Newsletter February 22 - February 26

 Here's my mid-week newsletter.  I guess Wednesday is better than never.  

Here's what's happening:

• We have a large accumulation of clothing items in our lost and found.  This Friday those will be donated.  If your child is missing something (coat, jacket, hat etc.) please have them look for them before Friday.  If they ask my I will let them go before school or at a convenient time during the day to look for the missing item.
• On Tuesday, March 2 we (along with the rest of the school) will be having a pajama day for "Read Across America"--Dr. Seuss's birthday celebration.  You child can wear their pajamas all day next Tuesday, March 2.  
• I will send home scholastic book orders this Friday.  Disregard the order deadline--I will extend that to Wednesday March 2.  Please use the classroom code and order online (that's the best way)--I can take a regular order too.  It's nice as you have the choice to either have the books sent here to school or last month if you ordered a specific amount the books could be sent directly to your house (I guess that's one nice thing about COVID).  
• This week I have again had several students say "I forgot my mask".  Please put an extra mask in your child's backpack.  This is especially helpful too if one mask gets misplaced during lunch break.
• Don't forget to return both library and take home books tomorrow--THURSDAY.  I was excited to hear that next week we will be having our library experience back in the library so students will be able to have a greater variety of books to check out each week.  
• In learning we have learned a lot about groundhogs and today we used a graphic organizer (hand print) to begin formulating a descriptive paragraph about groundhogs.  Ask your child to share some things they have learned about groundhogs.  I told them today they could be groundhog scientists! We have starting reading a new book called Kate's book and are concentrating on determining if a sentence is a statement or question. 
• In math we started a new chapter, "Count and model numbers".  This is the chapter where we begin place value.  Students have been counting on by one from any given number using a 120 chart and tomorrow we will count on by 10's from any number using a 120-chart (i.e. 38, 48, 58 etc.). This chapter we will model tens and ones which will help us then be able to add and subtract two digit numbers. 

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter February 16 - February 19

 Welcome back after a nice three day weekend.  I hope you enjoyed your break.  I'm going to be brief but here are this week's happenings:

• Please put an extra mask in your child's backpack.  We have had several students lose their masks especially during lunch break.  I always remind them to have it when they come in but we've had several get lost.  That causes two issues-- one interrupted instruction time for the student to go back outside and try and find it or if not found they have to go to Eagle support and a parent is called to bring a new one.  I have gone through boxes of masks as well as the office.  An extra one would be very helpful.  
• Governor Cox is visiting ICSD next Monday, February 22 and specifically will be visiting East Elementary before lunch.  I think that is quite an honor to have a visit from the governor.  He will be observing a dual immersion classroom as well as our Eagle Support or Wellness Center. 
• Take home books were sent home today.  This week only two were sent home.  They will as usual be due back on Thursday (Friday at the latest) for new books next Monday.  Library will be this Thursday.  It's been a couple of weeks since we have had library.
• This week we will learn more about groundhogs so that we can begin the process of writing a descriptive paragraph about Groundhogs.  We have also started a new unit in reading and today learned about plural nouns and the rules for doubling consonants when adding endings to a root word (ex. stop, stopping or stopped vs. jump, jumping or jumped).  We are still learning about animal habitats and will finish that unit learning about the freshwater and ocean habitats.  
• In math we are wrapping up our unit on the relationship between addition and subtraction. The last couple of days we have learned about equal or not equal equations (4  + 3 = 9 - 2 or 5 + 5 = 4 + 4. The first being equal of course and the second not equal).  Today we worked on mixed addition and subtraction problems.  I had to remind my students many times to look at the sign before adding or subtracting.  That might be something you emphasize at home working with both addition and subtraction problems. 
• Last Wednesday we had our first WIN groups. We all (first grade teachers) were reminded at what a great thing grouping students with the parameters of WHAT I NEED.  We are excited to again have those groups tomorrow.  We will have those groups every Wednesday after lunch for the remainder of the year.  Those groups are fluid as we look at data and move students around based what they need for each standard.  

Have a nice Tuesday and Happy Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter February 8 - February 12

 It has been nice to be back after my 10 day quarantine.  We are still  working on correcting behavior and I would appreciate your support at home with this.  Please ask your child about how they did on their behavior chart DAILY.  Work with them about respecting those around them, working hard and being kind.  Today there was a sub in PE and several students just left he PE room and I could tell she was frazzled afterwards.  From now on if students are disruptive, not following the rules, leaving the room without permission or being unkind in PE they will go to Eagle Support rather than participate with our class for PE the following week.   

Thanks for making the time to visit with me last week for SEP's.  It really is important to support your child's education and meeting with me shows them that support. 

We celebrated our 100th Day just a bit late after my return.  We have now been in school 104 day.  I consider that a victory especially this year! 

Here is what's happening this week:

• Valentine's NEED to be sent tomorrow.  Remember that we will fill them out here in class, but they need to quarantine for 72 hours before delivery on Friday.  Just send the box with your child's name on it.  Valentine's with a candy treat included are just fine too--just again make sure they come tomorrow and write your child's name on the box.  I have bought a few boxes for those that cannot send them, but honestly can't do that for the whole class.  So far I have only had a handful of students bring them.  Please let me know if this is an issue for you.  
• This Thursday our school nurse will present a Dental Health lesson to our class.  
• Along with the behavior issues I previously mentioned, I have removed supplies from student desks.  So far I think that is helping as much of the issues centered around students playing with and/or breaking supplies.  When I came this weekend to get that ready I noticed several sticky desks as students were squishing their glue sticks on the inside of their desks.  Pencil boxes and optional supplies sent at the beginning of the year will be sent home. 
• We are catching up on our learning--in math we are revisiting related facts or fact families.  We will continue with variations on this concept all week.  Today, for example, we started with a problem like 14 - 8 = where students had  to figure out the missing part (6) and then plug that into other equations (8 + 6 = 14, 6 + 8 = 14 or 14 - 6 = 8).  
• In reading and writing we will be working on paragraph writing for a while--well the remainder of the year actually.  Today we started describing marshmallows using adjectives and our five senses.  We will use those ideas to write great marshmallow sentences (Marshmallows are white and feel sticky., for example).  We will then use those sentences to write a descriptive paragraph about marshmallows. We will then learn more about Groundhogs and write a descriptive paragraph about Groundhogs and then move onto writing descriptive paragraphs about animal habitats.  
• Take-home books were sent home today.  We are getting less and less returning and sending those back.  I know it's not as easy to remember this year since they don't come home daily and return daily, but please try and use these as it's the only "homework" I ask is for nightly reading.  Remember take home books come home every Monday (three books) and need to be returned on Thursday (if you get them back Friday it will work too).  If you miss the Monday fill up then you miss out on a whole week of books essentially.  
• On Wednesday we will start having WIN groups.  These are "What I Need" groups.  We will only have them once a week due to COVID issues, but we have been given the green light to start these.  These groups will be made up from all of the first grade students.  They are essentially groups to give the students "what they need" in language arts (we chose this since we are limited this year).  Students are placed in groups and are given extra support in reading and writing, given more practice on the skills we are learning right now, or given extension.  If you child tells you they went to a different class on Wednesday they did!  We will make sure that when students go to a different classroom that sanitization measures are taken (that's the reason for only once a week).  These groups are very helpful for all students and we are excited to starting implementing them again. 
• Library will resume this Thursday as we did not have library due to SEP's last week.  
• Don't forget we have next Monday, February 15 off due to President's Day.  I was just reminded of that today--so yay for a 3-day weekend! 

Don't forget to send those Valentines TOMORROW and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter January 11 - January 15

 Hi--I apologize for not getting a new newsletter out since returning from Christmas--it seems that I have had one incident after another, or unexpected meetings or...... well you name it.  I am making myself sit down and get one done albeit quickly today.  I hope that you all had a wonderful break and are reading for another long weekend!  Martin Luther King holiday is next Monday, January 18.  

Here are these week's (and well other weeks) happenings:

• SEP always sneaks up on me--it will be the first week in February (Feb. 1 - 5).  School will get out at 2:30 everyday that week (including Wednesday).  I will find the sign up sheet that we used in the fall and resend that out.  I will plan on the same times and format (mostly ZOOM) that we had in the fall.  When I send that out just let me know or change it on the doc if you cannot meet at that time.  Honestly I was happy with how our ZOOM conferences went last time even though face to face conferences are preferred ZOOM was a nice alternative.
• Don't forget to send back take home books and library EVERY Thursday!!!  Reading at home is our ONLY homework and research shows it's one of the best ways to help students improve in reading.  I hope you are taking advantage of our leveled library and reading those books more than once.  I'll discuss your child's reading progress during SEP conferences.
• Just a heads up about Valentine's Day--due to COVID issues we will NOT be able to hand out valentines and treats on that day this year.  I will do some other Valentine activities in my classroom but we will not do the typical Valentine card exchange (or treats). 
• Scholastic book orders will come home tomorrow.  They will be "due" next Wednesday January 20.  Order now over $25 can be sent directly to your home (please still use my online code).  Orders can still be sent here to the school where I distribute them as soon as they arrive.  
• Now for our learning..... Since returning from our Christmas break we have started a new unit in Reading.  We have learned about the r-controlled vowel patterns or 'er', 'ar', and 'or'.  We are learning about two-syllable words (syllables always have one vowel sound).  We have learned about compound words and root words with endings (cupcake or fishing for example).  We have started a new reading called "The Green Fern Zoo". We have met the narrator Vern in "Meet Vern" and have read about "Things that Swim" and "Chimps"
• In math we have turned out attention to subtraction.  We have learned to "count back" to subtract using a number line and this week we are learning about the relationship of subtraction to addition by writing fact family number sentences (5 + 4 = 9, 4 + 5 = 9, 9 - 5 = 4, 9 - 4 = 5)
• In science/social studies (CKLA domain) we started learning about Animal Habitats.  So far we have learned about the Arctic and Desert habitats.  We will continue this through January and we will begin to write factual sentences and paragraphs using our knowledge from the Green Fern Zoo book and from our Animal Habitats unit. 
• The 100th day of school is February 2.  I will send home more information about our little celebration closer to that date.  If your child wants to dress up like they are 100 years old they can do that on February 2.  I will also send home a little "homework" project to be returned by that date.  
• We've been better this week but please make sure you child has a mask everyday.  The first couple of days back I had to scrounge up a couple of masks to give to students rather than send them to the office and then have to call home to get one.  I literally do not have any more now :). Some students have an extra one already in their backpacks which is a great idea because sometimes they even get lost out at lunch break. 

Happy Wednesday and Happy Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter December 14 - December 18

 Happy snowy last week before Christmas.  I am going to be short and to the point today as I have a haircut appointment shortly.

Here are this week's happenings:

• The PTA is doing a food drive.  I sent notices home today.  Send food by Friday if you would like to.  The box is in our classroom
• Tomorrow I will send home your child's DIBELS (reading test) report.  If you have questions about the results please don't hesitate to contact me.  I will also send you information about reading groups that will change because of those results in January.  
• We still have some dress-up days (on the calendar I sent home)--Wednesday is holiday spirit day and Thursday is pajama day!  
• This week we will be doing "normal" work mixed with some holiday activities.  We will write reindeer sentences and make a craft to go with it.  We will read the Grinch and then write about "how to make the grinch grin" along with a Grinch craft.  We will watch the grinch on Friday (the original Dr. Seuss version) and have a school wide Christmas sing (in our classrooms with doors open).  
• Our regular learning in math will deal with telling time to the hour and half hour and graphing.  We will quickly learn about picture graphs, bar graphs and tally charts. 
• In reading we are wrapping up this unit on vowel patterns and finishing our Fables book.  We have been reading different versions stories.  This week in addition to reading 3 versions of Little Red Riding Hood I will add some versions of the Gingerbread Man.
• Don't forget to keep reading your take home books (new ones came home today) and then return them on Thursday along with library books!  

Your child will come home with a little gift we made for you this week!   I hope that you all have a wonderful holiday season.  I know that this year has been extra stressful, but I hope that you are well and enjoy some time with your little families.  See you back in 2021!!!

Happy Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter November 30 - December 4

 Welcome back from your Thanksgiving holiday--I hope that you and your families are all well.  We have three full weeks of school until our Christmas holiday--these three weeks will be full of learning and Christmas activities.

Here are this week's happenings:

• I have decided to change the way I have you report your child's nightly reading.  If you recall I have been working on my Master's thesis this semester (I just turned it in yesterday!!).  From that study I found a positive correlation between rereading books at home on your child's reading fluency.  I also learned through the surveys that there are too many places to report your child's reading--the book in the bag sheet, PTA bookmarks and my reading calendar.  I am going to cut that back for you by just having you fill out the sheet in the take home books bag.  When your child bumps up a level then I will give them a certificate, treat, and pizza coupon.  I will no longer send home monthly reading calendars in addition to the take home books reporting sheet.  Since I already sent home the November calendar that will be due by this Friday, December 4 for a certificate, treat and pizza coupon.  The students that have already bumped up a level will also get that so some students may be receiving two this month :). I hope that helps you with the reporting not occurring in three different places.  I still would hope that you would read with your child every school night even though we do not have take home books 5 times a week this year.
• If you haven't signed up for East Elementary's REMIND please do that now--I do not send home announcements that get sent home that way.  One was just sent home today.  Sign up by texting @cedareas to the number 81010. 
• In math this week we are finishing up our unit on two-dimensional shapes.  Today we learned about halves and tomorrow we will learn about fourths/quarters.  On Wednesday we will start our chapter on three-dimensional shapes.  We will learn about attributes of three-dimensional shapes and combine them to create different shapes as well as take them apart.
• In reading we have learned both of the sounds and spellings for 'oo' (soon and book).  Today we learned about the 'ou' sound.  We read a Fable called The Two Mules.  Tomorrow we will read the fable the Dog and the Mule.  This month we will learn a lot about reindeer and write factual sentences about them.  I hope you saw your child's turkey art and sentences that came home today.  We are getting so much better at writing sentences.  Rather than students saying "Mrs. Armstrong how do you spell this...." I hear them sounding out the words as they spell them.  
• Next week students will have their middle of the year reading test (DIBELS).  We will not have reading groups next week due to this.  I will let you know those results as soon as I can.  We use the data from this test to form our small reading groups.  
• Also in reading we are reading different versions of famous stories.  We first read Cinderella and told read the version from Egypt The Girl and the Red Slippers.  We talked about story elements (characters, setting, and plot) from each of those stories and compared and contrasted the two stories using a Venn diagram.  
• We had a nice surprise from "Mr. Russ" across the street last Tuesday.  I took the notes that we wrote him on Monday and on Tuesday he had some yummy cookies delivered to our classroom from the Palette bakery.  We even shared some with Mrs. Carter's class.  I think this experience has been a good one for my students.  Showing someone you are thinking about them and being kind is a life lesson we all need especially at this time of the year. 

Happy almost December and Happy Reading,

Mrs. Armstrong

Newsletter November 16 - November 20

It's the last full week before Thanksgiving!  I am so grateful for this class and that we are still in school face to face!  I have noticed over the last couple of weeks some great academic growth with my kiddos.  Remember that next week we only have school on Monday and Tuesday.  Last week we finished up our watercolor turkeys and wrote factual sentences about turkeys.  This is one area where I have really noticed improvements (sentence writing).  It didn't hurt that they were very interested in learning about turkeys.  Ask them some questions about turkeys--like do all turkeys make the "gobble gobble" sound?  

Here's are this week's happenings:

• Today I sent home a Scholastic book order (both November and December).  I will extend the date written on the note until this Friday, November 20.  If you would like to order some books for Christmas gifts (they make excellent gifts) I would be happy to "hide" them for you.  Just let me know.  Using the online code and ordering online is the best way to order.  
• This week we started a new unit in math about 2-dimensional shapes.  It's a nice change from our unit on addition.  Today we learned about sorting shapes by attribute and that shapes can be open or closed, curved or have straight sides.  We also learned that the math word for corner is "vertex" or plural "vertices".  In this unit we will learn new shapes such as hexagon and trapezoid.  We will combine and "take apart" two dimensional shapes along with learning about equal and unequal parts, halves, and fourths. 
• Today we read a story called The Two Dogs and are continuing our work on vowel combinations.  Especially the 'oo' (like soon) sound and spelling.  We will continue to work on writing multiple sentences on a given topic.  This week we will write sentences about Pilgrims to go along with a Pilgrim art project.  We will continue to learn about Ancient Egypt.  Today we learned about the Great Pyramid and later this week we will learn about the Sphinx. 
• Take home books were sent home today.  Remember that they are due each Thursday.  If you did not get them turned in on Thursday then your child will not have new books today.  Library books are also due on Thursday! The November reading calendar will be due December 1 the Tuesday after we return from Thanksgiving break. 

Have a nice Monday and Happy Reading!

Mrs. Armstrong