We have already been in first grade for three weeks! We are continuing to practice our rules, routines, and procedures. The children are doing a great job of learning the awesome responsibility of becoming a First Grader! It is EXTREMELY important that our rules, routines, and procedures become second nature to the children, this will help create a calm, predictable and organized environment where lots of learning and fun can take place.
SMALL GROUP READING AND WORK STATIONS
We began our small groups in reading today. The class did really well moving to different work stations. Two of the four work stations allow the children several choices so every child is expected to be "on task" during this time. I sent home a detailed letter explaining our rotations today.
READING HOMEWORK
The only reading homework your child will have this year is to read to/with or independently for a minimum of 20 minutes each night and to also read the Read Well Homework Stories that were given to you at open house. (in the blue notebook) These stories will be familiar text since we have read them in class, so reading and rereading these stories will help build fluency and accuracy.
ACCELERATED READER
Some children began taking AR tests last week. Please remember if your child is ready to take an AR test, send a sticky note on the book saying they are ready to test. Also, if you are new to AR and have questions I will be glad to answer them. Also don't forget to refer to the Parent's Guide To Accelerated Reader sent home on the first day of school.
MATH
We will test tomorrow on Chapter 3 and begin Chapter 4. Look for the Parent Involvement Letter to come home tomorrow giving you an overview of Chapter 4. I think that the chart for Math homework in their take home notebooks is going to be a little to much, so therefore I am taking it out. I am going to simply let you know the chapter we are studying by sending home the Parent Involovement Letter. At the top of every page in the yellow practice workbook is a number that corresponds with the daily lessons from the chapter. For example, 1.1 means Chapter 1 Lesson 1, 2.3 means Chapter 2 Lesson 3, etc. So, simply work on the chapter we are working on during the week. Tonight you may want to go back and review the pages from Chapter 3since our test is tomorrow. Beginning tomorrow you will want to do the pages from Chapter 4. If you are not clear on this do not hesitate to ask me any questions.
LANGUAGE
We have covered Grammar Rules 1,2,3,5, and 6. (Skipping 4 for now.) These rules can be located in your child's take home notebook. This week we are introducing Rule 6, the names of people and pets begin with capital letters.
A FEW NOTES AND REMINDERS.........
~ Math Test on Chapter 3 tomorrow
~ LIBRARY DAY tomorrow, Tuesday, September 1, 2009
~ PTA Meeting Tuesday, September 1, 2009 - 6:30 in the cafeteria
~ Word Wall Test - This will be on the first three weeks of words. Refer to the words located in your child's take home binder.
~ Friday, September 4th last day to order SCHOLASTIC books
~ Monday, September 7th LABOR DAY, NO SCHOOL:)!
~ If you haven't joined PTA, please do so!! We want our class to reach the 150% goal, only 8 more members and we are there! Remember that aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends are welcome to join!
~ There are still a few children who haven't paid for their First Grade T-Shirt, please send in the order form and money to me as soon as possible.
Thought for the day~
Even the smallest stars shine brightly!
Have a super week!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
August 24 - 28, 2009
What a wonderful group of children. We have had a super week and are really beginning to get into a daily routine. The children have done an exceptional job adjusting to first grade. We will continue to go over classroom and school expectations as far as behavior goes. If your first grader is coming home with some tickets please take some time and discuss this with them. If you have questions do not hesitate to contact me. Keep in mind that their conduct grade is cumulative as far as tickets go for a nine week period.
OPEN HOUSE - Monday, August 24 beginning at 5:45. Everyone will meet in the cafeteria and then we will dismiss to the classrooms. Please make every effort to attend this event. I will be discussing in detail the first grade academic calendar, our reading program, and grading. I hope to see you there.
We will begin our small groups in reading this week. Your child will bring home a blue reading notebook that is to remain in a safe place at home. It will have all of the homework stories for the entire year. There is a chart in the take home binder that will indicate what unit you should be practicing for the week. The only reading homework your child will have this year is to read to/with or independently for a minimum of 20 minutes each night and then to read the homework stories from the blue notebook each night. You will only read the homework stories for 1 unit each week.
We are finishing Chapter 2 this week in Math and will have a test on Tuesday. You will see a review sheet that will come home Monday night for homework. This is to complete at home. Just for your information any time a review sheet comes home that is an indication that we will be having a test the following day. Also, each time we begin a new chapter in math I will send a family involvement letter home. The children will be bringing home yellow practice math workbooks. These workbooks will contain their homework for the entire year. As with the reading notebooks, these should be kept at home in a safe place. You will see a chart in your child's take home binder that will indicate to you what pages to use as homework for review. Keep in mind that the children will not have math homework every night and we may skip some pages in the math practice workbook. If we skip some pages that you would like to practice with your child anyway, by all means please do so.
We will continue to practice Grammar Rules 1, 2, and 3 this week. Also the children will begin to EDIT sentences for their Daily Oral Language in the mornings. This means the sentences will be written incorrectly on the overhead, (missing capital letters and periods this week) and the children are to print the sentences correctly on their paper. We go over these daily together after the children have completed them. On Friday the children will correct the sentences and turn them in for a grade.
The lunchroom is now selling fruit roll ups for .50 and Gatorade for $1.00. This money can be taken out of their lunch account. Please talk with your child about this, I do not want children to deplete their lunch account because they wanted to get fruit roll ups and Gatorade each day.
I am reminding everyone to WASH their hands very frequently! I want our class to remain as healthy as possible. Please remind them at home to WASH, WASH, WASH!
I hope everyone enjoyed this WONDERFUL weekend! Wasn't the weather amazing?! Have a super week.
OPEN HOUSE - Monday, August 24 beginning at 5:45. Everyone will meet in the cafeteria and then we will dismiss to the classrooms. Please make every effort to attend this event. I will be discussing in detail the first grade academic calendar, our reading program, and grading. I hope to see you there.
We will begin our small groups in reading this week. Your child will bring home a blue reading notebook that is to remain in a safe place at home. It will have all of the homework stories for the entire year. There is a chart in the take home binder that will indicate what unit you should be practicing for the week. The only reading homework your child will have this year is to read to/with or independently for a minimum of 20 minutes each night and then to read the homework stories from the blue notebook each night. You will only read the homework stories for 1 unit each week.
We are finishing Chapter 2 this week in Math and will have a test on Tuesday. You will see a review sheet that will come home Monday night for homework. This is to complete at home. Just for your information any time a review sheet comes home that is an indication that we will be having a test the following day. Also, each time we begin a new chapter in math I will send a family involvement letter home. The children will be bringing home yellow practice math workbooks. These workbooks will contain their homework for the entire year. As with the reading notebooks, these should be kept at home in a safe place. You will see a chart in your child's take home binder that will indicate to you what pages to use as homework for review. Keep in mind that the children will not have math homework every night and we may skip some pages in the math practice workbook. If we skip some pages that you would like to practice with your child anyway, by all means please do so.
We will continue to practice Grammar Rules 1, 2, and 3 this week. Also the children will begin to EDIT sentences for their Daily Oral Language in the mornings. This means the sentences will be written incorrectly on the overhead, (missing capital letters and periods this week) and the children are to print the sentences correctly on their paper. We go over these daily together after the children have completed them. On Friday the children will correct the sentences and turn them in for a grade.
The lunchroom is now selling fruit roll ups for .50 and Gatorade for $1.00. This money can be taken out of their lunch account. Please talk with your child about this, I do not want children to deplete their lunch account because they wanted to get fruit roll ups and Gatorade each day.
I am reminding everyone to WASH their hands very frequently! I want our class to remain as healthy as possible. Please remind them at home to WASH, WASH, WASH!
I hope everyone enjoyed this WONDERFUL weekend! Wasn't the weather amazing?! Have a super week.
Monday, August 17, 2009
What a wonderful first week of First Grade!!
We had a really good first week. We spent a lot of time learning and practicing our rules, routines and procedures and the children did an excellent job! We will continue to work on all of these over the coming weeks. It's EXTREMELY important that these rules, routines and procedures become second nature to the children because this help will create a calm, predictable and organized environment where lots of learning can take place, and also some fun!
We are scheduled to go to the library every Tuesday and are very excited about our first visit this week. Your child we be allowed to check out 2 books so please be sure to ask your child to share with you the "good fit" book(s) they choose. Tuesdays will be our scheduled library time, however as the children become more independent readers they will be allowed to go on their own as needed. We haven't started Accelerated Reader yet, if the computers are set we will most likely begin next week.
Reading - Students have been placed appropriately in their reading groups and we have talked about centers and our expected behavior in centers. We will begin this routine shortly ~ the children are extremely anxious to start centers.
Language- Tomorrow you will see a list of grammar rules in your childs take home folder. We are working on rules 1, 2, and 3. Right now they are only having to copy my sentences. Soon they will have to start editing my sentences. If you see that your child is not finishing their work in time please start practicing copying sentences at home. I will start taking this as a grade starting this Friday. They must be finished in 30 minutes.
Math - We have been doing chapter 1 since last week. We have a test tomorrow. I sent home 2 pages of homework for them to do tonight as practice. Please send it back to school completed tomorrow. I will read the problems to and they must know how to work them. You will soon receive a yellow math practice workbook that will be kept at home. I will post what pages are to be completed for homework on our blog. The math homework from the workbook does not need to be returned, it is for practice and reinforcement. We will begin chapter 2 Wednesday.
I am looking forward to another fabulous week in first grade. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
We are scheduled to go to the library every Tuesday and are very excited about our first visit this week. Your child we be allowed to check out 2 books so please be sure to ask your child to share with you the "good fit" book(s) they choose. Tuesdays will be our scheduled library time, however as the children become more independent readers they will be allowed to go on their own as needed. We haven't started Accelerated Reader yet, if the computers are set we will most likely begin next week.
Reading - Students have been placed appropriately in their reading groups and we have talked about centers and our expected behavior in centers. We will begin this routine shortly ~ the children are extremely anxious to start centers.
Language- Tomorrow you will see a list of grammar rules in your childs take home folder. We are working on rules 1, 2, and 3. Right now they are only having to copy my sentences. Soon they will have to start editing my sentences. If you see that your child is not finishing their work in time please start practicing copying sentences at home. I will start taking this as a grade starting this Friday. They must be finished in 30 minutes.
Math - We have been doing chapter 1 since last week. We have a test tomorrow. I sent home 2 pages of homework for them to do tonight as practice. Please send it back to school completed tomorrow. I will read the problems to and they must know how to work them. You will soon receive a yellow math practice workbook that will be kept at home. I will post what pages are to be completed for homework on our blog. The math homework from the workbook does not need to be returned, it is for practice and reinforcement. We will begin chapter 2 Wednesday.
I am looking forward to another fabulous week in first grade. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Welcome to 1st Grade!
I enjoyed meeting many of you on Tuesday. We are going to have a wonderful year full of learning, making new friends and having lots of fun!
A few reminders for the first day of school:
~ Give a quick hug and goodbye at the door.
~ Tell me how your child is going to get home on the first day.
~ Take the brown envelope on your child's desk. This is full of important information that needs to be read carefully, signed and returned to school. Please return all information to me in the brown envelope. If you don't receive your envelope Monday morning I will send it home with your child that afternoon.
Inside your child's white take home binder you will find the daily discipline calendar. The children will color the circle in green if they have had a day full of good choices. If they have not made the best of choices and have been reminded then they will receive a ticket and that will be noted on the calendar. There is a detailed Behavior Management Plan in the brown envelope that explains our ticket system in First Grade. Please keep in mind that first graders receive letter grades for subjects as well as conduct. You will initial the calendar each night. Please encourage your child to make good choices every day.
The lunch choices for Monday is pizza or chicken salad. The cost for lunch is $1.50.
Your child will be given a lunch number that needs to be memorized. Your child will tell the cashier their lunch number as they purchase lunch each day. Please help your child memorize their number.
We will have a quick snack time each afternoon. Your child may purchase juice and snack from the school or bring a small juice and HEALTHY snack from home. If your child chooses to buy snack from school you must buy for the entire week. Juice and snack are not sold on a daily basis. Also, you may only buy juice and snack on Mondays unless you are absent. Juice is $2.50 for the week and snack is $2.50 for the week. The only juice offered is orange juice and I am not sure of exactly what snacks will be offered this year. I will let you know as soon as I find out.
Thank you so much for sharing your precious child with me. Have a great Monday!
A few reminders for the first day of school:
~ Give a quick hug and goodbye at the door.
~ Tell me how your child is going to get home on the first day.
~ Take the brown envelope on your child's desk. This is full of important information that needs to be read carefully, signed and returned to school. Please return all information to me in the brown envelope. If you don't receive your envelope Monday morning I will send it home with your child that afternoon.
Inside your child's white take home binder you will find the daily discipline calendar. The children will color the circle in green if they have had a day full of good choices. If they have not made the best of choices and have been reminded then they will receive a ticket and that will be noted on the calendar. There is a detailed Behavior Management Plan in the brown envelope that explains our ticket system in First Grade. Please keep in mind that first graders receive letter grades for subjects as well as conduct. You will initial the calendar each night. Please encourage your child to make good choices every day.
The lunch choices for Monday is pizza or chicken salad. The cost for lunch is $1.50.
Your child will be given a lunch number that needs to be memorized. Your child will tell the cashier their lunch number as they purchase lunch each day. Please help your child memorize their number.
We will have a quick snack time each afternoon. Your child may purchase juice and snack from the school or bring a small juice and HEALTHY snack from home. If your child chooses to buy snack from school you must buy for the entire week. Juice and snack are not sold on a daily basis. Also, you may only buy juice and snack on Mondays unless you are absent. Juice is $2.50 for the week and snack is $2.50 for the week. The only juice offered is orange juice and I am not sure of exactly what snacks will be offered this year. I will let you know as soon as I find out.
Thank you so much for sharing your precious child with me. Have a great Monday!
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