Thursday, February 22, 2018

February 19th - February 23rd


What We Are Learning
Reading:
Reading with expression instead of reading like a robot
Scooping words together in phrases
Using punctuation to change voice
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: teacher, rain, out, favorite, quit
Word Chunk: ow & ou
Writing:
Opinion Writing
Picking out most convincing reasons for opinion
Having a beginning, middle, and end
Math:
Topic 10: Adding Double Digit Numbers
Adding double digits by tens then ones
Making a new 10 when adding
Review for test
Theme:
Why we celebrate President’s Day
Life of George Washington
Life of Abraham Lincoln

Spring Conferences
This year Spring Conferences will be March  27th and 28th. 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 Tuesday, March 6th 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 6th: McTeacher Night
March 8th: First Grade Musical
March 9th: Dismiss at 12:30
March 12th & March 13th: Make-up snow day
March 14th- March 16th: Spring Break
March 27th- March 28th: Spring Conferences
March 30th: NO SCHOOL
April 2nd: NO SCHOOL
April 19th: Field Trip to the Nature Center
May 24th: Make-up Snow Day

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Thursday, February 8, 2018

February 5th -February 9th


What We Are Learning
Reading: 
How to read non-fiction texts
How to decode tricky words in nonfiction text
How to determine the meaning of unknown words in nonfiction text
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: night, boy, animal, children, school
Word Chunk: ai
Writing:
Opinion Writing
Picking out most convincing reasons for opinion
Having a beginning, middle, and end
Math:
Topic 9: Place Value & 100’s Chart Skills
One more, one less, ten more, ten less on the 100’s chart
Comparing numbers (greater, less than, equal to)
Using symbols to compare
Topic 9 test
Theme:
American Symbols
Researching the Statue of Liberty, American Flag, US Capitol and the Bald Eagle

Valentine’s Party
Our Valentine’s Day party will be on Friday, February 16th.  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 16th.  Our room can get really crowded, so please do not send them ahead of time.

Dates to Remember
February 16th: Valentine’s Day Party
February 16th: Dismiss at 12:30
February 19th: Make-up snow day
March 8th: First Grade Musical
March 9th: Dismiss at 12:30
March 12th- March 16th: Spring Break
March 30th: NO SCHOOL
April 2nd: NO SCHOOL
April 19th: Field Trip to the Nature Center

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Thursday, February 1, 2018

January 29th - February 2nd


What We Are Learning
Reading: 
How to read non-fiction texts
How to decode tricky words in nonfiction text

Word Work:
Word Wall Words: want, saw, house, give, & us
Word Chunk: ai & ay
Word Family: _aw

Writing:
Opinion Writing
Including three details in the middle
Adding reasons to convince out audience

Math:
Topic 9: Place Value & 100’s Chart Skills
One more, one less, ten more, ten less on the 100’s chart
Comparing numbers (greater, less than, equal to)
Using symbols to compare

Theme:
Goods and services
Creating a Goods and Services Poster

Valentine Boxes
On Friday February 16th, 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 5th, 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 16th: Valentine’s Day Party
February 16th: Dismiss at 12:30
February 19th: Make-up snow day
March 9th: Dismiss at 12:30
March 12th- March 16th: Spring Break
March 30th: NO SCHOOL
April 2nd: NO SCHOOL
April 19th: Field Trip to the Nature Center


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Thursday, January 25, 2018

January 22nd - January 26th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Retelling Nonfiction Text
Comparing and Contrasting different nonfiction texts
Word Work:
Word Wall Words: old, tell, went. off, & big
Word Chunk: ea & ee
Word Family: _eak
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:
Topic 8: Place Value
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 16th, 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.

Make Up Snow Days
Our two snow make-up days are scheduled for Monday, February 19th (President's Day) and Thursday, May 24th. This moves our last day of school from Wednesday, May 23rd to Thursday, May 24th. Wednesday will now be a regular, full day and Thursday will be a half day. Tell your kiddo to please stop doing snow dances!

Dates to Remember
February 16th: Valentine’s Day Party
February 16th: Dismiss at 12:30
February 19th: Make-up snow day
March 9th: Dismiss at 12:30
March 12th- March 16th: Spring Break
March 30th: NO SCHOOL

April 2nd: NO SCHOOL
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Thursday, December 7, 2017

December 4th - December 8th

What We Are Learning
Reading: 
Flippy Dolphin accuracy strategy (instead short “a”, flip the sound and try long “a”)
Using vowels to chunk words into syllables and parts

Word Work:
Word Wall Words: little, very, after, get, where, could
Word Work: _ar

Writing:
Nonfiction Writing/Teaching Books
Adding detail our audience wants to learn

Math:
Topic 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:
Graphing December weather
Sand temperature experiment
Sun as energy source
“Lost in the Artic” 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

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
December 14th: All Pro Dads Breakfast
December 21st: Holiday Party & dismiss at 12:30

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