Best Wishes for a Happy & Safe Summer--

with Summer Fun and Learning, too!

Here's a song for you to sing--

It's sung to the tune of:

She'll Be Comin' Around the Mountain--

Oh, I'm off to second grade, yes I am!

Oh, I'm off to second grade, yes I am!

Oh, I'm off to second grade,I'm off to second grade,

Oh, I'm off to second grade, yes I am!

And I won't be there in first grade any more.

Oh, I won't be there in first grade any more.

Oh, I won't be there in first grade, I won't be there in first grade,

Oh, I won't be there in first grade any more!

Please visit the links to the left of this post. Continue your learning in Math, Reading, Writing and other choices. Farewell to everyone.... and best of luck in 2nd grade next year!

Summer 2008

Vicenza Elementary School

School Improvement Goals:

Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.

Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

5-11 May 2008 Vicenza Elementary School
School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

*Remember to send in a closeable water bottle and snack each day.
It's getting warmer and we're hungry!!!

Many students have no money left in their account in the school cafeteria. Please add a little more cash to carry them through to the end of the year. Thank you!

ATTENTION!!! Last Individual Project Assignment

Beginning Blends Poster Project: Due No Later Than, Tuesday, May 20th.

Please consult this web address if you're looking for pictures:

http://carlscorner.us.com/blends_boulevard.htm

e-mail with correct attachment was sent on 5 May, Monday p.m.

Monday: 5 May -Art-C.O.W -Computer Lab p.m.
Tuesday: 6 May- Music/Bring back your library books!!/Computer Lab a.m.
Wednesday: 7 May-P.E./Library Book Check-Out
Thursday: 8 May -Host Nation - Substitute Teacher
Friday: 9 May-Host Nation - Computer Lab p.m. - Substitute Teacher

Saturday/Sunday: Happy Mother's Day to all our wonderful moms!!!

Another busy week has come and your child will be given the Developmental Reading Assessment. This is used to determine the level of reading achievement and their comprehension skills on the story re-tell. These results will be recorded for their 2nd grade teacher, so they can begin approximately at the same level. I am hoping to complete these assessments during the next 2 weeks, along with the final writing assessment, end-of-year math inventory, and final high frequency word test. Please make certain your child has a good breakfast and plenty of rest throughout the days ahead.

During & after these assessments we will continue to work through our weekly packets, and continue learning new math skills, and strengthening our ability to perform learning activities "OYO" (on your own). Everyday, they are encouraged to answer the question: "What can you do on your own, without any help?" They have really responded and it has encouraged them to use all the skills they've learned, from using the dictionary, word wall, environmental print around the classroom, 100 charts, flashcards, writing center, manipulatives for modeling regrouping (carrying and borrowing) in math double column addition, and their computer databases to look up information. We've enjoyed the current basal entitled "Information Finders" and they are quite the researchers now. Continue you to encourage the use of these newly acquired skills at home!

Once again, Happy Mother's Day on Sunday, the 11th of May. Your love and support have been immeasurable during the past 12 months for those of you with deployed husbands. Your children have performed well in the classroom and are almost ready to move on.

Enjoy the homework links and remember to ask your child about the science fair and their discoveries and presentations!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Petty

28 April-4 May 2008
Vicenza Elementary School

VES Science Fair on Th/F: 1-2 May!

1. Students/classes bring their displays and/or projects to the baby gym first thing in the morning on Thursday, May 1.
2. Our projects will be presented 1:45 – 2:15 on Friday, 2 May. The Celebration will also be open for visitors after school from 3:00 – 4:30.

School Improvement Goals:

Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.

Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

PLEASE send back the permission slip for Ms. Hartwig and the VES 50th Birthday Celebration!

*Remember to send in a closeable water bottle and snack each day.

It's getting warmer and we're hungry!!!

Monday: 28 April -Art-C.O.W -Computer Lab p.m.

Tuesday: 29 April Music/Bring back your library books!!/Computer Lab a.m.
Wednesday: 30 April -P.E./Library Book Check-Out

Thursday: 1 May -Host Nation

Friday: 2 May-Host Nation - Computer Lab p.m.

Well, if you'll 'check' our count-down ticker, it shows that this year is really coming to and end. We're working on end-of-year assessments, continuing to read our books, preparing for our final writing assessment and reviewing our entire repertoire of math knowledge and ability, with a few introductions of new skills. Please continue using the homework links and listening to the reading each evening with your child.

I am very aware that spring brings happiness and many of you have been experiencing this lengthy deployment for the past year. I've never forgotten this, and with 9 out of 15 students, with a parent absent, I hope that if you ever have concerns about anything, please feel free to let me know. Staying happy at school is so very important at anytime throughout the year.

Outdoor play becomes more important and essential at this time. We will begin using our sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and other kinds of educational outdoor activities as the days' weather encourages it. We do like to have fun outside, also!

Thank you for all you do. Happy May Day on Thursday!!!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Petty

21 -27 April 2008

Vicenza Elementary School

Attention: I currently have 2 known participants in the School Science Fair: Lucy Combs and Malik Donald. Please let me know if your child will be participating so I can reserve them a display spot with the Science Fair Sponsor. VES Science Fair on Th/F: 1-2 May! Just write me @ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu . Thank you!

School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

This is a very long post, so please read to the end. Thank you!

Monday: 21 April -Art-C.O.W -Computer Lab p.m.
Tuesday: 22 April Music/Bring back your library books!!/Computer Lab a.m.

PLEASE send back the permission slip for Ms. Hartwig and the VES 50th Birthday Celebration! I'll send it home today, so return tomorrow, on Wednesday, please.
Wednesday: 23 April -P.E./Library Book Check-Out
Thursday: 24 April -Host Nation
Friday: 25 April-Host Nation: Computer Lab p.m.

Congratulations, parents! Our class had 100% parent and student attendance at our recent portfolio conferences last Thursday and Friday. I was so pleased with how the students were able to host and hostess their 'tour' of 1st grade learning. They had so much to share, and are so proud of their learning. I have seen them grow, change and take control of their time at school and the feedback certainly taught me that you feel the same way, as do your children. Thank you so much for a successful year this year.

Interestingly enough, our last day of school this year will be the 10th of June. Please mark this date on your calendar, as it is a change from the original school calendar, as you'll notice. As of today, you'll count only 35 days of instruction remaining. In some ways, I just don't believe it, in others, perhaps they're ready to 'fly' on their own to 2nd grade next fall. We'll push through to the last day, and, of course, have a bit of fun on the way.

This is the last week left on our trial with the IXL math site. Please overuse this at home, and for those of you that have had trouble, please continue to make an attempt to connect. You're welcome to sign up for your own month-long trial at the web-site. It would definitely be worth your time. http://www.ixl.com/math/ Check it out! If you would like to purchase the sight license, it also has that available.

The Summer Months Are Coming!!

Our blog will have only four more posts after this one. The last post will be entered on 18 May, where you will find all the summer links for your use and continued work throughout the summer days.

I will also be sending you a custom electronic book list for your child. This list will include leveled books listed below, at, and above your child's current level of guided reading. Many of the books can be found at the post library. Check out this site on Summmer Reading Loss from Reading Rockets. Research shows delays and loss, if students are reading over the summer.

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/15218

http://www.readingrockets.org/article/15020

I would also encourage participation in the summer library reading program the U.S. Army offers. The announcement of this program is soon to be published, so register your student and use the book list I provide for some of the reading over the summer.

Do not neglect your student's math achievement over the summer, either. Some of the links posted for the summer will include math practice and access to the math worksheet web-site, where you can copy off practice sheets in all areas of math standards.

Excerpt from:

Author: Cooper, Harris

Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education Champaign IL

"The meta-analysis also found differences in the effect of summer vacation on different skill areas. Summer loss was more pronounced for math facts and spelling than for other tested skill areas. The explanation of this result was based on the observation that both math computation and spelling skills involve the acquisition of factual and procedural knowledge, whereas other skill areas, especially math concepts, problem solving, and reading comprehension, are conceptually based. Findings in cognitive psychology suggest that without practice, facts and procedural skills are most susceptible to forgetting (e.g., Cooper & Sweller, 1987). Summer loss was more pronounced for math overall than for reading overall. The authors speculated that children's home environments might provide more opportunities to practice reading skills than to practice mathematics. Parents may be more attuned to the importance of reading, so they pay attention to keeping their children reading over summer."

Continue working on the links, read a little more and final assessments for the year in reading and math will begin and continue throughout the next four weeks. Once again, thank you for your support and attention to your student's progress.

Sincerely, Mrs. Petty

14 -20 April 2008
Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:

Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.

Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.
Monday: 14 April Host Nation-Computer Lab -Computer Lab p.m.

Tuesday: 15 April Host Nation/Bring back your library books!! C.O.W./Computer Lab a.m.

Wednesday: 16 April -Art/Library Book Check-Out

Thursday: 17 April -NO SCHOOL-Student Led Portfolio Conferences-

Please come with your child at your scheduled time.
Friday: 18 April-NO SCHOOL-Individual Conferences by parent request.

Please continue working on the new Math IXL web-site. Passwords and Usernames were sent home on Saturday, so you should have everything you need. We only have access for 2 more weeks. It's an excellent review and it also gives your child a chance to practice reading directions, which is a very helpful skill for this time of year! To date, we have answered 2,000 questions. The students love to get a medal at the end of the session, if they've worked to be successful on the questions.

Science Projects: Continue working on individual science projects for the School-Wide Science Fair which will be held on May 1st & 2nd. I sent home an informational packet on Science Inquiry and the Scientific Method right before spring break, which should be very helpful.

Good luck. :-)
Student-Led Portfolio Conferences are now scheduled for Thursday, the April 17th and individual conferences on Friday, the 18th of April can be requested by you by simply contacting me @ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu . Name your time and I'll confirm your appointment time via e-mail or a phone call.
Please make certain you bring your child (student in our class only, please) to this Portfolio Conference. They are the guide for parents for the day and will take you to different places in the room to show you how they're doing and some of the work they've accomplished so far this year. I'm really looking forward to seeing you on that day.

Please send in your used, unwanted books that your child no longer uses or needs. The PTSA will be holding their Annual Book Swap. Please count the books inside the bag and place your child's name and the # of books on the outside of the bag where it is visible. Tie the bag in a double knot and send into school.

This is how it works:
1. Your child brings in a bag of books to swap 1 for 1.
2. The books are counted and the number is given to the PTSA
3. Students who bring books to exchange will go to the book exchange and choose NEW/OLD books that are 'new' and different for their interests and level of reading.
4. This is one of the best opportunities they'll have to trade their less used books for books they can enjoy over the summer.
They more they bring, the more they swap!!! Enjoy and participate!!!
THANK YOU PTSA!!!

Please continue sending in water bottles (with name somewhere on the bottle) and snack, especially if your student hasn't had any breakfast.
Your continued support on the use of the homework links is imperative. It is time to think of marking some of the links as favorites on your home computer for use over the summer. We've learned so much, but we have more to accomplish.
Continue to read and listen to your child read their Reading Counts and Library books.

Check out the new homework links, and.....welcome back!!!

Sincerely, Mrs. Petty

31 March- 13 April 2008

Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

Monday: 31 March
Host Nation/C.O.W.Happy Month of t!he Military Child
Tuesday: 1 April
Art/Computer Lab a.m.
Wednesday: 2 April
Music /Library Book check-out!
Thursday: 3 April (Last Day of the 3rd Quarter!)
P.E./Wear appropriate clothes & shoes/Choice of Hot lunch or Bag Lunch

Friday: No school for students: Teacher Work Day

4 April-13 April Spring Recess-

No School for Students/Teachers!!!

Please enjoy the posted links from now until our return to school on Monday, 14 April. Re-visit old favorites, especially any of the Sight Words w/ Samson. Please let your child visit the IXL (I excel in Math link for lots of math practice over the spring break) This trial offer will only be available to everyone through Saturday, 26 April. The students are very motivated by 'earning' gold medals as they practice their skills. They must read the directions for each segment. This web-site has a data-base where I get a weekly report about their progress. Please work on this w/your child.

I will be sending their Username and Password home this week.

Science Projects: I encourage you to work on an individual science project for the School-Wide Science Fair which will be held on May 1st & 2nd. I am also sending home an informational packet on Science Inquiry and the Scientific Method for your efforts. Good luck. :-)

Student-Led Portfolio Conferences are now scheduled for Thursday, the April 17th and individual conferences on Friday, the 18th of April can be requested by you by simply contacting me @ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu . Name your time and I'll confirm your appointment time via e-mail or a phone call.

Please make certain you bring your child (student in our class only, please) to this Portfolio Conference. They are the guide for parents for the day and will take you to different places in the room to show you how they're doing and some of the work they've accomplished so far this year. I'm really looking forward to seeing you on that day.

There are no spelling test or Sight Words w/Samson list assignments this week. We're actually trying to clean up our portfolios and getting a new hallway display ready for everyone. We think you'll really like it.

Congratulations to everyone in the class for their participation in the Student Council sponsored Health Awareness Poster Contest. Andrew Dawson was one of 10 school winners and we're pleased that he is representing our class' effort on this activity. Good job, everyone!

Please send in your used, unwanted books that your child no longer uses or needs. The PTSA will be holding their Annual Book Swap. This is how it works:

1. Your child brings in a bag of books to swap 1 for 1.

2. The books are counted and the number is given to the PTSA

3. Students who bring books to exchange will go to the book exchange and choose NEW/OLD books that are 'new' and different for their interests and level of reading.

4. This is one of the best opportunities they'll have to trade their less used books for books they can enjoy over the summer.

They more they bring, the more they swap!!! Enjoy and participate!!!

THANK YOU PTSA!!!

Just a Note or 2: Many of the students are getting hungry around recess time. Even if you're running late, they still need something to eat before coming to school. If you are not currently sending in a nutritional snack, please do so. Many of them are physically growing and they are sooooo hungry. Thank you.

It may also be time to send a water bottle to school, labelled with their name somewhere. As the weather gets warmer, the drinking fountain lines will grow. A water bottle is always allowed in the classroom at their desk, as long as it is easy to open and close. Hydration is necessary for learning to occur.

Your continued support on the use of the homework links is imperative. It is time to think of marking some of the links as favorites on your home computer for use over the summer. We've learned so much, but we have more to accomplish.

Continue to read and listen to your child read their Reading Counts and Library books. As of today, the class has earned 467 points and I fully expect that number to double before the end of the year. Thank you so much for your support so far on this goal. I'd love to reach 1,000 points. Congratulations to Lucy Combs for being the 1st student to reach a 100 point total on Reading Counts books.

Happy April and enjoy that break soon to come up. I look forward to seeing you and your student at Portfolio Conferences when we return.

Sincerely, Mrs. Petty

Read to your bunny...and your bunny will read to you!!!
20 minutes a day----

March 31, 2008

Please watch for new posts tonight that will cover this week and the following week of Spring Recess. No spelling test and no new Sight Words with Samson list this week.

Thursday is the last day of the 3rd quarter and Friday, 4 April, there is no school for students because of a Teacher Work Day.

Thank you! Mrs. Petty

24-30 March 2008
Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:

Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.

Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

Monday: 24 March

Host Nation/C.O.W.

Tuesday: 25 March

Art/Computer Lab a.m./Choice of Hot lunch or Bag Lunch

Wednesday: 26 March

Music

Thursday: 27 March

P.E./Wear appropriate clothes & shoes/Choice of Hot lunch or Bag Lunch

Friday: 28 March

Host Nation/Spelling Test-List 24

Welcome to a new week. I trust everyone had a restful, but active weekend and hope the weather warms up for all of us. It's difficult to go without our recess/snack time during the day. At least we've had a little sunshine and hope this continues.

Third quarter assessments will be completed this week and I've seen a lot of progress occur over the last 9 weeks. I am concerned that some students do not seem to be doing any homework and it is especially evident on the Sight Words with Samson database. This is a critical piece of homework that assists your child with Sight Word recognition, fluency rates in reading, spelling and writing.

We will work hard for the next two weeks and then enjoy a spring break away from school. I will have homework links for over the break and will also send reading books home for their enjoyment. 20 minutes a night is a minimum, and it REALLY makes a difference for those students who do this every night.

Please mark your calendars for these important dates:

Th.-3 April-End of 3rd quarter

F-4 April-No School for Students/Teacher Work Day

7-11 April /Spring Recess

17-18 April/Portfolio Conferences/Registration for SY 08-09

Your schedule will be coming soon :-)

1-2 May School Science Fair

17-24 March 2008

Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students will improve mathematical reasoning.

New homework links will be posted by 8 p.m. on Monday evening, 24 March. Feel free to begin lists 24 on Sight Words w/Samson and Spelling List.

More info to come soon!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.

Coming Dates:

Apr 4-Teacher Work Day-No School for Students!

May 1 & 2: School Science Fair

All our individual student health awarenss posters were submitted this morning to the VES Student Council. Everyone did such a great job and we got a lot of help with our ideas from Annie and Moby on Brain Pop, Jr. and their health movies. We all had a different poster and the illustrations really showed how each student understood the theme of the AFN school sponsored event. We had so much fun doing this and participating with everyone in our class!

COMING NEXT: Your child is also invited to participate in the School Science Fair on May 1st and 2nd. More information will follow this week on web-sites that may help you and your child select an appropriate project of interest. The scientific method will be followed by those participating, so watch for future posts this week of possible project ideas. We hope to have many entries from our class. This will be the last home project of the year, with one more 'nestled' into April that will come home soon on beginning blends, a phonics/reading topic.

Please refer to homework links. We are getting closer to 400 points in Reading Counts. Please assist your child in reading a book nightly from the Reading Counts Library at school. This activitiy helps them to reach their goal of reading at or above grade level at the end of the year. Listening to your child read helps you to understand the strategies they use to solve unknown words, whether or not fluency and phrasing effects their success with comprehension, and whether they are learning to 'think along' in order to be able to retell and/or summarize the story.

In math, we will begin making a list of 'Strategies We Use" when problem solving in word problems. At the recent math SIP training teachers participated in, we have a grade level rubric that will be used to score the student responses to word problems. Your child will learn how to be successful through the use of a rubric in this type of math reasoning/problem solving tasks.

Once again, thank you so much for your support and efforts with your child. They've learned so much this year, and as we close out these last three months, your continued support is esssential to their future success in school.

Happy Spring!!!

Mrs. Petty

Week of: 10-16 March 2008

First Grade Standards Link: http://www.dodea.edu/curriculum/docs/standardsCombined/GR01.pdf

Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students students will improve mathematical reasoning.

Weekly Schedule:

Read for 20 minutes at home every day!

Monday: 1/2 Day Schedule: Host Nation/Computer Lab p.m.

Tuesday: Art/Mrs. Borgman-Computer Lab a.m.

Wednesday: Music/Ms. Hartwig

Thursday: P.E./Coach T.

Friday: Host Nation

Welcome to another 'almost' complete week! Don't forget that on Monday, 10 March, school will dismiss at 12:30 & buses departing NLT 2:45. The VES staff will be participating in School Improvement Inservice workshops involving Goal 2: All students students will improve mathematical reasoning. Lunch will be served and Tuesday, we will resume our regular schedule.

A great big thank you to all the parents for assisting your child on the home project/diorama activity. Our Media Fair certainly had our glitches, but the overall effect of the long-term project-based learning activity, helped with many 1st Grade Standards which connect to our School Improvement Plan and content areas of Science and Language Arts. Our rehearsals went much more smoothly than the actual program, and it was evidence of their presentation skills having improved immensely. You are a 'hands-down' winner of the BEST PARENTS in the SCHOOL!

Please refer to the new homework links and support through the home reading program. New reading logs will be sent home on Monday with the students in their home reading bags. We're looking for more independence in organized writing tasks, neat handwriting, fluent & phrased reading, awareness of citizenship in the school, and math reasoning and problem solving.

Have a wonderful week!

Mrs. Petty

Week of: 3 - 7 March 2008

Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students students will improve mathematical reasoning.
Mrs. Petty-1st Grade-Room 13

(It's a Busy) Weekly Schedule:

Monday: READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY!!! Happy Birthday, Dr. Suess. We'll practice our Green Eggs and Ham Reader's Theatre today!

Host Nation/Computer Lab p.m.

Tuesday: Art/Computer Lab a.m.

Wednesday: Music/Book Circulation-Information Center &

Animal Habitat Diorama Project Due to Room 13 by COB Today-Thank you!

Thursday: P.E.-Work on Final Submissions For Learning Fair tomorrow p.m.

Friday: Host Nation/Where Is Home?

Project-Based Learning/Technology Fair/Baby Gym VES 2 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

Monday, 10 March: .5 Day of School: Teacher Training: Student dismissal at 12:30 Lunch is served :-)

You'll notice a suttle difference in the homework links this week. Because of the home project on Animal Habitats, we're not doing a new spelling list or Sight Words with Samson. For those of you who have completed these, you have the week 'off' from these assignments. Your child will be preparing their slide show, a little book published from the same work and an oral presentation from their work on their animal habitat that was completed in school. With these assignments and their animal diorama home project, we should do a great job at the Project-Based Learning Fair on Friday afternoon. Parents are invited to attend, bring their cameras and enjoy the artifacts of student learning that afternoon. We look forward to your attendance on Friday.

Please continue the home reading program by reading at home. Listening to your child read and interacting with them throughout the story will help them with comprehension and re-tell. Our Reading Counts class total now exceeds over 300 points and thousands (literally) of words read. I'm very proud of them and we should be able to double that point total by the end of the year, easily!

Mrs. Petty

Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:

Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.

Goal 2: All students students will improve mathematical reasoning.

Mrs. Petty-1st Grade-Room 13

Week of 25 February - 2 March 2008
Monday: Host Nation: Signore Faccio - Computer Lab p.m..
Tuesday: Art: Ms. Borgman -Info Center-Computer Lab a.m.
Wednesday: -Music: Ms. Hartwig - Info Center-Book Check-Out
Thursday: P.E. - Coach T. Please wear appropriate shoes!

Friday: Host Nation: Signore Salviati-Spelling Test

Homework links are ready to go!

Dates to remember:

1. CLASS Picture Day: Friday, February 29th, early morning

2. Animal Habitat Diorama Home Project Due:

Wednesday, March 5th - Information to be sent on Tuesday

3. Where Is Home? 21st Century Learning/Media Fair:

Friday, March 7th, 1:45-2:30 p.m. in the Baby Gym

Welcome to a new week. We've begun our electronic animal habitat projects using one of the new creative software tools at school called Web Blender 2. It's amazing, and as usual, the students are excited and motivated about this. Many of the specialists throughout the schoool are assisting us in this endeavor and the artifacts created will be on display a week from Friday on March 7, 1:45 p.m-2:30 in the baby gym at VES. They will also display their Animal Diorama projects at the same Media Fair and it will be a 'don't miss' affair.

Continue working on the homework links. These provide activities to strengthen the work and progress we make in the classroom. These links/activities, added to the home reading program, will help strengthen skills and prepare to meet the goals and objectives for first grade. Follow this link to check on all curricular standards in all first grade: http://www.dodea.edu/curriculum/docs/standardsCombined/GR01.pdf

Everything we do in school is connected to these standards. They guide the use of the many 'tools' in our classroom from books, texts, project-based learning goals and throughout all the curriculuar areas included.

Well, it's Leap Day and on Friday and we'll be photographed as a class early in the morning. Please return your envelopes w/payment enclosed in order to get this keepsake.

Have a wonderful week and keep up the good work from home.

Mrs. Petty

Vicenza Elementary School Improvement Goals:
Goal 1: All students will improve written communication across the curriculum.
Goal 2: All students students will improve mathematical reasoning.

Mrs. Petty-1st Grade-Room 13

Week of 19-24 February 2008

Tuesday: Art-Ms. Borgman-Computer Lab a.m.

Wednesday: Music-Ms. Hartwig-Info Center-Book Check-Out

Thursday: P.E.-Coach T.

Friday: Host Nation-Signora Salviati-Spelling Test

Homework links are ready to go!

First of all, let me thank you for your participation to the Canned Soup Drive for the Italian Red Cross this past 2 weeks. Our class alone, donated 34 cans of Chicken Noodle and Minestrone soup to the cause. The soup will be delivered this week and will help the less fortunate with their soup kitchen some day in the very near future. OUR SOUP DISPLAY IS NEAR THE LIBRARY FOR ALL TO SEE. THE GRAND TOTAL: 139 CANS!!! THANK YOU 1ST GRADE FAMILIES!

We also had an amazing learning experience with the 100th Day Bottle Project. The clues for your child's contents in the bottles were wonderful and their were so few that were guessed on the 1st opportunity. We really had to think and figure out what was inside each bottle that would 'match' the 3 clues given. We also guessed the level/volume of the collections as being low, medium or high. They are very proud of these bottles and they'll remain on display in our classroom for the remainder of the week.

We will begin another project in our classroom, that will include a home/family project. Next week, you will receive the directions for the Animal Habitat Home Project. This will include a written report on an animal that your child will select at school and a diorama to show it's habitat/environment/adaptations. All students will present their report to the class. Many actitivities will also be completed in class using the many technology tools available to them in the computer lab, our classroom, and with the help of new tech gadgets including recording on an I-pod. Ms. Martin, Ms. Gafford, Ms. Morgan, and Ms. Hartwig will be assisting us in this endeavor. You're officially invited to an exposition on the completed projects from our class and other classrooms at VES who are also involved in other projects based on the theme: Where is Home? Thank you for your support on the home assignment.

Your interest and volunteerism to help out on the Study Trip the end of May was also commendable. We've got a long list of those of you who would like to help out. Thank you so much for sending the information along, so we can complete the paperwork on this effort. I'll keep you informed about the 'rest' of the information, as the time gets closer for us to go to the Zoo and Safari Land. We will have a study of animal habitats to enhance their learning experience and knowledge for the experience.

Mrs. Petty

11-15 February Weekly Schedule:

Please remember to send a daily snack for a.m. recess/snack time. Your child can benefit at school from a nutritious snack during that time.

Our Canned Soup Drive has garnished 24 cans of soup thus far, just from our class! We look forward to helping our other 1st grade friends reach our goal of 100 cans of chicken noodle/minestrone soup by Thursday, our 100th day of school. All donations will benefit the Italian Red Cross at their weekly soup kitchen!

Monday: Art/Computer Lab p.m.

Tuesday: Music/Computer Lab a.m.-Return Library books NLT tomorrow!

Wednesday: P.E. Please wear tennis shoes/light jacket/Library Book Check-Out/
Bring your valentines to school in a large ziploc bag-we'll pass them out tomorrow!!!

Thursday: Host Nation /We will also celebrate Valentines' Day & our 100th Day of School

Friday: Host Nation

Monday, February 18th: NO SCHOOL-President's Day observed

We'll have a week of hard work and fun learning activities. We'll do lots of counting to 100 in different ways, especially skip-counting by 2s,5s, & 10s. Thursday should be busy with center rotation taking place for us by travelling to other teacher's room to enjoy the activities for the day. Please remember to send in your valentines, ready to go, by Wednesday, 13 February.

Please visit the homework links and send in those 100th Day Bottle projects in the bag. Attach the written work to the outside of the bag. If you like, decorate the outside of the bag before sending it in.

We enjoyed STARLAB last week and many thanks to Mr. Tramm for his wonderful presentation about our universe and the constellations. The Solar System 'came to life' for us last week. How many of you enjoyed the almost total eclipse of the moon on Saturday night? Absolutely beautiful and a miraculous sight!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Petty

4-8 February 2008 Weekly Schedule

Please remember to bring a snack for daily a.m. recess

& don't forget your canned soup donation for the Italian Red Cross Soup Kitchen

Chicken Noodle or Minestrone, please.

Thanks so much--can the 1st grade classes collect 100 cans by 14 February?

Count at the end of the day on 6 February, Our class alone has 16 cans, so let's see how many we can add before Friday afternoon!

Monday: Art/Computer Lab p.m.

Tuesday: Music/Computer Lab a.m.

Wednesday: P.E.(please wear tennis shoes!)/Library Book Check-out

Thursday: Host Nation/STARLAB!!! alias, the night sky----wear pants and comfortable shoes (we're getting inside a dome-like structure)

Friday: Host Nation

Happy February!! How'd that Groundhog do? Will we have 6 weeks more of winter, or an early spring? Ask your child about their prediction they made last week at school. It's been fun to explore this legend of American Culture in our classroom.

You received your first project-based assignment for homework last Friday. If you need any ideas, or clarification, check out this web-site: http://www.teacherweb.com/FL/Riverdale/MrsPontonsFirstGrade/AP25.stm .

Scroll down to see the many different kinds of bottles, and especially the Mrs. Ponton's students' bottle clues in the chart, if you need any guidance. There are pictures, examples, clues and other information to clarify this project. After completing the project, place your collection bottle in the white paper bag, and staple the clue worksheet to the outside. Please be creative in the packaging of your bottle and the bag you put it in. You can decorate the outside of the bag with the words: _______________'s 100th Day Bottle. Don't tell what's inside, but simply attach the clue sheet and bring to school on or before Wednesday, 13 February. You can also bring your Valentines by that day, if you plan on sharing any with the other 14 friends in our class. Place them in a zip-loc bag with your child's name on the outside. Make certain they write on the back of each valentine, "From __________".

The other part of the project is completing the other attached sheets. These are writing exercises about filling in the blanks, answering questions with complete sentences, and putting those sentences into paragraph form. FYI: All students 'typed' their first research project on penguins in Microsoft Word! If you prefer, you could also use this as a way to have them respond in paragraph form. They are still needing some support, but they did an excellent job and just love using the font/color, font/template changes. They are also welcome to just write it on the attached forms in the 100 Day Bottle Project forms sent home on Friday. Have fun and I'm excited to see the projects come in over the next ten days.

Next month's project will be about consonant blends and it's also very fun. Thank you for all the support.

Please continue working on the homework links. Spelling tests are looking very good right now and they have learned so much about legible handwriting, recording sounds they hear in unknown words, writing the 'chunks' of the words they hear, using the word wall for help when spelling, and taking dictation sentences. For those who made Home Offices for the homework center at home, they are really working well.

One of the most important homework activities is that of reading to and reading with your child. Interacting with the text and making personal connections to stories helps with comprehension. Stopping and reflecting (sharing your reactions by 'thinking outloud' shows your child that thinking about the story makes it more fun to learn to read. Don't forget about those 'think alongs' as you work toward the end of the year.

Have a wonderful week-

Mrs. Petty

Attention: Hope you all found the 100th Day Bottle Project/Canned Soup Drive paperwork! Don't worry about it, just read it through thoroughly, think about some different items that could fit into a 20 oz. bottle, especially those that are a different size, weight, and volume; then get creative. I'll have pictures of directions by Monday to send to you, so you can get a feel for it. The written work will be everything from easy to challenging, but worth the fun and effort. Don't open the white paper bag until the project is ready for hiding. I'll be getting back to you soon. :-) Mrs. Petty

Weekly Schedule:

PLEASE BRING A SNACK FOR RECESS!!!

Monday-Art-Computer Lab

Tuesday-Music-Computer Lab

Wednesday-P.E./Info Center & Book Check-Out

Thursday-Host Nation A

Friday-Host Nation B-Spelling Test

Can you believe that it's the last week in January? Report cards have been finalized and you will receive them in the mail this week. Please contact me via e-mail@ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu if you would like to schedule a conference with me.

We're progressing and have the 2nd semester in front of us. We'll begin the 3rd grading period with the usual busy mornings with language arts activities and centers, enjoy recess, then return for group work, then off to lunch and back to class for problem solving in math, then off to Special Classes, and last, but not least, mathematics and other core subjects in science, social studies and health. Thank you for all your support with monitoring homework, and getting your student to school in a healthy, on-time manner. So much done, but so much more to accomplish together.

We look forward to our next project-based learning activity. We will make Valentines for a new group of buddies from the "From Me to You" Technospud learning web-page http://www.technospudprojects.com/Projects/vd2008/fm2u2008_info.html. Click on this link and check out this web-site for the details, if you like. Our winter holiday project was so fun, we've decided to participate in the next one. Basically, each student will decorate a valentine, write a friendly letter, and send it to students from 24 different locations. Our first card will be sent to Australia! It will be fun. If someone has a wall-sized world map, or a wall-sized U.S. map to donate that would be great. We'll plot them and learn about where in the world they came from. We hope to have these in the mail NLT 4 February. We'll be taking pictures of our valentines and posting them on the blog. So fun to connect with students in this way.

Valentines Day will be a busy one for us at school. On Thursday, February 14th, your child is welcome to bring a valentine for each classmate. Here are the names of all the members of our class.

Alicia

Lucy

Austin

Vivian

Caroline

Klarisa

Mackenzie

Jaydrian

Jeremiah

Karima

Matthew

Andrew

Travis

Malik

Kobi

I always encourage hand-made valentines that are more meaningful that allow students to write, draw, and/or color. Whatever your student chooses to do, remember to have them write FROM: _______ on the back, so it is clear to the receiver who gave them the valentine. You are welcome to attach a sweet treat if you like, as well. Please bring them in a sealed zip-loc bag, all ready to be delivered on Valentines Day. They will remain in their cubby until time for delivery, so you're welcome to bring them to school any day. We look forward to visiting every other first grade teachers classroom full of activities to celebrate the 100th day of school and.......Valentines Day, also! Remember to keep practicing counting to 100 by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s. Many of the students have mastered these skills, and they may not know it, but know the multiplication tables for those numbers, also. It's amazing what skip counting does for other skills in mathematics.

Don't forget the School Improvement Goals at Vicenza Elementary School:

#1-All students will improve in writing across the curriculum

#2-All students will improve the math reasoning/problem solving skills.

Make certain you visit the new homework links and thank you once again, for all your help and support.

Sincerely, Mrs. Petty

Weekly Schedule: No Spelling Work this Week!

Please bring a snack for recess time!

Tuesday: P.E.- Computer Lab

Wednesday: Host Nation-Information Center Book Check-Out

Thursday: Host Nation

Friday: No School - Teacher Work Day

Welcome to another short week! We were busy getting our mid-year assessments completed and all the students worked hard on reading for me on the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA), their timed math tests, some writing samples and their spelling tests. I think you'll be pleased with their growth thus far and we all look forward to the second half of the year, and especially the next quarter, where we will have the longest, most concentrated number of days over time, to continue showing progress toward end-of-year 1st Grade benchmarks. Thank you for all your support.



This week we'll continue our work and Friday is another day off for students. Final Report Cards will be prepared and sent home the following week. Report cards will indicate how your child is progressing in Mathematics, Language Arts, Life Skills, Motor Skills, Art, Music, Host Nation, and P.E. After you receive the report card, you are welcome to write me an e-mail at elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu if you would like a conference. Please mention a time and date/day convenient for you. I am available on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday after school, or during lunch at 11:30-12:00 any day. I will then write you back and you will confirm with a written note, or an e-mail.



Please continue working on the spelling, Sight Words w/Samson, and other homework activities. Your child should be reading each night for about 20 minutes and it is requested that you sign the Home Reading Log each night. Since our last conference I have seen progress and more interest in school work from most students.



We will begin having a home/family project each month istarting in February. The purpose of these is to strengthen academic skills and demonstrate a unique way of completing another form of homework. These will have a completion date, when your child will bring them to school to share. Have fun and be creative on these. Most students are very proud of their work and look forward to these, especially when other family members can help.



Have fun with the homework this week. There will not be a spelling test, due to the short week. Feel free to review the weekly spelling lists from Week 1-Week 16. If you have been adding to their home word wall, this is a great time to have you call out any word on the review weeks and have them spell/writie on their own. We have been working on our 'visual memory' when spelling at school. They like to write and spell the words by thinking about what they see in their mind, before checking the word wall. Try it at home and see what they are able to do.



Have a wonderful week and keep warm.



Mrs. Petty

Weekly Schedule:Bring a Daily Snack for Recess!!!

1/14 Monday: Host Nation

1/15 Tuesday: Host Nation

1/16 Wednesday: Art and Library/Info Center Book Check-Out

1/17 Thursday: Spelling Test & Music

1/18 Friday: No school for Students

*Monday, January 21st-Martin Luther King, Jr. Day-Federal Holiday/No School

It's a shorter week this week, so study up on those spelling words and look to complete your weekly homework assignments a little earlier. We're doubling up on the home reading program, and I would request that parents sign the signature line each night after reading with your child for 20 minutes. We are taking more Reading Counts tests on the books that have quizzes and this should also help with fluency and phrasing.

The 2nd quarter of 1st grade will be on Thursday, 24 January. Friday the 25th will also be a Friday without school for students. Report cards will be prepared on that day. During the next two weeks, I'll be assessing reading levels, high frequency word recognition, writing abilities, counting to 100 by 1s, 2s, 5s and 10s, problem solving, and speed drills for addition and subtraction. Your assistance in monitoring homework is appreciated and always helps for the efforts made at school. Thank you so much.

Please remember to return any library books NLT Wednesday morning of each week. I am requesting that students check out at least 1 reading counts book from their weekly check-out, as many of the students are ready to experience books outside our classroom library that have quizzes. You will recognize the book on the spine, by seeing a colored 'dot' sticker. This book must be read carefully and on the RC quiz, there will be 10 comprehension questions about the story and its elements. Please encourage phrasing and fluency, along with problem solving when coming to a new or unknown word(s).

These cues will help:

1. Get your mouth ready to make the beginning sound.

2. Look at the picture(s) - [context clues]

3. Think about the story and what's happening

4. 'Chunk' the word-look for parts of the word they may know

Have them use their fingers to find little words, endings, etc.

5. If word is still unknown, have them skip the unknown word, then go back and read it again, with their predicition.

6. Always re-read a sentence where they have worked to figure out the 'tricky' part. This helps encourage phrasing, fluency and comprehension.

7. Let them re-tell the story using these story elements:

a. Main Characters (their names, too!)

b. Setting (Where the story takes place)

c. Beginning, Middle, and End

d. Have the state the problem in the story and the solution (how it was solved)

Hats-off to all our parents!

Mrs. Petty

Weekly Schedule:

Monday: Host Nation

Tuesday: Host Nation

Wednesday: Art

Thursday: Music

Friday: P.E.

Happy New Year, 2008!

Or....as they say in Italy, Buon Anno Nove :-). This is a pivotal time, as we start the new year, but also as we have what I consider the 'long-run' toward achievement of 1st Grade benchmarks, with MOST of it being accomplished between now and spring break. Your help is essential and the home/school partnership will take on new meaning, as more will be expected in work production, mathematics computation and deeper understanding of problem solving/understanding the flexibility needed to actively and efficiently function in a world of math, and lastly, the ability to read on grade level with phrasing, fluency, and develop a self-extending system of solving unknown words and use context clues in determining the meaning, and re-tell the author's point and summary of the words read.

We will carefully assess writing samples and expect your child to independently write responses in their own words in their literature log, when given a writing prompt, and organize their own thoughts as the mechanics of writing develop with the help of daily 'fix-ups- in the morning when entering the room. Daily reading will be requested of each parent(s) for 20 minutes. This will secure the goal for each of them to prepare for 2nd grade and beyond.

Once again, thank you for all your help and assistance thus far. I look forward to the successes and challenges in front of us and hope your start on 2008 has been a happy one thus far.

Please check out the new homework links and activities! On with the rest of the year.

Mrs. Petty