Newsletter October 5 - October 9

 Welcome to October--this is the last week of our first quarter of school!  I am so glad we are still in school and have made it this far! It was nice to visit with you last week for SEP's.  Please don't hesitate to contact me anytime with questions or concerns.

Here are this week's happenings:

• Picture retakes (or taking for the first time) are this Friday, October 9.  If your child did not get their picture taken they will go, but I will not send students who already had their pictures taken unless you let me know.
• Take-home books were again sent home tonight.  I can't reiterate enough how much it helps to have books on your child's independent reading level to read at home.  Please take advantage of this.  September reading calendars are due this Wednesday for a certificate and treat (due October 1) but giving you a few days to get them in.  I told my students today about the last chance Wednesday deadline.
• If you haven't signed the computer use form on powerschool please do that by this Wednesday, October 7.  Believe me I wish I could do it for you, but I appreciate those that have signed it so your child can continue to use a computer at school. If not during computer time your child will be doing an alternate activity.
• We are trying for a field trip to the pumpkin patch on Tuesday,  October 20.  I will let you know more details about that if we get approval and transportation. 
• Remember that we have Monday, October 19 off for Harvest Holiday.
• In our learning we have just finished our first unit in reading.  This unit was mostly a review of kindergarten "stuff".  We reviewed all the letter sounds, and names along with the /sh/, /ch/, and /th/ sounds as well as double consonants (ff, ss etc.).  In unit 2 we will begin looking at and learning about long vowel sounds.  We will start with words with "vowel consonant e" (silent e, words like 'take' etc.).  
• We just finished learning about ancient Mesopotamia.  We learned about the importance of the rivers, religion in Mesopotamia, writing, and about the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.  Ask your child about the Hanging Gardens :). We are now moving to our unit our the Human body which we will continue in October since it fits in well with Halloween and skeletons.  We will then pick up with the Ancient world civilizations unit and study Ancient Egypt. 
• In math we are almost finished with our unit on subtraction within 10.  We have learned how to  'take-apart numbers' (9 - 0, 9 -1, 9 -2 etc.).  Students understand simple subtraction problems right now, but we need some more work on "parts of number" and how addition and subtraction relate.  That will come in subsequent chapters.  We will also work more on recognizing if a word problem requires an addition or subtraction equation to solve it. 
• We will NOT have library this week.  You are welcome to send back those library books anytime though and your child can keep them in their mailbox here at school until the following Thursday, or you can keep them home until our next library day which will be Thursday, Oct. 15.

Happy Reading (remember to read every night for 10 minutes--the take home books are the BEST!)

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter September 21 - September 25

 Hi--we are starting our 5th week of school.  I am so glad we are still learning in a face to face setting.  

Here are this week's happenings:

• I just sent two e-mails--one with a survey for my masters project that I sent home information on last week.  It's a super quick, anonymous survey and will just take you a few minutes to fill out.  This other is a google doc to sign up for ZOOM SEP's (parent teacher conferences) next week.  Even though ZOOM is not the most ideal way to speak with you and your child I do think that connecting and speaking to each other is important so that I can answer any questions you might have and make sure you understand my classroom expectations and I can let you know how your child is doing in school so far this year. School will dismiss next week everyday at 2:30 (even Wednesday) because of these conferences.  I am going to send home a little packet of information by the end of the week with items for you to look over before we meet (if possible).  Please watch for that in your child's homework folder. 
• Take-home books were sent home today.  Please read the blue note in the bag and if you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact me.  In a nutshell--please have your child read one book each night 3 times each (M,T, and W). Date, sign and check of # of times read on the white sheet in the bag.  Return the bag on Thursday and then next Monday three more new books will come home with return again on the following Thursday. 
• I have a few students who are returning their "blue slips" for our sight word soldiers program.  Remember to practice these lists and send back the blue note whenever your are confident that you child is ready to pass off the list. I have helpers from SUU here every day to pass those off.  Having an automatic storage of sight words is very helpful for beginning readers especially since most sight words cannot be sounded out and are very plentiful in all texts. 
• This week in math we are finishing up our unit on addition concepts.  We will take our first test tomorrow and have a review/intervention day on Wednesday concerning addition with sums to 10.  We will then dive right into subtraction concepts. 
• In reading we are reviewing short vowel sounds, double consonants (ff, zz etc.), blending sounds into words, digraphs (sh, ch, th) and reading from our "decodable reader".  A decodable reader is a book that only has words that your child should know from our learning.  For example words with known digraphs (sh, ch and th), or words with short vowel sounds, or sight words we have reviewed would be highlighted in these books.  Right now we are reading a book called Snapshots.  We are reading about Beth and her friend Nat that she met at camp.  Beth and her mom just made a trip to the UK to visit Nat and we just met his cat, Bud.  Right now we are especially concentrating on following print as we read.  Something that I would suggest when you read at home with your child is that you have them "track the print" with their finger.  That means moving their finger underneath the words as they read them.  There is significant research touting the benefits of having beginning readers track the print.  We have found that this has been difficult for our students this year so reinforcing it at home would be helpful.  
• Actually if you want any tips or pointers on how to help your child read at home I am happy to offer assistance.  I can answer those questions during our SEP conference or you can reach out to me at any time and I am happy to offer my advice.  
• I still have many of you that have not logged onto power school and signed the computer-use and other forms that NEED to be signed there this year.  Students who do not have the computer-use form signed by the first week in October will not be allowed to use the computers in school.    Some of you have asked for your child's power school information and that has been sent home to you.  For the others who haven't asked and who haven't signed those forms I am sending home power school login information tomorrow (look in your child's homework folder for an envelope with their name on it). Please do this!  If you have any problems please let me know and I will figure out the answer :). 

I think that's it--sorry I sent so many new things home today. Please take a minute and read the take-home books note, check out my survey, and sign up for an SEP spot.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter September 14 - September 18

 We are embarking on our 4th week of school--I am excited that we continue to be face to face.  I think it's the best way for little ones to learn.

Here are this week's happenings:

• There are several things in your child's homework folder today (please make sure that comes back everyday).  The first is an opt out letter for my Master's research project.  I am in my last semester of my master's program at SUU.  For my thesis I am gathering data about rereading books at home and it's effect on a student's reading fluency.  I sent home a letter explaining that project a little and allowing your child to opt out if desired.  Let me first say that students will not be asked to do anything that I won't already ask--when take home books start I will encourage those books to be read three times (I've done that for a few years now).  Student information will be kept confidential and there will be no judgments whether you do the reading at home or not--any evidence I gather will be so helpful for my thesis project.  I appreciate your help and if you see that I am frazzled at times you will know why :) getting a Masters is not for the faint of heart :) 
• The second is sheet outlining our take-home library books and how that will look this year.  Please sign the bottom portion of that sheet and return it with your child.  I am super excited about the take home library to start.  It really helps to have books on your child's independent reading level at home to read. Take home books will start coming home next Monday, September 21. 
• The third is a list of sight word and an explanation for our Sight Word Soldiers program.  I was given help from two SUU students so they will be passing off those sight word lists as soon as they come in.  On the note it said every day but Wednesday, but today I learned I will have help on Wednesday too.  You can cut the sight words up into little flash cards or simply just point to them out of order until your child can read them automatically.  I have noticed since returning to school that my students need extra sight word practice so this program will be especially helpful this year. 
• The scholastic book order that I sent home last week is due tomorrow if you'd like to order some the best way is to do it online using the online code I provided.
• SEP conferences (parent teacher conferences) are just around the corner.  They will be held September 28 - October 2.  We will be conducting these through ZOOM this year.  Next week I will send home a little packet of information that I would like you to look over before our ZOOM appointment.  I will also share with you a google form where you can sign up for a ZOOM time.  These will be for 15 minutes and will give us a chance to talk about your child and how they are doing in school.  It will also be a good time to ask any questions you might have.  
• We are working our way through the kindergarten review chapter in our CKLA (reading) program.  Today we reviewed the digraphs 'ch' and 'sh'.  Students are getting better at blending sounds into words.  We learned too that nouns are words that not only name people but also things.  On Wednesday we will start our first reader called SnapShots.  We will follow two friends Beth and Nat as they have adventures here and in the UK.  Reading groups will start this Thursday.  Groups are being moved around a bit still so I will inform you if your child will be going to a reading group outside of my classroom by the end of the week.  All students will be in a  small reading group from 9:45-10:30 daily except Wednesday.  
• In math today we learned about ways to "make 5 and make 9" (think 0 + 5, 1 + 4, 2 + 3 etc. for 5).  We took a little quiz today on adding in any order and my students seem to understand the concept based on the results of that quiz.  For the remainder of this week we will work more on ways to make a number especially "ways to make ten", we will practice addition to 10 (sums up to 10) and will take another quiz on Friday to test their understanding of ways to make 10. 
• We are continuing our unit on Fables and Folktales.  Today we read a Jewish folktale called the Crowded Noisy House where we learned to be happy with what we have because "it can always be worse".  Students learned a couple of yiddish terms "oh vey" and "kvetches".  Ask them about the story.  We will also read two more folktales The Tale of Peter Rabbit and All Stories are Anansi's before the end of the week.  

Please let me know if you have any questions--I'm happy to take phone calls or you can send me an e-mail or a REMIND.

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter September 8 - September 11

 Welcome back after Labor Day weekend.  I hope that you all have an enjoyable break.  It's amazing the drop in temperatures from last week.  Thanks for sending jackets with your kids.  We go outside for fresh air breaks unless it we are experiencing sub freezing temperatures, it's raining or snowing.  

Here are this week's happenings:

• Picture day is this Friday--another reminder and payment form was sent home today in your child's homework folder.  All students will get their pictures taken regardless is payment is made. 
• I placed a Scholastic book order in your child's homework folder last Friday.  These orders are optional but a nice way to get some inexpensive books for your home library and it helps to get books for our classroom library each time an order is made.   The best way to order these books is using the online code that was attached to the letter on the fliers.  The online code is always posted on the side bar of this blog.  The orders will be due Tuesday, September 15. 
• Also in your child's homework folder is a flier about a PTA fundraiser for "Starving Student card"--these are coupon type books that a percentage of the proceeds comes back to our school.  This year rather than a typical coupon book it will be all online.  The flier I sent home outlines the details of the fundraiser.  Consider purchasing one if you would like to--I know that I use mine and it pays for itself after a few uses. 
• Remember that our library day is on Thursday--please help your child to remember to return their books so that they can check out some new ones this Thursday.  I will send a REMIND message tomorrow to remind you!
• I hope you are all reading with your child for 10 minutes each night.  Some of you have started filling out the PTA reading eagle bookmark in addition to our reading calendar.  Those were sent home in the homework folders the first day of school.  As your child finishes those bookmarks they can return them here in exchange for a new one.  I have not heard about awards ceremonies this year, but will let you know about that as soon as I hear.  In the past I have helped in class so that my students can get the highest award possible for the PTA awards since I only require 10 minutes of reading and to get the highest award students would have to read more than 10 minutes a night.  When our reading groups start I will start adding ten minutes each day to a PTA bookmark here in class.  Those will be added to the bookmarks that you fill out at home.  Of course you can read more than 10 minutes at home but I've found and research supports just ten minutes a night for first graders.  Right now I want the reading to be enjoyable!  If that means you are doing most of the reading to your child because the books you are have too difficult for your child to read right now then do that.  When the take-home books start coming home you should switch that up and your student should do most of the reading to you.  If the books are too hard it will just be frustrating to your child and reading will not feel enjoyable to them. 
• Our SEP conferences (parent teacher conferences) will be held the week of September 28 - October 2.  This year along with so many other things those conferences will look very different.  My guess is we will schedule those "visits" via ZOOM.  After meeting with my first grade team tomorrow, I will get back to you on how we will proceed with those conferences.  At those conferences I will let you know how your child performed on the DIBELS reading test and we can discuss how your child is doing in school and progressing in not only reading but math and behavior as well.  Of course I am happy to discuss how your child is doing at any time so if you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out. SCHOOL DISMISSES EVERYDAY INCLUDING WEDNESDAY DURING SEP WEEK!
• Ok now for our curriculum.... This week we are continuing to review sounds and letters and blending those sounds into words.  We are also taking words and breaking them apart into sounds.  We have learned a few "tricky words" (a, I, so, no, to, all, and some) as well as are working on our handwriting.  We finished our last fable today "The Fox and the Grapes" and will start some more stories (fiction yes, but not considered fables) this week.  We will read "The Little Half Chick" and "All Stories are Anansi's". Ask your students to retell the stories or fables to you.  In math we took a quiz on the learning target "using pictures to add".  Students had to look at a picture and then come up with the corresponding addition sentence (example; 3 dogs and 2 dogs students would need to write 3 + 2 = 5).  We will work on reinforcing, enriching or reteaching this concept to all students. Some will need enrichment others will need more practice or possibly reteaching.  Today we learned the rule of adding 0 to a number and we will then move onto the target of "adding in any order" (think; 3 + 2 = 5 and 2 + 3 = 5).  We learned today that the "answer" to an addition problem is called the "sum".  
• We are still working on classroom expectations.  I hope that you saw your child's behavior chart last Friday (smiley faces on it).  Those will be sent home every Friday.  Students who are green all week or above green get to pick out of the treasure box. 

I hope that you have a Happy Tuesday--remember that tomorrow is Wednesday and it's early out!

Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter August 31 - September 4

 Hello and welcome to Mrs. Armstrong's first grade newsletter.  Rather than send home written newsletters I post a blog newsletter weekly.  It will be your responsibility to read this weekly for announcements, calendar items and to learn about what we are doing in our classroom. Make sure that you check out the sidebar of this blog also if you are using your phone to view this scroll down to view the "web version". 

Here's what's happening this week:

• Today I sent home our first reading calendar (September) in your child's homework folder (remember that these come back and forth EVERYDAY).  If you watched my BTSN night video you know that the only "homework" I expect in first grade is reading 10 minutes each school night.  I prefer that the students read to you but since the take-home library has not started yet any reading together for 10 minutes now is just great.  Please mark down how many minutes your child reads on the calendar each night and sign it and return it at the end of the month for a certificate, little treat, and a coupon for a free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. 
• Don't forget to send water bottles with your child.  We were given permission to use the drinking fountains today for those that forget a water bottle, but it's much more sanitary to have water bottles rather than several students drinking one after the other from the fountain.  Please wash them and fill them up every day.
• This week we started our behavior charts.  Each week students try to stay "green" or above on my behavior clip chart.  They will bring home a behavior chart each week showing you how they did.  Please talk to your child about how they are doing in school.  If your child is green all week then on Friday they get to pick out of the "green treasure box".  We are still learning about rules and expectations in first grade.  Learning appropriate behavior and social cues is just as important as the academic learning that students will receive in first grade.
• This week our reading aides began testing students using the state mandated test of DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills).  After this testing is complete students we will begin having small reading groups.  If your child will be receiving reading group services outside of my classroom I will inform of that.  I am excited for small reading groups to start--that is my favorite part of teaching first grade and it's where the magic happens. 
• School pictures will be Friday, September 11.  We are using a different company this year and I will send you information about prices when I receive it. 
• Our first week was spent getting to know each other and to establish classroom rules.  This week we are diving right into learning.  In our reading we are reading letter sounds and blending sounds into words.  We are learning the differences between vowel sounds and consonants sounds and were introduced to nouns.  We have also been hearing Fables this week--today we read "The Goose and the Golden Egg".  We also read "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and "The Maid and the Milkpail".  Ask your child what the moral of these fables are. 
• In math we are learning about addition concepts.  We are using concrete models to show addition this week and learning about what an addition sentence looks like.  
• We are doing our best with social distancing and mask wearing.  I still have some students who I am constantly reminding to put on their masks.  I appreciate those who have reinforced the importance of wearing masks--I know it's not easy, but it keeps us face to face in school!!
• Remember that it's Labor Day next Monday--so have a nice long weekend!
• Please feel free to reach out to me anytime with questions or concerns.  Remind is the perfect way to contact me--or I will get back to you over e-mail as soon as I can, but it is not as immediate.  Thanks for you support!

Happy Tuesday and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

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