September 30, 2009

Picture Day is tomorrow. We also have gym tomorrow. Please remember that your child will need tennis shoes for gym. I still do not have anyone who ordered pictures. If you are wanting school pictures, please send in your order form (with money) in the morning.

Please practice spelling words. We will have our first Spelling Test on Friday. This week we are spelling short "i" words.

*in, it, him, big, sit, did and September, fall, for and like are our Super Spellers

Some activities you can do at home with your child are:

*review color words

*have them copy sentences (talk about uppercase letters, periods and spacing)

*make simple addition flashcards

*encourage them to practice writing their name

*Always spend 15-20 minutes a night reading with your child

September 28, 2009

Hello Parents

Please remember that picture day is October 1. At this time, I do not have any orders. If you would like to order pictures, please send in your orders.

Donations our class can use:

*magazines

*egg cartons

*boxes (like shoe boxes)

*maps

We are exploring 'Fact Families' in math. Children are learning about living things, bees and butterflies. We are growing our reading and writing skills each day.

September 22, 2009

Hi Moms and Dads,

This week we have been reviewing short vowel sounds, practicing addition and subtraction. We are also discussing living and non-living things. Your student should be able to tell you three kinds of living things (plants, animals and people). We are learning about bees and what that they do for us. We are preparing for the visit from our Grandparents. We will recite a couple of poems, sing a song, and have them complete some activities together.

Please continue to read with your children each evening. Also, a regular bedtime is beneficial. Children will perform better when they have a regular and reasonable bedtime. I suggest getting children to bed by 8:00, earlier when possible.

September 16, 2009

*Please remember to sign the permission slip for Friday's trip downtown.

*Please send in shoe boxes. We will be decorating them for a future project.

Today we assessed the children on vocabulary (rural, urban, community, locate), community events and community helpers. We practiced simple addition and wrote addition sentences. We always practice reading. We reviewed sight words, discussed sentences and sounded out consonant vowel consonant words (CVC words). Some of the children are beyond these skills and are working in groups that meet their needs. Even the students reading on a high level are working on writing sentences, and comprehension.

We had two birthdays this week. Happy Birthday to Trevor and Kirstynn!!

September 10, 2009

Today we identified sight words and ending sounds. We discussed sentences and periods. The children shared things that they like to do and then wrote a sentence and drew a picture about them. We wrote sentences during Early Literacy and my group discussed compound words. We practiced handwriting and focused on spacing. The children did some simple addition and developed their number sense through number line work.

We will have "Treasure Chest" on Friday. This is positive reinforcement for the children who stayed on green all week. I have some toys, candy, stickers, etc. in a box and the children who did not pull a card all week get to choose one at the end of the day. Remember that green means your child did not pull a card, they had a great day. Orange means that your child pulled their card one time. Purple means that your child pulled their card twice. Red means that your child pulled 3 cards and you will get a note or phone call from me. Know that I give many chances before I pull a card. I redirect, give warnings and create many opportunities for your child to be successful.

Please be sure to read with your children every night. Also, playing games like Simon Says with your little one is a fun way to practice following directions.

September 9, 2009

On our second day together, we discussed tens and ones. The children used manipulatives to show numbers (for example: 23 = 2 groups of ten and 3 ones). We will continue to practice this skill and build on it throughout the year. The children read in their Early Literacy groups. This allows them to benefit from small group reading instruction. Children identified rhyming words and sight words. We are talking about being good citizens and we tried to watch Obama via the computer (that has not worked for us yet).

We did spend time reviewing rules today. Please talk with your children about being good listeners. If your child pulls a card every now and then, that is not a reason for concern. However, I am concerned when a student is on purple or red. I give lots of redirection and warnings before I ever pull a card. Therefore, being on purple or red indicates that instruction time has been lost. A suggestion that I have is setting up a positive reinforcement strategy. If your child comes home on green or orange, reward them. Ideas for rewards are: a story with mom/dad, mom/dad colors with them or plays a game with them ... something extra that your little one will enjoy

I am enjoying my time with your children. I have two first graders of my own. My desire is that I help your children feel secure, successful and cared for ~ just as I hope for my children.

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