February 18th - February 22nd

What We Are Learning

Reading: Non-Fiction

·       Review NF text features

·       Main Idea and details of NF text

·       How to locate information in NF texts

Word Work

·       Sight words: children, animal, boy, school

·       Phonics: Vowel Team oa

Writing: Teaching Books (opinion)

·       Parts of an opinion book

·       Choosing a topic for an opinion book

·       Supporting your opinion with at least 3 details

·       Using transition words (First, Next, Finally, etc.)

Math: Topic 10

·       Adding Double Digit Numbers

·       Adding double digits by tens then ones

·       Making a new 10 when adding

·       Review for test

Theme: President’s Day

·       Why we celebrate President’s Day

·       Life of George Washington

·       Life of Abraham Lincoln

Spring Conferences

This year Spring Conferences will be the week of March 25^th – March 29^th. 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. More information will be sent home soon.

McTeacher Night

On Monday, March 4th 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!

Dates to Remember

February 27^th: Rescheduled Spring Picture

March 4^th: McTeacher Night

March 5^th: First Grade Musical

March 8^th: Release at 12:30

March 11th and March 12^th: Snow Make Up Days

March 12^th: Release at 12:30

March 22^nd- Field Trip to Nature Center

March 25^th - March 29^th: Spring Parent Conferences

February 4th - February 8th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Putting it all Together

·       Review story elements, retelling, and lesson

·       Practicing putting it all together in a strong retelling of a fiction text

Word Work

·       Sight words: us, saw, house, want,

·       Phonics: igh

Writing: Opinion Writing

·       Giving and receiving feedback

·       Using example writing and assessing for all the parts with focus on conventions (upper and lower case, spelling, handwriting, etc.)

·       Peer feedback and working with a partner to improve opinion book

Math: Topic 10 lessons 5-10

·       Adding 10s and 1s

·       Making 10 to add

Theme: Precipitation

·       Creating rain gauges to measure precipitation

·       Tracking precipitation amounts over time

Valentine’s Day Party

Our Valentine’s Day party will be on Thursday, February 14th.  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! (If your family does not have the resources to provide valentines for your child, please let me know and your child can make some at school.)

Please be sure to send your child’s valentines and valentine boxes ON February 14h.  Our room can get really crowded, so please do not send them ahead of time.

Dates to Remember

February 7th-Spring Pictures

February 14th-Class Parties (2:00-3:00)

February 15th-1/2 day for students (dismiss at 12:30)

February 18^th- Snow Make Up Day

March 22^nd- Field Trip to Nature Center

January 21st- January 25th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Fiction-Problem and Solution & Retelling

·       Identifying and writing about the problem and solution in a story

·       Using all the elements of a story to retell the beginning, middle, and end

Word Work

·       Sight words: friend, can’t, won’t, pretty, best

·       Phonics: contractions

Writing: Teaching Books (opinion)

·       Parts of an opinion book

·       Choosing a topic for an opinion book

·       Supporting your opinion with at least 3 details

·       Using transition words (First, Next, Finally, etc.)

Math: Topic 9: Lessons 4-6

·       Comparing Numbers with symbols and words (greater, less, equal to)

·       Comparing 10s and 1s

Theme: Precipitation

·       Types of precipitation

·       Rain experiment

·        Precipitation visual project

Valentine Boxes

On Thursday February 14th, we will be having our Valentine’s Day Celebration! Your kiddo 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.

At Home Reading

It is very important that your kiddo reads nightly at home.  If you would like to have books sent home on your child’s level, just let me know!  I have been hesitant to send books home because sometimes they are not returned.  The only thing that I ask is that when your child is done reading the books, they send them right back to school.  Then I will send out a new selection of books. 

Dates to Remember

January 31st-All Pro Dad’s Breakfast

February 7th-Spring Pictures

February 14th-Class Parties (2:00-3:00)

February 15th-1/2 day for students (dismiss at 12:30)

March 22^nd- Field Trip to Nature Center

January 14th - January 18th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Nonfiction

• Identifying characters and settings
• Retelling stories

Word Work

·       Sight words: because, here, come, look, why

·       Phonics: “Vowel Teams”-ai & ay

Writing: Teaching Books (opinion)

·       Parts of an opinion book

·       Choosing a topic for an opinion book

·       Supporting your opinion with at least 3 details

·       Using transition words (First, Next, Finally, etc.)

Math: Topics 8 & 9

·       Review Topic 8 (Tens and Ones)

·       Topic 8 Test

·       Topic 9: Lessons 1-3

·       Finding numbers on the 100s chart

·       Adding and subtracting 10s and 1s on the chart

·       Comparing Numbers with symbols and words (greater, less, equal to)

 Theme: Martin Luther King, Jr.

·       Who was MLK and what did he believe

·       Meaning of “I have a dream…”

·       “I have a dream…” writing and craft

At Home Reading

It is very important that your kiddo reads nightly at home.  If you would like to have books sent home on your child’s level, just let me know!  I have been hesitant to send books home because sometimes they are not returned.  The only thing that I ask is that when your child is done reading the books, they send them right back to school.  Then I will send out a new selection of books. 

Class Pictures

I uploaded several new pictures onto our classroom website. Click on the Classroom Pictures tab and check them out!

Dates to Remember

January 21st- Martin Luther King, Jr Day (NO SCHOOL)

January 31st-All Pro Dad’s Breakfast

March 22^nd- Field Trip to Nature Center

December 3rd - December 7th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Nonfiction

·       DRA Reading Assessments

·       Identifying and explaining the difference between fiction and nonfiction books

Word Work

·       Sight words: made, could, my, down, over

·       R Controlled Vowels: ir, ur, & er

Writing: Teaching Books (Nonfiction)

·       Using an editing checklist

·       Fixing our writing mistakes

Math: Unit 6

·       Topic 6: Graphing

·       collecting and organizing data into three groups

·       Comparing data (greatest, fewest, how many more, how many fewer, etc.)

·       Ordering data (least to greatest or vice versa)

·       Topic 6 Assessment

Theme: Polar Bears

Animal features experiment

Ronald McDonald House

Mrs. McKinney’s class is collecting items for the Ronald McDonald House, and I want our class to help! Here is a list of items that you can donate to help this great program:

Magic Erasers       Lysol       Small Trash Bags

Bathroom Cleaner       Comet       Windex

Clorox Wipes         White Bath Towels

Disinfecting/bleach spray cleaner

Data Sheet

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

Winter Party

Our Winter Party will be December 21st from 9:00-10:00. Feel free to come and enjoy the fun!

Dates to Remember

December 7^th: PTO Movie Night

December 21st-Winter parties (9-10) and half day dismissal (12:30)

December 21st-January 4th:  Winter Break (no school)

November 26th - November 30th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Nonfiction

·       Main Idea and details of NF text

·       How to locate information in NF texts

Word Work

·       Sight words: who, make, no, see, people

·       R Controlled Vowels: ar & or

Writing: Teaching Books (Nonfiction)

·       Using an editing checklist

·       Fixing our writing mistakes

Math: Unit 6

·       Topic 6: Graphing

·       collecting and organizing data into three groups

·       Comparing data (greatest, fewest, how many more, how many fewer, etc.)

·       Ordering data (least to greatest or vice versa)

Theme: Polar Bears

·       How polar bears survive in the Arctic

·       Polar bears physical characteristics

·       Polar bear learning centers

Ronald McDonald House

Mrs. McKinney’s class is collecting items for the Ronald McDonald House, and I want our class to help! Here is a list of items that you can donate to help this great program:

Magic Erasers       Lysol       Small Trash Bags

Bathroom Cleaner       Comet       Windex

Clorox Wipes         White Bath Towels

Disinfecting/bleach spray cleaner

Winter Party

Our Winter Party will be December 21st from 9:00-10:00. Feel free to come and enjoy the fun!

Pancakes with Santa

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at WOHE on Saturday, December 1^st.  Come and enjoy the fun from 8-10am!  I’ll be there!

Class Pictures

I plan on uploading several pictures onto our classroom website. Click on the Classroom Pictures tab and check them out!

Dates to Remember

Pancakes with Santa: December 1st

December 21st-Winter parties (9-10) and half day dismissal (12:30)

November 12th - November 16th

What We Are Learning

Reading: Non-Fiction

·       Review NF text features

·       Main Idea and details of NF text

·       How to locate information in NF texts

Word Work

·       Sight words: him, her, his, some, like

·       Word family: -ay

·       Blends: Review

·       Silent e

Writing: Teaching Books (Nonfiction)

·       Adding labels to illustrations

·       “Zooming in” on parts of objects

·       Adding details

Math: Unit 5

·       Finding the Missing Addend

·       Finding the missing addend in addition and subtraction equations in each location  (_+7=15  or   7+__=15   or __=7+8, etc.)

Theme: Sun, Moon, and Stars & Thanksgiving

·       Sun’s patterns (24 hrs in a day & sunrise/sunset)

·       Story of the First Thanksgiving

·       Why we celebrate Thanksgiving

Winter Weather

As you’ve probably noticed, it has gotten A LOT colder in the past week. Please make sure your kiddo has the proper attire for outdoor recess at temperatures down to 32 degrees and windshields down to 25 degrees. Please make sure your kiddo has a coat, hat, and gloves at least each day. Thank you so much for your help.

Winter Party

Our Holiday Party will be December 21st from 9:00-10:00. Feel free to come and enjoy the fun!

Happy Thanksgiving

I am so grateful for each one of you and for the opportunity to get to work with your amazing kiddos!

Class Pictures

I plan on uploading several pictures onto our classroom website. Click on the Classroom Pictures tab and check them out!

Dates to Remember

November 21-25-Thanksgiving Break (NO School)

December 21st-Winter parties (9-10) and half day dismissal (12:30)