Yay! We made it through the first 2 days!

Oh my!  We finished the first two days of school!  I cannot believe that this is my 4th year teaching 1st Grade!  I also cannot believe that I have a 3rd Grader!  He's so excited about having a science book this year and his assignment book!  I am so excited about the start of our year!  Here's some information from the newsletter that went home yesterday and some important dates (I have added more dates to the facebook page and blog)!  I will be posting pictures starting next week but I cannot do this until I have received all of the permission slips from each of you!  I have a bunch of cute pictures of the firsties!!

Here's what we plan on learning throughout the week next week:

Math: 

We will begin learning about how to be mathematicians!  Your child will participate in 4 math rotations each day.  The rotations are new concept and this is taught by me, guided practice with another push-in teacher, fact practice with another teacher and a computer/mimio rotation.  During the new concept rotation your child will learn a new skill with me.  The guided practice rotation consists of our push-in teacher guiding your child in a practice with a worksheet.  They will complete side A and side B will come home for homework.  The fact practice rotation will have another teacher that will guide the students in either a fact practice game or a fact worksheet.  The final rotation is the computer rotation.  They will participate in either Moby Max or Starfall.  Your child will get a chance to play a fun game on the Mimio once a week.  I have printed out our letters for Moby Max but they will not go home until each student has completed their pre-test at school.  Be on the lookout for this letter.     

Reading: 

I like to start the year off developing the love for reading in each of my kids.  In order to have an effective reading education each child must develop their love for reading to become amazing readers.  Our class participates in the Daily Five reading approach.  So, we will start off learning the 3 ways to read a book:  look at the pictures, read the words and retell the story.  I will use various books to model how to do all 3 ways of reading.  After this we will start with Read-to-Self rotation and how to do this.  We will begin with 3 minutes and build our stamina throughout the next few weeks until we have reached 12 minutes.  We will graph our stamina in our Data binders each day if we reach the goal!

Phonics: 

I sent out the Unit 3 Fundations packet because we do not start with unit 1 or 2.  We take a pre-test over those units to determine what your child knows.  Please be sure to read through the letter of the Unit 3 Packet in order to understand how you can help your child each week. 

Trick Words:  as, has, to

Your child will participate in a post-test at the end of the week over how to spell the words.  You can do all kinds of activities to help your child learn how to spell and read the trick words.  You can do rainbow spelling, make the words with play dough, painting the words, magnetic letters, draw in sand and many more ideas! 

Important Information:

*If you have transportation changes, call the school and email Sarah Wickham and myself.

*I will be sending home a Friday sheet starting next week.  Please return those signed the following Monday.

*Your child can bring water bottles and a snack during Math time each day.  The water bottle must have a lid.  Please read the letter that was sent home yesterday regarding both.

*Remember the front doors lock from 8-3:00.  You will have to ring the doorbell to get into the building.

*REMEMBER TO SEND THE PERMISSION SLIP BACK TO SCHOOL FOR OUR CLASSROOM BLOG AND FACEBOOK PAGE!

*AND remember I'm always either a phone call or email away.  If you have any concerns or questions please call or email me.  I will always take the time to respond!

Specials Schedule:

Monday-Art

Tuesday-Music

Wednesday-PE-remember tennis shoes

Thursday-Library-remember books

Friday-Computers

Important Dates:

*August 31-PTO Meeting at 6:00

*September 1-Fundraiser Assembly

*September 2-Picture Day

*September 7-No School-Labor Day

*September 8-No School-Professional Development Day

*September 12-PTO Golf Tournament-flyer went home yesterday!

My Promise

Transportation Form!

Please check your emails for a transportation form that was sent out today.  It should take about 5 minutes to fill out.  If you have any issues, please email me at danielle.morrow@californiak12.org
Thank you so much!!!

Supply List for 1st Grade

12  Pencils  #2,  Ticonderoga

Crayons - 2 boxes of  24

1 Pkg Eraser Tops

4  Elmer’s Glue, 4oz. White, Washable

Scissors 5” (Fiskars pointed) no plastic

10 Black Pens

2 Red Pens

3 Plastic Folders with Pockets – 1 Blue, 1 Red, 1 Green

2 School Boxes (plastic--regular size)

1 - 3  Ring Binder – 1” White w/Plastic Sleeve

1 Package Sheet Protective 

1 Black Composition Notebook

Expo Marker – Dry Erase, 2 pack, low odor

1 Hand Sanitizer - 8 oz

1 Disinfectant Wipes

Facial Tissue - 2 Large Boxes

Backpack

If last name begins with letters A-L: 1 Box Sandwich Size Ziplock Bags

If last name begins with letters M-Z: 1 Box Gallon Size Ziplock Bags

Class Lists Are Posted!

Class lists are posted on the doors next to the multipurpose room!  Cannot wait to see what this year brings!  We are going to have a blast learning and growing every day!  Open House is August 18 from 5-7 at night!  Make sure you bring your supplies with your names already written on them!  Have a great rest of the Summer and see you soon!!

Friendship Day!

Remember your store bought snack to make our friendship snack today!!

Important Movie Day Note

Be sure to read the movie night that went home today!!  Thank you!

Correction to Family Fun Run

It is 6-9 

Sorry for the confusion!

Picture Day Tomorrow!!

Academic Updates/Reminders

Here is what we are learning next week:

Phonics: We will start a new unit on two syllable words.  We will learn that words have two parts.  We will learn about compound words.  The trick words for this week are people and month. 

Reading: We will finish our unit on Main Ideas and Key Details.  We will begin working on Earth Day books.  We will use The Great Kapok Tree and The Lorax.  We will discuss what the big picture is for these books.  We will learn how to infer and synthesize what the big ideas are in order to understand what Earth Day is all about.

Math: We will learn about counting nickels by themselves, counting nickels and pennies together, ordering events by time and subtracting a number from ten.    

Writing: We are in the process of publishing our Information Books!  About half of the class has started typing their books this week.  We will begin a new unit on Opinion Pieces!  This is an exciting unit because students will begin writing about their favorite “collections”.  Watch for a letter to come home to bring in their collections!

Social Studies/Science: We are working on Matter.  We will be doing a few fun experiments on solids, liquids and gases.  Please remember to bring in your designated donated items so that we can begin our experiments. 

REMINDERS:

April 10-PTO Movie Night-Big Hero 6

April 17-Mid-Terms Go Home

April 20^th-No School

May 9-Family Fun Run-7 to 9

We will have a 10-Day Countdown to 2^nd Grade on the last 10 days. I will be sending home permission slips and any items they may need to bring closer to those dates.  Here’s a schedule of the last ten days:

May 5-California Kids Talent Show

May 6-Popsicle and Extra Recess

May 7-Bubble Day

May 8-Movie Day-Wizard of Oz

May 11-Friendship Day

May 12-Stuffed Animal Day

May 13-Reading Day-We will have guest readers

May 14-Ice Cream Day

May 15-Library Day

May 18-Memory Day-We will have Memory Book Signing

May 19-Fun Day

Bald Eagle Live Cam

The kids read about Bald Eagles today and determined the main idea and key details.  They did so well doing it quietly at their desks that I gave them a fun little reward!  They were able to watch the Live Bald Eagle Cam in Hanover, PA!  Check it out!

Bald Eagle Live Cam

Fun New Video!

McTeacher Night

Tonight from 4-8!

First Grade teachers will be there from 7-7:30!! 

 Remember your color sheets!

Ready to rock for the 120th Day?!

Reading Challenge Update!!

Way to go!  Keep up the reading!!

Academic Updates/Reminders

-->

Here is what we are learning next week:

Phonics: We completed Unit 9.  We will begin Unit 10.  Please be sure to look for the Fundations Unit 10 packet for practice.  This week we will learn about vowel teams –oa, -oe and –ow, -ou and -oo.  We will learn about blending words with 5 sounds.  Our trick words for this week are any and many. 

Reading: We will finish our unit on Compare and Contrast.  We will compare and contrast two stories from Frog and Toad Are Friends.  We are learning about a Venn Diagram which is used to compare and contrast different stories and their elements.  We will also compare and contrast George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.   

Math: We will continue learning about adding two-digit numbers without regrouping using dimes and pennies.  We will learn about adding doubles plus 1 facts.  We will first learn how to show, then how to identify and finally adding doubles plus 1. 

Writing: We have transitioned from storytelling to writing books on our expertise. We are continuing to write our informational books.  We have had so many different books and the students are really enjoying the idea of writing like they are the teachers!  My goal is to have the students publish their final pieces by typing them in Computer class with Mrs. Allee!!

Social Studies/Science: We continue to graph our weather each week.  Next week, we will look at different presidents like George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  We will also write about our current president.
 

REMINDERS:

February 20-PTO Movie Night-MOVIE NIGHT CANCELED

February 23-Last day to turn in Six Flags Reading 

February 26-Going to PAC to watch 2^nd Grade Play

February 27-120^th Day of School-Please see handout

March 17-Student-Led Conferences-I will send home a letter

March 20-No School

March 30-April 6-No School-Spring Break

Reading Challenge

I am challenging all of my students to read nightly.  The challenge is to read and take a picture of them reading in their favorite place!  They can bring the picture to school or you can email me the picture.  I will create a weekly collage of the students reading on my bulletin board.  I will take a picture of the bulletin board and post this on my blog weekly!  Please let me know if you need any help, books or anything!  Thank you!!

 

Academic Update/Reminders

--> Here is what we are learning next week:

Phonics: We continue Unit 9 in Phonics.  Unit 9 introduces the closed syllable  rule.  Closed syllables are words that have one vowel and must be closed in by consonants.  We continue to review our r controlled vowels:  ar, or, er, ir, and ur.  Our trick words that we will learn about this week are see, between and each.  We will also learn about vowels teams this week:  ee and ea.  
Reading: We will be reviewing our Fab 4!  Fab 4 is Predicting, Clarifying, Questioning and Summarizing.  We summarized with Winter's Gift this week.  We summarized using the following words:  Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then.  We will continue with Comparing and Contrasting Wake Up Groundhog and Go To Sleep Groundhog.  When we compare and contrast, we do this with books that have similarities and differences.  We will end the week with Sequencing There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Rose!

Math: We review subtraction facts this week.  We will learn about the new concepts of subtracting 2, tallying, counting by 5s and drawing pictures to solve problems.  We will have some fun Valentine's math stations throughout the week.  Be sure to look for pictures!

Writing: We have transitioned from storytelling to writing books on our expertise. This week we will be reviewing how to partner read and revise our pieces.  We will review other exemplar pieces of First Grade Students so that we can gain more knowledge on what our pieces should look like.  My goal is to have the students publish their final pieces by typing them in Computer class with Mrs. Allee!!

Social Studies/Science: We began graphing the weather this week and making predictions about weather.  We will do this for 6 weeks to see if the groundhog was correct about 6 more weeks of Winter.  

 

REMINDERS:

February 7-Me and My Special Guy Dance  ***Bring your color sheet*** 

This will get our class a party if you bring your color sheet!

February 9-12-Courtwarming Week-Will post schedule on blog and send home a sheet with all days

February 13-No School

February 12-Valentine’s Day Party

February 16-No School

February 20-PTO Movie Night

February 23-Last day to turn in Six Flags Reading 

February 26-Going to PAC to watch 2^nd Grade Play

February 27-120^th Day of School

Reading Challenge

I am challenging all of my students to read nightly.  The challenge is to read and take a picture of them reading in their favorite place!  They can bring the picture to school or you can email me the picture.  I will create a weekly collage of the students reading on my bulletin board.  I will take a picture of the bulletin board and post this on my blog weekly!  Please let me know if you need any help, books or anything!  Thank you!!

 

Reading Challenge Update

Here's one of the kids in our class succeeding in our Reading Challenge!

Reading Challenge!

I am challenging my students and parents!  Please take a picture of your child reading at home in their favorite place every night!  Students will have their picture added to the blog and I will also make a weekly collage of our class pictures.  You may email or bring hardcopy to class!  I'll be sending home a letter of reminder on Friday!!

National Counselor's Week!

Our counselor that serves pre-k through second grade is Mrs. Clause.  When you hear the song Everything is Awesome from the Lego movie, you think of Mrs. Clause!  Everything she does is awesome and she really cares about the students!

We made some bucket filler cards for Mrs. Clause today in writing!  Here are some of the writings!

National Counselor's Week!

Our counselor that serves pre-k through second grade is Mrs. Clause.  When you hear the song Everything is Awesome from the Lego movie, you think of Mrs. Clause!  Everything she does is awesome and she really cares about the students!

We made some bucket filler cards for Mrs. Clause today in writing!  Here are some of the writings!