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
Saturday, February 20, 2010
21-27 February 2010
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
 |
 |
| 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
Sunday, February 14, 2010
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.
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
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
Saturday, February 06, 2010
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
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)