Great Grade One

September 26, 2010

2010-09-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Parents
Have had a busy, fun, week -making some Thanksgiving turkeys; learning our addresses;
getting our pictures taken; exercising with "Rock and Roll Teachers"; "Fit Kids"; reviewing our alphabet sounds (sound pictures); knowing about vowels and consonants and sounding out
quite a few consonant, vowel, consonant words; orally counting to twenty and playing the math
game "On the Nose"; writing numbers to 20; learning that we belong to many groups (Social);
Making our first computer slide on Kid Pix for what will eventually be a slide show; earning way too much "funny money" (I call the program - Catch a Child Being Good - and rewarding them a lot when behavior is great);etc. The teachers had to be the students on Friday, the students got to stay home - we learned a lot and now can pass those ideas on to our classroom activities and work. I really am trying to do differentiated learning this year, so some students may have work adapted (amount expected to be complete, or spelling list adjusted, diverse reading levels met, etc.)
I'VE TOLD MY CLASS, I ALWAYS GET THE SMARTEST AND MOST WELL BEHAVED CLASS
EVERY YEAR, AND I DO!!!!! They really are doing a phenomenal job (of moving from ECS
short day with a lot of social time, to working a full day and producing excellent work, and participating in a lot of movement activities in between. It is a big challenge for them, and
a change each year for myself.
WE ARE HAVING SPENDING DAY THIS WEEK - THAT IS WHEN THEY GET TO TAKE THEIR FUNNY MONEY AND SPEND IT AT MY LITTLE STORE. It benefits their counting, and rewards their wonderful efforts. I realize no one is perfect, including myself, and reward accordingly.
Unfortunately I have a Dr. appointment and some other tests on Monday, but will be back on Tuesday.
I WILL NOT SEND IN THE SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDER UNTIL WED., BECAUSE OF MY ABSENCE ON MONDAY.
Many grade one teachers from our School Division will be at our school on Thursday. They will
be given Math units (our math program changed last year) , make some games, learn technology sites, etc. Our Grade One teachers at each school have been assigned their units. It is funded partly by an AISI program. As grade one teachers, we are excited to have all these resources, and be working together in the Division. Your student will definitely benefit!
On October 6, we are having an author visit our school. She will spend about an hour with Gr.1.
We have been reading her books in library time. CAN'T WAIT!!! This doesn't happen very often.
THANKS FOR MAKING SURE YOUR STUDENT HAS ALL THEIR SUPPLIES - REMEMBER THOSE INSIDE SHOES. (They are doing very well at remembering to change their shoes, and where to put them on the boot racks.)
THANKS AGAIN FOR PROVIDING SUCH WELL MANNERED, ENERGETIC GRADE ONE
STUDENTS!

Sept. 20, 2010

2010-09-19T14:41:00.000-07:00

We've had an exciting week with sponge painting leaves on trees, learning how to (turn the dishes over) (We did this with Ll day with London Bridges) Have your student show you how we did
this. It took us a few practices. Gym is always fun - and working on Kid Pix with the laptop computers has been great! We have tried backgrounds, and know how to paint the blank pictures. (Our computer coloring NEVER goes out of the lines.) We have done Animations on Kid Pix and loved watching moving letters, characters (like Santa), etc. We have also learned how to make a text box and practice our spelling words.
Thanks for reviewing our daily sound to make sure your student definitely identifies the sound whenever they see the sound picture (alphabet letter). We have learned the terms"vowels" and "consonants" and are sounding out many three letter words with the vowels a or i in the middle.
Written numbers to ten are great - just a few reversals. We also have a super spelling class.
They do very well on the words that sound out - we are still working on the few sight words, that don't sound out.
When your student is "Special Leader" they tell the calendar date, (we repeat after), they
point to spelling words for us to practice and they get to do their show and tell. If they
forget to bring something, we ask them two questions --that way every has to participate.
I also go up and down the rows asking questions when we are doing work - so each child has to give an answer. (I never let them be wrong, I give a cue or whatever --that way they become comfortable to raise their hands to answer questions and not the same three or four always have the opportunity to give an answer.)
I hope your student is enjoying our class and grade one so far --- because I really feel that grade
one is a very important grade. If you feel successful at a few things in grade one and are praised for their talent in those areas - they usually enjoy school at least to grade six. Please know
how I want every child to succeed to their best expectations and mine. I enjoy each of their
fun personalities!!!!
Reminder that Sept. 24, this Friday, is Professional Development meetings for teachings, so
there is NO school for students. We will have our spelling test on Thursday.
Sadie's mother, Mrs. Lowry is our room mother. Thanks for all the others that volunteered!

Sept. 11

2010-09-12T15:41:00.000-07:00

We had a great school breakfast! It helped us learn about eating healthy foods. Now this week we are going to exercise, which is another part of being healthy.
Students did a great job on their first spelling test! We are doing well at sounding out consonant,vowel,consonant words by ourselves. For reading each night you can make sure your student knows the sound for alphabet letters, practice counting orally and written numbers to 10. Look for sounds they know on cereal boxes, etc. Work on spelling words - whatever

Sept 16 - Pizza Day
Sept 16 - Meet the teacher 6p.m
Sept 24 - Professional Development Day for teachers, so no school for students!
Having fun with the laptop computer computers also.
LOOKING FORWARD TO ANOTHER GREAT WEEK.

Sept. 7, 2010

2010-09-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

GREAT TIME IN GRADE ONE SO FAR!
Thanks for sending inside shoes - we need them for gym - they should stay here everyday,
so we always have a dry pair.
Reading practice for now may include associating sound to sound picture.
REMEMBER SOUNDS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT TO KNOW FOR READING!

Reminders:
Sept 16 - Pizza Day (Everyone may stay at school for lunch)
Sept 16 -Meet the Teacher - 6:00p.m Please come up and introduce yourself to me and tell me
the name of your student.
Picture Day for Gr. One - Sept. 21

LOTS OF FUN WITH GRADE ONES!

2010-09-06T18:28:00.000-07:00