Thursday, December 20, 2012

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

We had a great holiday party today.  Thank you to all the parents for your donations and help at the party.  A special thank you to Mrs. Mahne for planning and preparing for our party.  The kiddos had a really fun time!  When I figure out how to get the party pictures I took from my IPad to my blog, I will let you know and you can view our fun day.

Please remember to encourage your first grader to read over the winter break.  It's amazing how much progress they lose when they do not read--even when they don't read for a few days.  So, get out those holiday stories (and other books) and have them read to their hearts content! (:

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season.  Enjoy the time with your precious children and families.  I feel very blessed to be your child's teacher, and I thank you for sharing them with me.  I look forward to seeing them all in January!

Monday, December 17, 2012

DAILY REMINDERS:

• Homework:  Goods and Services--Social Studies worksheet.
• My Winter Break Journal:  I sent this journal home today (blue covers).  I encourage your first grader to read and write over the winter break, so I sent home this journal for them to write about all the things they do on their break.  This activity is optional, but I strongly urge them to spend some time writing while they are on "vacation".  This journal is not due until Jan. 3 when we return to school.
• On Wednesday we are going to have a "Polar Express" day (I think I mentioned this in one of my posts last week).  We are going to wear our pajamas to school on Wednesday (optional), read the story and do several literacy and math activities surrounding the story.  If we earn the rest of our marbles tomorrow, we will also watch "The Polar Express"movie.  We only have 4 more marbles to earn--WOO-HO0!  (:

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Our day began in the library where we were treated by a special visitor.  Cynthia Willenbrock came to Crestwood to share her book called Marshal the Miracle Dog.  She shared a very important message along with reading her book.  Her dog, Marshall, has only 3 legs and she discussed how important it is to care about people for their character and personality on the inside and not for how they look on the outside.
• Writing:  Since it is almost the end of 2nd quarter, we did our quarterly writing assessment today.  The first graders wrote a story about a time when they did something fun with their family.  Beforehand, we reviewed what all sentences must have and brainstormed ideas for a story.
• Math:  We took a tests over Chapter 7, a pretest over the next chapter, and an addition time test.
• Social Studies:  We read about and discussed the vocabulary words buy, trade, seller, buyer, cost, save, factory, and worker. 

Thursday, December 13, 2012

DAILY REMINDERS:

• Homework:  Study for the spelling test that is TOMORROW.  List 15 words are:  yes, but, want, at under.  We will NOT have spelling words next week, since it's a short week (M-TH), and kind of crazy with the winter break right around the corner.  It's harder for the little ones to focus and do as well as they normally would on a test.
• Library tomorrow
• PANCAKES with SANTA is TONIGHT 5:30-7:30 P.M.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Today we worked most of the morning on our Wish List.  We wrote a "sloppy copy" (first draft), and most of the students have conferenced,  proofread and edited their sloppy copy.  Once that was taken care of they began writing their final copy.  We also made most of our elf today that will hold our Wish List.  We still need to add the face (our face), the mittens, and the hat.
• Math:  Our lesson today was on related facts.  For example:  4 + 3 = 7 and 7 - 4 = 3 or 7 - 3 = 4.  Many struggled with this concept so we spent a long time practicing it together using cubes and white boards to show and practice related facts.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Next semester we will have a student teacher from Fontbonne University.  Her name is Ms. Meredith Saulka, and she will be with us Jan. 3 through the middle of April.  On Monday, December 17 she is coming to Crestwood to meet her new first grade friends.  She may even come to our holiday party on Friday.  I know her student teaching experience will be a great one for everyone!  Please welcome Ms. Saulka to Crestwood if you have the opportunity to meet her.
• Tuesday, December 18:  We are having a "Polar Express Day".  We will read the story, do many educational literacy and math activities surrounding the story and watch the movie in the afternoon.
• Thursday, December 20:  Holiday Sing Along @ 1:15 and Holiday Party @ 2:00.  You are welcome to join us for both!

Yesterday and Today: December 12, 2012

HAPPY 12-12-12!

Sorry for not posting yesterday, but I will include yesterday's learning into today's post.

DAILY REMINDERS:

• Homework:  "Brushing Bears"--students have to add the /th/ digraph to word endings and then write the /th/ words into sentences where the words will make sense.
• Pancakes with Santa:  Tomorrow night 5:30-7:30 p.m.  If you ordered tickets, they came home tonight in your student's green folder.
• Spelling Test Friday.
• Library on Friday.  

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Shared Reading:  We read the poem "The Rink" and highlighted words with the /th/ digraph (the, brother, there, than etc...).  Today we read The Doorbell Rang again and looked for words in the text that have the VCe pattern (Vowel-Consonant-Silent e) and follow the "Silent e Rule" (makes, made, etc...).
• Word Work:  Word work involved sorting and writing pictures and words with the /h/, /sh/, and /ch/ sounds.
• Writing:  We continue to work on our "Wish List".  The students have to write sentences telling something they want, something they need, and something someone else needs or wants.  Soon they will make an elf to hold their wish list.
• Math:  Yesterday we took our subtraction test over chapter 4.  We went over several of the problems today, since there were quite a few friends who struggled with these concepts.  Many need to make corrections to their test.  This test is coming home today in their green take home folder.  We began a new chapter today on counting back 1, 2, and 3, related addition and subtraction facts and problem solving. 
• Social Studies:  Ask your first grader what goods, services, needs and wants are.

Monday, December 10, 2012

DAILY REMINDERS

• Homework:  Math Reteach worksheet
• Support-A-Family:  This is the last week for Support-A-Family, and we are accepting any donations.  Thank you again to everyone who has donated items for this great cause!  Our Support-A-Family box was "bursting at the seams" last week. 
• Pancakes with Santa:  This Thursday, December 13.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Shared Reading:  The story we are reading this week is The Doorbell Rang.  After reading the story, we discussed the story elements (characters, setting , problem, and solution).  This information is vital when your first grader is asked to retell a story.  It is important they remember character's names and the events in the correct order also.
• Word Work:  We learned our new spelling words today (under, want, but, at, yes).  If you practice on www.spellingcity.com, these are Week 15 words.
• Writing:  We are talking about the difference between WANTS and NEEDS in Social Studies and we are incorporating this lesson into a writing lesson, as well.  We listed things we WANT and things we NEED, and then we are going to make a WISH LIST.  Our wish list must contain at least one thing we Want, one thing we Need, and one thing we know someone else Needs.
• Math:  Tomorrow we will take a math test over chapter 4.  We completed the last lesson in the chapter today.  The math homework tonight reinforces this lesson.  After reading a story problem, we learned how to draw a picture when we are trying to figure out how many are left.
• Social Studies:  Going along with our WANTS and NEEDS lesson, we made a holiday stocking with the words WANTS  and NEEDS at the top.  We are going to look at pictures in magazines and cut and glue things that show wants and needs onto our stocking.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

DAILY REMINDERS:

• Homework:  Spelling worksheet, study for the spelling test, and read.  WRR is due tomorrow.
• Library tomorrow

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Shared Reading:  After reading My Friends for the last time this week, we shared things we have learned from our friends.  Tomorrow they will write about it.
• Word Work:  Using our clickers, we took a "test" over the c, h, and ch sounds.
• Math:  Earlier in the year, we learned the meaning of the words horizontal and vertical in math.  We reviewed these definitions and completed a practice page containing vertical subtraction sentences.
• Counseling:  Ms. Stiles (counselor intern) came to our classroom and we listened to a book about a tattle tale and learned the difference between tattling, really being in danger, problem solving and M.Y.O.B. (Minding Your Own Business).  This was a great lesson for first graders! (:

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Pancakes with Santa on Thursday, December 13.  More details coming soon.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

DAILY REMINDERS:

• Homework:  Math Practice--Subtract from 9 and 10.  Remind your first grader that there is pattern in the numbers they subtract from 9 and 10 and in the differences (answers).
• WRR:  I am so sorry!!!  I completely forgot to send home this week's WRR last week, but thanks to one of my students reminding me, it is coming home tonight. (Thank you, Sanjiv!)  Your first grader can return it on Friday.
• Early Release and Show and Tell tomorrow.  The ELL bus will dismiss at 1:20, and all others will dismiss at 1:40.

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Shared Reading/Word Work:  We read the story My Friends again, and we circled all the words that have blends or digraphs. 
• Writing:  We read the story Who Will Guide Santa's Sleigh and talked about Santa needing reindeer to help him deliver packages on Christmas Eve.  Since Santa is in need of more reindeer, we filled out a job application to become one of Santa's reindeer.  We will be adding our picture to the application which will include our antlers and red nose.  Be sure to take a look at our applications next time you come to Crestwood.  They will be hanging in the hall by the end of the week.
• Math:  Since we are learning more about subtraction, we practiced taking apart 7 and 8 using cubes and taking apart 9 and 10 using cubes and ten frames.  After our math lesson and manipulatives practice we completed a practice page to reinforce the skills we learned today.
• Social Studies:  We will begin a new unit tomorrow.

Monday, December 3, 2012

DAILY REMINDERS:

• Homework:  Spelling worksheet over Week 14 words (saw, out, no, he, that).  Our test will be this Friday.  Please let me know if your first grader did not bring home their spelling list tonight.
• Math Letter:  Your child brought home a math letter explaining the math skills we are working on this week (taking apart 7, 8, 9, and 10, vertical subtraction, subtract to compare, and problem solving by drawing a picture).
• Early Dismissal/Show and Tell is this Wednesday, December 5th at 1:40 (ELL bus dismisses at 1:20).
• Support-A-Family this week:  Personal care items.  Thank you so much to everyone who has donated for this great cause!   

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF YOUR FIRST GRADER:

• Shared Reading:  The story we are reading this week is My Friends.  After reading today, we recalled the events of the story.  Ask your student to tell you the different things the main character learned how to do from her friends.
• Word Work:  We discussed our new spelling words.  We identified the vowel sounds in the words he and she and discussed how the vowel comes at the end of the word and that pattern usually lends itself to a long vowel sound.  We talked about the ou sound in out, the aw sound in saw and how that is in the -at word family.
• Writing:  We worked on our Writing Plan web for our 5 page story.  The first box in the web is for the introduction/beginning of our story (who/what we will be writing about), boxes 2, 3, and 4 are for the middle of the story and the details about what we are writing about, and the last box is the ending of our story.  I emphasized that when we are planning and creating our web, we just jot down ideas.  We save our sentences for the story.
• Math:  Whew!  We took a lot of tests today.  We took an addition time test, chapter 3 test and chapter 4 pretest. 
• Social Studies:  Finally, we took our Unit 4 test covering the Pilgrims, American Indians, past, present, future, transportation, communication, and inventions.