Thursday, November 30, 2017

November 27th - December 1st

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Accuracy strategy: Descriptive words: words that describe us
Character traits: outside vs. inside traits
Noticing characters’ feelings and actions to infer inside traits
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: my, made, did, down, over
Word Work: Short and Long u
Word Family: _ay
Writing:
Nonfiction Writing/Teaching Books
Adding more details by organizing under headings
Writing and using a table of contents
Math:
Topic 5: Addition and Subtraction
Finding missing numbers in equations
True or false equations
Adding 3 numbers
Word problems with 3 numbers
Theme:
Parts of a map
Cardinal directions: north, south, east, and west
Making a compass
Me on the Map project

Book-It
I am so proud of all my friends who read 20 books last month and earned their FREE PIZZA from Pizza Hut!  I sent home a new recording sheet for December.  It is SO important that your kiddo reads at home with you.  Remember, you can read the paper books I sent home.  These books are on your child’s reading level. When they finish the books, send them back and I will send home more.   Also, they can access eBooks from the Raz Kids website.
Website: www.kidsa-z.com
User Name: Orchard1b
Happy Reading!

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

Dates to Remember
November 22nd - 24th: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)
December 21st: Holiday Party & dismiss at 12:30

December 22nd-January 3rd:  Winter Break (no school)

Thursday, November 16, 2017

November 13th - November 17th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Accuracy strategy: Descriptive words: words that describe us
Character traits: outside vs. inside traits
Noticing characters’ feelings and actions to infer inside traits
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: see, no, make, who, people
Word Work: Short and Long i
Word Family: _ed
Writing:
Nonfiction Writing/Teaching Books
Using illustrations to teach (zooming in)
Considering our audience and what questions they might have about our topic
Math:
Topic 5: Addition and Subtraction Equations
Finding missing numbers in equations
True or false equations
Adding 3 numbers
Word problems with 3 numbers
Theme:
The First Thanksgiving
Cornucopia writing project

Happy Thanksgiving
I am so grateful for each one of you and for the opportunity to get to work with your amazing kiddo! Have a great holiday and a great break! 

Fall Weather
I know it is hard to believe, but fall weather is coming!  Please make sure your child is properly dressed for outside recess. We will go out every day as long as the weather is 32 degrees or above and the wind-chill is 25 degrees or above. There is a strong wind that blows across the playground.  Your child needs to have a jacket, so they can enjoy recess comfortably!

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

Dates to Remember
November 22nd - 24th: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)
December 21st: Holiday Party & dismiss at 12:30

December 22nd-January 3rd:  Winter Break (NO SCHOOL)

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

October 30th - November 3

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Accuracy strategies
Cross-checking: Does it look right? Does it sound right? Does it make sense?
Scentsy Skunk: Checking to make sure what you read makes sense.
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: will, how, up, them, she
Word Work: Beginning Blends-fl, gl, pl,&sl
Word Family: _ag
Writing:
Nonfiction Writing/Teaching Books
Choosing a strong topic for individual books
Parts of a non-fiction book (beginning/ introduction, middle/facts, ending/ conclusion)
Math:
Subtracting on a number line
Subtracting on 10s frames
Finding the missing number in an equation (9-?=6)
Theme:
Researching and writing nonfiction facts about bats
Created a bat craft to accompany our writing

Conferences
Thank you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to come and discuss your child’s progress with me.  I really enjoyed visiting with everyone.  If you were unable to make it this week, I would love to reschedule for another day. 

Book-It
I am so proud of all my friends who read 20 books last month and earned their FREE PIZZA from Pizza Hut!  I sent home a new recording sheet for November.  It is SO important that your kiddo reads at home with you.  Remember, you can read the paper books I sent home.  These books are on your child’s reading level. When they finish the books, send them back and I will send home more.   Also, they can access eBooks from the Raz Kids website.
Website: www.kidsa-z.com
User Name: Orchard1b
Happy Reading!

Dates to Remember
November 3rd - 7th: NO SCHOOL

November 22nd - 24th: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

Thursday, October 26, 2017

October 23rd - October 27th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Identifying characters and settings in the stories we read
5 Finger Retelling
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: there, can, your, said, do
Word Work: Beginning Blends
Word Family: _an
Writing:
Nonfiction Writing/Teaching Books
Including headings in our stories like real nonfiction books
Math:
Subtracting on a number line
Using known addition facts to figure out subtraction equations
Making 10 to subtract
Theme:
Researching and writing nonfiction facts about bats
Created a bat craft to accompany our writing

Conferences
Conference week is NEXT week. I am super excited to meet with you and discuss your kiddo’s progress in first grade so far. During the student-led conference, your child will lead you through various activities in the hallway. There will be “parent prompts” on the wall or in a basket for you to read and remind your child what to do. After 15 minutes, you will meet with me.

 I sent home reminders in your child's take home folder Thursday to confirm the time and date you chose.  I have conferences schedule in most time slots.  I will try my hardest to stay on schedule, but please forgive me if we start your conference a little late.  If I am running behind, just have your kiddo continue working through the centers in the hallway.
Let me know if you have any questions! See you all soon!

Dates to Remember
October 20th: Dismiss at 12:30
October 30th & November 2nd: Conferences
November 2nd: Picture Retakes
November 3rd - 7th: NO SCHOOL

November 22nd - 24th: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

Thursday, October 19, 2017

October 16th - October 20th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Identifying characters and settings in the stories we read
5 Finger Retelling
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: nice, ride, play, zoo,& thing
Word Work: Beginning Blends
Word Family: _ay
Writing:
Using all the writing strategies we know to  write one more small moment/true story
First quarter district narrative writing prompt (this piece will be scored using a rubric and will be reflected on your child’s grade card)
Math:
Topic 3: Adding facts to 20
Topic 3 Assessment
Theme:
Prior knowledge about pumpkins
Researching questions about pumpkins
Parts of a pumpkin craft

Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be October 30th and November 2nd.  I sent an email out on Thursday with a link to help you electronically sign up. The times are on a first come, first serve basis, so please sign up quickly so you can get your preferred time.

Data Sheets
I started updating the data sheet in your child’s take home folder this week.  Checkout the paper to see how your child is doing on sight words. I also wrote their current reading level in it as well.

Dates to Remember
October 20th: Dismiss at 12:30
October 30th & November 2nd: Conferences
November 2nd: Picture Retakes
November 3rd - 7th: NO SCHOOL

November 22nd - 24th: Thanksgiving Break (NO SCHOOL)

Thursday, October 5, 2017

October 2nd - October 6th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Making connections in books we read (text-to-self, text-to-text, & text-to-world)
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: had, I, have, not, from
Digraph: “ph”
Word Family: _all
Writing:
Writing small moment/true stories
Bringing characters to life by using dialogue and making our characters move
Math:
Topic 3: Adding facts to 20
“Counting On” to add
“Counting On” using an open number line
Using doubles facts
Theme:
What do we see, hear, feel, smell, and taste during fall?
Acorn craft

Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be October 30th and November 2nd.  I sent an email out on Thursday with a link to help you electronically sign up. The times are on a first come, first serve basis, so please sign up quickly so you can get your preferred time.

Book-It
This week I sent home a note describing a wonderful program called Book-It. If your child reads 20 books then they get a FREE personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.  To help your child read good fit books, I sent home several paper books on your child’s reading level. Please read these books with your child and have them fill out the Reading Log.  Also, your child can visit the Raz-Kids website to access free books on their level as well.
Website: www.kidsa-z.com
User Name: Orchard1b

Dates to Remember
October 6th: WOHE Fall Carnival
October 12th: All Pro Dad’s Breakfast
October 20th: Dismiss at 12:30
October 30th & November 2nd: Conferences

November 3rd- 7th: NO SCHOOL

Thursday, September 28, 2017

September 25th - September 29th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
“Eagle Eye” reading strategy (use the pictures to solve tricky words)
“Lips the Fish” reading strategy (get your mouth read and say the first sound)
“Chunky Monkey” reading strategy (finding parts in words we know)
DRA Reading Assessments

Word Work:
Word Wall Words: this, his, they, at, be
Digraph: “wh”
Word Family: _am
       
Writing:
Writing small moment/true stories
Ways to spell tricky words

Math:
Topic 2: Fluently Add and Subtract within 1
Adding and subtracting on a number line
Adding and subtracting using doubles facts (3 + 3)
Adding and subtracting using near doubles facts (3 + 4)
Using addition facts to solve subtraction facts

Theme:
Apple experiment
Making prediction and observing

Fall Carnival
Our second 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 for a “Family Fun Night” themed basket that will be auctioned off. We are also asking for 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!

Community Time
Just wanted to update you on our assemblies this year. Instead of having a monthly Tiger Pride Assembly where every grade level gives out PAWS awards, we will be having Community Time assemblies every Monday morning at 8:40. At Community Time, only one or two grade levels will give out awards. So, first grade will be passing out their PAWS awards on the first Mondays of the month. That means our turn has finally arrived! I will send a note in your child’s folder or an e-mail, when you kiddo will be recognized!  I will definitely have a hard time deciding who to recognize! We are all working SO hard this year!

Dates to Remember
October 3rd: Fundraiser Limo Ride Day
October 6th: WOHE Fall Carnival
October 12th: All Pro Dad’s Breakfast