13 December 2009-2 January 2010
Welcome to the last week before Winter Break!
One last POSTSCRIPT:
What a wonderful day we had on Friday! We began the day by touring some of the other 1st grade classrooms and 'perform' our Reader's Theatre rendition of Rudolph, Rudolph! We continued with our Very Successful Holiday Cookie Exchange and I was so impressed! As you could tell from the many varieties of cookies shared, it was so much fun! One student, Analena, expressed, "This is the best day of my life!". Who wouldn't say that after choosing amongest the most festive platters of sweets and dining on the ones that were left with milk? Cookies and milk made their teacher very happy, too! Thank you to all for your generosity and contributions in assisting with the goal of "visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads!"
Continue reading and working on the links during the holidays. We'll accelerate our learning and watch the magic continue in learning. January through April contains the best promise for preparing successful students for 2nd grade and future school achievement.
Enjoy the break---Mrs. Petty
Remember to: Visit the new and updated links for learning and winter break fun.
Thanks to all the parents who have helped their child make their sight words cards. Please have them practice these and 'race' theirselves during the winter break. Remember that reading these quickly helps to increase reading fluency and comprehension. These are also the words that students misspell most frequently, so seeing them spelled correctly in their books and flashcards builds writing fluency also.
NEWS FOR THE END OF YEAR 2009
We'll wrap up 2009 this week by completing our 'almost finished' projects, and cleaning up the room for a NEW Year that's just around the corner. It's been a month of math, reading, building, decorating, making and creating. I've placed new links on this post that will see your child through the long break. Do not forget to plan a time of day when your child can read their little books (keep previewing and discussing the pictures to talk about what they're about to read)and participate in the links provided for strengthening what they already know. I've seen a slight increase in the use of the MUST DO links, so if you're not on board the learning train yet, hop on and discover the greatest amount of growth to occur in First Grade during the January - April time frame. This will be the time when the magic happens for all the students.
We will be having a cookie exchange on Friday. Here are the guidelines: On Friday, end in 2 dozen homemade cookies on a disposable plate, covered please. After lunch everyone will get a new plate (complements of Mrs. Petty) and choose a cookie off of each plate until they're all collected, then we'll cover them with plastic wrap and enjoy the rest with hot chocolate. If you're able, let your child help make them, so that they can experience the fun. If you're not able to send in cookies, you may send in a non-edible treat for each student in the class. We have 16 students now, as we will welcome Isabelle to our class on Tuesday.
Don't forget to visit this web-site for new links for learning and of course, the MUST DO links such as: IXL Math, Sight Words with Samson, RAZ-kids, and Spelling City. Have a wonderful and safe break and 'keep on learning' till our return on January 4th, 2010!
Thank you, once again, for all your support!
Mrs. Petty
Saturday, December 05, 2009
6-13 December 2009
Well, we did it! Enjoy the slide show, and don't forget to read the continued weekly update below it!
Excuse this public announcement:
On December 16 and December 17, PTA will sponsor a student activity called Music & More. Wednesday, Dec. 16th with be for Pre-K through 2nd grades. Music & More will be held in the MPR from 3 pm – 5 pm.
The PTA is in need of parents to provide baked goods (such as cookies, brownies, etc.), dollar donations, and parents to chaperone. They are looking for 2-3 parents per classroom to help with the event so if you can volunteer, please e-mail Jessica Jones, PTA president at aespta180@yahoo.com. Let her know that you are a volunteer from Mrs. Petty's 1st Grade class. Thank you so much!
We'll continue working on addition using the concepts introduced with the use of the 100 chart. We'll connect this learning to the place value unit with our tens and ones 'sticks' which helps to have students learn with understanding and concepts prior to introducing traditional 'regrouping' when adding sums over nineteen. I'll provide a 100 chart to your student to 'show' what they know at home. You'll find it in their reading bag along with their 100 sight words chart.
I invited everyone to make flash card for the 100 sight words. Please do this and place the flashcards in their reading bag. We will be using these during our 'free' time until your child shows mastery in January. If you don't have time to write on the index cards (please purchase these at the PX-small 3x5), let your child do it. Quick and fluent recognition of these helps to promote a higher level of text and improved comprehension in reading.
I've postponed the Reading Response Log until the winter holidays/break. Expect to see new books and their NEW RR Journal as we'll entitle it.
Please continue doing the on-line homework. We'll move to List #11 on Sight Words with Samson and Week #11 on Spelling City. RAZ-Kids continues to promote independent reading. Remember that if your child is reading at Level D or beyond, very little help should be given them in order to master the early reading strategies needed to be successful. IXL math should be continued with completion of Addition Concepts, and you may begin Subtraction Skills as well.
Once again, thanks for all the parental support this last week, with the making of candy trains and houses. I have such great students, and parents. We're down to 15 students, with the departure of 4 since November. I expect to be the teacher to welcome the newest four students of the year at anytime.
Have a wonderful week and keep up the support of on-line homework, reading and re-reading of the little books in the reading bags, making the flashcards from the 100 sight words list, and using that 100 chart. Listen to your child count outloud to 100, and then count backward. You may use the chart for visual help in the beginning, but we'll all work toward mastery w/o looking, by using the 'picture in our mind."
Always in learning,
Mrs. Petty
Well, we did it! Enjoy the slide show, and don't forget to read the continued weekly update below it!
 |
 |
| Make a Smilebox slideshow |
Excuse this public announcement:
On December 16 and December 17, PTA will sponsor a student activity called Music & More. Wednesday, Dec. 16th with be for Pre-K through 2nd grades. Music & More will be held in the MPR from 3 pm – 5 pm.
The PTA is in need of parents to provide baked goods (such as cookies, brownies, etc.), dollar donations, and parents to chaperone. They are looking for 2-3 parents per classroom to help with the event so if you can volunteer, please e-mail Jessica Jones, PTA president at aespta180@yahoo.com. Let her know that you are a volunteer from Mrs. Petty's 1st Grade class. Thank you so much!
We'll continue working on addition using the concepts introduced with the use of the 100 chart. We'll connect this learning to the place value unit with our tens and ones 'sticks' which helps to have students learn with understanding and concepts prior to introducing traditional 'regrouping' when adding sums over nineteen. I'll provide a 100 chart to your student to 'show' what they know at home. You'll find it in their reading bag along with their 100 sight words chart.
I invited everyone to make flash card for the 100 sight words. Please do this and place the flashcards in their reading bag. We will be using these during our 'free' time until your child shows mastery in January. If you don't have time to write on the index cards (please purchase these at the PX-small 3x5), let your child do it. Quick and fluent recognition of these helps to promote a higher level of text and improved comprehension in reading.
I've postponed the Reading Response Log until the winter holidays/break. Expect to see new books and their NEW RR Journal as we'll entitle it.
Please continue doing the on-line homework. We'll move to List #11 on Sight Words with Samson and Week #11 on Spelling City. RAZ-Kids continues to promote independent reading. Remember that if your child is reading at Level D or beyond, very little help should be given them in order to master the early reading strategies needed to be successful. IXL math should be continued with completion of Addition Concepts, and you may begin Subtraction Skills as well.
Once again, thanks for all the parental support this last week, with the making of candy trains and houses. I have such great students, and parents. We're down to 15 students, with the departure of 4 since November. I expect to be the teacher to welcome the newest four students of the year at anytime.
Have a wonderful week and keep up the support of on-line homework, reading and re-reading of the little books in the reading bags, making the flashcards from the 100 sight words list, and using that 100 chart. Listen to your child count outloud to 100, and then count backward. You may use the chart for visual help in the beginning, but we'll all work toward mastery w/o looking, by using the 'picture in our mind."
Always in learning,
Mrs. Petty
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)