October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
November 1 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off Begins at 10:45)
November 3 - End of Trimester
November 6 - No School - Records Day
November 10 - Veterans Day Parade & Program (9:05-10:00 am)
November 11 - Veterans Day
November 15 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
November 16 - 2nd Gr Music Concert (6:30 pm)
November 16 - California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser (11am-9pm)
November 17 - PTO Bingo Night (6:30-8pm)
November 20 - Project Parkway Mtg @ West High School (6:30pm)
November 22-24 NO School - Thanksgiving Break
December 1 - KDG Oral Spelling Bee (9:10 am)December 1 - 1st Gr Oral Spelling Bee (12 pm)
December 4 - 2nd Gr Oral Spelling Bee (9:10 am)
December 6 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off Begins at 10:45)
December 6 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
Monday, October 30, 2017
Monday, October 23, 2017
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Food Drive - Next week
Student leaders are sponsoring a canned food drive next week. Students may bring these items in next Monday 10-23 - Friday 10-27.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
Spelling Bee
Students took the written spelling bee today! As soon as I have results of who is moving forward, those will be shared with you! :0)
Read Aloud resources for Habits 5, 6, 7
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka
The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown
Are You My Mother? by P. D. Eastman
Is Your Mama a Llama? by Deborah Guarino
Rules by Cynthia Lord (chapter book)
Ox-Cart Man by Donald Hall
Swimmy by Leo Lionni
A Chair for my Mother by Vera Williams
Clifford’s Spring Clean-Up by Norman Bridwell
How the Second Grade Got $8205.50 to Visit the Statue of Liberty by Nathan Zimelman
Chicken Sunday by Patricia Polacco
The Chalk Box Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla (chapter book)
The View From Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg (chapter book)
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L’Engle (chapter book)
Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech (chapter book)
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats
Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late by Mo Willems
Henry Hikes to Fitchburg by D. B. Johnson
Me I Am! by Jack Prelutsky
Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen by DyAnne DiSalvo Ryan
Monday, October 16, 2017
Scholastic Book Wizzard
I often have parents ask me how they can make sure they are finding books appropriate for their little readers. This site is an excellent one. You can browse or search by title or isbn.
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bookwizard/
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/bookwizard/
Word Detectives
(que the spy music!)
Have you heard about our secret missions? We are having loads of fun with our new reading unit - Word Detectives! This unit supports students as they monitor their own reading by locating difficult words, using what they know to try solving those words, and then checking their attempts before either trying again or moving on. This unit also supports students as they are learning how to increase their bank of high-frequency words-and also use the words they know to help solve unknown words. As students learn ways to use visual information effectively, they will learn how to apply their phonics knowledge to solve words in continuous text, attending to blends and digraphs, common inflectional endings, syllable breaks, vowel combinations, common spelling patterns, contractions and compound words. During this unit, first-graders will continually work on developing their fluency skills.
Each day this week we have received a super secret mission to complete......... and so far this is what we have worked on:
1. Word detectives notice when there is a problem and stop to solve it!
2. Word detectives look closely all through the whole word (we used small magnifying glasses during this lesson)
3. Word detectives use everything they know (we referenced our strategies for solving tricky words from the previous unit)
We have also learned a fun, new song to the tune of "Ghostbusters"
Lyrics:
Word Busters!
When there's something strange...
as you read your book...
Whatcha gonna do?
LOOK closely!
When the word is tough...
read from start to end.
Whatcha gonna do?
LOOK closely!
I ain't afraid of no word!
Have you heard about our secret missions? We are having loads of fun with our new reading unit - Word Detectives! This unit supports students as they monitor their own reading by locating difficult words, using what they know to try solving those words, and then checking their attempts before either trying again or moving on. This unit also supports students as they are learning how to increase their bank of high-frequency words-and also use the words they know to help solve unknown words. As students learn ways to use visual information effectively, they will learn how to apply their phonics knowledge to solve words in continuous text, attending to blends and digraphs, common inflectional endings, syllable breaks, vowel combinations, common spelling patterns, contractions and compound words. During this unit, first-graders will continually work on developing their fluency skills.
Each day this week we have received a super secret mission to complete......... and so far this is what we have worked on:
1. Word detectives notice when there is a problem and stop to solve it!
2. Word detectives look closely all through the whole word (we used small magnifying glasses during this lesson)
3. Word detectives use everything they know (we referenced our strategies for solving tricky words from the previous unit)
We have also learned a fun, new song to the tune of "Ghostbusters"
Lyrics:
Word Busters!
When there's something strange...
as you read your book...
Whatcha gonna do?
LOOK closely!
When the word is tough...
read from start to end.
Whatcha gonna do?
LOOK closely!
I ain't afraid of no word!
Essential Questions
Writing:
How do people compose a good story?
How do people develop a story?
Math:
How does knowing many strategies help me to be a better problem solver?
How can the relationship between addition and subtraction help me to solve problems?
How can I communicate my math thinking?
Reading:
How do I solve hard words?
Social Studies:
What are ways to solve conflict in our community?
What are ways to recognize different cultures in our community?
How do people compose a good story?
How do people develop a story?
Math:
How does knowing many strategies help me to be a better problem solver?
How can the relationship between addition and subtraction help me to solve problems?
How can I communicate my math thinking?
Reading:
How do I solve hard words?
Social Studies:
What are ways to solve conflict in our community?
What are ways to recognize different cultures in our community?
Dates
October 18 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
October 19 - Great ShakeOut (earthquake drill @ 10:19 am)
October 25 - Student Flu Vaccination Clinic (9:15-10:15 am)
October 27 - Trunk or Treat (6:30-8:30 pm)
October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
November 1 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off Begins at 10:45)
November 3 - End of Trimester
November 6 - No School - Records Day
November 10 - Veterans Day Parade & Program (9:05-10:00 am)
November 11 - Veterans Day
November 15 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
November 16 - 2nd Gr Music Concert (6:30 pm)
November 16 - California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser (11am-9pm)
November 17 - PTO Bingo Night (6:30-8pm)
ABCDE Letter Days for the WEEK
(Mon = D) (Tues = E) (Wed = A) (Thurs = B) (Fri = C)
October 19 - Great ShakeOut (earthquake drill @ 10:19 am)
October 25 - Student Flu Vaccination Clinic (9:15-10:15 am)
October 27 - Trunk or Treat (6:30-8:30 pm)
October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
November 1 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off Begins at 10:45)
November 3 - End of Trimester
November 6 - No School - Records Day
November 10 - Veterans Day Parade & Program (9:05-10:00 am)
November 11 - Veterans Day
November 15 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
November 16 - 2nd Gr Music Concert (6:30 pm)
November 16 - California Pizza Kitchen Fundraiser (11am-9pm)
November 17 - PTO Bingo Night (6:30-8pm)
ABCDE Letter Days for the WEEK
(Mon = D) (Tues = E) (Wed = A) (Thurs = B) (Fri = C)
Thursday, October 12, 2017
Word Work
The big news this week is that we have started our spelling pattern word work along with studying two accountable words each week. At conferences I gave each family a list for reference. This week we are studying the -at and -an chunks. The accountable words for the week are all/had A pre-assessment was given Monday and the students will take a post assessment tomorrow. As these come home, if you notice your child still needs practice with the chunks, feel free to work on them at home!
Monday, October 9, 2017
Dates
October 9 - NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day
October 10 - Presentation on Anxiety by Dr. Chad Sylvester (7-8 pm)
October 12 - Kindergarten Field Trip
October 12 - Kickball with Dads (5-6:30 pm)
October 13 - Fall Picture Retake Day & Candids (9:15 am)
October 14 - SVE Beautification Day (8am-12pm)
October 18 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
October 19 - Great ShakeOut (earthquake drill @ 10:19 am)
October 25 - Student Flu Vaccination Clinic (9:15-10:15 am)
October 27 - Trunk or Treat (6:30-8:30 pm)
October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
November 1 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off Begins at 10:45)
November 3 - End of Trimester
November 6 - No School - Records Day
October 10 - Presentation on Anxiety by Dr. Chad Sylvester (7-8 pm)
October 12 - Kindergarten Field Trip
October 12 - Kickball with Dads (5-6:30 pm)
October 13 - Fall Picture Retake Day & Candids (9:15 am)
October 14 - SVE Beautification Day (8am-12pm)
October 18 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
October 19 - Great ShakeOut (earthquake drill @ 10:19 am)
October 25 - Student Flu Vaccination Clinic (9:15-10:15 am)
October 27 - Trunk or Treat (6:30-8:30 pm)
October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
November 1 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off Begins at 10:45)
November 3 - End of Trimester
November 6 - No School - Records Day
Friday, October 6, 2017
Social Studies
Our upcoming Social Studies unit which is due to start next week is called Families Now and Long Ago. During this unit, students will study the common needs of people and families and will make connections between family life now and in the past. They will discover that families are continually evolving but also connected to the past. Through the research of first families, pilgrims and Native Americans, students will compare and contrast family life then and now. Children will read and listen to a variety of historical fiction and nonfiction related to periods in Missouri and American history. There may be some homework associated with this unit as students will be encouraged to share information about their heritage!
Coming home today....
1. Dreambox letter : Information about accessing your student's account from home
2. Veteran's Day Information
3. Home Paws
2. Veteran's Day Information
3. Home Paws
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
Reading Update
Students have worked hard during our first reading unit to establish routines for how reading workshop operates as well as begin to collect a variety of strategies as they work towards more independence in word-solving.
We have learned good readers:
- take a sneak peak at the beginning
- do something at the end
- read more and more
- set goals
- re-read to smooth out your voice
- scoop up words in phrases
- re-read to see more
Good habits for good readers:
- check the picture
- look at all the parts of the word
- get a running start
- check it - do a double check
- try it 2 ways
Reading partners work together:
- we work as a team
- we read together
- we give reminders
- we grow ideas together
- we give book introductions
- we don't just tell - we help
- we do something at the end
We have learned good readers:
- take a sneak peak at the beginning
- do something at the end
- read more and more
- set goals
- re-read to smooth out your voice
- scoop up words in phrases
- re-read to see more
Good habits for good readers:
- check the picture
- look at all the parts of the word
- get a running start
- check it - do a double check
- try it 2 ways
Reading partners work together:
- we work as a team
- we read together
- we give reminders
- we grow ideas together
- we give book introductions
- we don't just tell - we help
- we do something at the end
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Picture Re-takes
RETAKES: If your child requires a picture retake, please return the entire package, including the package insert, with him/her on picture day. (Feel free to attach a note to describe what you’d like us to do differently.)
INCORRECT OR INCOMPLETE PACKAGES: If the package that you ordered is incomplete (and you are pleased with the picture) WagnerPortrait Group is happy to fix the problem without requiring a retake. Please complete the correction form that can be found under “Customer Care” at www.WagnerPortraitGroup.com
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CLASS COMPOSITES/YEARBOOKS: If your package included a class composite, it will not be delivered until after retake day in order to include any students that were absent or need to be re-photographed. Yearbooks are delivered at the end of the school year.
Monday, October 2, 2017
Reviewing Short Vowels
This week we are doing some review of the short vowels. We have now spent a week on each one. Beginning next week, we will begin our grade level spelling patterns and accountable word work. Earlier this year a list of these was sent home, but I will be sending another at conferences so you can keep up with our work!
A short pre and post assessment will be completed each week for the spelling patterns. The words are different on the pre and post assessments. We are hoping for mastery of the chunks and therefore transfer by week's end into any word with that chunk. Pre and post assessments from the previous week will come home on Mondays. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
A short pre and post assessment will be completed each week for the spelling patterns. The words are different on the pre and post assessments. We are hoping for mastery of the chunks and therefore transfer by week's end into any word with that chunk. Pre and post assessments from the previous week will come home on Mondays. Please let me know if you have any questions about this.
Math Update
All students have gotten a chance to log into their Dreambox accounts! The link can be found on our grade level Symbaloo (first icon on the second row) : https://www.symbaloo.com/mix/firstgradelinks32 If you wish for your child to access at home, they may. There is no requirement for this. The most important thing to remember is NOT to help them! I know it's our first inclination to help but the software is adaptive and needs to understand where the children are struggling so they can modify the lessons.
We continue to work on a variety of skills in math. We are getting more into story problems. We are working hard on carefully reading a story problem and identifying what the question is asking and identifying what information we already know. Third step is to determine if we are adding or subtracting. For instance:
Mel had 8 balloons. George gave him 7 more. How many balloons does Mel have in all?
1. It's asking us to find how many balloons Mel has now
2. We know that he had 8. We know George gave him 7.
3. The words "more" and " in all" can help us know we are adding
We are encouraging students to use strategies that work for them.We are building on what they know and introducing new strategies as they apply.
Another new concept we are working on is identifying "how many more" or "how many fewer". This is a tricky one and we will continue to practice throughout the year.
We continue to work on a variety of skills in math. We are getting more into story problems. We are working hard on carefully reading a story problem and identifying what the question is asking and identifying what information we already know. Third step is to determine if we are adding or subtracting. For instance:
Mel had 8 balloons. George gave him 7 more. How many balloons does Mel have in all?
1. It's asking us to find how many balloons Mel has now
2. We know that he had 8. We know George gave him 7.
3. The words "more" and " in all" can help us know we are adding
We are encouraging students to use strategies that work for them.We are building on what they know and introducing new strategies as they apply.
Another new concept we are working on is identifying "how many more" or "how many fewer". This is a tricky one and we will continue to practice throughout the year.
Writing
This week we are finishing up our Small Moments unit and the students will be selecting a piece to publish. Towards the end of the week, watch for other books coming home they are finished working on. Sometime next week, we will find another class to share our published books with!
Starting next week, we will be working on our Telling Good Stories unit. Students will continue their development of storytelling skills within this unit of study, allowing students the option to write true, somewhat true, or realistic fictional small moment personal narratives. In Kindergarten, students learn to sequence stories across the pages of a book, adding feelings and engaging readers with their beginning and end. We will expand this work in First grade by developing transitions with temporal words to signal event order. Students will also learn how strong verbs and adjectives are used to develop plot and character.
Essential Questions for this unit are:
How do people compose a good story?
How do people develop a story?
Starting next week, we will be working on our Telling Good Stories unit. Students will continue their development of storytelling skills within this unit of study, allowing students the option to write true, somewhat true, or realistic fictional small moment personal narratives. In Kindergarten, students learn to sequence stories across the pages of a book, adding feelings and engaging readers with their beginning and end. We will expand this work in First grade by developing transitions with temporal words to signal event order. Students will also learn how strong verbs and adjectives are used to develop plot and character.
Essential Questions for this unit are:
How do people compose a good story?
How do people develop a story?
September Journals
Your child's morning work journal will be coming home this afternoon. I encourage you to save these throughout the year to see their amazing growth! We do not use this every morning, so there are some empty pages. Feel free to use at home also!
Dates this week....
October 2nd-5th - Book Fair (M,T 9am-5pm)(W 11am-5pm)(Th 9am-8pm)
October 4 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off begins at 10:50)
October 5 - Parent / Teacher Conferences (4:30-8:30 pm)
October 9 - NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day
October 10 - Presentation on Anxiety by Dr. Chad Sylvester (7-8 pm)
October 12 - Kindergarten Field Trip
October 12 - Kickball with Dads (5-6:30 pm)
October 13 - Fall Picture Retake Day & Candids (9:15 am)
October 14 - SVE Beautification Day (8am-12pm)
October 18 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
October 19 - Great ShakeOut (earthquake drill @ 10:19 am)
October 25 - Student Flu Vaccination Clinic (9:15-10:15 am)
October 27 - Trunk or Treat (6:30-8:30 pm)
October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
ABCDE Letter Days for the WEEK
(Mon = A) (Tues = B) (Wed = Late Start) (Thurs = C) (Fri = D)
October 4 - Late Start Day (11:05) (Drop off begins at 10:50)
October 5 - Parent / Teacher Conferences (4:30-8:30 pm)
October 9 - NO SCHOOL - Professional Development Day
October 10 - Presentation on Anxiety by Dr. Chad Sylvester (7-8 pm)
October 12 - Kindergarten Field Trip
October 12 - Kickball with Dads (5-6:30 pm)
October 13 - Fall Picture Retake Day & Candids (9:15 am)
October 14 - SVE Beautification Day (8am-12pm)
October 18 - Board of Education @ Central Middle (7pm)
October 19 - Great ShakeOut (earthquake drill @ 10:19 am)
October 25 - Student Flu Vaccination Clinic (9:15-10:15 am)
October 27 - Trunk or Treat (6:30-8:30 pm)
October 31 - Fall Party Day (2:55-3:55 pm)
ABCDE Letter Days for the WEEK
(Mon = A) (Tues = B) (Wed = Late Start) (Thurs = C) (Fri = D)
Coin Challenge
Military Challenge Coins
The Military has a long standing tradition of awarding a challenge coin to a person who has demonstrated exemplary service to the military. A challenge coin is a small medillon or token with various designs and meaning.
As part of our monthly assemblies on late start days, we will be recognizing a student from each grade level that has demonstrated exemplary Panther Pride.
T
he coin and student certificate will be on display in the library. We will recognize a new recipient in your grade level every month
The Military has a long standing tradition of awarding a challenge coin to a person who has demonstrated exemplary service to the military. A challenge coin is a small medillon or token with various designs and meaning.
As part of our monthly assemblies on late start days, we will be recognizing a student from each grade level that has demonstrated exemplary Panther Pride.
T
he coin and student certificate will be on display in the library. We will recognize a new recipient in your grade level every month
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