Announcements

12/7-12/11 Week   #16
	In Language Arts we will continue learning about using Wow Words!  We 
will make flat boring sentences “fat” by adding in exciting adjectives! 
	In Social Studies we will be learning about Holidays around the 
world. Las t week we learned about Kwanzaa and Hanukah. This week we will 
learn about Las Posadas, Diwali, and Christmas in Germany, England, and  
Italy. 	
	In math this week we will be learning about doubles. We will learn 
how adding 1 or 2 to a doubles fact is a good strategy to use when working 
out problems. 


11/30-12/4 Week 15

11/23-11/24 Week   #14
	In Language Arts we will continue learning about using Wow Words! We 
will also work on asking words and telling words. 
      Just a reminder... please make sure to help your child study for their 
spelling test. The words are getting harder as the year goes on. We go over 
spelling rules in class and the kids get some time to practice spelling at 
workstations, but they really need the extra practice at home too!
	In Social Studies / Science this week we will be learning about 
Thanksgiving and Turkeys. We will learn lots of interesting turkey facts. 
	In math this week we will be working on thanksgiving CGI in our math 
log. 
	We will also be doing many fun Thanksgiving activities and crafts in 
all subjects!



11/16-11/20 Week #13
	Next week in Language Arts we will be learning about using Wow 
Words!  We will begin using new exciting words in place of old boring words 
like happy and big. We will practice adding them to our writing to make it 
more exciting.  We will also be writing a pilgrim story. 
	In Social Studies this week we will be learning about the pilgrims 
and the first Thanksgiving. We will also learn about other immigrants. 
	In math this week we will continue comparing and ordering numbers.  



11/9-11/13 Week #12
	Next week in Language Arts we will be learning about adjectives. We 
will practice adding them to our writing to make it more exciting.  We will 
also continue publishing books. Most of the class has their first book 
published. 
	In Social Studies this week we will be learning about different 
Native American tribes. Students will be going to different first grade 
teachers to learn about the different tribes. They will get tom make a 
different craft in each room. We will also start learning about the pilgrims 
this week. 
	In math this week we will be working on comparing and ordering 
numbers.  We will be putting groups of numbers in order from greatest to 
least and least to greatest. 





11/2-11/6 Week #11
	What an exciting week we had! Thank you to all the parents who came 
along with us on our field trip. 

	Next week in Language Arts we will continue working on transition 
words. We will learn how to write a “How to” story.  To help you child in 
writing please talk with you child about something that they know how to do 
well (make a sandwich, bake cookies etc.) Please help them think of all the 
steps involved in the task. 
	In Social Studies this week we will be learning about past, present, 
and future. We will learn about how things have changed over time.  We will 
also begin learning about different Native American tribes. 
	In math this week we will be working on comparing and ordering 
numbers.  Some students may change classes



Next Week is Red Ribbon week!
Monday - Wear Red
Tuesday-  backwards clothes day. (We are going on our field trip so please 
wear normal clothes and our class shirt.)
Wednesday – crazy sock day
Thursday- crazy hair and hat day
Friday – Fern Bluff shirt


10/26 -10/30     Week #10
	Our field trip to Evergreen Farms is on Tuesday. 

	In Language Arts we will be working on Transition Words. We will 
write about the life cycle of a pumpkin using the words first, then, next, 
etc.	 
	In Science this week we will be learning about pumpkins and seeds we 
will be growing seeds in our class and observing them as they grow.  We will 
be using our Science Notebooks to record our observations. 
	In math this week we will be working on place value and 10’s and 1’s. 
Some children may switch classes. 




We had a cold and wet field day today but it was still so much fun! Thank you 
so much to all the parents that helped out today!

10/20 -10/24     Week #9
 Please return Field Trip Permission forms as soon as possible!	
	In Language Arts we will be working on Punctuation. We will continue 
to write in Writers Workshop. More than half of the class is working on 
publishing their first story!	 
	In Social Studies this week we will begin learning about producers 
and consumers, goods and services, and bartering and trading.  
	In math this week we will be working on tens and ones.




10/12-10/16 Week #8
	In Language Arts we will be working on Capitalization. We will 
continue to write in Writers Workshop. More than half of the class is 
publishing their first story! Students that have completed the publishing 
process will bring home their book to share with you!
	 In Social Studies this week we will begin learning about careers and 
wants and needs. Career Day information was sent home in Tuesday Folders last 
week. Please make sure you child is ready to present on Thursday. Help your 
child to practice reading their written words so they will feel confident in 
front of the class.  
	In math this week we will be doing assessments and CGI using 
different strategies. 




Today in your Tuesday Folder there will be:
1.Your conference if you did not come to Academic Night. Please make 
sure to return the attached green form tomorrow ASAP.
 
2.Career Day information. We will do Career Day Presentations on 
Thursday, October 15.

3.October Book Orders. Please return by Monday, October 12. 

•Field Day is on October 16th. The P.E. department has requested that 
students wear super hero costumes. The first grade teachers are concerned for 
your child’s safety, bathroom needs, and overall comfort. Please have your 
child were our orange Class Shirt on this day instead if a super hero 
costume. We don’t want costumes to end up lost, stolen or broken. 
Thanks so much for your help. 




10/5-10/9  Week #7
	In Language Arts our class will continue learning about parts of a 
story (Beginning, Middle and End). We will continue to write in Writers 
Workshop. We are really trying to write stories with beginnings that catch 
the readers attention, detailed middles and interesting endings. Some 
students will begin publishing this week. 
	 In Social Studies this week we will continue learning about 
communities and maps. We will learn about map keys and a compass rose. We 
will even practice following a map! 
	In math this week we will be learning about related addition and 
subtraction facts. 




9/28-10/2   Week # 6
	In Language Arts our class will be learning that stories have a 
beginning, middle and end. We will read many stories by different authors to 
find the beginning, middle and end. We will look at our own writing to see if 
we are writing stores that have an interesting beginning, a detailed middle, 
and a strong ending. 
	Students will continue to work in their draft books during Writers 
Workshop. Our Author Study is changing this week from Kevin Henkes to Leo 
Lionni. On Friday we will write Fall poetry. 
	We are switching from Science to Social Studies this week.  We will 
be learning about communities and we will begin learning about maps.
	In math this week we will be learning about order property and 
counting on. We will do some book pages, CGI problems, and some math games to 
help us with these concepts. 





Parent academic/conference night is Thursday, Oct. 1st 6-7pm.

•	This year we will be combining parent academic night and 
conferences.  The conferences will be a little different than what you had 
last year.  With our school's calendar this year there are not dates 
allocated for Fall or Spring conferences.  So as a team we decided to combine 
these nights so that we could still have some form of conference in the fall 
informing parents of where their child is performing academically.  After 
academic night, you will be asked to come to the classroom.  There I will 
have a folder with all of your child's beginning of the year samples.  I will 
be explaining during that time what each sample is and what the expectations 
were.  
•	Please know that if you do still need an individual conference to 
discuss concerns I am always available to schedule an individual conference.  

•	A few students forgot their library books this week.  We go to the 
library on Thursday.  If students forget their books on Thursdays, they may 
still return their books and check out new ones on a different day between 
7:30-7:45 or during snack time.  Students will have to be responsible to 
remember to do this during these times.  

9/21-9/25   Week #5
	In Language Arts our class will be learning about complete sentences. 
We will talk about how a sentence has a naming part (noun) and a telling part 
(verb). We will look at our own writing to see if we are using complete 
sentences. Students will continue to work in their draft books during Writers 
Workshop. I have conference everyone at least one time. What creative stories 
I am reading!   	
	In Science this week we will continue learning about our body 
systems. Students will learn about the digestive system and germs. We will 
see how all of our body systems work together. We will also add more work to 
our Science Notebook.
	In math this week we will be doing subtraction CGI problems in our 
math logs.  Students are learning different strategies and sharing, different 
ways to solve math problems. 







I am sending home an Information Sheet in Tuesday folders. This sheet asks 
for you to fill out a short questionnaire on how you feel about your child as 
a learner. Please make sure to fill out the sheet and return by Wednesday so 
I can get started on Beginning of the Year Goal Setting Forms on Wednesday. 

We will be starting Star Student this Friday. I will send home a sheet on 
Friday with the Star Student explaining what needs to be completed by the 
following Monday. Star Students will be picked by ABC order. This will go on 
throughout the rest of the year. 

The sheet explains that you will need to help your child make a collage of 
photos and/or drawings of them self on a poster board. You may label the 
special events in your child's life with captions if you wish. Please send 
the poster to school on Monday and I will return it to you the following 
Monday.



9/14-9/18    Week #4
	In Language Arts our class will begin learning about verbs. We will 
read books, make a class book, and play a game to help us remember verbs are 
action words. Students will continue to work in their draft books during 
Writers Workshop. I have conferenced with most of our class and we have some 
great authors in our room! Fridays are our Poetry day. Every Friday we read 
and write different types of poetry.  	
	In Science this week we will be introduced to our body systems. We 
will be learning about the circulatory system, the skeletal system, and the 
respiratory system. We will add more work to our Science Notebook.
	In math we will continue doing CGI problems. We will continue working 
in our math logs using, and sharing, different strategies.



9/7-9/11   Week #3
	In Language Arts our class will begin learning about nouns. We will 
also start our handwriting lessons. We will be using the Handwriting Without 
Tears program for handwriting. Most of our class is familiar with this 
program from Kindergarten.  Students will continue to work in their draft 
books during Writers Workshop. As students are writing in their draft book, I 
will begin one on one conferencing this week. 	
       In Science this week we will be introducing our Science Journals. We 
will be using these journals to collect and record information throughout the 
year. You will get to see these journals periodically, but they will not come 
home weekly. We will also begin learning about our 5 senses and some of our 
body systems. We will continue body systems next week too. 
	In math we will begin doing CGI (Cognitively Guided Instruction) 
problems. Students will be problem solving in groups and individually.  Your 
child will record CGI work in a math log that is kept in their desk. We will 
also continue to work on Graphing and Collecting Data. 








Please don’t forget to send $4.50, and the order form, if you would like your 
child to have our class shirt to wear on field trips, and important school 
days. This was the burnt orange shirt hanging on the board on back to school 
night!


8/25-8/28 Week 1
       What a great first week! We went over rules and procedures many times 
this week. We also modeled appropriate behaviors in the classroom, hallway, 
lunchroom, and at recess. 
We established and posted a set of classroom rules: Quality- doing your best, 
Respect-respecting people and things, and Responsibility- being responsible 
for yourself and your things. We refer to our rules as QRR. 
	 Some first grade classes are trying something new this year. If a 
student is not following a rule and they need to change their color to 
yellow, the student, or I, will fill out a yellow slip of paper (or red or 
blue) to explain the incident.  The slip will be sent home with the child 
that day. It should be signed by the parent and sent back to school the 
following day.
 
If no slip comes home with your child, he or she had a great day!
Yellow - a warning – time to stop and think about the behavior.
Red – Take a time out! -5 min timeout at recess. 
Blue- Contact parent / Office Referral 

We had a wonderful week! We learned all about the children in our class.  
Students shared “Me Bags” and talked about all of their favorite things. 
Students wrote their beginning of the year writing samples. They graphed eye 
colors and name length in math and they took a few beginning of the year 
assessments. 

Thank you to all the people who sent in items from our class wish list these 
things really help us out!


8/31-9/4   Week 2
In Language arts students will be learning about Top Quality work. We will 
begin exploring the writing process. We will also begin Writers Workshop.  
Students will be expected to write for a certain amount of time everyday. As 
students are writing in their draft book, I am conferencing one on one with 
individuals. As the year goes on students will begin editing and publishing 
their work. 
	In Social Studies this week we will be learning about families as a 
system. We will explore the many different types of families.
	In math we will continue collecting data and graphing.