Hello First Grade Families! Here are some things to remember:

Summer School

Summer school information is coming home in your kiddo’s folder today.  I always encourage all first graders to attend.  Summer school is a great way to ensure your child does not regress over the long summer months. If this is something you want your child to participate in, you have to register them online: https://docs.google.com/a/willardschools.net/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd5UH608gGTEXuVusy6JSNeaN3kVJu6bjFcVIOFa6q-6yUmtw/viewform?c=0&w=1

Make-Up Snow Day

***We HAVE school April 17^th.***  The district decided this will be our make-up snow day. We do NOT have school this Friday (April 14^th).

Field Trip to the Nature Center

Don’t forget our field trip to the Nature Center is April 20^th.  Additional information will be sent home next week.  

March 20th - March 24th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Fluency

Good readers pay attention to punctuation and change their voice accordingly

Good readers scoop words into phrases

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: ready, might, suddenly, special, & beautiful

Word Chunk: “oo” (book) and “oo” (moon)

Word Family: “_ing”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

Writing stories that have characters, a problem, and a solution

Writing an interesting beginning to our stories

Math:

Subtracting tens from any number between 10-100

Using a number line to subtract

Topic 11 assessment

Theme:

St. Patrick’s Day

I am lucky because…

Four leaf clover craft

Wonder Table

Now that spring has finally arrived, I would love to update our wonder table.  Keep an eye out for spring time items that we can observe. Your child is invited to bring in budding flowers, interesting plants, and yes…even insects (no spiders please)! All I am asking is that you make sure all insects are in a secure container.  We will observe them and then release them outside.  Keep your eyes open for signs of spring!

Spring Conferences

This year Spring Conferences will be March  28th and 30th. These conferences will be different from fall conferences in that they are not student-led but more conversation focused and a chance to look at data about your child’s growth this year. I am asking that your child does not attend.

Dates to Remember

March 28th & 30th: Spring Conferences

March 31st: No School

April 17th: Make Up Snow Day

April 20th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

May 19th: Last Day of School

February 27th - March 3rd

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

End of the quarter reading assessments

Dr. Seuss author study

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: together, begin, goes, each, again

Word Chunk: “ow” (bow) and “ow” (cow)

Word Family: “_eep”

Writing:

Opinion Writing

Third quarter opinion writing prompt (this piece will be scored using a rubric and will be reflected on your child’s grade card)

Math:

Multiple strategies for adding two-digit numbers by tens and ones

Topic 10 assessment

Begin topic 11

Using addition knowledge to make sense of subtraction

Theme:

American Symbols

Researching the American Flag, the Liberty Bell, and the Bald Eagle

First Grade Musical

Hello First Grade Families! The First Grade Musical will be Thursday, March 9th at 7:00. Your kiddo has been very busy rehearsing, and I have heard it is going to be quite the performance. Here are some details about that night you might want to be aware of:

* I will be in the room around 6:30.  You can drop your child off there and then find a place to sit to enjoy the show.

* If your child does not have a costume to wear, they should wear their WOHE shirt.

*When the program is over, you can pick up your child directly from the commons area. 

Come and enjoy the show! See you all on Thursday night!

Spring Conferences

This year Spring Conferences will be March 28th and 30th. These conferences will be different from fall conferences in that they are not student-led but more conversation focused and a chance to look at data about your child’s growth this year. I am asking that your child does not attend. Information was sent home on Friday. 

Dates to Remember

March 9th: First Grade Music Program 2:30 & 7:00

March 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

March 13th- 17th: Spring Break

March 28th & 30th: Spring Conferences

April 20th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

February 13th - February 17th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Good readers go back in the book they are reading to find answers to questions

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: out, quit, teacher, rain, favorite

Word Chunk: “ay” and “ai”

Word Family: “_ick”

Writing:

Opinion Writing

Brainstormed topics that we can write opinions about

Adding more details to our opinion writing

Math:

Topic 9 assessment

Counting 10s to add two digit numbers

Adding 10 to any number mentally

Theme:

Who was George Washington?

Who was Abraham Lincoln?

President silhouette project

McTeacher Night

On February 28th from 4-8pm come and support Orchard Hills at the McDonalds on Chestnut Expressway and West Bypass.  WOHE gets a portion of the sales. The best part is that the faculty from Orchard Hills will be taking orders, selling cookies, and having fun!  I will be there from 4-5pm. Come, have dinner, and help support our school!

Spring Conferences

This year Spring Conferences will be March  28th and 30th. These conferences will be different from fall conferences in that they are not student-led but more conversation focused and a chance to look at data about your child’s growth this year. I am asking that your child doesn’t attend. More information will go home about this when time gets closer. 

Dates to Remember

February 20th: Make Up Snow Day

February 23rd: 120th Day of School 

February 28th: McTeacher Night

March 9th: First Grade Music Program 2:30 & 7:00

March 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

March 28th & 30th: Spring Conferences

April 20th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

March 13th - 17th: Spring Break

January 30th- February 3

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Expanding vocabulary: tuning into interesting words when we read books

Collecting words from the books we read to use them in our writing

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: school, children, boy, animal, & night

Word Chunk: “ie” and “igh”

Word Family: “_ake”

Writing:

Opinion Writing

Brainstormed topics we can write opinions about

Adding more details to our opinion writing

Math:

Topic 8 assessment

Introduction to topic 9

Comparing 2 digit numbers

Theme:

Types of matter

How can matter change?

Conducted a matter experiment

Valentine’s Party

Our Valentine’s Day party will be on Friday, February 10th.  For this day, your child is invited to bring valentines to pass out, as well as a box or bag to keep their valentines safe. Your child can make a Valentine Box (or bag) at home.  They can be as simple as a decorated brown paper bag or as complicated as papier-mâché. It’s up to you!  Just make sure there is an opening for first graders to easily place their valentines into. Your child needs to bring a valentine for each child in our class. These can be store bought or homemade! A list of student names went home earlier this week.

Coin Drive

Starting February 6th, WOHE will be doing our annual coin drive to benefit Willard Children’s Charitable Foundation. Our challenge will be to use our little bit of loose change to make a BIG difference! Here is how the competition will work:

1) Each teacher will have their own jar to collect coins.

2)Only pennies should be placed in our classroom jar

3)All silver coins and dollars should be placed in other teacher’s jars. Silver coins decrease the total for our classroom.

4)The class with the highest overall total wins a PARTY!

Dates to Remember

February 6th-10th: Coin Drive

February 10th: Valentine’s Day Party

February 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

February 20th: Make Up Snow Day

February 28th: McTeacher Night

March 9th: First Grade Music Program 2:30 & 7:00

March 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

April 20th: Field Trip to the Nature Cent

January 23rd - January 27th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Expanding vocabulary: tuning into interesting words when we read books

Collecting words from the books we read to use them in our writing

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: gave, us, saw, house, & want

Word Chunk: “oa”

Word Family: “_ash”

Writing:

Opinion Writing

Using “sparkly” words in our writing

Math:

Place Value

Using tens and ones to show number values

Theme:

Goods and services

Creating a Goods and Services poster

Valentine Boxes

On Friday February 10th, we will be having our Valentine’s Day Celebration! Your student is invited to create a Valentine’s box at home and then bring it to school on that day. I will be sending more information home about the party as time gets closer.

Coin Drive

Starting February 6th, WOHE will be doing our annual coin drive to benefit Willard Children’s Charitable Foundation. Our challenge will be to use our little bit of loose change to make a BIG difference! Here is how the competition will work:

1. Each teacher will have their own jar to collect coins.

2. Only pennies should be placed in our classroom jar

3. All silver coins and dollars should be placed in other teacher’s jars. Silver coins decrease the total for our classroom.

4. The class with the highest overall total wins a PARTY!

Make Up Snow Day

February 20th is now a make up snow day.  Tell your kiddo to please stop doing snow dances!

Dates to Remember

February 2nd: Picture Day

February 6th-10th: Coin Drive

February 10th: Valentine’s Day Party

February 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

February 20th: Make Up Snow Day

February 28th: McTeacher Night

March 9th: First Grade Music Program 2:30 & 7:00

March 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

April 20th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

January 9th- January 13th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Reviewing Daily 5 routines and expectations

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: best, friend, can’t, won’t, & pretty

Word Chunk: “ea” & “ee”

Word Family: “_ame”

Writing:

Opinion Writing

Writing a topic sentence stating our opinion

Including three details in the middle

Writing an ending sentence to our opinion stories

Math:

Counting by one’s and ten’s,

Counting on from any number between 0-120

Filling in missing numbers

Adding tens and ones

Theme:

Writing New Year’s Resolutions

Creating goals to challenge ourselves

Classroom Pictures

I have uploaded even more pictures onto this classroom blog. Click on the Classroom Pictures tab to see some of the fun things that have been going on in our classroom.

Report Cards

Report cards for second quarter went home Thursday. Remember, many of these skills do not have to be mastered until the end of first grade. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have!

Make-Up Snow Day

February 20th is now a make-up snow day.  Tell your kiddo to please stop doing snow dances!

Dates to Remember

January 16th: No School

February 10th: Dismiss at 12:30

February 20th: Make Up Snow Day

March 20th: Dismiss at 12:30

April 20th: Field Trip to the Nature Center