10 December 2010-3 January 2011

Last Post Until the New Year!!

The upcoming Winter Break is a great time for your student to complete on line homework and read books, then write an entry in their Reader's Response Log for each book read. I will be sending extra books home for over the holiday, so enjoy! Please use the RAZ-kids Reading & IXL Math, especially!

THERE IS NO SPELLING TEST NEXT WEEK (14-17 December)
Remember to wear P.E. shoes on these dates:
17 December: Friday

DoDDS updates:
- An in-service day will be held for teachers on Monday, Dec. 13. There is no school for students.
- Winter break is Dec. 20-31 First Day of School for the new year is 3 January 2011
- A teacher in-service day is Jan. 10. There is no school for students.
- Student/Teacher safety is a priority for the DoDDS faculty. Parents and/or guardians are advised to use designated student drop-off zones when dropping off or picking up children from school rather than the bus parking lot. For more information, call the bus office at DSN 632-5100.

AOCSC hosts Christmas Cottage for children Dec. 15-16
The Aviano Officer and Civilian Spouses Club hosts a Christmas Cottage project for Aviano Air Base children. Children may visit the Christmas Cottage – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
-Dec. 15 if their last name begins with letters A through M.
-Dec. 16 if it begins with letters N through Z.
For a small donation, the project will allow children to choose from a selection of gifts to be gift wrapped and given to their parents.

Remember to wear P.E. shoes on these dates:
17 December: Friday

We welcome Manuel K. to our class! He's come from Mississippi to join us!
We also welcome back Isha K. and Kaliyah W. to school after travelling to see families abroad! We're back to 18 students and possibly growing even bigger as time passes on.

A Winter Weather Greeting to you this week! I was happy to see the students arrive ready for the weather and elements this morning. We're placing umbrellas and boots out in the hallway nearest our classroom, and all other coverings including hats, mittens, gloves, scarves, etc. in our backpacks. The new dismissal rule: If you're not bundled up like you came, you can't leave the building. We'll try to keep them healthy for the upcoming Winter Break.

Keep the water bottles coming, though. We still need to be hydrated to be healthy. Please make certain you call the office when your child is not attending school. It makes our Secretary's life a lot easier. You're also welcome to write me @ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu.

We're working our way through our Unit 2.4 Story LIFE IN THE FOREST. The following skills are covered in this selection for the week:

Genre: Expository Non-Fiction
Comprehension Skill: Author's Purpose
Comprehension Strategy: Preview
Study Skill: Use alphabetical Order
Spelling/Phonics: Long u & e; CVD-silent e and the word ending --ed
Language/Vocabulary: multi-meaning words
Grammar: One and More Than One
Writing: Report

After Winter Break, we'll complete the unit with the last story: Honeybees, also an Expository Non-Fiction selection.

After that, we'll take our 2nd benchmark test. This is a comprehensive assessment with all the skills taught in the 2nd Unit (6 selections). The students have been quite successful with the on-line tests, a few are learning to read ALL the available answer choices before selecting the correct answer. This is an important skill that includes monitoring what you're reading. This Benchmark/End of Unit test in January will also include another writing sample, which will be scored using a rubric to find out if they are retaining and using their Grammar, Usage of the English Language, and the use of Mechanics including punctuation, verb tense, capitalization and sentence structure skills. They will be asked to write about something new they have done this year and describe how it made them feel. I will use a four-point scaled rubric to score these writing samples. When you have your child write in their Reader's Response log, you could help them improve their writing at home by reading along with them to check what they've written and see if their sentences are soundly formed, and correct conventions of writing are used. Thank you for your help.

I will also be assessing their fluency (rate of reading)for the 1st time. This will be a fresh passage (at their level of reading) and will be timed for 1 minute. Their rate of reading will be scored as follows:
total # of words read minus the # of errors, which gives us their number of words read correctly per minute (WCPM). We are looking to have individual students score in the 25 to 35 words per minute for this first measure. Later in the year, students will be expected to increase their rate of reading to 35-45 words per minute and later in the year, 45- 60 words per minute; & End of Year expectations: 60 words per minute.

This is an important consideration, as rate of reading helps to increase their comprehension in longer text. Accuracy and rate of reading work together for readers to be successful in the content areas, that are so very important in the later elementary years.

Math practice in addition and subtraction facts has also picked up momentum in this, the 2nd quarter. We'll be taking some chapter tests and a Unit test before the winter break, so keep on practicing the IXL skills of addition and subtraction from now until the end of January.

Please be aware of our First Grade Musical Program coming to you on:

Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Presenting: The Little Bell That Could Not Ring
Where: Aviano Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room (Stage)
2 presentations:
-During school hours: 1:30 p.m.
Please have your child wear any holiday apparel that they may have to school on this day -Thank you!
-After School Hours: 6:00 p.m.
This performance is a little more formal, so if you have a 'dressier' selection for your child, go ahead and 'put on the Ritz' a little.
We're looking forward to their performances and hope to see the families all there to enjoy the show(s)

Please continue to visit the classroom blog and homework links provided to your child. So many students are NOT using this opportunity to widen and strengthen their academic efforts.

Thank you for your support.

Mrs. Petty

29 November - 5 December 2010

Welcome back after a longer Thanksgiving Break. Many of you traveled, most enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with family and/or friends, and we're back at work for our last 13 days of school before winter break begins.

Please mark your calendar for the following dates:
13 December: Monday, No School- Teacher Work Day
15 December: 1st Grade Holiday Program-Wenesday
The Little Bell Who Could Not Ring
Performances: IN School-1:30 p.m. AES MPR
AFTER School-6:00 p.m. AES MPR
Winter Break Dates: 18 December through 2 January
First School Day of the New Year: Monday, 3 January

For our Holiday Program on Wednesday the 15th, we're asking for red, green, black and white as clothing colors. Jeans will work just fine, too, if that's what you like the best. It is a very nice, shorter performance, and I'm certain you've heard some of the lyrics at home already!

Reading Skills:

Story: Unit 2 The Big Circle
Genre: Fiction
Comprehension Skill: Sequencing
Comprehension Strategy: Monitor/Fix Up
Study Skill: Periodical/Newsletter
Spelling/Phonics: Long o cvcE & contractions with not, am and will
Language Vocabulary: classify/categorize
Grammar: Days, Months, and Holidays
Writing: Advice!!

Mathematics:
SUBTRACTION FACTS and Fact Families

We're continuing work in Reading with our new story of the week: The Big Circle, a fictional story about dinosaurs. We've also got a special project planned with our Reading and Math Buddies 3rd Grade class from Mrs. DiLorenzo.

I'm asking you to please step-up the homework commitment from parents. Most of the links are not begin utilized to their fullest extent. Please set a time aside each night for your child to read, and/or complete 30 minutes of time with the links provided on this site.

Please, please take note of this request. Practice makes perfect and we'll have even higher expectations of your student when they return in the new year.

Have a great week.

Visit those links, and READ, READ, and READ some more.

Mrs. Petty

21-28 November 2010

Well, ANOTHER short week graced by the Thanksgiving Break!

Congratulations to our class winners of the USPS Stamp Coloring Contest:
David Case
Dakotah Young
Jacob Lister
Blake Bienvenu

Way to go!!

Please consider these adjustments (once again!) to our regularly scheduled weekly plans:

22 Nov. - Monday
23 Nov. - Tuesday -Spelling Test (Story: Who Works Here?)
1/2 Day-Dismissal @ 11:15 No LUNCH Served
24 Nov. - Wednesday-Study Trip to Stradella's
Chaperones: Mrs. Lister, Mrs. DeJesus, Mrs. Lovelace,
Mrs. Eaves Mrs. Petty (THANK YOU, ALL!!
We'll be accompanying
Departure: 8:10, so don't be late.
Hope for sunny skies 'cause we'll go rain or shine!

25--28 November-Thanksgiving Break-PLEASE Read over the holiday-thank you!

Have a good week and if you're staying around the local area, don't forget to visit the homework links during the days off!

MANY NEW LINKS - JUST FOR FUN AND LEARNING!!

Happy Turkey Week!
Mrs. Petty

8-14 November 2010

No School on Thursday, 11 November, and ...... thank you for your service!

Welcome back! We survived the rains of autumn last week and unlike Vicenza, our bus drivers/parent escorts were very efficient! Of course, we didn't have the floods they experienced either.

This week we'll have another day (& possibly two days) with a substitute! I will attend the training for the new Pearson Reading/Language Arts Reading Street adoption on Tuesday, and I'll also possibly be out on Friday. Encourage your child's full cooperation for the substitute-thank you!

Thank for sending in your confirmation slips for Parent Teacher Conferences scheduled for 15-16/Monday-Tuesday/November of next week. We've collected some great artifacts from the last 9 weeks and their progress toward mastery of 1st grade standards will be at the center of discussion during our scheduled appointment time.

We're also looking forward to our first Study Trip to Stradella's Pasticerria. Please return your permission slips, and 1.50 Euro in a zip-loc bag with name on the outside. It's such a fun trip and hopefully the rain won't show up in the a.m. for our walking travels.

Please check the Homework Links, and renew your commitment to the IXL Math, RAZ-KIDS Reading,& Samson's Classroom with spelling and sight words all-in-one!

The links will be change on Monday afternoon, so watch for the recent deletions and additions.

Farewell to Lannette on Tuesday, we'll miss you so much!!!

Mrs. Petty

1-7 November 2010

NO SCHOOL on Friday, 5 November--Teacher Work Day!

Hope your weekend holiday and Trunk or Treating was a memorable evening. I saw a few of the students and they looked just great. What a fun family gathering!

Enclosures for This Week's Homework Folders:

1. Parent Conference Slips and Study Trip Permission forms (unless you've already returned them!)

2. 1st Quarter Family Project Instructions: ABC Book. This is due on the 19 of November. In the past we've had some very creative endeavors and the students love to try out their new "Presentation Skills" with this project. Please bring to school when complete and we'll let them show off their work. Yes, you can help them. You can find many web-sites with pictures of whatever 'theme' you choose for your book. I've attached an idea sheet with starters, if you like. You can even make a pop-up book if you like!!

3. Newly fashioned Aviano Elementary School T-Shirts. Show your school spirit and order a new model for you child this year. We'd love to see these worn by all the students this year!

This week we'll begin Unit 2 of our Reading Street series. I am sending home the stories from the Unit 2 book, so they can work on their fluency. As you'll notice, the stories are lengthier, and they also contain a cumulative and spiral review and use of the skills, sight words, phonetic spelling rules in their text reading throughout the entire series. This week's story is:

A Big Fish for Max

Skills included are:
Somprehension Skill: Main Idea (what the story is 'mostly' about
Comprehension Strategy: Prediction (can your child predict what will happen next in the series of events?
Study Skill: Parts of a Book: EX: Table of Contents, Glossary, etc.
Spelling/Phonics Skills: sh, th & a/ah-as = ball
Language and Vocabulary Skill: Categorizing
Grammar: Introducing Nouns: Part of speech naming-Persons, places,or things
Writing: Making a List

In Math this week we are working on the reciprocity of addition and subtraction and introducing Fact Families.

Example:

2+3=5
3+2=5
5-2=3
5-3=2

We are also working on our Number Folders 2-3 times a week, which helps them to have a lot of experience with this skill. This skill allows your child to become fluent and work on mental computation when bridging the concrete use of manipulatives to join (add) & separate (subtract) their basic facts. Their improvement of Number Sense, also enables them to add and subtract fluently.

We will also begin Our Social Studies unit on Families. This coincides with our reading Unit on Communities.

Many of you have returned your parent conference slips. If you haven't yet, please do so. November is a month with many breaks, of which the 1st one will be this Friday, 5th November. Students will have the day off, while teachers have a work day to prepare student portfolios for conferences and complete report cards.

Those of you who have returned the permission slips to participate in the 1st Study Trip to Stradella's Pasticerria did a quick turn-around. Thank you for those who have volunteered to chaperone.

We're looking forward to the close of the 1st quarter, report cards and Parent/Teacher Conferences, and many more learning experiences.

Check out the links for this week!

Mrs. Petty

25-31 October 2010

Special Enclosures in Homework Folder:
1) Box Tops for Education form-Please return when full of Box-Tops!
2) First Study Trip Permission Slip (Stradella's Bakery)
Sign and return w/Euro
3) Parent Teacher Conference Appointment confirmation form
Please Sign and Return

Missed seeing the students Monday, even though we accomplished a considerable amount of work towards refining our 2 SMART Goals in Reading and Math. These goals are created based on student performance and achievement needs as identified through formative and summative assessments. The two goals will further our student achievement here at Aviano and are made especially for our population.

We will continue with end-of quarter assessments so our parent-teacher conferences can be productive during the 20 minute pre-scheduled conference times. You will find the conference appointment confirmation letter enclosed in your student's Blue HOMEWORK Folder. Please return the confirmation and if you are requesting a re-scheduled conference, include your phone # as a contact, so I can call and discuss a better time with you.

Please continue having your child participate in the on-line homework opportunities. We will have shorter days, as the Daily Savings time change with "Fall Back" will make daylight disappear earlier. This is a good time to have your student work for longer periods of time on RAZ-kids, IXL Math, Samson's Classroom with sight words and the weekly spelling list.

The Reader's Response log will be discussed at conferences also, with attention to good sentences, punctuation and capitalization. Illustrations help them to show their understanding of characters, story sequence, details and plot. These are all tested skills at year's end and with sub-tests throughout the year. We are also looking forward to becoming more fluent readers and having our level of Text increase over time.

Thank you, again, for all your support. Two more students will depart during the month of November! We'll farewell Lannette first, and then LaTeasha will also head to the U.S. with her family. So many changes!!

Keep up the solid daily support and remember that First Grade becomes easier as one takes time to support their school work at home.

Have a wonderful week. First Grade classes will have a substitute all day on Thursday of this week. Just thought it might be important for you to know.

Mrs. Petty

18-24 October 2010

This should be a busy week as we learn more about using our new workjob & center sheet in the morning for guidance. We're hoping to have it 'down-pat' before parent/teacher conferences, so we can show off our work. We're getting to be more productive and responsible for our use of time and productivity.

Please review the links for the MUST-DO on-line homework. Most of the students are enjoying their choices and gaining independence with their work jobs during the week.

I returned the Reader's Response journals with them late last week, so we're ready to begin writing about the things we read, and/or writing something about anything of interest. I hope to see some soccer stories this week!

Many students are confused about the use of the regular lunch tray and the
COOL SCHOOL use. Please let your student know what they are allowed to get and whether or not they have money for purchases in that account. The general account and the Cool School account have different tabs. If you want your child to use the Cool School, they must have money in that specific account. Thanks for helping with this.

Spelling folders will be sent home on Monday (or Tuesday), for the remainder of the year. This is a change. I'm just not able to get everything scored by Friday's departure time. Keep up the good work and you'll see that I gave a review of previous sight words on the back of their pre-test. Please review the Sight Words that they missed.

We've finished our first rotation with the Math Lab. We had 6 different sessions for the past two weeks on T, W, & Th. They learned the tasks, become extremely independent; and most cooperated well with their group. We look forward to enjoying time with our Math Specialist, Ms. Breault again in the next quarter of the year.

Please continue writing, reading, spelling and the response log. I'm beginning to receive the reading logs with the front and back filled with parent signatures. Thank you for the feedback, and we'll make adjustments in their level of early readers this week. I look forward to discussing their progress at our 1st parent teacher conferences early in November.

As the weather cools, continue to dress your child appropriately. Umbrellas can be cumbersome, and since students enter directly into the building and have indoor recess, if it rains, they are not utilized during the day. If at all possible, opt for a hat/hood of some kind. Covered toes and backs of feet are a must now that it's cooler.

Specials Schedule:

M-Music
T-P.E. (Please wear tennis shoes!)
W-Host Nation
Th-Art
F-Host Nation

Reading SKILLS:
Story: Get the Egg!
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Comprehension Skill: fantasy-reality
Comprehension Strategy: Story Structure
Study Skill: List
Spelling/Phonics: short e & Beginning Blends
Language/Vocabulary: classify
Grammar: Telling Sentences
Writing: Answers
Writing Trait: Paragraph/Organization

Math:
Back to addition/Place Value and Greater Than, Less Than

Science: Animals

Have a wonderful week. Encourage homework completion throughout the week. Read those little books, and participate in the learning fun.

Mrs. Petty

11-17 October 2010

PICTURE DAY IS Thursday, 14 October @ 9:30 in the MPR.

Weekly Reading Work:
Story: A Fox and a Kit
Narrative Nonfiction/Science-We'll explore the observation of wild animals and answer questions about what we can learn about them.

Phonics: adding -s & -ing to the ends of words
Grammar: Word Order
Vocabulary: Categorization
Comprehension Skill: Main Idea
Comprehension Strategy: Ask Questions
Writing Trait: Titles
Spelling Words: adding s at the end of words we know
1. nap
2. naps
3. sit
4. sits
5. win
6. wins
7. fit
8. fits
9. hit
10.hits

Sight Words:
11. her
12. too

The test will always be graded using just the spelling words, but....they will be administered in a dictation sentence, where grammar, writing conventions and high frequency words will be written by the student.

Math Instruction: We are working on Number Sense. This is a skill that you will find in the Math Standards for 1st Grade. This skill permeates all their future endeavors in Math, including operations of addition and subtraction, reasoning and proof, problem solving, connections and communication, especially when representing their understandings.

We are working with a 10 frame (2 rows and 2 columns of 5 equalling 10 (used for understanding place value and adding more up from 11-20 using another 10 frame. Visualizing in math is increasing necessary when computing and understanding the order and placement of numbers on the 100 chart. We'll continue with Number Relationships, including numbers to 31, greater than & lesson than, number order and ordination of first, second, third and beyond. Then we'll begin our journey with addition and subtraction sentences, including story math, where we'll generate our own number sentences, to demonstrate our understanding of word problems.

Continue with the practice problems on IXL with addition for now.

We're saying good-bye in 1 week to our first student to PCS! We'll all miss Haley, but know that she'll do well in her new school in Ohio. Congrats to her dad on his recent retirement from the U.S. Air Force. Good Luck, Haley!

Please continue with the on-line homework, the reading of the books in the book bag, and the reader's response log entries (2 per week). Yes, I still have their logs and will return them in their reading bags tomorrow. Thank you so much with the assistance you provide to them in their writing and responses.

Specials This Week:
W-Host Nation
Th-Art
F-Host Nation

Have a wonderful week! Check out the updates on the links, too!

Mrs. Petty

PICTURE DAY IS Thursday, 14 October @ 9:30
Post will be finished by this evening for this week!

Mrs. Petty

4-10 October 2010
No School on Monday, 11 October
Federal Holiday: Columbus Day

Weekly Reading Work:
Story: The Big Blue Ox

Phonics: short o and plurals-adding -s & -es
Grammar: Action Parts of a Sentence
Vocabulary: Synonyms
Comprehension Skill: Character & Setting
Comprehension Strategy: Visualize
Writing Trait: Writing Sentences: Sentences, Notes, Story Response, Captions

Spelling Words: short o
1. mom
2. hot
3. hop
4. pot
5. pop
6. ox
7. ox
8.lock
9. mop
10.got

Sight Words:
11. help
12.use

PLEASE visit the Spelling with Samson web-site for extra practice! You'll also find Sight Words with Samson, as well.

We are moving along through the first Unit in our Reading Series. The students have taken their 2nd spelling test, and they are showing improvement in writing/spelling and phonics skills as they progress in written language. Encourage neat handwriting and complete sentences in their Reader's Response Logs for homework. A few students left their Logs at school this weekend, so we'll work on that.

This week we'll enjoy a presentation for Hispanic Heritage Month by members of our community who'll volunteer their time. How nice of them to come and join us at school.

I just received notification that our class has 20 hours of total time on IXL Math and has completed 2,000 practice problems. I'd like to 'step-it-up in the next months and also 'level' the playing field. For those of you who haven't yet logged in to try it, it's a great way to get extra practice with support for guidance and further achievement in math. Watch the change in the assignment for this week's link. The students love to earn rewards when they check the AWARDS section. Please join us with work from home, if you haven't yet begun.

RAZ-kids Reading has also shown this week that everyone has participated at one time or another. Thanks for the continued support at home. We're having a bit of difficulty getting our Reading Bag books exchanged throughout the day. Library book circulation will change to a 'center' in the a.m., when students have finished their seatwork, so that should improve also. I will complete a running record (record of oral reading) on each student in the next 3 weeks, that will show any growth occurring in the level of reading since the beginning of the year. It is vital to measure and show progression toward the benchmark goals for the end of the year. When we hold conferences in November, we'll discuss their progress in all academic areas, review their 1st quarter portfolio, and talk about 'next steps' for each student.

Have a wonderful week, and keep allowing your child to have their homework completed via Reader's Response Log and the internet links provided to you on this web-site.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Petty

26 September 2010

We've almost completed our first month of school, and we're on our way with our new Reading Program: Reading Street! The students have been so motivated to learn about animals from our new Theme: Animals, Tame and Wild Animal Friends. Please begin exploring the Pearson Links for this week's Story: Pig in a Wig.
Here are the skills covered for the week:

Phonics: short i and final x
Grammar: Naming Parts of Sentences
Vocabulary: Descriptive Words
Comprehension Skill: Realism and Fantasy
Comprehension Strategy: Summarize
Writing Trait: Conventions: Caption, Sentences, & Story Response

We will also enjoy a new spelling list and AMAZING WORDS to enrich our vocabulary to help us learn how people can help animals! Perhaps we'll all grow up to veterinarians!!!

In math, we'll be working on a Problem Solving bulletin board to show how we're working on number relationships and reasoning through our mathematical solutions. Sounds like pretty 'big' stuff, doesn't it. It's all part of our Continuous School Improvement goals here at our school. We'll be collecting data and making different kinds of graphs, then writing about our solutions.

Most of us have adjusted to the later lunch schedule and the water bottles have helped, as well. Please remember to include breakfast in your morning routine.

Progress reports will be forthcoming and all in all, we're looking more and more like a group of 1st graders with our work production elevating each day.

Please send the Spelling folders back to school on Monday, after reviewing the results of the 1st test. I am only 'grading' the spelling word in each of the 12 sentences, but will continue with the dictation, in order to see their progression in wriing high frequency words, and those other words that have predictable spelling patterns that we work on in school.

Keep sending those notes in if your child is going to be picked up at the end of the day. Some of you have given me a note for a longer period of time, and that's great too!

Stay tuned for more news, and keep those kids working on reading their Pig in a Wig poster, the fast-read of the High Frequency Words on the back and the soon to be sent home Story Booklet for the Unit 1 stories. These will be found in their reading bag.

Thanks for all your support! Have a great week, too.

Mrs. Petty

There's a new log-in for Sight Words with Samson!
Click on the new Samson link and you'll find a new directory. USE the class access code: AES1 where it says QUICK LAUNCH CODE. Next it takes you to my home page, then click on your child's 1st initial of their last name, and then click on their initials to guide you to the sights. Both of the Sights: Spelling with Samson and Sight Words with Samson can be accessed this way. Disregard the UN and PW for SSWS from now on.
Hope this doesn't cause too much confusion!

I sent home the Spelling Folders today. You will be able to see how the students performed on their pre-test. We will have our spelling pre-tests on Thursday for the next week's story unit. There will always be 12 words on their test. Please initial in the folder and send back the next day. I will begin scoring their post-tests, also. Our spelling tests will be on Thursday, also. The post test will test all 12 words, but they will be in a dictation sentence format. You will see it when it comes home this Friday. The dictation sentence testing format gives us a chance to see how they are spelling their Sight Words and how their connecting the classroom instruction in phonics and writing conventions in their independent writing efforts. Thank you for assisting your child with further success in reading, writing and spelling!

12-18 September 2010

Welcome Back to a new week in 1st Grade!

We're entering our last pre-assessment week and the first week of on-line homework. Tonight, you'll receive your child's Usernames and Passwords to the 'must-do' homework links listed. The links not being used this week are the PEARSON Reading, Sight Words w/Samson, and IXL Math links. We'll add a few each week, so you're not overwhelmed! Remember to encourage independence in the Reading and any quizzes on the on-line books they may be taking after reading the selection. The RAZ-kids site is set to roll into the next level, after ALL activities are completed in their currently assigned level.

Please begin your child's participation with this LINK this week: (Just click on the link and it takes you to where you need to go). You're also welcome to establish the links on your home computer as favorites for your child's convenience.

RAZ-Kids Reading

For those of you who may not have internet connectivity at this time, the reading bag and the books inside will serve as their only homework for the week. Remember to read with your child, and try the parent prompts and suggestions on the enclosures to the reading bag, addressed to parents.

Some of you may be wondering about some traditional homework, as well. I'll introduce that a bit later in the 9 weeks, after teaching the students 'how' to do their homework at school, including formatting and expectations on 'how it looks' and what to do.

All in all, our 1st two weeks have gone well. We welcomed our last 2 students to our class a week ago today, so all 20 are aboard. Thank you to those parents who have returned the Star of the Week and Parent/Child information forms to school. These are important documents as I plan their 'special week' beginning in November. I will send home a schedule that will indicate your child's week, where they will 'star' as themselves and we become more familiar with their lives up to now.

Please note the P.E. special, as appropriate shoes and clothes for these active class are requested. Ms. P, our P.E. coach really appreciates your attention to this each class period. I'm still encouraging water bottles, as it shortens our line for drinks after active periods of time, especially recess that occurs right after lunch.

As you've probably already noticed, I do not send homework folders home every evening. I will be sending home student artifacts when we pick up the pace of daily, in-school, assignments. These will be coming home in their Wednesday folders weekly. Please sign and return the folder on Thursday. A lot of their daily work will be done in specific folders, and their primary composition book "My Learning Log".

Please watch for their Homework Passwords Card this evening, as you will post this near your computer, for use later. The first few weeks of on-line homework are usually spent with the parents assisting the child on how to access the links and entering UN and PW. It eventually becomes automatic, as they learn to use them on their own. Many thanks to your support during this transition time.

Have a wonderful week, and I look forward to beginning guided reading next week, where your child will receive reading instruction based on their personal independent and instructional level of reading. Please begin using the reading bags tonight and signing the Reading log and reading the information enclosed in their colored book bag. PLEASE return all books and enclosures in the bag to school everyday, as we use them each morning for SSR (Sustained Silent Reading)! It's best to read 'with' your child and then return them (in the colored bag) to their backpack immediately afterward. Then ,they're never left behind at home.

More to come............Thanks for all your support!
Have a wonderful week.

Mrs. Petty

4 September 2010

Week's Special Schedule:
Tuesday: Host Nation
Wednesday: Art
Thursday: Host Nation
Friday: P.E.

A huge 'thank you' to all the parents and other family members who attended our Open House on Friday afternoon! It was a pleasure to meet the Most Important People in my students' lives. Wouldn't you agree that your child was a most amazing tour guide?

First Grade is magical and one that begins their journey to independence and greater learning with scaffolded success. We have 20 students who've begun to form a community of learners with great expectations and group norms that allow all of us to progress. It should be a great year together.

This blog serves as the communication for our classroom. My weekly post will occur, most weekends, and will contain important information about the internal workings of our classroom. You will also assist your child in the first weeks with accessing their homework by using the links listed on this page. Soon, I will send home all their usernames and passwords in order that you can get started. Students will also have some written homework scheduled during the week by using their "Reader's Response Log". Directions for that homework will be sent home in the reading bag.

All of the above will occur after we attend the Parent Orientation meeting at 3 p.m., on this Wednesday, the 8th of September in our AES classroom, E-89. Plan on about an hour, where we'll review the academic expectations, class procedures, homework instructions, and answer any questions that may come up. I will also review the specialists' schedules, so that you understand when P.E. is. Please remember to dress your child with appropriate clothing for movement and activity on that day. The correct
shoes are important for safety and success on P.E. day!

This week we will complete the pre-assessments for reading and math. Most of these are administered on a 1 to 1 basis, so you can understand why it takes a few days! These assessments give us an individualized starting point for learning and will allow for more formative instruction, progress and evaluation when meeting grade level benchmarks.

Once again, I'm very happy to have your child in my class.

Please get your Scholastic Book Orders completed, save those Box Tops for Education (you can send them in by just trimming and placing them in a zip-loc. May I please encourage all families to join the PTA at our school? For a minimal, $5 membership, we receive amazing support from this organization and it builds our school community, as well.

I am also looking for a parent (sponsor or dependent) to serve on the Continuous School Improvement this year. This involves representing yourself as a stakeholder in the academic progress of all students. We need your voice. I'd even love to see parents (mom & dad) share in this responsibility as a team. It makes it easier if we have two to work together, when one is not able to attend. There are a few meetings and we'd love to have your expertise, opinion, and feedback throughout the year. Please let me know if your interested and I'll send your names forward to the CSI Co-Chairs. Get on Board!

In closing, I have to say that this school year had the most efficient beginning of any school I've taught at. We have amazing, supportive administrators, and wonderful support professionals. When you walk into our school, you'll see order, learning, and an environment that supports teachers, individual students and meets the needs of everyone in our AES community. Thanks for being a part of it with us!

Let's have a great week this week. See you on Wednesday at 3 o'clock in our classroom. Remember that we have limited space.

P.S. If your child is being picked up or you have a change with how your student departs from school, is absent due to a family trip, medical/dental appt, etc. you are required to send a note to the teacher. This helps our attendance remain accurate. If your child only 'says' that they are to go home another way than their bus or AYP, but I don't have a note, they will be delivered to the bus at departure time. Thank you for your attention to this.

Mrs. Petty

3 September 2010
1st POST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

Don't forget this date:

Friday, September 3rd:
Open House-1:30 in the Gym with administration, then....
1:45 in our 1st Grade classroom, and then tour the other classrooms your child attends throughout the year.

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 my 1st grade, yes I am!
Oh, I'm off to my 1st grade, yes I am!
Oh, I'm off to my 1st grade,oh I'm off to my 1st grade,
Oh, I'm off to my 1st grade, yes I am!
And I won't be in kindergarten any more.
Oh, I won't be in kindergarten any more.
Oh, I won't be in kindergarten, I won't be in kindergarten,
Oh, I won't be in kindergarten any more!


Well, we made it! First Grade has officially begun and their are learning curves ahead on the highway to success. Please follow the schedule below for maneuvering through our on-line homework.

Monday: Pearson Reading Homework
Tuesday: Sight Words With Samson
Wednesday: Spelling City
Thursday: RAZ-Kids Reading & IXL Math
Fri/Sat: Free Choice

If you have difficulty with home access to the internet, please remember to complete your Reader's Response Log AFTER reading your books in your READING BAG. All students should be responding in writing/drawing/coloring/reading and follow the guidelines inside the front cover of your Response Log.ROOM

CLASSROOM PARENT ORIENTATION!!!

Thank you for your attendance at Open House, and don't forget to come to parent orientation on Wednesday, September 8th, at 3 p.m. Parents, we'll see you in the classroom that afternoon.

Mrs. Petty
1st grade teacher
Aviano Elementary School

!

7-13 June 2010

14 June-Monday: FLAG DAY--Wear red, white, and blue!
17 June-Thursday-Last 1/2 day of school!! Dismissal: 11:15
20 June-Sunday-Father's Day!!
21 June-Monday-1st Day of Summer!! Don't forget to visit the base library once a week!

We're down to our last 8.5 days of school. If you notice, we're also counting down to the first day of summer on 21 June. If you haven't done so already, please visit the post library and register your child for the Summer Reading Program and activities. The Base Library always does a fantastic job and it's something to add to your weekly plate. Reading Lists will be sent home to your e-mail account, so please write me a message to this address: elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu , so I know exactly what e-mail address to use for you. Just place this in the subject bar: Summer Reading Books List.

Please continue sending in a bottle of water for your child this week. The weather has warmed up and they still need hydration. They'll be keeping their water bottle at their desk, so fill it up every day. Thank you for helping with this. It made a huge difference in interruptions and general comfort with little drinks throughout the day.

The extra pencils have been so helpful. Please send in sharpened pencils, if you're able. All our supplies are looking pretty rough, but with so few days that are left, we'll be using what we've got to the end.

We're finishing up our consumable math chapters, reading out of the new Reading Series in the last unit of the year, taking Reading Counts tests and nearing 700 class points as a total, and cleaning up our Language Arts folders, and completing end of year assessments. It's a busy time and so much of it takes some individual assessment time with each student. We were the 1st class to return ALL student library books. Thank you so much. The students are not happy with the end of checking out books from the information center. TIME TO GET THEM A LIBRARY CARD!! I am still waiting on one library book to be returned that someone used from the classroom: Chester Please check around the house and send them in if you see it. It belongs to the school library. Thank you so much.

Continue to visit the links on the right and enjoy the last few days. Don't forget the water bottles and the hunt for the sole library book, Chester. Also, encourage good work habits and staying on task these last few days!

Have a wonderful week.

Mrs. Petty

23-30 May 2010

IMPORTANT DATES:

31 May-Monday-Memorial Day - No School - Federal Holiday
1 June-Tuesday-NO HOMEWORK DAY-Incentive/Reward for READ for the GOLD
14 June-Monday: FLAG DAY--Wear red, white, and blue!
17 June-Thursday-Last 1/2 day of school!! Dismissal: 11:15
20 June-Sunday-Father's Day!!
21 June-Monday-1st Day of Summer!!

Thanks a million for the great parent turn-out for the Field Day Events. My students' parents are the BEST!!

Thank you to all 13 Parent Chaperons for making our Study trip at Gulliverlandia a success. The weather cooperated and fun and learning was had by all. We'll return to school in the morning and work on our unfinished reading unit, among other activities, then participate in Field Day on the grassy area across from the chapel. We have 2 parent volunteers who will help manage an event, and we'll see them during our rotation. We're hoping for sunshine again, of course. Good luck to the Home Team! Come dressed appropriately and wear shoes that fit well; and NO sandals.

We have several students who will PCS with families this summer: Good-by to Marcus, Destany, Analena, and Carter! They're all excellent friends and students, so we all know that they'll meet new friends in the near future.

Keep on Reading those take-home books in the Reading Bag. We're trying to make 1,000 Reading Counts points before school lets out for the summer. We're currently at 629. We've set our goal high and we all think we can do it.

Watch our new ticker that shows how many days until summer break begins!

I'll give each student their final reading assessment in the next 2 weeks, and we'll work to the end of the year and review everything we've learned this year. We've come a long, long, way!

Have a great week!

Mrs. Petty

16-22 May 2010

STUDY TRIP UPDATE-Be at school on Friday, 21 May NLT 8:15-Please check the last paragraph of this post for further instructions about the trip.

Buses DEPART @ 8:30 so make certain you secure a parking place at the school if you ride the bus. Your entry fee is 10 Euro. If you haven't already paid, please pay before leaving the school.

I sent a letter home to all interested parents concerning the study trip today. We have several parents who are going to chaperon on this trip. We are sharing a bus with another class and the bus has 55 seats. Some will be driving, and teachers have decided that if you choose to drive (follow the bus), you are welcome to take your child home with you at the end of the day. Because we return so late (right before the buses), you can depart Gulliverlandia with your child as long as you let us know of your plans.

IMPORTANT DATES
20 May-Thursday-SPELLING TEST-Visit Spelling City for extra practice--
21 May-Friday-Study Trip to Gulliverlandia! Send in 10 Euro, if you haven't already.
24 May-Monday-Field Day 12-2:15 p.m. Bring a water bottle-Hoping for sun!
31 May-Monday-Memorial Day - No School - Federal Holiday
1 June-Tuesday-NO HOMEWORK DAY-Incentive/Reward for READ for the GOLD
17 June-Thursday-Last 1/2 day of school!! Dismissal: 11:15

Welcome to a new week. We've got a bad case of Spring Fever! Even the specialists have noticed their activity and talking level has increased over the last two weeks. Please talk to your child about working and cooperating to the last day of the year. Cooperation and improved citizenship is always highly encouraged. Thank you so much.

Last call for AES Yearbook order Pre-sales on Monday. I'll let you know what the rainy day policy is on the Gulliverlandia trip. I am still awaiting permission slips and Euro from a few of you. The chaperone situation will also be resolved by Wednesday and I'll inform parents who are going. Hopefully, everyone will come along. Thank you for your efforts to come with us.


Our new reading series is fun, and challenging. We're all enjoying the change in our work efforts and the new stories. This week we'll begin the last 3 stories, which are all non-fiction selections. This week's story is Simple Machines with science content! We are also taking our story tests on the computer, as the assignments and assessments can be completed on-line. Your child can go to www.kz.com and sign in using their UN and PW. They are welcome to sign-in and read their on line textbook, if they like. DO NOT complete any tests or assessments at home. We'll do all of those at school. It's really amazing, and the nice thing for me, is that they score the tests, as well. I'll place the link on this post, so watch for the READING STREETS link. Parents, you can also check your student's progress on line by clicking on the Parents link on the toolbar when your child signs in. Help you student explore the Taking it to the Net activities for Unit 5 also! There are 2 resources available to them: 1. Student Edition with stories, and Takin' it to the Net web/reading activities. We're all on the learning curve!

We just completed our final Math Assessment for measured growth with the Continuous School Improvement plan for our Grade Level. It measured each student's ability to use their problem solving skills in math. I was pleased with the overall results for the year. Please allow them to work on math skills over the summer. I will include summer links to math jobs, and invite you to utilize the IXL math web-site throughout the summer, as well.

Don't forget the field trip on Friday. Send your child to school with appropriate clothing and shoes for the day. They may bring their ALL-DISPOSABLE lunch with them in their backpack and will need to carry it with them at all times. Please do not send bags or paper sacks to carry, or plastic containers of food, as they break and/or leak. Spending money is allowed, as well, so tuck it in a zipper pocket, or a zip-loc bag.

Have a great week and check out Spelling City!

Mrs. Petty

9-15 May 2010

Important Future Dates:
14 May-Friday-No School for Students
16 May-Yearbook Pre-Sales Deadline- $20 (Best Price!) Place in envelope, please :-)
21 May-Friday-Study Trip to Gulliverlandia! Send in 10 Euro, if you haven't already.
24 May-Monday-Field Day 12-2:15 p.m.
31 May-Monday-Memorail Day - No School - Federal Holiday
1 June-Tuesday-NO HOMEWORK DAY-Incentive/Reward for READ for the GOLD
17 June-Thursday-Last 1/2 day of school!! Dismissal: 11:15

Thank you for the many gifts and thoughtful acts during Teacher Appreciation Week!
It is MY pleasure to teach your child!!! Thank you for the opportunity!

Please send in your Euro for our Study Trip to Gulliverlandia. I have submitted all the names for the chaperons and we had over 6 of you want to go. We'll see if we get more than 6 seats for chaperons. If not, I'll inform you whether or not you were among the first 6 to commit. So sorry it came down to this for selection.

As you already know, we're using the newly adopted Reading/Language Arts curriculum throughout the rest of the year. The transition has been seamless and I'm impressed at the students' flexibilities in new reading material. We call this 'transfer' in the learning world. Can students take what they know already and apply it to new learning situations and materials. I'm pleased at their ability to show this. Please continue reading the book(s) nightly and on the weekend through the end of the year. I am requiring everyone to take a minimum of 1 Reading Counts test each day. More than one daily is even better. We're closing in on 200 class points and almost 200,000 words read. Expect more and watch progression still occur.

Students are still visiting the Cool School part of the cafeteria, but we've had our problems lately. Many students are purchasing their lunch tray, but throwing away food in order to get to the Cool School and purchase extra items. Please encourage one or the other, the tray lunch OR the Cool School menu. There is not enough time to eat both during our lunch time.

I'm trying to give 'new life' to our homework links by researching some new sites. Continue with the current ones and remember that these links will be available to you over the summer, even if you're PCS-ing! RAZ-kids, IXL Math, and Sight Words w/Samson will remain as the flagships over the summer, as well. I am expecting your student to complete, entirely, ALL 28 lists on Sight Words with Samson by the end of May. In early June, I'll clear the results from the year, and enable your student to repeat all lists and their activities during the summer as extra practice on the high-frequency words lists.

May I encourage you all to visit the Base Library and enroll your child in the Summer Reading Program. They are such great readers now and I'll be sending home a list, electronically, so you can help your child select appropriate books that match their level of reading, which includes some library titles. The weekly events are always amazing, the culminating activity at the end of the summer, so fun......and it helps your child to avoid summer reading loss. I'll also include some math web-sites so that they don't show any loss in mathematics over the summer. Encouraging learning over the summer is especially helpful to students as they prepare for the next year's learning experience.

Mrs. Petty

25 April-4 May 2010

NO WEEKLY SPELLING ASSESSMENT THIS WEEK! :0)

Well, thank you for your extended patience during the next 10 days. I'll be attending our youngest son's wedding in the U.S., leaving on
Wednesday and my return will occur on Tuesday, 4 May. I'll have a reliable substitute and things will be just fine. I do hate not being at school for that long, though. It is such a happy time for our family and we're so thrilled that airflights are pretty much on schedule now.

I'll be sending blue folders home with a new Study Trip permission slip to Gulliverlandia. On the back of the note, you'll be able to read about this amazing trip. I am encouraging, once again, everyone to pack a picnic lunch with ALL disposable contents (no thermos, plastic ware, or lunch boxes). Backpacks are a must and also an extra small bottle of water, in case it's hot. They are welcome to bring spending money, but will have to be responsible to carry it and spend it wisely with the help of the chaperone assigned to the group. We will return to school before the buses departure time. The trip is a bus trip and is scheduled to depart on Friday, 21st of May @ 8:20. There will be only 6 chaperones able to attend this trip, so get your slips/Euro returned, if you're interested in accompanying us on this excursion. First come, first served!!

I am very happy with student achievement and work habits at this point in time. I'm expecting more, as they are so capable and ready for continued learning. Please get back to using the on-line activities for their homework, and especially re-visit the place value exercises on IXL Math. Our class just exceeded 200 hours of work over the past year on IXL. That's an average of almost 12 hours for each student. For those of you who have computer access, thank you so much for keeping up the good work. Each student benefits from the 100% active learning that encourages independence from participating. Our end-of-year school 1st grade math assessment will be administered in 2 weeks to each student. This is to help measure our progress in math problem solving, which is central to our Comprehensive Student Improvement Goals. Yeah!!!

We will also be reviewing and revisiting bus safety rules and hope that we show our safety skills in our new bus parking/pick-up lot. If you pick up your student from school, it's impertative to arrive early, as the pick-up/parking zones have changed. SAFETY FIRST!

Keep on READING the books in your child's Reading Bag! (or should I say, have your child keep on reading them :o)--I'll begin giving their last Reading Assessment on 25 May and continue to the 17th student through the 11th of June. These scores will be recorded in their permanent reading file and move with them to 2nd grade.

Once again, we're glad that spring has finally arrived with all the sunshine and beauty. The mountain view from the playground is magnificent! Aren't we fortunate to live in such a wonderful place?

One more thing........all of you who have recently seen a family member deployed, our thoughts are with you during this time of separation. Please know that I'm here to talk to you about things, if you like..........and I'll keep your child in mind, especially during this time.

Mrs. Petty

19-25 April 2010

Welcome Back from Spring Break!
Most of us were able to return safely without delays, but we're still waiting on the Chavez family to arrive! I apologize about this delayed posting. First of all, I will not be holding any conferences on Friday, as I will not be in school that day. Report cards will be sent home on Thursday and the class and individual results were outstanding. I am also enclosing a note concerning assessment results. I have already held a few telephone conferences. If anyone would like to meet after Tuesday, 4 May, please indicate on the note enclosed in the report card envelope when you return it with your signature. Wish me luck to attend my son's wedding in the U.S. during the 28 April-4 May!

DODDS schools recently adopted a new reading program, and we're 'trying it out' during this last quarter. It is rich in comprehension, phonics, and vocabulary development. All the students began using some of the components on Monday and we're reading our way through the last Unit of the 1st grade series. This will be fully implemented next year, so if your child is returning to AES, you'll hear more about the READING STREET program. Our spelling has changed and the new word list was sent home in their reading bag on Monday/Tuesday. We already took a pre-test and we have 4 students exempt from taking the test on Thursday! The use of spelling city, is no longer required because of this change.

Continue using the reading bag for assisting your child in scoring a bank of points on quizzes (10 multiple choice questions), where they have to get a minimum of 7/10 to earn a point for each book. We have introduced chapter books into our reading as well. I've encouraged the students to 'get back' on the computer with RAZ-kids and IXL Math, as well. Let's give this last push through to the end of the year on June 17th. You will have access to the web-sites over the summer, as well. Even if you're PCS-ing, your student will be able to avoid summer reading and math loss to help them retain what they've accomplished in 1st grade, therefore, arriving in their 2nd grade class on grade level and ready to learn.

Thank you so much, for all your help and concern throughout the year. We're collecting sidewalk chalk, bubbles, and great work and attitudes through the end of the year. Please remember to sign and return the enclosed papers in your report card envelope and return NLT Tuesday morning, 27th April.

Our question of the day each morning is: What can your child do ON THEIR OWN now that it's the last quarter. This is the true test as to what they'll take with them. We are working on being problem solvers, instead of problem-makers, also. We're still on the learning curve, so keep on working on homework, reading books, writing in the journal 2-3 times a week, and visiting the web-sites as often as possible.

Mrs. Petty

3-18 April 2010

NO SPELLING LIST THIS WEEK!!


I'm posting early for the last week of school before Spring Recess. It will be a 3-day week with Monday 5 April a Teacher Inservice Day with no students and Friday, 9 April as a Teacher Work Day for the end of quarter report cards. School will be held on Tuesday(6th), Wednesday (7th), and Thursday (8th) only. Spring Recess schedule is NO school from 9-18 April. Have a wonderful up-coming break and keep reading and writing over the break. This is also a great time to catch up on your MUST DO homework links: IXL Math, RAZ-kids Reading, Sight Words with Samson, and Spelling City. Thanks for carrying through with continued efforts on school work at home.

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Our Study Trip was amazing. I had my worries, but all of them were diminished during the beautiful morning bus ride to the farm and the wonderful time which was had by all. The students became masters at pasta making and learned the art and science of using an egg and deliciously fresh-ground flours to hand-make the dough for their specialities. The farm provided an excellent opportunity for them to explore the outdoors and notice the signs of spring, interact with the many farm animals, and design dandelion (and a few daffodil (whoops!) bouquets. They sampled fresh wheat grains that were used in the making of the flour and had a picnic that put our cafeteria ambiance to shame. Thank you to the many moms that accompanied us and made the trip so memorable. Hats off to Mrs. Littleton, Mrs. Chavez, Mrs. Valdez, Mrs. Albert, Mrs. Boyd, and Mrs. Fraga. We lost a few coats, but will more than likely get them back from our wonderful Italian hostesses at the farm very soon.

Keep working on learning and the links provided for spring activities.
Sure hope you enjoy the slide show! Happy Spring and we'll see you back on Monday, the 19th of April.

Until then,
Mrs. Petty

27 March-2 April 2010

IMPORTANT Dates:
Wednesday: 31 March Class Pictures 9:30 Bring your smiles!

Thursday: 1 April Spring Farm Study Trip Bring your healthy 'sack' lunch in all disposable packaging and a water bottle with your name on it. We'll picnic, observe the plants and animals on the farm in the spring and watch a demonstration on making tagliatelle with the chicken's eggs! If you're interested in purchasing a bag of the pasta, just write me @ elizabeth.petty@eu.dodea.edu. Don't be late, because the bus will depart @ 8:30 or shortly after. Backpacks are allowed, but know that the students will have to carry their own load. Wear appropriate shoes and clothing, please. Hope for a sunshiny day--

5 April: No School for Students: Teacher Inservice Day; Beginning Blends Project can be handed in during the dates of 5-20 April. I'm excited to see their completion.

9-18 April: Spring Recess

19 April: Return to school for 4th quarter

Some of you are probably wondering what homework to do when. There is definitely not a lack of activities to choose from. Among them: reading for our gold medal (15 minutes a day), recording our thoughts about a book in our Reader's Response Log (2-3 times/week), on-line activities (RAZ-kids reading, IXL Math, Sight Words with Samson, and Spelling City), or some of the work that needs to be completed from our daily schedule that didn't quite get finished. Most of you are doing a magnificent job with balance. We're working hard during the day at school, as I try to 'sew-up' much needed review/extra practice, and introduce new skills they're reading to tackle. The greatest need at this time of year is to do SOMETHING EVERYDAY. Reading is a must, but then just add one more item on your child's daily homework menu, and that will do. I am happy about students who recently read as I recorded their reading for the 3rd quarter. Most students are on track for finishing the year at or above level in reading. Thank you so much for all you do. Your child's success is vital to their transition to 2nd grade.

Many parents have contributed their time to the classroom as a volunteer this year. Even though I could be much more organized for their arrival, their time and patience has made a difference in what I've been able to accomplish. There's always work to do, so a big THANK YOU to those of you who've helped throughout the year.

Lastly, I am a really valuing great work habits and independence with appropriate work habits this last part of the year. My high expectations continue with the development of a good work ethic, choosing the right and encouraging students to always do their best. Lifelong learners' qualities include many things and I am aware that they take this skills with them throughout the remaining years of their education and days of future work endeavors. Thank you for all your support in encouraging the same standard at home.

Best wishes for a sunny week!
Mrs. Petty

21-28 March 2010

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NEWSFLASH: Wednesday, 31 March, Class Pictures at 9:15 a.m.-Come w/your smile!

Our upside-down week wasn't so bad! We were a supportive class to the 3rd-5th grade students who tested every morning from 8:20-11:00. We had our specials in the morning and did a great job working hard. I had to turn down the talking and get back on task with learning throughout all periods of the day. We are working continually on staying on task, utilizing our time wisely, and using supplies appropriately.

Continue to encourage the use of the Go for the Gold Reading Olympics Reading Logs. We've increased our abundance of Reading Counts quizzes/points, and we're continuing to count books read, minutes read, and reading counts points as a cumulative total. Thanks for signing the logs daily to keep our 'up to date' points total. Our goal is to earn a gold medal by having each student read a minimum of 75 minutes at home per week. That's 15 minutes a day, which is a reasonable demand for the 3 books that they bring home from our class library.

Many thanks to the parents who signed up to accompany us on our first Bus Study Trip to the Farm in Springtime. Can't wait to see how tagliatelle is made and finally enjoy a picnic together. Remember, we'll depart shortly after our arrival at school on Thursday, 1 April, and spend most of the day at the farm enjoying the spring weather and sights on the farm. Send in your Euro and Study Trip Permission slip as soon as possible. Thank you for your attention to this.

We're working on our end of 3rd quarter assessments in Reading, Writing & Math. The students are working independently on most assignments now and show continued improvement toward readiness for the expectations of 2nd graders. Keep up the on-line homework, the reader's response logs, and reading of books and/or on-line books so our minutes read can grow into Gold Medals.

Ask you student if they need any replacement supplies. We are especially low on sharpened pencils, glue sticks, and new kinds of fun things to use when completing coloring tasks at school. One family has furnished our class with an entire box of new glue sticks, and they have really come in handy. We're also going to be planting some flower boxes outside our room in the window sills. If you have any fresh planting soil, plastic window boxes, gravel and bedding plants, we'd be glad to take them off your hands to watch our 'garden' grow! We've had fun with sidewalk chalk and most of us made a self-portrait during our long-awaited, but hard earned extra 15-minute recess. Looking forward to the treasures you'll donate, perhaps?

Thank you so much for all the support this year. I will push them academically and behaviorally throughout the rest of the year and hope that the summer months shows the continuation of work with the on-line programs on this blog. A little too soon to talk about the summer, but learning will continue, if you encourage it in between swimming and family trips. What a great year we've had so far.

Remember that Spring Recess dates are: 9 April-18 April!!

Mrs. Petty

14-20 March 2010

Important Events:
3rd Qtr. Home/Family Project Assignment: Beginning Blends Poster
Tues., 16 March: Study Trip to Aviano Market: 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Wed., 17 March: Wearin' of the Green-St. Patrick's Day
Sat., 20 March: First Day of Spring!
Sun., 28 March: European Daylight Savings: Spring Forward!
Thurs., 8 April: End of 3rd Qtr.
Spring Recess: 9-18 April

Our walking Study Trip will occur on Tuesday, 16th of March. If you're chaperoning (thank you so much!), please arrive NLT 10:00. We will depart the classroom shortly after that with our teams. This is a great opportunity to use our Italian and enjoy the open air market of Aviano. We'll also dine, once again, at Casa Bianca, for a pizza or pasta lunch and return to school @ 12:30. If there is inclement weather, including rain, we will cancel this time. Often times the market has limited kiosks, if the weather doesn't cooperate. If there is a question, please call the school office for updated information. Get those walking shoes on and we'll head out!

We enjoyed TWO, yes 2-popcorn parties on Friday. One for our class' efforts with Box Tops collections for last month (Thanks, PTA!), and another for earning enough class cooperation STARS in Art! Way to go, CLASS.

Continue signing the Go for the Gold Reading Logs. Our class goal is 15 minutes a day, every day of the week. You can count, the books in the reading bag, RAZ-kids reading on the computer, and/or reading TO your child. You can list the book titles, minutes read, and I'll fill in the reading counts equivalance points.

Please step up the IXL Math use. Our class is gaining recognition for mastery of 1st Grade skills, however, we're a bit off on overall percentage of mastery at only 25%. A few students have amazing results and the time spent only prepares them for expectations in 2nd grade.

Use the links on the right side of the post, and enjoy your start on the 3rd quarter Home/Family Beginning Blends Project.

Let's have a great week!
Mrs. Petty

7-13 March 2010

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Our class won the Grade Level Popcorn Party for February! We'll have fresh popcorn delivered to our class on Friday. Keep on savin' those BOX TOPS!! Thank you---

Blustery March has begun and we've had snow, rain, wind, and sun all in a matter of the first five school days. Keep sending in those jackets!

We've begun our "Go for the Gold" Reading Challenge. The new reading log was sent home in your child's Reading Bag yesterday. Please record reading activity daily, as we'll total the progress and compete for our gold medals throughout the next 5 weeks. Here is the benchmark information to meet your child's goal(s) for the week:

1st Grade Goals:
50 minutes/week, and/or 10 books/week, and/or 2 Reading Count points per week

You can choose any or all of these options when recording your child's work on the new reading log.

Of course, winning medals is fun, but this helps to solidify progress in reading and supports fluent, automatic reading of books with expression and phrasing. We're also working toward the end-of-year benchmark of Guided Reading Level I/Developmental Reading Assessment Level 18. This is the mark for which 1st graders are considered 'on grade level' at year's end. Many will exceed this mark. I'm so appreciative of the home reading program support you've offered to your child throughout this year. Between the books sent home, the on-line access to e-books, and the library books for read to purposes, they've progressed nicely up to this point. Keep the habit of reading alive in your home! Thank you so much--

I'm making one last call for all Study Trip Permission slips on Monday. I am required to submit all chaperone names and info for security reasons and look forward to having all students paid, slips submitted, and ready to go. We'll hope for sun, and then some more sun. We're headed for another lengthy walk, but it's good for us, right? :-)

The completion of the reader's response logs are also encouraged 2-3 times a week. I have adjusted my promise to respond to their logs to once a week. Between the writing process editing and final copy work, the time slips away. I have 5 students who are doing such a great job on this additional homework assignment. Please ask your student where their log is. It should be kept in their Reading Bag with their books.

Some students have received 100% on their recent High Frequency word test. This means that they are able to read the four rows of 25 words quickly, and without error. This makes such a difference in their comprehension of story and rate (fluency) of reading their leveled stories. Please keep reading those flashcards and if you're still waiting on making them, do it this week. We still have enough time to make a difference for the end of year progress measures.

We had a wonderful visit from our new assistant principal, Mrs. Murray, about safety concerns in and outside of the building. The students were very respectful and great listeners for her presentation. Now we're working on implementing her requests through our actions while at school. Places to be extra careful: playground, stairways,halls, and cafeteria. Ask your child about all the items she had to talk to us about.

Continue with the on-line links. The students are now quite amazing logging in with their many usernames and passwords to the RAZ-kids, IXL Math, Sight Words w/Samson, and Spelling City sites. The skills included on these sites offer a vast amount of extra practice in the many math, reading and spelling skills needed to become effective 2nd graders next year.

Once again, thank you for all you do. Have a wonderful week.

Mrs. Petty

28 February-7 March 2010

WELCOME HOME, Cody's Dad!!!

Our SUN dance is beginning to work and the students are looking forward to finally getting to actually use their extra recess minutes earned throughout the long winter. Little do they know, they'll be taking their work with them outside for some of the time. We REALLY need to soak up some Vitamin D, but we also have more to learn. Please continue to send them with, at least, a light jacket for the cooler days.

Tuesday of this week is Read Across America Day. This is a day that we observe Dr. Suess' birthday (better known as Theodore Giesell). Thank you for sharing your I Can Read and Dr. Suess books for the week. Ms. Hoff's 2nd graders will join us in the morning as we begin counting 'minutes read' for the month. Your child's reading bag will contain a new reading log to reflect time read daily, so count up the minutes of reading bag books, and RAZ-kids books/quizzes read. This comes at a great time, in that, we all want our readers' success throughout the school to increase before the end of the 3rd quarter. Please have fun with your child during this time. You are allowed to count the minutes that Dad, Mom and siblings READ TO your child as well. PLEASE fill out the form daily, and we'll count up the minutes for all students in the morning. The students will also use timers to track their minutes in school. How exciting.

Our next walking study trip will be on Tuesday, 16 March, to the Aviano Open Air Market, and lunch at Casa Bianco Restaurant. Please sign the permission slip in your child's blue homework folder and return with the Euro with a name on the zip-loc bag. Your help with the chaperoning is very appreciated. Students will be allowed to purchase something at the market, if they have Euro with them on that day, also. I will not be keeping the money for them on that day, so try placing it in their backpack in a secure location that they can access during the morning. We'll depart the school NLT 10:00 a.m., head to the market and depart for lunch at the restaurant by noon, and return to school NLT 1:15 p.m.

We're working on writing, with an emphasis on mechanics, super sentences, and amazing words, to increase interest and overall writing standards. We finished a rough draft of 'Things I Do at School' and most students were able to generate over 10 sentences without delay, or further prompts after we filled in a graphic organizer with every one's ideas. We'll work on editing, and publishing to our final draft this coming week. I find that I'm always amazed at what they can do, even in the first draft. Your support with the Reader's Response Journal has made a difference, so thank you for all the help. If you haven't begun this 2-3 times a week, please do so.

FINAL THOUGHTS: At this time of year, I am encouraging independence in work habits, reading, writing, and overall choices students make throughout the day. I am also encouraging good choices as they maneuver their way through thinking before acting. At the end of the year, come mid-June, I will base my success on this measure: What can students DO ON THEIR OWN? You, as parents, are partners in this. Please assist in Reading, Writing, and Math through using the links from now until the end of the year. I want to increase their success and independence. They're doing such a great job!

Have a great week.

Mrs. Petty

21-27 February 2010

Make a Smilebox free slideshow design

Our SUN dance didn't work very well, but we had an informative and great experience at the traditional Pizzeria of DeGiorgio's on Friday. We missed you, Sean! Not a bad time for their first Culinary School of the Arts as 1st Graders! Thank you to: Mrs. McHugh, Mr. & Mrs. Fraga, Mr. & Mrs. Chavez, Mrs. Valdez, Mrs. Philpott, & Mrs. Littleton for the superb chaperoning. We couldn't have done it without you. We did have to wear stocking feet to Art after our return, because of our rain-filled shoes.
Our next Study Trips will be to the Aviano market and a farm where we will learn the art of making a favorite pasta in Italy, tagliatelle, with the eggs layed by the chickens at the farm. More details will follow soon.

We've spent time with the math skills of telling time,and working on understanding fractions. Our work will continue through the end of the year with these skills. Please add these two skills to your IXL menu of choices.

We'll be participating in Dr. Suess-READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY on Tuesday, 2 March. The cafeteria will be serving the traditional Green Eggs and Ham for lunch that day. In our principal's latest Weekly Update, please pay particular attention to the details about how the Cool School, and entree choices/prices/accounts work. She also states that the menu for 1st graders will be the same as the 2nd-5th grades. Menus are always subject to change, depending on availability of supplies.

Please go through your Dr. Suess books at home, label them with your family name inside the front cover, and bring them to school. We'll spend a good part of the morning reading his books and enjoying "Read to Someone" on this special day. Thanks for your support in letting us share books. We promise to take care of them!

Continue with the MUST DO links on the right side of the weekly posting on the blog. Top Items: Reading fluently, with use of great strategies when coming to an unknown word, solving math problems with different operations using the many different strategies introduced this last month, & weaning ourselves off our fingers! Cooperation and attention to following classroom procedures and rules are also elements that produce a positive classroom environment.

We're looking forward to springtime, when we can take our learning and working outside in the sunlight and warmth.

Enjoy the slideshow!

Mrs. Petty

15-21 February 2010

STUDY TRIP UPDATE!

Friday, 19 February 2010
Parent Chaperones' Arrival at school at 9:55
Depart School at 10:05 with assigned Students
Destination: Degiorgio's Spaghetti House/Pizzeria
Arrive NLT 11:00/Depart Pizzeria @ 12:30-45
WALKING Study Trip/Aviano
SAFETY FIRST!!!!
Weather Prediction for Pordenone Area:
MOSTLY CLOUDLY
Hoping for Sunshine!

What a week! Between the 100th day of school extravaganza and our Valentine Exchange on Friday, we even fit in a newly designed bulletin board on solving story problems each of the student's composed. We're not finished and will create a new border, add to the already 'fine' finished creations and add a few more displays as we go through the month of February.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thanks to the many parents who, once again, made all of these activities a success. We're working hard on our classwork throughout the day, in order to continue learning new language arts and math skills. For those parents who've volunteered to chaperone on our 2nd Study Trip to the Spaghetti House Pizzeria on Friday, 19 February. We'll be walking and hoping for fair weather, as our last to Stradella's we were rained out, but still enjoyed the wet day and delicious cake a few months ago. This time, students will help with the making of each individual pizza and dine in the restaurant before departing! Sounds like a great, memorable trip! Who knows, maybe some of our students will own a pizzeria someday!


We've had a few concerns in the cafeteria. BEGINNING this week: 1st grade students will have the SAME cafeteria menu as our Grade 2-6 students. Please review the Elementary menu with your 1st grader
AT: ( http://odin.aafes.com/nutrition/08/menus/elm_feb.pdf )so they are aware of the lunch options and you can check for any potential allergies. Please have your students refrain from sharing their food, or buying other items for students. We do have some students with allergies, and I'd hate to have an incident with our class in the cafeteria. Our cafeteria manager faces challenges with deliveries of needed items for some of the menu items, at times. Your understanding is very appreciated. He always finds a way to use what he has and make the best of things, when it occurs. Please review the weekly/daily menus sent home via our principal, Mrs. Hiyama. Some students will not eat certain items, and there are some items that are not being eaten. You're always welcome to send in a bag lunch, if needed.

We have welcomed our new Assistant Principal, Mrs. Cindy Murray. She comes with vast administrative experience and the students have been officially introduced to her, when she visited us this past week. Please say hello to her when you see her around the building.

Please continue with our homework web-sites, and their Reading Response Logs after reading books from their Reading Bag, or on RAZ-Kids Reading web-site. Students are also encouraged to write a story about a family member, create a new story when using their imagination, or write a poem. I've been so pleased with what I've see and I have about half of the students write in their logs 2-3 or more times a week. I'm seeing great work, illustrations, and neat writing. Their sentences are very interesting and their story summaries are amazing. I have wonderful parents, who value seeing their child progress in this area. Thank you so much! Your child is required to exchange their own books and make certain they have new ones to read nightly. Most of the students have also begun taking quizzes on the books they bring home from our new Guided Reading Library. When listening to your child read, please value, phrasing, expression, fluency and stop and check for understanding when turning pages.

I'll be giving an update on the Study Trip on Wednesday on this blog post, so that we touch base one more time before Friday's departure. Let's do a SUN-dance, so that our walk is enjoyable.

Looking forward to another progressive week with everyone!

Mrs. Petty

7-13 February 2010

Welcome to our new week. Report cards were sent home to those students who were present at school on Thursday. If you have any questions about anything, I'm always available to speak with you. I look forward to the selected conferences on Monday, 8 February. I hope to remain on schedule, so as not to inconvenience anyone.

I was pleased as some of the student's 100 Days Bottle Project were delivered to school this past week. We're all excited about the "GRAND OPENING" scheduled for a few bottles each day this coming week. From Tuesday-Friday, we'll open 4 bottles a day and guess the contents based on the bottle clues. Thank you, once again, for making it possible to have these fun learning activities made at home. Bottle Projects are due NLT Tuesday, 9 February, at 8 a.m. in the morning.

Here's our schedule:
8 Feb.-Monday: Scheduled (selected) conferences No School for Students
9 Feb.-Tuesday: 100th Day Bottle Project Due-8 a.m.
11 Feb.-Thursday: 100th day of School Activities: 8:45-10:30 AES Gym-Parent Volunteers Welcome!
12 Feb.-Friday: Valentine Exchange: 16 Valentines in Ziploc by a.m.& Spelling Test
15 Feb.-Monday-NO School: President's Day observed
19 Feb.-Pizzeria Study Trip: PLEASE send in Permission and 7 Euro

Keep on reading books and writing in the reader's response journal in the reading bag. Most students are now taking a quiz on the book(s) they read daily. I'm very pleased with this and it shows their independence when reading and understanding the books. Some students are working on the rate of reading (fluency) and phrasing (how it sounds) so that they show understanding, also. They are also selecting books they are interested in, at their level of instruction, or easier books, if they choose. We'll begin the reading of student books to other students soon. Reading to yourself as one choice, and reading to another student(1 on 1) as another choice to encourage this work of fluency and phrasing. As your child reads outloud to you, please encourage these two skills: fluency and phrasing.

We've also worked on mental math strategies in addition to 20 this week. We improved on COUNTING ON when add 1, 2, and/or 3 to a larger number-and doing this in our head; and, we've worked on doubles (1+1, 2+2, 3+3, 4+4,5+5, 6+6, 7+7, 8+8, 9+9, & 10+10. Try it at home at the dinner table. They've had a lot of fun racing and earning points for their 'team' with these two strategies. We'll begin working on subtraction strategies this next week.

I'm still concerned about writing composition. Try having your student think of a sentence about their day. When they say the sentence, ask them how they could add more information to the sentence (adjectives, adverbs, and/or details. After they write their sentence down, ask them if their sentence has what it needs: capital(s), spaces between words, & punctuation. Their spelling should be invented, except where the sight words they've practiced on their various 16 previous spelling lists. Those should be accurate. Many of them are still working on their sight words and the correct spelling of them.

We're full throttle in behavioral expectations, work production, listening and following directions, and working toward 2nd grade expectations in social skills and academic/behavioral performances. I'll be watching for responsible students who fluidly work through their day by completing their work, choosing appropriate activities from the many offered in the room at 'centers', wise use of time, and neat, accurate work with a positive attitude.

Thank you for all your support! ............and Happy Valentines'Day on Sunday, 14 February!

Mrs. Petty

1-7 February 2010

Here's our adjusted schedule for the month, so far! What a wild ride, we'll have:

4th-Report Cards Sent Home-Please sign the report & envelope-return both to school
8th-No School/Selected Parent Conferences
9th-100th Day Bottle Project and related assignments due
11th-100th Day of School-please send in your volunteer acceptance-8:45-10:30 AES GYM
*12th-Valentine Exchange-16 Valentines, bring to school in a bag @ 8:00 a.m.
15th-NO SCHOOL-Presidents' Day Observed
19th-Pizzeria Study Trip-Please send in Euro and permission

This is subject to change, of course! Check out the homework links and continue reading the books and sight words list in the take home Reading Bag.

Welcome to February! The 1st semester of First Grade is now history and we'll look forward to the last half of the year, which ends on June 17th. The students have shown a lot of growth and demonstrate all that they've learned throughout the days they spend at school. We are working very diligently on social skills and following directions to assist in quality and amount of work completed. We've added Reading Counts quizzes to their menu of center activities. These 10 questions quizzes assess their comprehension on stories they've read and help them to read with that purpose in mind.Student's must score a minumum of 7 out of 10 questions to score a point. This, added with Reader's Response Logs, RAZ-kids reading on-line, and Guided Reading Groups in school, will coordinate the kind of readers that will be ready to enter 2nd grade in the fall. Thank you for all your help.

Students are also beginning to read directions independently on daily work, tests, and during center time. During math, the word/story problems, also give them another opportunity to test their comprehension, but selecting appropriate strategies and developing a plan to show, explain, and solve the solutions.

Spelling continues to develop in their written work. We are using our word wall to monitor our spelling of the many sight words, and continuing to 'build' words using what we know about the rime part (rhyming end) of the words we've worked on. We will also practice generating a word list of those we can recall from our memory. These are basically 'words in our heads' that we retrieve without visual prompts. This is important to develop fluency in writing, and reading. Take 10 minutes and practice this skill. All you need is a blank piece of paper, a pencil, 10 minutes, then on your mark, get set, write! Count how many words were spelled correctly, and see how they improve week after week. This is not a copying exercise. It's a mental/mental exercise. A new spiral notebook could be something fun for them to have in their backpack, so they can experiment with words they know and also ones they need to work on.

Please return 1 signed copy of the report card in the envelope provided, and keep the other copy for your records.

Mrs. Petty

Let's have a great week.

24-31 January 2010

No School on Friday, 29 January: Teacher Work Day
End of 2nd Quarter

Class Valentine Exchange:
Friday, 12 February--Bring your valentines to school with you in a zip-loc bag, ready to go! We'll exchange them during centers after our spelling test, and then open/share them right after lunch.

*Bring your valentines (16 student cards) in envelopes, signed on the back with "From, ______. I will send a list of names, but it is preferred to leave the envelope blank and just sign the back of the valentine. If you bring a treat for everyone, your child can just drop those in their valentine bag that will be made at school. Thanks for your participation. We will NOT have refreshments for our valentine exchange.

Upcoming Events/Reminders:

1. Please return Permission slip and/or 7 Euro for the Field Trip to San Giorgio's on Friday, 19 February--Thank you to all the volunteer chaperones!
2. 100th Day of School: Monday, 11 February: Watch for Information letter/Volunteer to help staff one of the many 'center's in the AES Gym on this day in the morning!
3. 3rd Quarter Family/Home Project: Watch for the packet of information to be sent home about this fun and amazing project combining Math and Language Arts skills. Items needed:
-1 empty, clean/dry 20 ounce (clear) soda bottle w/cap
-Information packet explaining the directions and grading policy
-paper bag (will be sent home)
-1 white, legal sized envelope (coming home in the packet)
-Family help with the project.
Due Date: Send into school NLT Tuesday, 9 February
Have Fun!
Here's a slide show with some examples of previous years' projects!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

This week signals the end of the first quarter. We've progressed nicely and will continue working toward the goal of READY FOR 2nd GRADE! Included in the report card results, will also be the IXL Math, and RAZ-KIDS READING reports. I think you'll be pleased with all the information, and for those of you with internet connectivity problems, I understand.
Let's have another great week, although shortened, and include reading daily and writing response journals 2 to 3 times a week. Thank you for all your help.

Mrs. Petty

17-23 January 2010

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Welcome to a new week of school. This week we extend a special "HELLO!" to Lily, our new student. She arrives Tuesday, to make 17 students in our class, once again. Isabelle volunteered to be her guide throughout her first weeks of school.

This week, we'll close in on the last nine days of the 2nd quarter/1st semester. I've gathered new data on their achievement and benchmarks/measures of growth in academic areas and you will get the information on their first report card which includes a narrative explaining the data. I would encourage you to step-up the reading with your child. We need to work on fluency (how their reading sounds-smooth, or choppy; labored or easy; too hard or too easy). Finding the just right book, prompting them at difficulty is a learned skill by parents and their teachers. Please re-read the information I sent with you at the first conferences held in early November. If you need a new copy, just send in a note. The flash cards have helped so much, and I really appreciate those of you who have been using them. We currently have 3 students who have mastered 100% of the words. We'll move on to the new list of the 'next' 100 words to know quickly!

For those of you who have not taken advantage of the on-line homework opportunities, I see a vast difference in skill and independence on school work. I have two families who have trouble with technology on a regular basis, with lack of connectivity due to circumstances that cannot be helped. Hop on board and make certain your student uses their usernames and passwords for IXL Math, RAZ-kids Reading, and Sight Words with Samson. We'll begin using these at school, as well.

Thank you for taking on the new Reader's Response Logs. Their writing and efforts to complete the assignments have been so enlightening to me. Your help and assistance makes all the difference in the world. Remember to expect more from them as time goes on. This is about them improving their responses to what they've read, and develop more readily as a fluent writer, with better sentence structure, using adjectives, adverbs, and more complex/compound sentences as they continue writing. Vocabulary development is also a goal of fluent writing that is more interesting. Thank you so much! I have enjoyed responding to their writing with tiny post-its. You're also welcome to write and add comments, also. Join in on the fun. When parents model in their writing, it also helps your child to have fun, enjoy parents' responses to stories, also.

We're working on addition and subtraction to 20 now. We will also begin timed drills on addition and subtraction facts. We're using fact families to teach the nature of reciprocity in these two operations and have introduced multiplication in simple repeated addition sentences. We're working on our flexibility with the 100 chart and the value when it comes to understanding the addition and subtraction of bigger numbers, using manipulatives to help support the understanding, and demonstrating muliplication by using skip counting with the 100 chart, as well. We'll add pennies, nickels, dimes and dollars, soon, as well. It's just another way to show multiplication (repeated addition) and addition larger numbers.

We're planning a February Study Trip, a Valentines' Day mini-celebration, and a 100 day event in the gym, that will be similar to our Johnny Appleseed morning back in September. Your generosity when giving time to the classroom as a volunteer is deeply appreciated. I'll be adding another post soon with all the dates, times and details!

Have a wonderful week and remember to assist and encourage your child with their on-line homework and their continued efforts as authors and illustrators in their Reader's Response Logs!

Mrs. Petty