Newsletter March 9 - March 13

Happy first day of Daylight Savings (not my favorite, until summer rolls around).  This is the last week of our third quarter.  I'm always astounded how fast the second half of the year goes by.

Here are this week's happenings:

• We collected enough money for the ballet and have some extra to pad our field trip fund for the remainder of the year.  Thank you so much for the extra help!  We will send home a note in the next couple of weeks outlining our final field trips and ask for a lump sum to cover those trips.  Just as a heads up we will be going to the play Once Upon a Mattress at SUU in April, and then to the Aquatic Center and St. George Children's museum and carousel ride in May.  For the ballet we will be leaving East at 9:20 and walking to the Heritage Center Theater and return around 11:00.  
• PTA reading awards will be this Thursday at 3:00 in our classroom.  I sent notes home today for those that will be receiving an award.  They are in your child's folder.
• Our 100-book challenge is in full swing.  Congratulations to Harper for being the first to read 100 books!  Students have until the middle of May to complete this challenge.
• Last week we wrote Rainforest Habitat paragraphs.  They are hanging outside of our classroom with our jaguar art.  I was very pleased with the paragraphs and am amazed at the progress we have made in writing over this year.  Our next paragraphs will center around opinions rather than facts, but will follow the same format of an opening sentence, followed by sentences to support that, and ending with a closing sentence. We are finishing up Unit 5 this week in reading and have a few more stories to read in Kate's book.  Today we read Two Good Things and One Bad--ask your child why the story had that title. 😀
• In math we are working on numbers with 1 ten and some ones (i.e. 15 or 19).  It's a bit difficult for first graders at first to understand one group of ten is not 10 tens, but I think we have crossed that hurdle in the past couple of days.  I used a 100-book challenge note on Friday to help "show" them that we just had 1 note, but ten books on the note and related that to 1 group of ten.  This week we will model tens (numbers like 20 or 50) and then move to multiple groups of tens and ones (43 or 56).  Students will model these numbers and then write the numerical representation. During our intervention time on Wednesday students will be working with counting on by 10 in their respective groups.  Some will receive enrichment with that concept others will be given extra guidance with that concept.  
• Today we started our unit on Astronomy.  We barely got into discussing the earth's atmosphere and outer space.  We will learn about the earth, planets, stars, the moon, constellations, and the sun to name a few.  My students were excited today as we began our discussion. 
• Don't forget that we have next Monday and Tuesday off before 4th quarter begins.  I will actually be gone the following Thursday and Friday for a conference in Salt Lake City with other team leaders from East.  I'm really excited about it as it will help with our intervention groups that we have incorporated this year.  

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter March 2 - March 6

Happy Dr. Seuss Week!

Here are this week's happenings:

• I hope that you saw the note about Field trips specifically those that cost a little bit to attend.  We want to go to the ballet on March 13 at the Heritage Center, but now if all of the money is not collected then we have to cancel the trip.  If you can, please send the $1.00 by this Friday, March 6.  We wanted to give the theater time to get another group if we happen to cancel so that's why the quick turn around.  Next time we'll be more prompt in letting you know, but sometimes like this something just comes up and we jump on it.  
• I sent home yearbook order forms yesterday.  You can send back the order form with a check or I noticed that you can also order those online.  
• Spring pictures are this Friday, March 6.  I just barely got that notice in my box today.  I sent that home.  In the past, spring pictures are only for those that order a package.  We used a different company this year so I will double check on that and let you know. If you don't hear anything through REMIND then know that it's like I presumed.  If you could just let me know though if you want your child's picture taken, especially if you ordered online so I will be sure to send them down at our appointed time.  Just like the yearbooks you can order online or send in money with the order form.  
• Last week we attempted to write paragraphs on the forest habitat.  I rushed it a bit as I was leaving for the state basketball tournament and many kids struggled writing one on their own.  This week we will focus on that process of writing a paragraph on the Rainforest habitat.  Then will move into opinion paragraphs.  
• In math we just started our unit on Counting and Modeling numbers (think place value).  Today we counted on by tens starting at a given number (17, 27, 37.....).  Students get the 10, 20, 30 pattern, but some struggled with  counting on by tens when it wasn't in that familiar sequence.  We will work on that  tomorrow during our Math WIN time. For the remainder of the week students will build numbers starting with 10 and adding ones (ex. 13 = 1 ten and 3 ones).  
• In reading we are still working on alternative spellings for consonant sounds.  Today we worked on the /r/ (sound) and learned that another way to spell it is 'wr'.  
• The 100-book challenge is going strong.  I have excited students every morning as they bring in lists of books that they have read.  Remember that challenge goes until May 15. I think we'll have many students in the newspaper this year :)
• Sight Word Soldiers is tomorrow--every Wednesday and the February reading calendars are due this Friday, March 6 for a certificate, treat and pizza coupon.  March reading calendars were sent home yesterday. 
• Just a reminder that in March students have March 16th and 17th off.  

Happy March Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong