat surfaces or curved surfaces.  Tomorrow we will combine three-dimensional shapes.  This unit will conclude next Tuesday.  We will review on Monday, and test on Tuesday.  This Wednesday, for our math intervention groups we will review and extend on our previous unit "two-dimensional" shapes--we will concentrate on equal and unequal parts, halves, fourths, and defining attributes (sides and vertices).
• After a two week break, we have spelling words this week.  I sent home the list in your child's folder or backpack today.  The test will be this Friday, December 14.  We will practice the words in class daily, but briefly so studying a bit at home is helpful. 
• Sight word soldiers is this Wednesday.  We will have two more times to pass off words before the Christmas break!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

December 3 - December 7

Welcome to cold December!  Remember to please send your children with warm attire on cold days.  I had several kids with very cold feet after lunch break.  Snow boots would be advisable on days with snow on the ground and warm socks and coats and possibly gloves for their little hands.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Today I sent home a Scholastic book order.  It will be due this Wednesday, December 5 so that you can get your orders before Christmas.  Coming from a first grade teacher, books are a nice addition to your child's Christmas list.  I can keep your orders for you if you want it as a surprise, just let me know and we can arrange a secret pickup.  This month if you order online you can get a free book up to $5.00 with your order.  
• Tomorrow I will send home notes about a "secret gift" that we'll be making in class and making Gingerbread Houses.  It will ask for donations and help with these two December activities.  Watch for that to come home.
• The November reading calendars are due.  I will give students until this Thursday, December 6 to turn it in for a certificate, treat and pizza coupon.  After that date, they will still receive credit but not receive the added incentives. 
• I hope that you all  saw the fluency notes and power school grades that I sent home last week.  I was serious when I mentioned that I would be happy to meet with you in person about your child's fluency rate and ways that you can help at home.  Send me an e-mail if you would like to meet and we can arrange a time.  If I sent home nonsense words with your child, you can practice those during your 10 minutes of nightly reading. Our DIBELS test time is next week, on Tuesday, December 11.
• Our next PTA reading awards will be on Thursday, December 13 at 3:00 in our classroom.  The PTA will send home little slips of paper to let you know if your child will be receiving an award that day.  Those will be sent home next week.
• As far as our curriculum, in reading today we started into a new unit.  This unit we will be diving into "r" controlled vowels like /er/, /or/, /ar/.  We will also be learning about the past tense endings for verbs (ex. jump vs. jumped or smile vs. smiled or skate vs. skated).  Students will learn how to add the 'ed' ending verbs when in the past tense.  We will also start a new reader called "Green Fern Zoo".  This time we will be reading non-fiction text about various animals as we travel with Vern through the Green Fern Zoo.  We will not have spelling words again this week. 
• In math we will finish up our unit on two-dimensional shapes this week.  We will have our unit test this Friday.  Today we learned about equal and unequal parts or shares.  Tomorrow and the following day we will learn about halves and fourths or quarters.  We will then review on Thursday for our test on Friday.  Next week we will start our unit on three-dimensional shapes.  During our math intervention Wednesday, this week we will extend our knowledge of "making a ten" and then using that knowledge when adding three numbers together.  
• During the month of December we will be learning lots of facts about reindeer and doing art and writing activities based on these learned facts.  We will also read different versions of the Gingerbread Man--we will compare and contrast these stories and write about our favorite version.  Students will be reminded of the basic story elements in all fiction stories (setting, characters, plot (including conflict and resolution).  These next 2 1/2 weeks will go by very quickly. 

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter November 26 - November 30

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday.  It was nice to be back though it was difficult to wake up early today. We had a nice time the day before the holiday making Thanksgiving bracelets and Turkey cookies--I hope that you saw the poem and bracelet.  Thanks to Adam's mom for supplying the ingredients for our Turkey cookies! 

Here are this week's happenings and annoucements:

• Tomorrow I will be sending home a packet of information about our next DIBELS test.  I will send home a note telling you where your child is currently reading and where they "should be" by our December 11th reading test (DIBELS).  I will encourage your to continue reading your take-home book every night (more than once), practice sight words and for some of you I will send home some "nonsense words" to practice with your child.  I will also send home in this packet a Power School print out and notes if your child's library or take-home books are overdue.  Please look over these carefully--you don't need to send them back.  If you would like to meet with me personally to discuss what you see I am happy to do so.  It's easiest to contact me through e-mail (tifani.armstrong@ironmail.org).
• Today we had our PTA Glow Dance Party for raising over $10,000 at our Walk-a-Thon!  The kids had a great time in the gym dancing with disco lights and glow sticks.  Thanks to helping make this fundraiser a success.
• In math we have moved from addition concepts to Two-dimensional shapes.  We will be learning about the attributes of these shapes (hexagon, trapezoid, rectangle, triangle, rhombus).  Things like how many sides and vertices (corners) they have.  We will also use these shapes and combine them to make "new" shapes (two trapezoids create a hexagon for example).  We will also "take-apart" these shapes.  We decided to do this unit and the following unit Three-dimensional shapes before the holiday because it's less intense and we can concentrate on Subtraction concepts after the holiday during a less "exciting month". 
• We do not have spelling words this week as we are wrapping up our 3rd unit in reading.  We have learned several vowel combinations in this unit and will review for the next week (/oo/, /ou/, /oi/, and /aw/) We have also learned about verbs and are just touching on past and present tense verbs.  We write in our journals almost everyday.  We will start a new one tomorrow so watch for the Halloween journal to come home and have your child try and share their writing with you. I hope that you can notice improvements. 
• In our read-aloud reading we have moved to Early American Civilizations.  Right now we are learning about the Mayan civilization in fact today we just learned about how the kings did not walk on the land but rather were carried around by noblemen who considered it an honor to carry the kings.  We will also study the Aztec and Inca Civilizations. 
• Since December is almost upon us please look for notes next week about a "secret gift" and Gingerbread houses.  I can't do these types of activities without some help so I will ask for donations for these extra special Christmas items.  Christmastime in First Grade is the best!

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter November 12 - November 16

The cold is definitely in the air.  Please make sure that you send your child with a warm coat on these cold days.  Since it's been so cold and the forecast tells us that it will continue to be cold we have cancelled our walking field trip to SUU tomorrow.  It would have been outside all morning and it's just too cold to be out that long.  I didn't really mention anything to my students about this field trip so I don't think I'll have any disappointed kids.  We will try to reschedule this trip in the spring during a warmer month. 

I won't write a newsletter post next week since it's such a short week--Here are this week's (and next week's happenings):

• We will not have Sight Word Soldiers this Wednesday, but Adam's mom will come next Monday, November 19 instead to pass of Sight word lists.  You can send those lists back anytime before that date.
• Our next spelling test is this Wednesday, November 14.  A list was sent home last week and the list is always posted on the sidebar of this blog (remember to view web version if you are on your phone).
• Some students are taking advantage of the Lexia reading computer program that we do here in school.  I can really tell that this is helping those kids.  I sent home notes with the new login information a couple of weeks ago.  If you need that information again please let me know.  Please don't do this in place of reading your take-home books nightly, but if you child want to get on the computer and do this at home they are more than welcome to exceed their weekly required minutes.
• This week in math we will take our Chapter 3 Test on addition concepts.  We will take that this Thursday.  We need to practice more on adding three numbers together before we are ready for that test.  This Wednesday will be our math intervention groups where we will review the addition concepts that we have learned.  Your child will be placed in a group according to their understanding of the concepts.  Some may be in an "enrichment group" others may be in a group were reviewing the addition concepts would be beneficial.
• In reading we have learned about the two different sounds that 'oo' makes.  Tomorrow we will learn about the /ou/ sound and how to spell it.  In our Fables reader words with these spellings dot the pages.  Today we just read about The Two Mules--ask your child what lesson the "black mule" learned in today's fable or have them retell the story to you.  
• Please continue to read with your child at home every night.  I really have most of you doing this regularly and it's helping.  We will have our next reading test (DIBELS state required) on December 11.  I will send home a note later this week and let you know where your child is now and where they "should be" by that test.  I will also give some hints to help at home, but my main hint as always will be to read those take-home books more than once. 
• We have done some Thanksgiving type writing.  We wrote some facts about turkeys and tomorrow we will write some facts about pilgrims.  Each of those writing activities were combined with  art.  
• For Thanksgiving, next Tuesday we will have a little "party" in the afternoon.  We will make turkey cookies out of oreos and other items.  If you could help by sending something for those cookies I would appreciate it.  It would be things like, double stuff oreos or candy corn.  If you can help please send me an e-mail or a "remind" message and I will give you an assignment.  We will still dismiss at 3:30 that day and during the morning we will have regular reading groups. 

I hope that you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving Holiday!  One of the things I am truly grateful for all year round is my job at East Elementary and the chance I have to teach your wonderful kids.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter November 5 - November 9

We are well into November now--I can't believe it!  We wrote about what we are Thankful for today.  Make sure to check out your child's journal when it comes home--it will include this writing. I know I am thankful to teach first grade especially with this wonderful bunch that I have this year.

Here are this week's happenings:

• I was mistaken on the date for our next walking field trip to SUU.  We will be going next Tuesday, November 13, not Monday, November 12.  We will leave here at 9:15 and return before lunch.  I need someone to help walk over there with us.  If you could go with us please send me an e-mail.
• This Wednesday, November 7 we will have our first spelling test.  I sent lists home with your child last week.  If you lost it I always have the list on the sidebar of this blog.  If you are using your phone and can't see the sidebar please scroll down to the bottom and click "web version" and then you'll be able to see the words.  We will also have Sight word soldiers that day and will have a special presentation from the Ogden Nature Center.  Students will be learning about how to classify animals using live animals, pelts and mounts and learn about similarities and differences between mammals, reptiles and birds.  It should be an awesome day!
• Today in math we learned about "making a ten" to add.  Think:  9 + 5 = 14 Students take one away from 5 to "make a ten" so then they can solve the "easier" problem 10 + 4 = 14 which makes 9 + 5 =14 true.  We will continue to work on that strategy tomorrow and then have math intervention groups on Wednesday.  On Thursday and Friday we will be working on adding 3 numbers ( 3 + 4 + 6 = 13 for example).  Students will learn to group two addends together then add the third (4 + 6 = 10 then 10 + 3 = 13).
• In reading, in addition to having our first spelling test we will continue learning about vowel combinations (/oo/) and we have started reading from our new book "Fables".  We have read the fable "King Log and King Crane" and "The Two Dogs".  We had our first partner reading experience last week and I was so pleased to see my students emerging as "readers".  They loved it!  We will be doing some more writing centered around Thanksgiving and especially making sure that our sentences are complete with a capital at the beginning and punctuation at the end.  We also will work on making our sentences more interesting by adding adjectives. For example instead of "My turkey is brown."  Students could say: "My brown, tall, wobbly turkey is running away from the farmers." 
• Today I sent home notices for those students who will be receiving a PTA reading award this Thursday, at 2:45 in our classroom.  Most students will be receiving an award because we have been filling them out in class too (remember I said that I would help by having students fill one out in class for 15 minutes a day).  Your child still needs to read at home to get the top prize, but since 10 minutes is ample time for first grade homework I wanted to help in class.  You are welcome to come to this awards program and you can take your child home afterwards if you would like to. 
• I will send home November Scholastic reading orders on Thursday.  These will be due the following Wednesday, November 14.  The holiday season is upon us and if you want me to save any of these orders for Christmas let me know and we can work out a delivery.  😀

I again can't stress enough the importance of reading with your child every night using the take-home book.  Readers at all levels become better readers using books on their level and continually practicing.

Have a nice Monday--Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter October 29 - November 2

It's Halloween week!! This week for Halloween we will finish our apple head witches with a healthy treat and participate in our school-wide Halloween sing and Halloween Parade. We will also play a Halloween Addition memory game and if time permits will play Halloween bingo and in the afternoon go to the computer lab to get our Lexia minutes in.   Remember the parade will run from 10:45 to 11:00 and no masks (face paint is o.k.), weapons, or gore. 

Last Thursday, I attended a training on DIBELS (our reading test mandated by the state).  Basically we learned how to use that data more effectively to drive our instruction.  I was excited as I looked at the data of all of my kids and could see that most are on the path to make typical progress or above typical progress in reading.  Some though are not on that path and will continue to need intensive specific instruction to help bridge that gap.  Please if you are not regularly reading at night with your child start that NOW!  The students that are making the most progress honestly are getting the help they need at school, but also reading consistently at night and doing what I recommend and that is reading the take-home books more than once.  They are also sending back their sight word lists every Wednesday.  Home and school should be a team in for our students.

This week I don't have much more than what I just noted, but here are this week's happenings anyway:

• The October reading calendar will be due on Thursday, November 1.  Please return that by Monday, November 5 for a certificate, little treat and Pizza Hut coupon.  Those turned in after that date will still receive credit, but won't include the mentioned items.
• On Monday, November 12 we will take another walking field trip to SUU (weather permitting) to visit the new Shakespeare sculpture Garden.  We will leave here shortly after 9:00 and return before lunch.  I need a volunteer to walk over there with us--if you could help please send me an e-mail. 
• We are still in the thick of learning about addition strategies.  We will continue that unit this week.  We will especially concentrate on ten and more (ex. 10 + 4 = 14 or 10 + 7 = 17).  Next week our math intervention time will be devoted to that topic. 
• In reading, we will finish up Unit 2 and head into Unit 3 on Thursday.  With that unit spelling words will start coming home.  I don't have a set day for spelling tests.  I send home the lists and then 5 days later we take the test.  I always send the list home with the date of the test at the top of the sheet and will remind you the day before we take the test.  Some students may need a bit of extra practice on these words at home to feel successful on test day.  If that is the case, use a couple of minutes of your 10 minutes of reading time to work on those spelling words.  If you have a choice though to read or to practice spelling words always choose reading!
• Mr. Moyle sent an e-mail about the lost and found items being donated at the end of the week.  Those items are on the lunchroom stairs right now.  If your child is missing something please remind them to take a look there before the items are donated.  If you are not receiving school e-mails from Mr. Moyle please let me know and provide me with a current e-mail that I can give him. 

I look forward to all of the happy faces and costumes on Wednesday!

Happy Halloween and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter October 23 - October 26

I hope that you all had a nice three-day weekend!  I got to have lunch with my sisters in Salt Lake so it was marvelous for me!

Here are this week's happenings:

• Our PTA Eagle Spirit Run is still fundraising until October 30.  You still have time to register your child online for a free pedometer before that date.  We raised over our school goal of $12,000 (which is phenomenal)!  The school will celebrate by having a glow in the dark dance party.  I will let you know the date of that dance party when details are given to me.
• I sent home Lexia notes with usernames and passwords.  But, now those have been changed again because of the district syncing to a system called "clever badges".  We don't have cameras on all of our computers in the lab and can't use clever badges in there.  Long story short is since they've synced to using Clever Badges there cannot be any duplicate usernames and since we use first names there could be duplicates.  I will send home new letters by Thursday or Friday with the new login information.
• On Halloween, remember that you child can come dressed up in their Halloween costumes.  Please no masks, gore, or weapons.  The parade will be from 10:45-11:00.  You are welcome to come! Halloween in First grade is pretty magical!
• Tomorrow the first grade team will have it's first Math Intervention Wednesday.  We will separate the students into four groups based on need and reteach or enrich on the concept of counting on.  This will be a weekly occurrence from 10:30-11:00 on Wednesday (Halloween is an exception).  These groups will be fluid based on weekly assessments.  We are excited about how this will help our kids.
• In reading, we are finishing up our second unit.  This unit really concentrated on the "silent e" rule for long vowels.  We also learned about proper nouns and quotation marks and we've been reading about Gran and her adventures with Josh and Jen.  We've slowed down just a bit with our study of Mesopotamia as we have been working more on writing complete sentences and writing in our journals. We will continue this study or Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt over the next few weeks.
• In math as I stated earlier we are especially concentrating on the counting on strategy in addition.  We will continue learning other strategies that will help students with addition facts.  After we complete this chapter we will start doing timed addition fact quizzes.  Think "old school" 2 minute timed quizzes on all of the math facts (+0, +1, +2 etc.).  

I think that's it for this week.  Have a nice Tuesday!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter October 15 - October 19

Welcome to the second quarter of First Grade.  I sent home first quarter "grades" today in your child's folder.  You don't need to send those back, but if you have questions please feel free to highlight the issue and send a brief note or send me an e-mail.

Here are this week's happenings and notes:

• Tomorrow is our first grade awards ceremony.  I have already sent e-mails to those that will be receiving an award that day.  You are welcome to attend this ceremony, but be on time because it's brief and I wouldn't want you to miss your child. The ceremony is at 3:00 in the cafeteria.
• I sent home a correct note about our field trips this week.  Please look at it--I won't go into details here because it's on the note.  Please send $1.00 for the Pumpkin Patch (preferably tomorrow, Tuesday) and send your child with a jacket if it's chilly for both Field Trips.
• Look in your child's folder for a note about the computer program that we are using here in school called Lexia.  We were given a grant and part of that grant is that all students reach a certain amount of minutes per week on the program.  Some students need 30 minutes others need 60 minutes.  Today I was informed that in order to keep this program for next year we really need to strive to get those minutes every week.  I sent that home because you can also have your child work on it at home.  It's optional, but if you child is absent on a computer day, or needs a few more minutes I will e-mail you and ask for you help and have them log in at home.  It's important that you let your child work on this on their own.  Of course, you can clarify if they don't understand, but please don't do it for them.  They are working on their own level from a beginning assessment so they should be able to work through the levels independently. 
• The PTA Fun Run is this Friday, October 19.  All students will walk or run around the school as many times as they can in the allotted time.  It's super fun with the fire department here as well as SUU cheerleaders and athletes along the way.  I just sent an e-mail with our classroom webpage.  Please check that out and register your child if you haven't already for a "free pedometer".  The PTA has some great prizes for those and contribute and for the class that raises the most money, and if we as a school reach our goal.  
• I'm excited about some new things that we will be doing in first grade after we attended a professional conference in Salt Lake last week.  The first thing that we will be doing is centered around math.  We will now be having intervention days on Wednesdays.  Students will be divided into four groups based on their understanding of a certain concept.  For example, this week we are really focusing on the addition strategy of "counting on" (7 + 3 = 10--start on the largest number (7) and count on 3 more--say 7 then 8, 9 , 10).  After a short assessment on Friday, we will determine what your child needs for the concept.  If they "got it" they will be a in a group that will be extended in that concept.  If they need extra help then they will be in a group that slows down a bit and gives the extra support needed.  We will have these math groups every Wednesday for 30 minutes.  We are excited as we feel like this will help all of our students reach mastery of the most important math concepts in first grade. Students may or may not be with me during these groups as all of the first grade teachers will be participating.
• Halloween is just around the corner.  I hope that you received the e-mail from Mr. Moyle about our Halloween parade.  Just a recap--students can come to school on Halloween dressed up in their costumes.  Please no masks, weapons, or gore.  We will have a school-wide costume parade from 10:45-11:00.  Parents are welcome to come and watch and take pictures etc.  I think the best place to view the parade is in the cafeteria where you can sit on the benches but you can stand in a doorway of that school as we parade around most of the halls. 
• In our learning this week, as I noted earlier, in math we are solely concentrating on the "counting on" strategy.  In reading, the long vowels are being reinforced through reading and through lessons and activities.  I love it when my kids point out the vowel patterns that we have learned as we read.  I hear many times a day "Mrs. Armstrong that's an "a (consonant) e in 'made' (or other similar words with the silent e).  Also, in reading we have moved from learning and hearing different versions of familiar stories to Early World Civilizations, specifically Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt.  We have learned about the importance of rivers to the people who lived in Mesopotamia thousands of years ago and how they built canals to share the water with those that didn't live on the banks of the Euphrates or Tigris rivers.  Today we learned about the writing used in Mesopotamia called Cuneiform and learned about the importance of writing anciently and today. 
• Don't forget that next Monday, October 22 we are off for Fall Break!

Have a great three-day weekend and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter October 1 - October 5

Welcome to October and SEP week!  I have enjoyed meeting with several of you today and will enjoy meeting with the rest of you over the next couple of days. This will be brief as these days of conferences get long and I want to get home 😀

Here are this week's happenings:

• The September Reading calendar is now due.  I will give a treat, certificate, and a free Pizza Hut pizza coupon to those students that turn their calendar in by this Thursday, October 4.  October calendars were sent home today.  Thanks to those that are faithfully helping their child read and turn in their take-home book everyday.  This is so important--keep it up!!
• We won't have library this week because of the Book Fair that is occupying the library.  Students can turn their books in anytime before next Thursday (out next library day).
• We will be having two field trips this month.  One is to the Robinson Family Pumpkin Patch on Wednesday, October 17.  We will leave East at 9:45 and return by 11:00.  The cost for this field trip is $1.00 (all students will be able to pick out a pumpkin).  The next field trip is the following day, Thursday, October 18.  We will be walking to SUU to visit both the SUMA art museum and Frehner Museum of Natural History.  We will walk to SUU and arrive at 1:00 and return a little after 3:00.  I would love to have volunteers come with us on these field trips.  It's helpful to have extra adults.  If you would like to come with us please let me know (e-mail or remind is the best way to let me know). 
• We are making "apple head" witches for Halloween.  Please send an apple with your child by Friday, October 5.  It doesn't matter what color or size, but the bigger the better.  
• I will send home Scholastic book orders by this Friday.  Those will be due next Friday, October 12.  This best way to order is online using our classroom code.  
• In math we will have our unit test on Subtraction this Wednesday, and start our unit on Addition strategies on Thursday.  
• Today we learned about the long /a/ sound and how a and e work together to spell that sound (think cake, name etc.).  We will continue to work on the long vowel sounds and how to read and spell them throughout this unit.  
• In listening and learning we compared and contrasted Tom Thumb and Thumbelina and tomorrow we will add another version from Japan called Issun Boshi.  I am amazed by the insightful answers my first graders give when we discuss the similarities and differences in these stories. 
• Next week (October 8 - 11) all of the first grade teachers will be attending a four day conference in Salt Lake. If you need me for anything you are always welcome to send me an e-mail or remind.  I will check that daily while at the conference.  We will still have sight word soldiers that week, reading groups, library etc.  and my substitute will still have the students responsible for their own behavior by filling out behavior charts everyday. I have never missed that many days of school in a row--and frankly I'm not sure how I will handle being away from my class for so many days. 
• Next Friday, October 12 is Fall picture retake day.  Let me know if you want your child to have their picture retaken otherwise I won't send them.  Only those that desire retakes will have a second shot taken. 

Thanks again for making time to visit with me this week.  Even though the week is long I look forward to this week and meeting with parents and students.

Happy Fall and Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter September 24 - September 25

Today I sent home Take-home books (book in a bag)  for the first time.  I included a note about my expectations with those books (it's in the bag on golden paper).  Research shows that reading a text more than once helps a child's fluency (speed or rate and accuracy during reading).  That is why I ask that each book be read 3 times each.  Some students have books that take longer than 10 minutes to read 3 times.  If that is the case for your child then just stop after 10 minutes of reading, but please return the small blue note stating that your child read for 10 minutes.  Honestly, right now I don't think I have many students in that category.  Use these take-home books to your child's advantage!  These books are on their level--they should be able to read them on their own.  They shouldn't be  too hard or too easy.  If you feel that the level sent home is "too hard or too easy" please send me an e-mail and I will adjust the level.  We based the levels on the students Beginning of the Year reading scores. For your information, first grade students "should be" on a Level H by the end of the year.  So you can see where your child is now and where they need to get to by the end of the year.  Reading every night with your child--listening to THEM read will help get them to where they need to be.

Here are this week's happenings and notes:

• Next week is SEP week.  I sent home appointment times last Friday.  Please send those back ASAP so that we can rearrange the time if necessary.  These appointments are just 15 minutes and you can bring your child with you.  The PTA also holds a book fair at that time in the library. 
• On October 3, the PTA is sponsoring a grandparents breakfast in the cafeteria.  I sent a note home with the details last week.  
• Right after I send this I am going to send e-mails to those who I haven't received their Starving Student Card back.  Please send that back if you don't want it or send back payment of $25.00 if you keep it.
• We are still in the middle of our subtraction unit in math.  We will have a review tomorrow on the concepts that we have already learned and then learn about taking away all or zero (8 - 8 = 0 or 8 - 0 = 8) and taking apart numbers (9 - 0 = 9, 9 - 1 = 8, 9 - 2 = 7 etc).
• In reading we will be moving onto Unit 2 in our Skills section.  That unit will focus on long vowel sounds (words like cake, bike, cute or beet).  We will continue to read from a "reader" where those vowel sounds are emphasized.  We call these books "decodeable".  That means that the words that are in the story are all words that students have learned about and can read.  For example in our current reader words with short vowel sounds and the the spellings of /ch/, /sh/, /th/, and double consonants (ll, bb etc.) were emphasized as well as sight or tricky words that we have been learning.  It is also filled with periods, question marks, and exclamation marks as well as apostrophes showing possession and quotation marks.  We teach-- then it's reinforced in their reading. 
• In the Listening and Learning section of our reading we have moved from the Human Body to hearing versions of different stories.  We are starting with versions of Cinderella.  We first heard the original version and today heard a version from Egypt called "The Girl with the Red Slippers".  We talked about the similarities in the two versions and tomorrow we will focus on the differences.  We will also listen to an Irish version called "Billy Beg" and then move onto versions of Tom Thumb. 
• We will continue learning about the human body a bit and how to especially keep it healthy as I have asked a USU extension employee to come and present 7 lessons on "My Plate" (think food pyramid).  She will start tomorrow and will continue every other Tuesday through December. 
• I hope that you are asking to see your child's behavior chart every Friday.  It helps to work together to improve behavior in the classroom.   
• Happy Birthday to Kimberlin (on September 23).  Today we celebrated our first birthday of the year.  If your child has a birthday that falls during the school year you are welcome to send store-bought treats to help celebrate.  We now have 18 students in our class.

 Read with your child tonight and every night using their Take-home book!!!  Return it everyday for a new one!!

Happy Reading,
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter September 17 - September 21

I can't believe that I am putting October dates on my calendar already.  We are half way through the first quarter of school.  I still haven't received information about our Take-home library starting.  I am really hoping that it will start soon.  Reading 10 minutes each night is the only "homework" that I require.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Some of you have asked if I can send home two sight word lists each week.  I am willing to do that for all students if you would like that.  Let me know and I can send home two lists with your child, if they pass off two lists.
• This Friday, all students will have a health screening for vision and dental.  If your child needs further observation then I will send home either a vision note or a dental note after Friday.
• We still have about half of our Starving Students cards not returned.  This was a PTA fundraiser.  If you didn't want to buy it for $25 then you need to send the card back to school, if you wanted to keep it then you need to send $25 back.  I will send home e-mails to those students whose card or money has not been returned as a friendly reminder.  😊
• SEP's (Student Education Plans or parent/teacher conferences) will be in two weeks from October 1 -5.  School will dismiss at 2:30 everyday that week including Wednesday.  I will send home an appointment time later this week.  I will do my best to schedule those times around siblings in other grades.  If you can't make the time please send back the note stating a date or time that would work better for you.  
• We have moved to our subtraction unit in math.  The last couple of days we have been learning about how to write a subtraction sentence from a visual model.  We will now move to "taking from" and comparing.  For example:  tomorrow we will work on problems like "Jeff has 5 apples.  3 apples are red.  The rest are yellow.  How many apples are yellow? (5 - 3 = 2).  Then we will compare.  For example:  Mindy have 8 puzzle pieces.  David has 5 puzzle pieces.  How many more puzzle pieces does Mindy have than David?  (8 - 5 = 3)
• In reading we are finishing up our unit on the Human Body.  Today we learned about the Circulatory System and tomorrow we will add the Nervous System to knowledge base.  We will then learn about keeping our bodies healthy.
• In our skills portion of reading we are learning about question sentences and using a ? to end those sentences.  We are reviewing the /ch/, /sh/, and /th/, sounds and spellings and have learned that nouns name a person, place or thing.  
• Thanks for sending in box tops.  I think the "contest" ends on October 12 so keep sending them in.  
• Congratulations to Zeke, Kash and Liam.  They all received their "Red Eagle" award by turning in their first PTA bookmark.  Remember to mark those along with the calendar that I send home so that you children can earn those PTA awards. 

Have a great Monday and Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armtstrong

Newsletter September 10 - September 14

Tomorrow our reading intervention groups will start.  I sent e-mails to those students who will be leaving my classroom to attend a reading intervention group.  If you have any questions please e-mail me back.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Picture Day is this Friday, September 14.  All students will get their picture taken during the Fall picture time.  If you want to purchase pictures you can either send the picture order form back with your child (I sent it home last week) by Friday, or order online.  I will not be here this Friday, I am traveling up north for a family wedding so it might be easier for my substitute if you order online.  I just did this for my sophomore son at CHS.  They sent home a proof with his picture with an order number--I just went to the website, plugged in the numbers, ordered what I wanted and paid.  The pictures will be sent directly to my house.  I could even change the background if I wanted to.  My suggestion would be to order that way.  
• The fluoride rinse program will start this Wednesday.  Your child in order to participate in this program will need to send back the permission slip that was in their homework folder on the first day of school.  If you still want to do this and didn't send that back let me know and I will send you another permission form.  The PTA volunteers suggested that first graders practice "swishing" water at home before the first fluoride rinse so if you remember signing the paper give them a little lesson in swishing water and not swallowing it then spitting it back out as cleanly as possible.  😀
• Our first PTA reading awards will be this Thursday, September 13 at 2:45 in our classroom.  I sent home notes to those students today (in homework folder) who will be receiving an award.  You are welcome to attend this simple, short ceremony.  Remember for your child to get these awards the PTA bookmarks need to be turned in.  I will start supplementing in class tomorrow since our reading groups start then.  You can't get all of the awards though if you don't read at home and send back the bookmarks.
• On Wednesday we will take our first math test on addition concepts.  We will then move right into subtraction concepts on Thursday.  We will start with using pictures and manipulative to model simple subtraction problems.  
• In reading we are still reading from our book Snap Shots.  We are still reviewing vowel and consonant sounds, blending sounds into words, writing complete sentences and in grammar learning about nouns and apostrophes.  We know that an apostrophe shows possession (i.e. Nat's mom or Bud's leg).  We have also started an addition computer program called Lexia that will supplement our reading instruction in class.  Students will get on Lexia three times a week for at least 20 minutes a time.
• We just read about the Muscular System and this week we will also learn about the Digestive, Circulatory and Nervous systems before moving onto  keeping our bodies healthy.  
• The take-home library is supposed to start this week.  I am crossing my fingers!  They revamped the whole library this year so we are a little bit slow to start that program.  When we start it please take advantage of it by having your child read their books nightly and returning it for a new book daily.  
• I had several students (more than in past years which is great) sign up for the Wee Be Groovin dance class that is offered free of charge each Monday from 3:30-4:30 here in our gym.  If your child would like to do this they need to send in the permission form (orange paper that I sent home last week).  If they want to and you don't have the permission form again please let me know and I will send another one home with your child.

Have a nice Monday and Happy Reading!!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter September 4 - September 7

I hope that you all had a nice Labor Day weekend.  My remaining family at home ventured up to Bryce Canyon.  We haven't been there in years--we are sure lucky to live in such a beautiful area.

Here are this week's happenings and announcements:

• Sight Word Soldiers pass-off day is tomorrow.  Please send the signed blue note back tomorrow with your child so that they can pass off another list of words.
• The August reading calendars are NOW due.  I had several students bring them back today.  I will give students a certificate and a treat if they turn in the August calendar by this Friday.  September reading calendars were sent home today.  I still haven't heard when the take-home library will start.  I am hoping it's soon since we have all been tested and I can send home books on each child's individual level.
• The PTA does a reading incentive program also.  They sent home "reading bookmarks" and an explanation about the program on the first day of school (all had notes in their homework folders).  This Thursday is when the PTA will pick up our first batch of bookmarks for the awards program.  I believe that our awards program will be the second Tuesday of each month at 3:00. If you need another bookmark please send me e-mail or Remind text and I will put one in your child's homework folder. Since I only require ten minutes of reading a night and to earn the highest award students are asked to read for 20 minutes a night I will supplement those with minutes in class.  I will supplement by giving students 10 minutes of reading time from class.  That way all students can get the top "Gold Eagle Award" if they read at home and get the supplement from class.  
• Starving Student cards came home last week.  This is an optional fundraiser.  I have about half of those back.  If you don't want to buy the card please send it back with your child.  If you want to buy it or order extras send back the $25 and the order form in the envelope provided.  This is not a free card for each family. 
• If your child is absent I will send home the "morning work" that they will have missed.  It will have your child's name on it and the abbreviation "HW" (homework) and the date they missed.  Please help your child return these to school.  I do grade the morning work assignments.  
• Each Friday help your child to remember to wear their East Elementary t-shirt or a blue shirt for our Spirit Friday.  
• School pictures will be on Friday, September 14.  I will send home order forms tomorrow.  You can either send that order form back in with an order and a check or order online.  All students will have their pictures taken even if a picture packet isn't desired. 
• I have given Mr. Moyle most of your e-mail addresses.  Please let me know if you are not receiving periodic messages from Mr. Moyle or the PTA (monthly school newsletters and things like that). In fact, he sent out the September Principals letter home today.
• We are finishing up our Addition Concepts unit in math.  We have learned that the order of the addends doesn't change the sum.  Tomorrow we will put together numbers to 10 (1 + 9 = 10, 2 + 8 = 10 etc.) then on  Friday and Monday we will review addition to ten and then take our first math test next Tuesday (that's my plan). 
• In reading, we have moved from fiction folktales and fables to learning about  the Human Body.  Today we learned about how a pediatrician helps children when they are sick and how they also help them stay healthy.  We will learn about several body systems throughout this unit (digestive, skeletal, muscular and nervous systems) as well as learn about immunizations, staying healthy, and the food pyramid. 
•  We are reviewing the digraphs 'sh', 'ch', and 'th'.  We will start reading our first reader titled "Snap Shots" tomorrow.  We are also learning how to write complete declarative sentences (those that end in a period). Reading intervention groups will start next Tuesday, September 11.  I will inform you through e-mail if you child will be attending one of those reading groups. You will also receive their DIBELS results in the mail as soon as they are all available.  If you have any questions about those results please don't hesitate to ask. 

I think that's it.  Thanks again for helping your child read nightly at home, for sending in snacks and for being a partner in your child's education.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter August 27 - August 31

I'm just going to get right to it. 

Here are this week's notes and happenings:

• Today I sent home a note about Sight Word Soldiers.  Please take a moment to read that note and get your children excited about the program. The more words students know automatically the better readers they will become.  I won't get stuck on words like "the" as they read.  Adam's mom will be helping the students pass of these sight word lists.  She will come every Wednesday at 9:00.  It would be great if you child's first list was returned by THIS Wednesday and a new list was passed off every week.  
• If you want to order from the Scholastic book club please submit those orders by this Wednesday, August 29.  
• I didn't get a few "student information" sheets back so I sent home another one in your child's folder if you haven't turned it in yet.  These are helpful if I need to contact you and I also use them to update the school e-mail group.  Mr. Moyle, the PTA and other e-mails come home and if you haven't given me an e-mail that I can't add you to the group and you'll be missing important information.
• Remember that Friday is Spirit Friday.  Have your child wear their East elementary t-shirt or any "very blue" t-shirt, just not a spot of blue.
• We are having an issue with shoes being untied and students not being able to tie their own shoes.  I must have been asked 15 times today to "tie my shoes".  It's very distracting during class not only to stop and have to tie shoes, but if students try themselves and they can't do it it becomes distracting as others around them try to assist or they "play" with their untied laces.  Shoes with velcro are great or could you please spend some time teaching your child to tie their shoes and practice with them if they already know how.  Thank you! 👟
• Tomorrow we will take our DIBELS (reading) test.  These results will help us better place students into small reading groups.  These groups will not start for a couple of weeks and I will let you know if you child will be going to a reading intervention group.
• In our learning this week we will continue to work on addition concepts.  Today we talked about numbers being a "whole" number or "part" of a number.  We modeled word problems using a bar model.  We took the parts we knew and combined them to make a "whole" or counted up from the "one part" to the "whole" to find the missing part. We will continue with this modeling tomorrow and then review and then move onto adding zero to a number and adding in any order (3 + 4 = 7 so 4 + 3 = 7).  In reading we just finished our last Fable and will move onto Folktales from around the world tomorrow.  With our first folktale being Medio Pollito from Spain.  Through these fables and folktales students are learning about story elements (characters, plot, setting, problem and solution, cause and effect, morals). We are also focusing on short vowel sounds and writing complete sentences. 
• I sent home one more thing today.  The PTA is running a fundraiser selling Starving Student Cards.  Each student came home with a Starving Student card today.  These are $25.00  It is optional to purchase one.  You either send back $25 dollars and/or the order form back  in the envelope provided and keep the card or just send back the Starving student card back (in the envelope).  Don't keep the card without payment.  Don't send your child around to sell these cards just sell to those you know. 
• I hope you are forming the habit of nightly reading with your child for 10 minutes.  This is the only homework I will require. We have one more week in August and I will send home another reading calendar after Labor Day.  Shortly, our take-home library (book in a bag) program will start and you will have an easier time finding a book every night because one will come home daily.  
• If you are reading this on your phone make sure that you scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit "web version".  That way you will be able to see everything available on this blog.

Have a nice three-day weekend!  and
Happy Reading!! 📕📗📘📙😊

Newsletter August 20 - August 24

We had a nice first week of school.  We are still working on "first grade behavior" and treating others the way you want to be treated and procedures within our classroom and the school. I am excited for this year though and connecting and learning with my 18 delightful students.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tonight is the PTA Luau from 5:00-7:00.  Most of the games are free, but if you want food or specialty items like balloon items that will cost extra.  I hope to see you there!
• Today I sent home our first reading calendar.  This is the ONLY homework that I will expect for first grade.  That is to read with your child (child does the reading) for 10 minutes each school night.  Those calendars will be due on the first of next month so the day after Labor Day, Tuesday September 4 they will be due for a little treat and certificate.
• I also sent home a scholastic book order.  These of course are optional, but it's a good way to get inexpensive books added to your home library.  Usually there are several books that are only $1.00.  Please order online and use our classroom code.  Those orders will be due next Wednesday, August 29.
• Thanks to those of you that have signed up for "Remind".  I sent home notes to those today that haven't signed up for this.  Please take a few seconds literally and sign up using the directions on the back of the note.  
• Thanks to those that have sent snacks for hungry tummies in the morning.  I really think it helps my first graders transition to a full day of school.  If you didn't sign up and would like to send a snack you can just send one with your child and I will have your child help hand it out on a day that is free.  We have 18 students in our class right now.  I won't do this all year, just for the first few weeks.
• Each Friday the PTA sponsors "Spirit Friday".  🦅 Have your child show their school spirit by wearing an East Elementary t-shirt or anything "blue".  Needs to be intentionally blue, not just "I have a tiny blue spot on this shirt".  The class with the highest percentage of students wearing blue will be able to showcase a trophy all week in their classroom. 
• Thanks for helping your child return their homework folder EVERYDAY!  This is so helpful for you and I to stay on top of notes and work from school, but also for your child as it teaches  valuable organizational skills.  Make a point to check their folder everyday--some days there won't be anything in it, but don't stop looking. 😊This past week nearly 100% have turned in their homework folders daily.
•  As far as curriculum goes we have started both our reading and math units.  In reading we are mostly reviewing vowel and consonant sounds and how to spell them.  We are blending (putting together sounds) and segmenting (taking apart words into specific sounds).  We are also learning about nouns. We have also started our small group reading instruction very early this week with a "reading boot camp".  Today I sent several students out to the reading center for small group reading instruction based on their end-of-the-year kindergarten scores.  This boot camp will continue until September 6. After that date we will continue reading intervention groups, but they will be based on our beginning of the year reading scores on a test called DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills).  If your child would benefit from a reading intervention group I will send you a private e-mail and let you know.  In math, we are starting our unit on addition concepts.  Today we used pictures to help us add.  In the next few days we will use hands-on objects such as "linking cubes" and counters to help us show addition.  
• If you signed up to volunteer in our classroom, I will contact you through e-mail when I want you to start.  Thanks for those that have signed up to help.
• If you are not saving "Box Tops" please start now--every little bit adds up.  The PTA usually has some sort of competition for classes who turn in the most box tops.  
  

I think that's about it for the week.  Again, I look forward to this year.  Please don't ever hesitate to contact me with questions or concerns.

Happy Reading!
Mrs. Armstrong 😊

Last Newsletter May 21 - May 23

I honestly can't believe that I am writing our last newsletter of the year--it will be brief, but I wanted to again say what  wonderful class this has been this year.  We have learned many things, laughed a lot, and have made a lot of wonderful memories.  I will never forget this group of students. 

Reading is the big emphasis in first grade and many of my students made huge progress in reading.  Please try and read with your child over the summer to prevent a "summer slide".  Go to the library--read outside together--encourage your child to write stories or letters or to write and create their own books.

Our 100-book challenge picture will be in the May 30 edition of the Iron County Today newspaper.  Check this Wednesday's paper just in case (May 23), but the editor said that edition was quite full and he wasn't sure if he could get it in that one, but for sure the May 30th edition.  Congrats to Stephan, Phoenix, Wes, Piper and Brinley.  These students worked hard and at least read 100 books!!!

Tomorrow we will be heading to the St. George Children's museum.  If your child signed up to bring a lunch from home, please don't forget that.  They will need a drink also.  Today we had a blast at the Aquatic Center.  I will end with posting a few pictures from our time at the pool.

Have a wonderful summer and Happy Reading!! 

Newsletter May 14 - May 18

This is our last full week of school--we have many deadlines this week so I will get right into it!

Here are this (last week's happenings):

• I decided NOT to send home the last list of spelling words.  They are a bit difficult (words like brainstorm and classmate) and I feel like we could spend our time with more productive pursuits.  You're welcome :)
• The 100-book challenge concludes this Wednesday, May 16.  I will not accept lists after that date.  So far we have Phoenix, Brinley, Piper and Wes that have completed the challenge with a few kids very close.  All students that reach the 100 book goal will have pizza with me for lunch on Thursday, May 17 in our classroom.  I will also take their picture and submit it to the paper--I will let you know the publication date when I know.
• All work--including May reading calendars and any late or missing work that was sent home as homework is due this WEDNESDAY, MAY !  Just like the 100-book challenge I will not accept late work after that date. 
• The 4th quarter student awards will be tomorrow, Tuesday, May 15 in the cafeteria at 3:00.  I will send an e-mail out right after I publish this blog to those parents whose child will receive an award that day.  These awards are for excellent and perfect attendance and our Catch the Vision winners as well as Most improved.  
• We will have many take-home books and library books that have not been returned.  Please, please do what you can to find those books or pay the replacement fee.  We can't maintain a library without those books being returned each year.  Both the regular library and take-home library will suffer.  If you child does not have their books turned in or the replacement fee paid and/or owes lunch money they will not be given their second grade promotion card and teacher placement at the end of the year.  
• This Friday is our field day.  Remember that we will be walking on the Canyon trail and playing at the park as well as having a BBQ lunch afterwards.  The drinking fountains are often not working at the park so send your child with a water bottle. That afternoon we will be watching Charlotte's Web in our classroom.  We are almost done with the novel. Next week, we have our swimming and St. George Children's Museum field trips.  I will send home an actual note reminding you of the details of these three trips this Thursday and what your child needs to bring.  But, just a reminder that the cost of these field trips is $2.25 ($1.00 for museum and $1.25 for swimming).  Thanks to those that have volunteered to come with us.  If any of you would like to come and haven't let me know--I'd love to have you.  Just send me an e-mail.  
• We are still working and learning up until the end as I've mentioned before.  We will have reading groups through tomorrow. We are finishing our last reader in class called Kay and Martez (follows two friends on their adventures at home and in Mexico). We will also be learning about writing clear, concise instructions and finishing our final math chapter on two-dimensional geometry on Thursday.  I will give the final test (chapter 12) on Thursday.  We just need to learn about equal and unequal parts and halves and fourths and we'll be set.  

Have a great Monday!!
Happy Reading!
Remember all work and 100-book challenge lists are due this Wednesday!!

Newsletter May 7 - May 11

Happy Mother's Day week to you!  We are winding down but will still be working and learning up until almost the very end.

Here are this week's happenings:

• If you haven't turned in your lunch request for our field trip to the St. George museum on Tuesday, May 22 please do so ASAP so that I can get a count to the lunchroom.  If your child receives free or reduced lunch that price will still apply to the sack lunch. I think I have enough volunteers for these field trips, but if you'd still like to accompany us please let me know.  I think the "more the merrier" applies to these two trips. The cost for these two field trips is a $2.25 donation ($1.25 for pool and $1.00 for museum).
• Tomorrow we will be having our Math test on three-dimensional shapes--I told you that we needed to get through the last two units quickly.  We will start our next unit on Wednesday which will be two-dimensional geometry.
• Our spelling test will be this Wednesday--new words will come home on Thursday and we will have our final spelling test next Wednesday May 16.
• This Thursday will be the PTA's final reading awards in our classroom at 3:00.   I will inform you if your child will be receiving an award.  A note will be put into their folders or I will send an e-mail.
• Our final 4th quarter first grade awards will be on Tuesday, May 15 at 3:00 in the cafeteria.  I will inform you via e-mail if your child will be receiving an award at that ceremony.
• It's getting close to our 100-book challenge end date.  I will not accept lists after May 16--the following day we will have our pizza picnic in our classroom. 
• Our DIBELS test was last week--I will send those results home in an end-of-the-year packet.  I was pleased with most of my students progress.  Please continue to read with your child over the summer, especially if their scores were not in the "green" range. 
• Our final two Sight word soldier pass of days will be this Friday, May 11 and the following Monday May 13.  Thanks to Phoenix's mom for taking this on for our class! 
• Library books are due this this--we go on Wednesday!!! Kids that have turned in all of their books and/or paid the replacement fee will receive a free book. Take-home books are now due.  A few of you have not returned those books--I sent an e-mail to those that haven't turned those in yet.  Please do that ASAP or pay the $5.00 replacement fee. If every year we had several books from each class not returned or replaced imagine how our library would look.  Please help keep our library fully stocked!

We walked to the park today for our "behavior reward".  It was a beautiful day and the kids deserved it!! We will have two more weeks where I will send home behavior charts home on Friday, please continue to be diligent in asking about these and checking them over.

Thanks for helping to make this year a great one!  I can't believe we are so close to the end.  Have a great night--and Happy Reading!!

Newsletter April 30 - May 4

Here we go into the last month of school. 

Here are this week's happenings:

• This is our big testing week for first grade.  We only take one reading test called DIBELS on Thursday.  Please help your child the night before by getting a good night of sleep and if they are sick they can take it another day.  I am excited to see the progress my students have made.
• The Scholastic book order is due tomorrow, but if you want to use the free book coupon I attached to the fliers then you will need to order by today--April 30 as that expires today.  This will be the last book order obviously and the books will be here before school dismisses (again obviously). 
• With the end of school we will be going on a couple of field trips that last week of school--we will be going to the Aquatic Center on Monday, May 21 and the St. George Children's Museum on Tuesday, May 22.  I will send home a note tomorrow giving more details about these field trips and asking for volunteers. We also have Field Day on Friday, May 18th that I will detail in that note.   Please look for that and return the lunch note ASAP. 
• Take-home book late notices will be sent home tomorrow.  Please help your child find their book and return it by May 11 or pay the $5.00 fine to the office.  Library books are also due the second week of May.  Our library day will be Wednesday, May 9.  All students that turn in their books or pay the replacement fee will receive a free book of their choice.   
• I have doubled up on math and our Math test for Chapter 10 (graphing) will be tomorrow.  I will then do the same thing the next couple of weeks with Chapters 11 and 12.  These chapters deal with three-dimensional shapes, and equal and unequal parts (halves, fourths etc.). 
• Our spelling test will be on Wednesday--I think I might have stated in last week's newsletter that the test will be on Tuesday, but on the list of words that were sent home last week it has the correct date.  A new list will come home on Thursday with that test being next Wednesday.  
• April reading calendars are due tomorrow--May 1.  I will send home May calendars and those will be due on Wednesday, May 16 since take-home books will stop on May 11. All work will need to be turned in by Friday, May 18 at the latest (missed morning work, reading calendars etc.)
• We will have three more opportunities for Sight Word Soldiers.  Phoenix's mom will pass off students this Friday, May 4, next Friday May 11 and the following THURSDAY May 17. 
• Remember the last day for the 100-book challenge is Wednesday, May 16.  The Reading pizza picnic will be in my room  the following day, Thursday May 17 and I will submit the recipients picture to the newspaper after that date. I'm so impressed by those that have persevered through this challenge and it's showing in their reading. 

Please feel free to contact me anytime with any question or concern.

Happy Reading!!

Newsletter April 23 - April 27

Our class has changed by two students.  Reese moved to Orem on Friday and today Aspen moved to LaVerkin.  It's hard to see my kids go.  They will be missed.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tomorrow is our field trip to SUU for BARD's birthday bash.  We will leave East at 12:20 and return by 3:00. Thank you to Lilly's and Phoenix's moms for joining us on our trip.  Please make sure that your child is wearing comfortable walking shoes.
• Today I sent home both April and May Scholastic reading fliers.  These will be the last fliers that I send home this year.  I included a coupon for a free book (buy one get one free).  Those coupons expire on April 30, so if you are interested please place your order by April 30.  I put May 1 as the deadline on the fliers before I noticed the expiration date on the coupon.
• I will send home a Power school printout tomorrow with current 4th quarter grades.  If your child misses school I always send home the morning work that they missed. I always accept late work so if you child is missing an assignment you can help them finish it at home and return it for full credit.
• Yearbook order forms were sent home last week.  If you want to order a yearbook for your child please send back the order form and money in the envelope provided.  I know that the PTA has spent hours making sure that everyone's picture is in the yearbook.  It's a fun way to remember the year.
• Today we started two new units--one in math and one in reading.  In math, we are now working on graphs and representing data.  This math unit is fairly short.  We will have a test on this material next Thursday, May 3 (what?!  it can't be May already). Today we learned about picture graphs.  In reading, we have moved from animal habitats to Fairy Tales.  Today we read Sleeping Beauty.  
• New spelling words will be sent home on Wednesday, with the test on Tuesday, May 1. 
• I have included some end of the school year calendar items on this blog.  I will send home a tangible note about the end-of-the year field trips to the Aquatic Center, the St. George Children's museum and field day the first part of May.  
• May 11 is the last day for take-home books.  Our take home librarian said that she will not be sending new books home with students that haven't turned one in for a long time.  Please make sure that you find those books and return them or pay the $5.00 replacement fee.  The same goes for library books. 
• Our final DIBELS (reading test) will be next Thursday, May 3 in the morning.  Please help by making sure your child has a good night's sleep the night before and something healthy to eat in the morning.   If your child is sick they can take the test on an alternative day.

Happy Reading--look for grade print outs tomorrow and ask about your child's behavior (ask were you on green today?).

Newsletter April 16 - April 20

Wow!  what a windy Monday.  With our weather being so unpredictable please send your child with appropriate outer wear.  Last Friday, was especially chilly for the students during break.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Our next spelling test is tomorrow, Tuesday, April 17.  Words were sent home last week and a list is on this blog (remember to scroll down and view "web version" if using your phone). A new list will not come home this week.  We have a little spelling break :)
• This Friday, is mid-term.  I will send home a power school print out early next week so that you can see how your child is doing in class.  You can also always access power school yourself and check your child's status.
• April is the last month for PTA reading awards.  We have several students receive awards last week.  Congratulations to Brinley, Wes, and Phoenix for earning the Gold Eagle award.  That's a lot of reading!!! Congratulations to Wes also for reaching the 100-book challenge mark!! (that challenge ends May 16).
• This week we are finishing up our unit on measurement and time in math and I will give a test on that material this Friday.  Today we learned about half past the hour.  We have been working on time all year during our "math wall" meeting so this part of the unit hasn't been too difficult for most students. 
• In reading we are finishing up unit 6 (that's why we don't have a spelling list).  Today students wrote "improved" sentences.  I gave them a start like "The rabbit hopped." and they added adjectives and prepositions to make the sentence better.  Sentences changed to things like "The white, fluffy rabbit hopped to the barn to get warm." 
• Next week is our field trip to SUU for Bard's Birthday Bash.  We will walk to SUU after lunch and return around 3:00.  I still need or would really appreciate a volunteer to go with us over there.  If you could help please send me an e-mail.
• I am sending home sight word lists to those that haven't passed off one recently.  Please take advantage of this helpful incentive.  
• I hope that you are still looking for your child's behavior chart every Friday.  Please discuss with them their behavior in school especially if their behavior chart shows a color "below green". 

 Please feel free to e-mail me or contact me if you have any concerns with your child. 

Happy Reading!

Newsletter April 9 - April 13

Welcome back after a nice long spring break.  It was nice to get first grade hugs and notes saying, "I mist (1st grade spelling) you Mrs. Armstrong". Our Easter Egg hunt before we left for break was a huge success.  Thanks for all of the egg donations and those that helped to "hide" the eggs.  Thanks also for the sweet notes and gifts during Teacher Appreciation week.   I know Spring break is a teaser for summer, but hold on tight as we still have several productive weeks of school left.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Our spelling test will be tomorrow, Tuesday April 10.  The list is on this blog if you have lost it.  If you are using your phone, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "view web version" and then you can see the list of words and other calendar items on the right hand sidebar.  A new list of words will come home on Wednesday, with the test being the following Tuesday, April 17.
• Many of you helped your child to remember to turn in their March reading calendar.  Those are now due and I will give until Thursday, April 12 for a certificate and a little treat attached to it.  I'm pleased too as several students brought 100-book challenge lists back after the break.  I have several kids VERY close to the 100-book mark. Keep up the good work!
• On Tuesday, April 24 our class will be walking to SUU for Bard's Birthday Bash.  This is fun celebration in honor of William Shakespeare.  The students get to act out a scene, eat birthday cake, and in the past we have had jousting contests, tug-o-wars, and danced using a maypole. We will leave the school right after lunch and return by 3:00.  I would love to have volunteers walk over with us and enjoy the festivities.  Let me know if you would like to go with us.
• In math we are working on measuring with non-standard measurements.  Today we used cubes and tomorrow we will measure objects with paper clips.  This unit also explores telling time to the hour and half hour. 
• In reading we are still learning alternative spellings for sounds (ex. 'kn' spells /n/ and 'wr' spells /r/).  We are reading about Grace and her family as they have many adventures on their farm. We are finishing up our unit on Animal Habitats.  Today we learned about the Freshwater Habitat and on Wednesday we will move to the Saltwater habitat.  We will eventually write a descriptive paragraph on one of the habitats we have studied (students will choose their favorite). 
• Don't forget to practice sight words with your child and send the lists back by Friday for Sight Word Soldiers.

Easter Egg Hunt

Happy Reading!

Newsletter March 26 - March 30

This is our last week before Spring Break (April 2 - 6).  Today we took our spelling test.  Tomorrow new spelling words will come home, but we will not have a test until we return from Spring break on Tuesday, April 10.

Our field trip to the Tom Sawyer play at SUU was a big success.  It was fun to watch my students experience a stage performance for many possibly the first time they have seen a play.  They laughed, clapped, and even screamed and cheered at one point.  Ask you child about it if you haven't already.

Here are this week's happenings:

• I sent home another reminder today about our Easter egg hunt on Friday, March 30.  Thanks for those of you that have sent eggs already.  We can't do this without your egg donations so THANK YOU!  Please send those plastic, candy-filled eggs (one dozen) by Thursday, March 29.  I have one parent that has volunteered to come and help hide the eggs that day.  I could use another helper--if you could help by coming and getting the eggs from my classroom at 1:30 and help hide them at the park for our arrival at 2:00 I would really appreciate it.  Send me an e-mail if you can help. 
• After spring break we still have several weeks of learning--please continue to read with your child every night and work towards our 100-book challenge.  We have sight word soldier pass-off on every Friday.  If you have lost your list let me know and I can send home another one.  
• Today we took a math test and tomorrow we will begin our unit on measurement and time.  Students really like the change in topic from place value to measurement and time.  We are still learning about animal habitats and our books that accompany our reading program are  getting more difficult as my students are becoming more proficient readers. We are continuing to learn rules of decoding.  Today we learned that 'kn' is a way to spell the /n/ sound (knee, knot etc.). 

Have a marvelous Spring break.  School will resume on Monday, April 9. 

Newsletter March 19 - March 23

It's almost spring and wow! we got some snow!  I guess we need the water though and by the afternoon the snow was pretty much melted off of the playground.

Here are this week's happenings:

• On Wednesday, we are walking to SUU for the Tom Sawyer play.  We will leave the school at 9:15 and return by lunch.  Please have your child here on time that day or they will have to stay back at the school.  I have only had four students send in $1.00 for that play.  That is the cost of the play.  Please send $1.00 by tomorrow!!!
• Spelling words were sent home today.  The test will be next Monday, March 26.
• March Scholastic book orders are due on Wednesday, March 21.
• The PTA reading program (bookmarks for prizes) will conclude the end of April.  If your child wants to earn the prizes they will only have until them to turn in bookmarks.
• I sent home a note about our first grade Easter Egg hunt on Friday, March 30.  Please read over that and help us by donating plastic candy-filled eggs. I need volunteers to help make this activity successful--actually it won't work at all if I don't have any volunteers :)
• Today we started our new book Grace--it is about Grace, her sister Jill and their adventures on their farm. We also started a new Unit on Animal habitats as we finished The history of the Earth last Friday. In math we are still working on two-digit addition and subtraction.  We will test on that material by this Friday. 
• Don't forget we have sight word soldiers on Friday and to read with your child from their take-home books every night! Congratulations to Piper.  She is our second student to reach the 100-book milestone in our 100-book challenge.  That challenge continues until May 16, unlike the PTA reading program which ends the end of April.

Happy Reading!!

Newsletter March 12 - March 16

Sorry about this newsletter being a couple of days late--I've had extra things after school the last couple of days that took my attention.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tomorrow is another round of PTA reading awards.  I sent home little slips of paper to those that will be receiving an award.  They will be presented in our classroom at 3:00 if you would like to attend.  Congrats to Brinley and A'merrie (Catch the Vision recipients), Lilly (Most improved) and Reese, Riley and Piper for attendance awards!
• Next Wednesday is the Tom Sawyer play at SUU.  Please send your $1.00 by Tuesday, March 20.  We will leave here at 9:15 and return by lunch.  Please have your child here on time that day.
• We have a spelling test this Friday.  A list of words came home with your child on Monday.  All of these words have a "double consonant" in the middle of the word.  They may need to be studied at home so some students don't feel overwhelmed by the test.
• Sight Word soldiers will resume this Friday.  If you have lost your list please let me know and I can send another one home.  Getting these sight words down is one important component of becoming a fluent reader.
• I will send home third quarter Power School grades by the end of the week.  I will also send home a March Scholastic Book order those orders will be due next Wednesday, March 21.  Please order online if possible--that's the easiest and most efficient way.
• In curriculum, we are still learning about the History of the Earth.  We recently learned about three kinds of rocks (igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic) and how "heat, pressure, and time" play a role in their formation.  In math, are working on two-digit numbers and adding the tens and ones together (53 + 20 is 7 tens and 3 ones = 73). We just started a new unit in reading.  We are learning about letters that are spellings for two sounds (ex. 'c' like cat, or cent).  We will also learn about writing personal narratives and students will write about a personal experience using words such as first, next, and last.  
• We plan on having a First Grade Easter Egg Hunt (Armstrong and Carter's classes) on Friday, March 30 at 2:00 at the Canyon Park.  I will send home a note about that activity later this week.
• Every Wednesday we have library.  Today we had very few books returned.  Please go on a book hunt and find lost or missing books and take advantage of this opportunity to have books your child would be interested in reading at home!

Happy Reading!!

Newsletter March 5 - March 7

This is a shorter week--we have school Monday - Wednesday and are off this Thursday and Friday.  So this newsletter will reflect a shorter week.

Here are this week's happenings:

• We will not have a new spelling list until we get back next week and since we will not be in school on Friday Sight Word Soldiers will be next Friday.  Thank you to Phoenix's mom for taking that over.  Congratulations to Reese's mom on her new little addition--a baby boy!
• Remember our field trip to SUU to watch Tom Sawyer on Wednesday, March 21.  The cost for this field trip is $1.00.  Please send that with your child by Tuesday, March 20. I would love having a parent volunteer walk over there with us.  If you can help please let me know.
• Wednesday is the last day of third quarter.  The third quarter Student Awards will be Tuesday, March 13 at 3:00 in the cafeteria.  I will send e-mails to those that will be receiving awards that day (attendance, Catch the Vision, and Most improved awards).
• Yay! for Brinley.  She is our first student to achieve the 100 book mark in our 100-book challenge.  I reminded my students that we all read at a different pace and that they still have plenty of time to accomplish this goal.  May 16 is the last day for this goal.

I hope that you all have a nice four day weekend and a rejuvenation to head into the fourth quarter of school--crazy how time flies!

Happy Reading!

Newsletter February 26 - March 2

Last week we had a new addition to our class.  Miss Bagley is our student teacher.  She is very capable and I am happy to have her in my class to learn and to teach.  She will be here until mid-April. 

Here are this week's happenings:

• Friday is now our Sight Word Soldiers day.  Please help your child with their lists and send those back by Friday.
• The spelling test is on Thursday (a list was sent home last Friday).  The list is also on the sidebar of this blog.  As you are studying if you talk about the different ways the sounds are spelled that might help for example;  trucker (/t/ is spelled 't'), kitten (/t/ is spelled 'tt') and parked (/t/ is spelled 'ed'). 
• February Reading Calendars are due this Thursday, March 1.  I will send home new March calendars that day. I will accept those calendars for a little treat and certificate by Tuesday, March 6.  After that, I will still give credit for the work completed but a treat and certificate will not be attached to it.
• On Friday it's "Dr Seuss'" birthday.  Our wonderful PTA is coming to our classrooms to share Dr. Seuss stories and a cupcake.  
• Next week is our final week of quarter three.  Remember that we have a couple of days off before we start back up into our fourth quarter.  We do not have school on Thursday and Friday, March 8 and 9.  
• On Wednesday, March 21 we will be going on a walking field to SUU to watch Tom Sawyer put on by the Playmakers.  It is a production full of children and is usually a great time and something that maybe many first graders haven't attended before (an actual stage play). We will leave the school at approximately 9:15 for the play at 10:00 and return by lunch.  I would love to have, actually I should say I need a parent volunteer come with us and walk to SUU. If you could spend the morning with our class please let me know. The cost for this field trip is $1.00.  Please send that with your child by Tuesday, March 20.  
• We are having issues with toys being brought to school.  I talked to my students today about bringing toys or anything that can get broken, stolen, lost or are a distraction to class.  I asked them to please clean out their backpacks of these toys and to not bring them to school unless it's a special toy day in PE.  I also told them that I would like to see "Show and Teach" items instead of toys being brought to school for Show and Tell (shells, family pictures, book, a rock found on a hike etc.) instead of bringing toys.  Could you please help your child with this and not have them bring toys to school?  I know some kids leave them in their backpacks and I never see them and they aren't a problem, but I would appreciate the help.  If you have any concerns about this please let me know. 
• In our learning we have moved to our unit on the History of the Earth.  We will learn about the different layers of the earth, different types of rocks and how they are formed and learn about geology and what geologists do.  In math we have moved to our unit on adding and subtracting two-digit numbers.  Miss Bagley our student teacher is presenting these lessons.  Tomorrow the students will learn about adding tens (example 30 + 50 = 8 tens = 80. ).  In reading and writing we are starting opinion paragraphs.  We just wrote a class opinion paragraph about our favorite class activity so far (we chose Valentine's day).  Students will then take a stand or choose their favorite animal and write an opinion paragraph about that animal. 
• Our 100-book challenge is well under way.  I am excited as more lists are returning.  I am going to change that due date just slightly because we have two field trips the last week of school (I'll inform you of those when it gets closer to the time) and because of those field trips and field day I wanted to make the due date for the 100 books on Wednesday, May 16.  We will have our reading picnic (pizza, breadsticks etc. in my room) on Thursday May 17. 

I will print off third quarter power school grades next week and send them home with your child the following week after we return from the two day break.  If you child needs to return any missing assignments due to absences please return those by next Wednesday, March 7. 

Don't stop reading with your child!  Try to make it an enjoyable activity with your child. 

Happy Reading!