New Beginnings!

The 3rd nine weeks started today. That means: new grades, new reading log, new behavior log (everyone starts back with a 100 for conduct) YAY!! I like new beginnings!

Next week the library will be closed for most of the day while classes are given the DIBELS test. It will open in the afternoon after the day’s testing is complete. So don’t be alarmed if new library books aren’t being brought home. I’ll let the children go as soon as it is open each day.  I have also told the children they may borrow books from our classroom library this week to take home. The dates for DIBELS is Jan. 23th -27th. The schedule is as follows:

Jan. 23 - 1st grade

Jan. 24 - Kindergarten

Jan. 25- 2nd grade

Jan. 26- 3rd grade

I am on the testing team and will be out of the classroom Tuesday until testing is complete.  The children will stay with the other first grade teachers who they are very familiar with.  I will pick up my class as soon as testing is complete.

First graders will be assessed in Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) this testing period. They will read three unfamiliar passages for one minute. The total number of words read, minus errors determines their words read per minute. Highest and lowest scores are tossed, the middle score will be their ORF. These results will be sent to you when we get the report.

Our sound for next week will be /e/ as in engine and Ed. We will be learning about elephant facts and their habitats.

Word wall words for the week are: make, when, red, do, take, into, ten, went

We will be learning Rule 13, adjectives. We will learn that adjectives describe nouns. They are words that tell the size, shape, color, how it feels, smells, tastes…well you get the picture. I love this rule because it will help the children’s writing become much more interesting with the use of these words.

We are going to continue our DOL as we have in the past this week.  However next week we will change up the format a little. The children will copy the DOL as usual on Monday and Wednesday and on Tuesday and Thursday we will complete a Morning Message together.  On Friday the children will still be required to copy their DOL from Monday and Wednesday and turn it in for a daily grade.  This will all begin next week.

We will finish Chapter 8 tomorrow and most likely test on it on Wednesday. Just remember to look for the review/extra practice page to come home the night before the test. We’ll start on Chapter 13 Thursday, so math homework will be from  Chapter 13. As usual the Chapter Review sheet will come home the night before the test. Please, please continue to practice Math Facts in a Flash at home, so they’ll be ready to test at school.

January 23 – Nancy’s Italian Ice. (labeled please)

January 27 – Box Tops

February 2 – Group Pictures

February 7 - PTA @ 6:00

Let me know if you have questions or concerns.

Have a Happy Week!

Hugs to all my sweet firsties!!

Super Special Snowchildren!

End of the First Semester!

Wow, it’s hard to believe that the first semester is coming to an end this Friday! That means 18 more weeks of first grade. We have a lot more to learn to get ready for second grade!

New sound for the week is /wh/ as in whale. We’ll be reading, learning, and writing about whales this week.

Word wall words are: what and we

Also please make sure your child is reading each night.  I would like to see everyone taking at least 3 AR tests a week.  Let me know if you have any questions.

We will continue to review pronouns again this week, along with ALL the rules covered up until now. I always encourage and remind the children to apply these rules in their writing throughout the day. Capital letters at the beginning of the sentence, and all special names and places and punctuation marks at the end of sentences.

We will also cover Rule 15, contractions and practice with a game during literacy center.

We will begin Chapter 8 in math, subtraction facts, so you can help your child with that chapter in their math practice workbook at home. We are still using the Neo’s for math facts in a flash practice. Be sure to practice at home so that when they get to school they are ready to take the test. My goal is for everyone to take at least 1 math facts test everyday.

 

Have a great week! Hugs!

Happy New Year!

We had an amazing time in room 123 last week.  I was too excited to see all my sweet firsties on Wednesday morning. From the stories, drawings, talks, and such I think it is safe to say everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

Well we are back in the saddle again and moving quite quickly.  We will complete the 2nd nine week grading period a week from Friday.  Be sure you are using your STI at home information to stay up on your child’s grades.  If you still do not have your username you can stop by the front office and they will give it to you.

Many, many thanks to all of you who sent in new supplies for your sweet little one to use.  New crayons, glue sticks, pencils, wet wipes, etc.  If you have not done so, please feel free to send those in as soon as you get a chance.

Did you get to read your child’s Writing Portfolio they brought home last week?  I hope you sat down with him/her and listened to them tell you all about it.  They were beside themselves when I told them they could take them home…….forever!  We started our 2nd semester Writing Portfolios, I would keep it in a safe place so when you get the next one you can see the growth and difference.  You will be amazed at what your little one has learned in first grade!

Read Well Unit 17, /ar/ as in Artic Animals

We will spend this week studying animals that live in the artic.  We will focus on three:  walrus, polar bear, and the penguin.

New Word Wall Words:  are & ask   We will have a comprehensive word wall test toward the end of the week.  The children should be able to read all word wall words introduced this year by sight.  No sounding out.

We will also be creating some Mental Images this week in our poetry journals.  It will be fun to see the different images that the children create based on their prior knowledge.

             

We will continue to work in Chapter 12 number patterns.  We will probably complete Chapter 12 on Wednesday or Thursday.  Watch for the practice page to come home.  We will test the following day.  Then we will move on to Chapter 8 Subtraction Practice.

In Language we will introduce two new rules, numbers 11 &15 on their DOL Language Rules sheet located in your child’s binder. 

Rule 11 – Some words take the place of names. (pronouns)

Rule 15 – A contraction is a short way to write two words.

We will be using these rules in our centers and our DOL throughout the week.  It is a very good idea to go over your child’s DOL each night AND the dictation of sounds and words that is located on the same page.

Tomorrow, Monday is Nancy’s Ice Day.  Send 1.00 if your child would like to order ice. PLEASE  LABEL ALL MONEY SEPERATELY!!!!!

Book orders came home Friday. Return money by Wednesday if interested. If you order on-line our code is GQY4J.

No school on Monday, January 16 in honor of the birthdays of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert E. Lee .

We are doing super in Room 123.  Thank you for sharing your most precious little one with me! I love coming to school each day and seeing their most precious faces and teaching them all I can.  I hope you and your family have a wonderful 2012 and that it is filled with love, learning, and time together as a family.

2012 Hugs!!