Holy Guacamole! These past two weeks have been packed. From our fall festival party/parade on Wednesday, our field trip on Thursday and our foxtail party on Friday, we had a great week, this week and last week.
We have continued to work hard on curriculum in the classroom. We took a mini break from Sun, Moon, and Stars so we could do a mini unit on bats. One of the science standards in first grade is that students should know that young organisms are very much, but not exactly, like their parents, and also resemble other organisms of the same kind. We enjoyed learning about bats and baby bats (pups). We’re now back to reading fictional literature that has to do with the sun and moon. We’re trying to answer the big question of, “Why do authors write about the sun and moon.”
In math we’re finishing up our unit 2 module. One of the big things I’ve noticed with students is that many of us are still counting every single dot when counting dominos. Something that will help your child in addition and subtraction will be the ability to see two quantities (for example 4 and 9), start at 9 and count on four more. As we move into two-digit addition, it’s going to help them when they know how to count on from any number. We’ve been really focusing on the concept that addition and subtraction sentences are really just balancing numbers. We’ve been using a pan balance to show how two numbers you add together are equal and balanced to the sum.
In reading, we’ve been learning about nouns and I added some lessons about adjectives and how adjectives describe nouns. We’re continuing to read books that are a little above our reading level so that your child is continuing to be challenged. I’m really working with your children on not having random uppercase letters in their writing. We’re about to dive into writing paragraphs, so I want to really make sure they can write good basic sentences.
Thank you so much all of you for all your support and help this week. It seriously takes a whole village, and I couldn’t have done the fall party, or field trip without all of your help and contributions. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Reminders
VOLUNTEER: I’m sending out the sign up for Guided reading help for the month of November. Please don’t hesitate to sign up for multiple slots to come in! I’ve also included time slots that you can volunteer to come in at the end of the week before lunch to help me stuff folders or make copies, etc. If you’re willing to help out, I’d love the extra hands! I planned it to be before lunch so that you could eat lunch with your kiddo afterwards. email [email protected] to get link to sign up.
SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDER: I am doing a scholastic book order so I can get some books for my classroom. If you’re interested in ordering books yourself, please go to this link and click on the red square. This will take you to scholastic online where you can order: Book Order The books you order will be included in my order and will get delivered to the school. I will distribute the books when they arrive. The deadline to order any books is November 30. I am going to be putting my order in on December 1. Any books you order, gives me points to purchase more books for my classroom. Pretty much all of the books I have in my classroom, I’ve been able to purchase using points! Hooray!
FRIDAY FOLDERS/READING LOG: I have changed out the reading logs for your child. Please keep the logs in your child’s Friday folder. I like to check off books they read (if you choose to participate) on Friday. It’s nice to get a pulse on what books their reading at home. If your child struggles with reading, practicing reading the nonsense words that are included can really help them with decoding words in texts they’re reading. Some of you are reading up a frenzy! As your student completes a log, I’ll include another. I let students pick out prizes for however many pages they fill. If you have any questions, let me know. Also, if you need new sight words or have misplaced your child’s sight word list, let me know and I’ll stick some new ones in your child’s Friday folder. Please also remember to clean out your child’s Friday folder. Relevant information will be going home on Fridays.
COLD WEATHER: Colder weather is on its way! Please write your child’s name inside of their winter coats and instruct them to store their hats and gloves inside their coat pockets for safe-keeping. It is your child’s responsibility to keep track of their coats, boots, hats, and gloves this winter (I will do my very best to help out as well).
UPCOMING EVENTS
Tuesday 11/13 Wednesday 11/14 DPS Health Screenings
Thursday, 11/15 Fall Family Luncheon
Thursday, 11/15 @ 6:00 PM PTO Meeting
Friday, 11/16 No School; Professional Development Day
11/19 - 11/23 No School; Fall Break
Wednesday, 12/5 @ 4:00 PM Collaborative School Committee (CSC) Meeting
Thursday, 12/6 @ 8:00 AM Social Emotional Learning Parent Networking Coffee
Thursday, 12/13 @ 5:00 PM School Tour
Thursday, 12/13 @ 6:00 PM PTO Meeting
Friday, 12/14 @ 8:00 AM Inspiring Students Celebration
Thursday, 12/20 Spirit Day; Pajama and Stuffed Animal Day
Thursday, 12/20 @ 2:00 PM Winter Wonderland Party in classrooms
Friday, 12/21 No School; Professional Development Day
12/22 - 1/6 No School
Thanks for sharing your child with me!
Warmly,
Mrs. Cranfill
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