September 10th - September 14th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Setting up Daily 5 reading structure

·        How to do “Listen to Reading” and “Word Work”

·        Continuing to build reading and writing stamina

• Introduction of rhyming words and making rhymes  

Word Work

• Sight words: are, for, on, with, & was
• Word family: -ag    Blend/Digraph: sh
• Introduction of rhyming words and making rhymes  

Writing: Narrative Genre/Stories from our Lives

·        How to spell tricky words

·        How to be a STRONG SPELLER

Math: Unit 1 Solve Addition & Subtraction Problems to 10

·        Solving addition and subtraction problems within 10

·        Using doubles and near doubles to solve addition equations

·        Introduction to math stations for fluency practice

Theme: Introduction to Proficiency Scales

·        How to break down a task into individual skills

·        How to create a goal based on skills needed to accomplish the goal

·        Application: Making a paper airplane

·        Paper airplane Trial?

Family Photo

I would love to have every student bring a small family photo to display in our classroom.  This will help your kiddo feel more at home, and I know they will be super excited to show off their family.

Fall Carnival

Our third WOHE fall carnival is quickly approaching! To help with the supplies that we will need to make the carnival a success, first grade is asking for donations of Little Debbie or Hostess-like snack cakes to use for the cake walk game. If you can donate any of these items, feel free to just send them in your kiddos backpack! Thank you all so much for your support!

Spirit Week

Next week is DISTRICT SPIRIT week!

Monday-- 'Merica Monday

Tuesday-- Tie Dye Tuesday

Wednesday-- Onsie Wednesday (PJ Day)

Thursday-- Tacky Tourist Thursday

Friday-- Willard Wear

Homecoming Parade

On September 21^st, all students from across the District will line the streets of Willard and cheer on their fellow Tigers. We will board a bus and travel to Willard, but we will be back before lunch time.  Do not forget out of school at 12:30 that day!

Data Sheets

Check out the tabbed data sheet in your child’s take home folder.  I have updated their reading level and the sight words they know. 

Dates to Remember

September 21st- Willard Homecoming Parade (all students attend by bus) and dismiss at 12:30

October 5^th – WOHE Fall Carnival  

September 3rd - September 7th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Setting up Daily 5 reading structure

·         How to do “Listen to Reading”

·         Continuing to build reading and writing stamina

Word Work

• Sight words: that, is, it, you, he
• Word family: -an    Blend/Digraph: th
• Strategy: All sentences start with an uppercase letter and end with punctuation.

Writing: Narrative Genre/Stories from our Lives

·         Good writers add more to their pictures, more to their words, and use a writer’s checklist

Math: Unit 1 Solve Addition & Subtraction Problems to 10

·        Unit review and assessment

Theme: Kindness

·        How can we spread kindness in our classroom, school, and world?

Family Photo

I would love to have every student bring a small family photo to display in our classroom.  This will help your kiddo feel more at home, and I know they will be super excited to show off their family.

Reading Levels

I have had a few different parents ask about their kiddos reading level.  I wanted to let everyone know that in first grade we spend the first four weeks of school establishing routines and building students’ stamina to be able to work independently. This way we can successfully have reading groups.

I started DRA assessments this week. It will take me two full weeks to finish everyone.   Soon I will be able to give you more specific information about how your kiddo is doing in reading. Until I’m finished, it would be very beneficial to work with your kiddo on the sight words in their take home folders and read together every day.

Dates to Remember

September 21st- Willard Homecoming Parade (all students attend by bus) and dismiss at 12:30

October 5^th – WOHE Fall Carnival  

August 27th - August 31st

What We Are Learning

Reading: Setting up Daily 5 reading structure

·         How to do “Work on Writing”

·         Continuing to build reading and writing stamina

·         What writers write

·         Spelling strategies for unknown words

Word Work

• Sight words: the, of, and, in, to
• Word family: -at    Blend/Digraph: ch
• Strategy: Writing one word or each word said

Writing: Narrative Genre/Stories from our Lives

·         Introducing narrative genre and differentiating between true and fake details

·         Steps to planning a book

·         How to share and listen during Author’s Chair

·          

Math: Unit 1-lessons 6-8

·         Solving addition and subtraction problems within 10 using various strategies and knowing equations are made up of“part, part, whole”

·       Counting on

·       Missing addends

·       Putting together

·       Taking from

·         Introduction to math stations for fluency practice

Theme: Growth Mindset

·      Determining the difference between a fixed and growth mindset

·      There is no “can’t”, but there is “I can’t…yet”

·      Goal setting for something we can’t do YET

Family Photo

I would love to have every student bring a small family photo to display in our classroom.  This will help your kiddo feel more at home, and I know they will be super excited to show off their family.

Math Homework

I am not a big supporter of having homework every night.  I am a firm believer that your child has worked hard all day at school, and they need a break at home.  Also, as a mother, I know how important family time is.  Because of this, I will not be making homework mandatory. It will be sent home but you have the option of completing it with your child.

 My hope is that you can use this as a resource to help your child and to understand what we are learning in the classroom. If you complete the homework with your child, that is FANTASTIC! Simply place it back in your kiddo’s folder, and I will celebrate them for continuing to learn at home

Dates to Remember

August 31^st –September 3rd: No School

September 21st- Willard Homecoming Parade (all students attend by bus) and dismiss at 12:30

October 5^th – WOHE Fall Carnival  

August 20th - August 24th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Reading: Setting up Daily 5 reading structure

·        How to do “Read to Self”

·        How to build our stamina

·        3 ways to read a book

Writing: Setting up Writer’s Workshop Structure

·        How to set yourself up for successful writing by picking a good spot to work

·        Using what we love as inspiration for writing topics and stories

·        Decorating writing folders with inspirational visuals

·        How to share and listen during Author’s Chair

Math: Unit 1-lessons 1-5

·        Solving addition and subtraction problems within 10 using various strategies and knowing equations are made up of “part, part, whole”

·          Counting on

·          Missing addends

·          Putting together

·          Taking from

Theme: Helpful vs. Hurtful Words

·        The difference between helpful and hurtful words

·        Why the words we choose are important in our classroom

Snack Time

In 1st grade, we do not have an official “snack time”, but I do allow students to have a snack if they bring one or have leftovers from their lunchbox at the end of the day.

Family Photo

I would love to have every student bring a small family photo to display in our classroom.  This will help your kiddo feel more at home, and I know they will be super excited to show off their family.

Special Class Schedule

Monday- Computers

Tuesday- Music

Wednesday- Art

Thursday- Library.

Friday-P.E.

Special Thanks

I want to send out a special thanks to all who donated items from our classroom wish list!  We greatly appreciate your generosity.  These items will help us have a productive year! Feel free to frequently view our classroom website where I will post items throughout the year as we need them.   

Dates to Remember

August 31^st –September 3rd: No School

September 21st- Willard Homecoming Parade (all students attend by bus) and dismiss at 12:30

October 5^th – WOHE Fall Carnival  

Useful Classroom Information

Hello First Grade Families!  We had an absolutely amazing first two days! I have been
so impressed with how responsible and respectful everyone has been!  How did I get
so lucky?!

Now that the craziness of the first week is over,  I thought I would send out a quick
email with some useful classroom information.

Math Homework

I am not a big supporter of having homework every night.  I am a firm believer that
your child has worked hard all day at school, and they need a break at home.  Also,
as a mother, I know how important family time is. Because of this, I will not be making
homework mandatory.  It will be sent home but you have the option of completing it
with your child. My hope is that you can use this as a resource to help your child and
to understand what we are learning in the classroom. If you complete the homework
with your child, that is FANTASTIC! Simply place it back in your kiddo’s folder, and
I will celebrate them for continuing to learn at home.

Also, you will notice that your child will be coming home with a lot less math papers
than they did in kindergarten.  Now that they are big enough to locate the page
numbers themselves, we will be keeping most of the papers we do inside our math
books.  I will tear out only their homework pages and math assessments. The math
homework will keep you up to date with the math concepts we are studying.

Snack Time

We do not have a traditional snack time in first grade.  However, I know that their
little tummies get super hungry by the end of the day.  Your child is invited to bring
an individual snack to enjoy while I read our chapter book at the end of the day.  
This could also be an item from their lunch box that was leftover. If they do not
bring a snack, it will not be a big deal.  They will simply enjoy hearing the chapter
book without a snack. Let me know if you have any questions!

Water Bottles

Your kiddo is welcome to bring WATER to school in a water bottle. I will just have
them keep it safe in his/her cubby.

Monday Early Release

Every Monday, WOHE releases at 3:00, so teachers can participate in professional
development.

Take Home Folders

Your kiddo will come home EVERY day with a green Take Home Folder. In this folder
you will find important notes, your child’s work, and your child’s behavior chart.  
Please check these folders each night, take out what needs to stay at home, and
send them back to school the next day. Also, they are responsible for signing it,
placing papers inside, and then putting it inside their backpack.  Please be a little
patient. :) It sometimes takes them a little while to remember all of the
responsibilities while packing up every day.

Family Photo

I would love to have every student bring a small family photo to display in
our classroom.  This will help your kiddo feel more at home, and I know they
will be super excited to show off their family to their new friends.

Emails

If you are not receiving emails from me, let me know.  I will have the ladies in
the office update your email address.

Hello First Grade Families

Welcome to First Grade!!!

Hello there, new first grade families and friends! I am so, so excited that you are going to be in my class this year! I cannot wait to meet you and get to know you better! Below are some important dates and information that is going to help us get this year started off right. Please let me know if you have any questions. Can't wait to see you at Meet the Teacher Night!

Meet the Teacher Night
Tuesday, August 14th
6:00-7:30
*Please bring your school supplies and be prepared to spend enough time touring the classroom and filling out paperwork.
*As far as labeling supplies, please label your students pencil box and scissors. Everything else will be combined and  used as class supplies. Thank you!

First Day of School
Thursday, August 16th
8:40-3:30 (Students may start coming to the classroom at 8:20)
*Please make sure you have communicated with me about how your kiddo will be getting home this day as well as their regular schedule for dismissal.

Last Minute Details

Hello First Grade Families! Can you believe that next week is the last week of school?! This year has really flown by!  Here is a list of things to keep in mind for next week:

1) Tuesday, May 22nd is FIELD DAY!!!  First grade will have Field Day in the morning.  This will be a really exciting day.  Coach has planned some exciting activities. Make sure your kiddo wears tennis shoes that can get dirty or wet.  It is also a good idea to apply sunscreen before they come to school that day.  We will also eat lunch outside, so they should bring a sack lunch from home or buy a sack lunch from school. 

2) Our last Tiger Pride Assembly will be on the last day of school at 9:30.  

3) The last day of school (May 24th) is also a ½ day.  We will dismiss at 12:30.

4) We have already started cleaning out our cubbies.  Keep an eye out for items in your child’s backpack. I plan on sending home things a little at a time, so their backpacks do not get too heavy. 

5)  Next week I will be sending home a Summer Slide Packet your kiddo can do during the long summer break.  Keep an eye out for it!

I hope this helps keep all the craziness of the last week of school under control.  Feel free to let me know if I missed anything! 


Mrs. Happel :)