Newsletter December 16 - December 20

It's our last newsletter before the Christmas break and the last newsletter of 2019.  Today the district administrators stopped by to visit.  I appreciate the support we receive from the superintendent's office.  I told you last week that I needed to show you the DIBELS results, but our reading specialist said we now can just send the results home with our students.  I sent those results home with your child today (it's in their homework folder).  If you have any questions about those results please let me know.  I was VERY pleased with the results.  We looked at all of the results and rearranged reading intervention groups.  Many students in my class will either be changed or not be attending reading intervention groups starting in January.  When we get those finalized I will let you know via e-mail where your child will be during reading group time. 

Here are this week's happenings:

• Tomorrow Tuesday, December 17 at 3:00 in the cafeteria is our First grade awards ceremony.  I sent out e-mails this morning to those that will be receiving an award at this ceremony.  
• This Friday, is our Pajama and Grinch day.  I sent home a note about it on Friday.  Please let me know if you have any concerns about that day.  Students can wear their pajamas all day to school.  If they want to bring a blanket or pillow that would fit into their backpack they are welcome to do that too. We will also have a "special Christmas visitor" on Friday morning.
• Thanks for those that have volunteered to help with Gingerbread houses and for sending supplies.  Remember that we will be constructing those houses on Thursday after lunch at 1:00.  
• We are almost done with our "secret gifts".  Students will bring them home on Wednesday.  Thanks for helping your child "earn" $1.00 for that gift.  I think it's a valuable lesson as they learn to "give".  
• This week we are cramming in our Representing Data unit in math.  Today we read and made picture graphs.  Tomorrow we will do the same with bar graphs.  On Wednesday and Thursday we will read and make tally charts and on Friday morning we will finish off with problem solving using graphs.  Think of things like: "Jake has 4 more trains cars than Ed.  Ed has 3 train cars.  Ben has  2 fewer train cars then Ed.  How many trains cars does Jake have?" Students will make a graph with the data and then figure out the answer using the graph. 
• This week in reading we are continuing to read about animals from the Green Fern Zoo.  We will read Mandrills again, Things With Wings, and Big Cats.  At least that's the plan,  with Christmas activities sometimes things change. We will write about "How to make the Grinch happy" and read more versions of the Gingerbread Man.  

I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday break.  Teaching first grade really is the BEST GIFT!  

Happy Holiday Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong