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
