*Most children received a cd of kindergarten word wall words last year (songs by Heidi Butkus). If you did not or you need a new copy, please let me know this week. I will make copies for those who need them this weekend. What a fun way to review our old word wall words! (Heidi has not created songs for 1st grade words, so we will create our own chants in the classroom.)
*If you did not attend Parent Orientation, please review the classroom handbook and let me know if you have any questions. Remember, homework started Tuesday so make sure you read over that section carefully.
*Please make sure to check your child’s take-home folder every night and discuss what we are working on in school. You may keep the completed work that comes home. Promptly return any paperwork. Also make sure to read and sign your child’s planner nightly. Please jot down what your child did for homework on the right side (i.e. math facts, www, & read would be sufficient instead of writing down addition facts, word wall word flashcards, and the title of the book).
*Be sure to send a healthy snack and bottle of water each day for snack time.
*Classroom wish list:
-Barbie clothes for recess
-refill glue sticks for glue gun
-colored and white cardstock paper
*Please, please, please consider this…We are in need of one more parent volunteer for reading groups. The volunteer will meet with a small group of children every Friday from 10:45-11:15am starting in September. Are you interested and available?
*A few things for 1st graders to start practicing at home: tying shoes, memorizing home address, and memorizing home and/or parent cell number(s).
*School breakfast has been a bit of an issue for many students in our class this year. Unlike past years, buses are dropping students off at school closer and closer to 7:50am – the start of the school day. The cafeteria sells breakfast from 7:30-7:45am. Children who arrive past 7:35am are struggling to get through the breakfast line, eat their food in the cafeteria, and get to class before the bell rings at 7:50am. If this affects your child, please feel free to send in a box of breakfast bars. I’m happy to store them in our classroom for days that he/she doesn’t have time for breakfast at home. We have snack between 9-9:30am and that’s a long time for these little guys to wait to eat if they haven’t had breakfast at home. Thanks for your help with this!
Important Dates
September 7 –Field Trip forms due with $4, Library Day (please return your books)
September 28 –Pack Activity (please wear GREEN – your 1st grade shirt is perfect for this!)
October 3 –Early Release Day (students dismiss at 12:25pm)
October 5 - Field Trip (please wear sneakers and your 1st grade t-shirt and bring a sack lunch)
What are we learning?
Word Work
This is week 3 on Spelling City. Our new 1st grade word wall words are say, use, both. We are reviewing these kindergarten words: I, at, that. We are also studying consonant digraphs (ch, sh, th, wh, ph).
Writing
We will continue learning about the mechanics of writing including capital letters (beginning of each sentence, the word I, and for special names) and punctuation (ending marks including .?!). We will also explore verbs.
Math
We are continuing unit 1 (How do mathematicians communicate their mathematical ideas?). This week, we are learning about key words in addition and subtraction and answering word problems by acting out and using manipulatives.
Reading
In reading, we will learn the expectations of guided reading groups and what to do if we are not in a group.
In reading, we will learn the expectations of guided reading groups and what to do if we are not in a group.
Social Studies
This week, we will continue to build community in our classroom by learning about our classroom jobs, establishing important rules for our class, and determining ways we can build friendships and be good friends to each other. Mrs. Hammons will also visit our class three times this week and discuss the difference between a small and a big problem.
Related Arts
Tuesday - Music
Wednesday " Friday - PE
