Academic Updates/Reminders!

We had a fun filled week with a lot of new learning and review! We started new units in Phonics, Reading, Writing and Math!

I had several students who said how excited they were about learning new things! It does so much for a teacher to hear those precious words. I hope everyone had a wonderful Winter Break filled with many blessings.

Swimming started this week and everything went smoothly. The whole class was prepared and followed all of the important rules.

Here is what we are learning next week:

Phonics: We began unit 8 in Fundations. I introduced the r controlled vowels this week- ar, ir, er, ur, and or. We also learned about blends found at the beginning and end of words. We learned that blends are different than digraphs. Blends can be pulled apart but still have the same sounds. Digraphs cannot be pulled apart and have the same sound. We learned how to spell would, could and should trick words. We spelled these words with our bodies and the students really enjoyed this. We talked about practicing those words at school in our writing and at home. We began using blends bracelets to remind us daily about all of the different blends and how to read them in words. Your child will have a different bracelet each day with a new blend, please look for those and ask about them!

Reading: We will begin learning how to sequence stories by using the book The Hat by Jan Brett. We will continue to work on Bear Snores On sequencing. This will build on our character and setting learning. After we have learned how to sequence stories in order, we will begin to learn about Sammy the Summarizer! We will begin our unit on Penguins. Each student will have their own Penguin book where they will learn about Penguin diets, habitats, bodies, baby penguins, predators and penguin lives. We will begin with a KWL chart that talks about what we KNOW, WANT to know and one thing we LEARNED!

Math: We will learn how to create a design with a line of symmetry and identifying the line. This will lead to learning how to identify one half of a whole and how to write the fraction 1/2. We will also learn how to write a two-digit number for a set of objects. This will lead to comparing and ordering two-digit numbers. We will begin a fun game of snowman throw in math. Students will throw the snowflakes on the snowman that have numbers and whatever number the snowflake lands on they will fill in a ten frame with the snowflakes. Once, they have learned how to make numbers in a ten frame they will start adding numbers in ten frames.

Writing: We began our new unit on our Non-Fiction books. We have transitioned from storytelling to writing books on our expertise. They have brainstormed things that they are experts in. We read a few books that are good examples: Sharks, Planets and Star Wars books that are National Geographic Readers. These books give us good examples of what to include in our pieces.

Social Studies/Science: We began learning about Martin Luther King, Jr. We will learn about his "I have a dream" speech. We will learn about the words that he used in his speech and what their definitions are. We will write about our own dreams.

Please be sure to remember swim clothes on Wednesday. Bundle up with coats, gloves and hats this week!

Important Dates:

January 13-PTO Meeting at 6:00 in the Elementary Cafeteria

January 16-PTO Movie Night sponsored by 5th Grade-Maleficent

January 19&20-No School-If there is a snow day before those dates, there will be school on 20th.

January 26&27-I will be out of the building for a conference

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please email me danielle.morrow@californiak12.org or call 573-796-2161

Polar Express Day!

Remember your child can bring pillows, blankets and snacks for the movie today!  Be sure to send everything in a bag so that we can send it home easier.  Also, they can wear their pajamas today, too!  Parties start at 2:00.  Can't wait for all the fun!

Anyone may attend dress rehearsal, starts at 9:00!!

Reminder-Dress Rehearsal Tomorrow!

Be sure to send your child's costumes and practice lines! Performance starts at 9:00!

One more thing!!

There was a letter sent home today regarding PE!  Please be sure to read it!  If you need a swimsuit or anything else, please let me know.  California Elementary will be participating on swim lessons and water safety classes beginning in January and going through March.  

December Update

Please remember to look at the events for this week on your assignment sheet that went home today.

Wednesday: We will be at the High School PAC for our Christmas Play practice. We will be there from 8-11:30

Thursday: We will be at the High School PAC for Dress Rehearsal from 8-9:30. If you would like to come watch, please feel free!

Please be sure your child practices their lines every night this week. Your child will need their costume on Thursday for the rehearsal.

Our play will be December 18 at 7:00! On a side note, that's my son's 8th Birthday (Dec. 18). 8 years ago I welcomed Patrick into the world and he has been an unbelievable blessing in my life!

On Friday we will be doing Polar Express Day. Your child can wear pjs and bring blankets and pillows. We will watch the movie later in the morning and into the afternoon. Later that morning we will have our class party (2:00). If you signed up for a snack or drink, please bring those Friday.

We will complete the publishing of our narrative pieces this week. We have worked really hard on revising, editing and adding to our pieces the last several weeks.

We will also be finishing our unit on Non-Fiction and the features of Non-Fiction. We will begin sequencing and retelling stories when we come back from break. If you read with your child, have them begin to retell stories page by page including character names and setting.

Remember NO SCHOOL December 22-January 2

LAST REMINDER!! Can Food Drive ends tomorrow, we will be filling the FORD truck with our can foods and the truck will drive our can goods to the Food Bank.

As always, I appreciate all of the parents help every night with your child's homework, your dedication with helping out with class needs and the opportunity to teach your child every day!

First Grade Play Reminder!

Our play is December 18 at 7:00!  Please remember to practice songs and lines!  We will have a rehearsal on the 18th in the morning.