April 25th - April 29th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Reading nonfiction text

Going back in the text to find answers to questions

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: myself, everyone, few, being, & really

Word Chunk: “oa” & “ur”

Word Family: “aw”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

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

Math:

Fraction review

Dividing shapes into quarters and halves

Theme:

Classifying animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, etc.). 

Guided Reading Books

If your child has a guided reading envelope and/or a guided reading book at home from any previous weeks, could you please return it to school as soon as possible. We are making sure our guided reading library is intact and ready for next year, and if you could help us out with making sure they are all returned, it would be greatly appreciated!

Field Day

Field Day will be Monday, May 16th. This will be a really exciting day.  Coach has planned several water activities. Here is what your child needs to bring that day:

•        An extra change of clothes and shoes

•        Sunscreen

•        Tennis shoes that are ok to get dirty

•        Sack lunch from home or school sack lunch

First grade will have Field Day in the morning.  Your child will be pretty miserable the rest of the day if they do not bring an extra set of clothes!

Summer School

Summer school registration forms came home in your child’s take home folder several weeks ago.  Forms have to be completed ONLINE by May 2nd.  I encourage everyone to attend summer school. Even if your child is doing well academically, summer break is very long.  Most students lose some of the progress they made during the school year.   Keep that in mind while making your summer plans.

Dates to Remember

May 5^th: Talent Show

May 16th: Field Day

May 20th: Last Day of School Dismiss at 12:30

April 18th- April 22nd

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Reading nonfiction text

Going back in the text to find answers to questions

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: everything, wouldn’t, need, kind, & different.

Word Chunk: “ee” & “ou”

Word Family: “ow”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

Using quotations when our characters talk

Replacing the word “said” with fancier words

Math:

Identifying 2D shapes (square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, and trapezoid)

Reviewing shape attributes (sides and corners)

Theme:

Classifying animals (mammals, reptiles, amphibians, etc.). 

Summer School

Summer school registration forms came home in your child’s take home folder several weeks ago.  Forms have to be completed ONLINE by May 2nd.  I encourage everyone to attend summer school. Even if your child is doing well academically, summer break is very long.  Most students lose some of the progress they made during the school year.   Keep that in mind while making your summer plans.

Read! Read! Read!

Can you believe that first grade is almost over? That means that end of the year reading assessments are right around the corner.  Willard has very high reading expectations.  Please make time to read with your child nightly. Thank you all for your support!

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!

Dates to Remember

April 27th: Tiger Pride Assembly

May 16th: Field Day

May 20th: Last Day of School

April 4th - April 8th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Good readers make predictions using evidence from the text and picture clues

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: couldn’t, either, thought, they’re, & while

Word Chunk: “ui”

Word Family: “oat”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

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

Making our characters come to life by using dialogue, describing events step by step, and describing our character feelings

Math:

Place Value

Using the 120 chart to identify numbers

Finding 10 more, 10 less, 20 more, and 20 less for a specific number using the 12o chart

Theme:

What plants need to grow

Bean experiment and observing

Nature Center Field Trip

We had such a wonderful time on our field trip this week.  Thank you all who came and enjoyed the day with us.  For those of you who were unable to make it, I have uploaded several pictures onto my classroom website (mrshappelslittleapples.blogspot.com).  Click on the Classroom Pictures tab to view them.

Reading

We only have 6 weeks of first grade left! Can you believe it? Please make reading a priority at home.  End of the year DRA testing is approaching fast.  Any additional reading practice will greatly benefit your child. 

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!

Dates to Remember

April 27th: Tiger Pride Assembly

May 16th: Field Day

May 20th: Last Day of School

March 28th - April 1st

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Doreen Cronin Author’s Study

Books in a series

Common characters, settings, problems, and solutions

Word Work:

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

Word Chunk: “oi” & “oy”

Word Family: “ing”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

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

Making our characters come to life by using dialogue and describing events step by step

Math:

Place Value

Understanding the ones, tens, and hundreds place values

Using tens and ones blocks to add 2 digit numbers (23+54=_)

Theme:

Parts of a plant

Sunflower craft

Nature Center Field Trip

On April 7th, first graders will be taking a field trip to the Nature Center. Here are some details you should be aware of:

•          We will board the bus at 8:50am and return at 12:45.

•          We will begin a hike or visit the exhibits inside at 9:30.

•          We will eat lunch at the park by the Nature Center.

•          Your child will need a sack lunch from home or a school sack lunch.

•          Make sure your kiddo wears tennis shoes and brings a light jacket.

•          Your child needs to wear their WOHE shirt.

It should be a fun trip full of lots of learning. Come and enjoy the fun!

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!

Dates to Remember

April 7th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

May 20th: Last Day of School

March 21st - March 25th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Kevin Henkes Author’s Study

Books in a series

Common characters, settings, problems, and solutions

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: does, friend, enough, should, & you’re.

Word Chunk: “oo” (book) & “oo” (moon)

Word Family: “ill”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

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

Writing an interesting beginning to our stories

Making our characters come to life by using dialogue

Math:

Place Value

Understanding the ones, tens, and hundreds place values

Using tens and ones blocks to add 2 digit numbers (23+54=_)

Theme:

Signs of spring

Describing spring using our 5 senses

Nature Center Field Trip

On April 7th, first graders will be taking a field trip to the Nature Center. Here are some details you should be aware of:

*We will board the bus at 8:50am and return at 12:45.

*We will begin a hike or visit the exhibits inside at 9:30.

*We will eat lunch at the park by the Nature Center.

*Your child will need a sack lunch from home or a school sack lunch.

It should be a fun trip full of lots of learning. Come and enjoy the fun!

McTeacher Night

On Tuesday, March 29th 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

March 25th: No School/ Good Friday

March 28th: Make Up Snow Day

March 29th: McTeacher Night

April 7th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

March 14th - March 18th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

Fluency

Good readers pause at punctuation and scoop words into phrases

Word Work:

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

Word Chunk: “au” & “aw”

Word Family: “_eep”

Writing:

Writing Realistic Fiction Stories

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

Writing an interesting beginning to our stories

Math:

Place Value

Understanding the ones, tens, and hundreds place values

Representing numbers using ones and tens blocks

Theme:

St. Patrick’s Day

I am lucky because…

Spring Conferences

This year’s Spring Conferences will be March 22nd and 24th. 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. Please let me know if you have any questions! 

McTeacher Night

On Tuesday, March 29th 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

March 22nd & March 24th: Spring Conferences

March 25th: No School/ Good Friday

March 28th: Make Up Snow Day

March 29th: McTeacher Night

February 29th - March 4th

What We Are Learning

Reading: 

End of the quarter reading assessments

Dr. Seuss author study

Word Work:

Popcorn Words: now, know, our, there, & three

Word Chunk: “oa”

Word Family: “_est”

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:

3D shape review (cube, sphere, rectangular prism, cylinder, & cone )

Recognizing and naming 3D shapes

Theme:

American Symbols

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

Spring Conferences

This year’s Spring Conferences will be March 22nd and 24th. 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. Please let me know if you have any questions! 

Data Sheets

I started updating the data sheets in your child’s take home folder this week.  Checkout those colored pieces of paper to see how your child is doing on sight words, number recognition, counting to 120, and writing to 120. I wrote their current reading level in it as well. Next quarter we will focus more on knowing our addition and subtraction facts within 10.  I will fill out those data sheets next quarter.

Dates to Remember

March 4th:  End of 3rd Quarter and Dismiss at 12:30

March 7th- March 11th: Spring Break

March 22nd & March 24th: Spring Conferences

March 25th: No School/ Good Friday

March 28th: Make Up Snow Day