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!