Happy Halloween!

What a wonderful celebration we had today! Many thanks to all of the volunteers that were able to attend, help and coordinate our party, and to those that donated supplies. It was definitely a success. Thank you! And the rest of the day has been smooth sailing. For those trick or treating tonight, stay warm! And candy makes a wonderful after school snack - healthy snacks for our morning are still appreciated!;) Happy Halloween!

First Grade News

What an amazing fall weekend ahead! I hope you were able to get outside to enjoy it. Please see a few quick updates below:

Don't forget to get your book orders in by this MONDAY! Head to - https://orders.scholastic.com/LGVW7 to order. There are some awesome books, many for just $1. Your child is likely starting to read like crazy - how fun to get new books!

Coming up:

• Tuesday, October 17: Marco's Pizza Night. Be sure to tell them my name when you order. We'd love to earn a pizza party!
• Monday, October 23: Book order due
• 10/24 - 10/26: All for Books Coin War. Please send in your loose change! (Feel free to send in anytime before as well.)
• Thursday, October 26: Picture Retakes / Bauer Skating Party at Terry Hall
• Tuesday, October 31: Halloween Party at 9am
• Friday, November 3: Early Release Day (Bauer Be Awesome Shirt Day)
• Wednesday, November 8 and Tuesday, November 14: Parent/Teacher Conferences (notices with times will be sent home next MONDAY)
• Tuesday, November 28: Bauer Holiday Music Program

What we have been working on:

• Reading: We started our work with reading partners this past week. We learned how to take turns while reading with each other. We also searched for words that make the /k/ sound as in bike, rack, cone, and skip, and recorded them in our reader's notebooks. 
• Writing: This week we began writing our small moment stories. I am amazed by the work I am seeing! Continue to encourage your child to "say as they write" anytime they are writing at home. Their practice is paying off.  This coming week we will continue our stories. 
• Math: We will be wrapping up unit 2 next week. We are projected to take our unit 2 test on Tuesday. 
• Whiteboard Practice: To extend our practice reading and writing words with the /o/ sound, we discussed the concept of homophones this week. Homophones are words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and mean different things. We looked at the words rode and road. When we said the sounds in each word it was exactly the same, however when we started spelling it out it was different! To help us understand the meanings and to be sure we could remember the spellings,  we first put a dot under each 1-letter sound and a dash under each 2-letter sound. Then we drew a picture next to each word. To wrap up, we wrote a sentence trying to use both words in the correct context! (see picture) This would be a great activity to do at home with other homophones such as: ate/eight, be/bee, to/two, or any others! Be sure your child is saying those sounds out loud as they write each word in their sentence. Also be sure to correct handwriting and spelling errors! 

First Grade News

Last week we had the opportunity to be consumers at the 4th grade Market Day. First graders were each given 10 "dollars" to spend at the booths set up by 4th grade students. This is part of the 4th grade social studies curriculum, and is a perfect intro for the economics unit 1st grade students will be learning next month. It is such a fun time for our students. Here are some photos from our shopping experience! 

Coming up:

• Tuesday, October 17: Marco's Pizza Night. Be sure to tell them my name when you order. We'd love to earn a pizza party!
• Monday, October 23: Book order due - https://orders.scholastic.com/LGVW7
• 10/24 - 10/26: All for Books Coin War. Please send in your loose change! (Feel free to send in anytime before as well.)
• Thursday, October 26: Picture Retakes / Bauer Skating Party at Terry Hall
• Tuesday, October 31: Halloween Party at 9am
• Friday, November 3: Early Release Day (Bauer Be Awesome Shirt Day)
• Wednesday, November 8 and Tuesday, November 14: Parent/Teacher Conferences 
• Tuesday, November 28: Bauer Holiday Music Program

What we have been working on:

• Reading: This past week we learned how to retell our story using five fingers as we told what happened: first, next, then, after that, and finally. We will start working with reading partners this coming week. 
• Writing: Last week we selected our first individual small moment writing topics. Students planned their stories across their fingers (the same way we retold our stories in reading!), and planned our stories on a timeline. This coming week we will begin writing without lead and what happened first. Continue to encourage your child to "say as they write" anytime they are writing at home. Their practice is paying off.  
• Math: Last week students were introduced to subtraction stories. We will continue to practice this week, and will wrap up our unit at the end of this week.   
• Whiteboard Practice: 
• Whiteboard Practice Idea: This week we learned about 4 different spelling for the /k/ sound: c   k   ck   ke - Here is an activity you can do with your child!
Have your child say and write these four spellings for this sound on the top of their board.




Have your child go on a hunt for the /k/ sound around the house. When they find something, have them say as they write the word in the middle of their boards. You will stop them to error correct any misspellings that occur.
Then ask your child to either dot or dash the letter(s) that make the /k/ sound. Ask them what column it belongs in. Erase the word, and have them say as they write the word in the correct column. Remember to stop and correct them if any errors are made.

• Halloween Reminder: Our party will be taking place first thing in the morning at 9am. Students are asked to wear their costumes to school that day. This should be over their clothes. Once the party is over, students will remove their costumes and place them in their backpacks. (Any parents in attendance may take costumes home.) We tried this time for parties last year, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Any questions, please let me know. 

First Grade News

We loved seeing all of the MAIZE and BLUE in the school today (okay, and a little green and white! :) Spirit days are always so exciting.

Thank you to everyone for sending in your $3 donation to our class parties for the year. If you have not sent your money in yet, please next week.

Conference time request forms went home in folders today. Please return as soon as possible. Thank you!

Coming up:

• Friday, October 13: Early Release Day - Wear your BE AWESOME t-shirt!
• Tuesday, October 31: Halloween Party 9:00am

Here's a quick update on what we have been up to in 1st grade:

• Reading Workshop: We have been using our Reader's Notebooks to record sound that begin with the /w/ sound, spelling /w/ and /wh/., as well as the /ch/ and /tch/ sounds. We have learned about other spots to sit in the classroom during reading and the expectations for those spots. We also learned how as readers we make a move in our mind as we read. We continued with James and the Giant Peach. Ask your child to retell what we have read so far. 

• Writing Workshop: We continued our class story this week about the Walk-a-thon. Thank you for returning the yellow topic idea sheet on Monday if you have not done so yet. 

• Math: This week we learned the strategy of "counting on" to solve addition equations. We learned how to count on and count all, and worked on which was more efficient. 

• Whiteboard Practice Idea: One of the sounds we have been focusing on this week is /ch/. We have identified two ways to spell this sound - "ch" and "tch." Set up the whiteboard with both of these spellings.  With your child, go on a word hunt through their WEB books or books from home to find words that will fit under each heading. Be sure your child is saying the sounds as they write each word! Discuss the patterns they notice (a big one is that "tch" is most commonly found at the end of a word).

First Grade News

We survived the heat! I want to thank the many parents that offered items to help us cool down this week. I was touched by your kindness and generosity. Hopefully your children shared that they had a chance to enjoy some frozen raspberries and blueberries. I couldn't believe how many students asked for 2nd and 3rd helpings (and 4th and 5th!). Some tried these fruits for the first time. They were surely a hit, and they hit the spot after a hot recess!

What we have been up to:

• Reading: This week we have learned how to pick out just right books for us. We hunted through our books for words with the /th/ sounds in them and recorded them in our reader's notebooks. We also learned how to make a movie in our minds while reading. We started a new chapter book, as you may have heard: James and the Giant Peach.
• Writing: We have begun a new story as a class. We brainstormed topic ideas and decided on are the Walk-a-thon. We have written our lead, as well as what happened first. We go very slowly to learn the process, how to write on the lines on our paper, and proper letter formation. Next week we will continue with writing the middle. 
• Math: We began unit two and spent this week exploring solving addition stories. We worked with partners to solve. 

Data Notebooks: These will be coming home on Tuesday. As I mentioned at the parent meeting, these will just be visiting for one night and coming back to school on Wednesday. Please DO NOT remove any items from the binder. This binder has all assessment data for the year. If you have any questions about the contents, please let me know. 

Halloween Party: Our party will be on October 31 at 9:00am. We tried an early party last year, and it was such a positive experience all the way around. Students get to come to school in their costumes, and there is no suspense building all day long. Katelyn Gates is our head room parent. Please send in your $3 donation for the parties soon. Thanks!

Whiteboard Practice:

I have loved the pictures and videos I received this week of your children using the whiteboards. Keep them coming. I love seeing them in action!

This week we have done two different sorts on our white boards. The first one has the same spelling but a different sound: /th/ (as in this) and /th/ (as in three). The second one had the same sound but a different spelling: /w/ and /wh/ was the second. Pick one of these pairs of sounds. Have your child write them on top of their board. Then while they are reading a book, they can record any works they come across with those spelling patterns in their story. Be careful - a word like /who/ is tricky because it /wh/ sounds like /h/ in this word. It would not go in the /wh/ column on the board. Don't forget to remind your child to "say as you write"!

First Grade News

Summer is back! I have to give credit to your kiddos for hanging in there this week. When it is 90+ degrees outside, and there is no a/c, it can be pretty darn miserable. They hung in there and still worked hard throughout! Indoor recess today really helped keep our body temperatures down. Looks like we will start next week out this way as well. Keep sending in water bottles, pulling long hair up, and shorts are ideal!

Walk-a-thon: We had so much fun at our Walk-a-thon! Thank you to the many parents that helped out today, as well as all that raised money for our school.

Literacy Night: Thank you to all of you that attended our First Grade Literacy Night. It was a packed house, and you all were so well engaged and dedicated to your children's learning. I have loved hearing from students this week as they are using their whiteboards at home. If you have any pictures you want to share of your child writing, please do!
I am sharing the video links as well in case anyone wants to reference them later.
Video Number One: Click here
Video Number Two: Click here

What we have been up to:

• Reading: This week we learned the rest of the things good readers do (reading behaviors. Please encourage these items while your child is reading their WEB books (or any books!) at home. 
• Readers slide their reading finger.
• Readers lay their books flat on the table. 
• Readers Use their helping hand to hold the book in place. 
• Readers track the words with their finger and eyes. 
• Writing: I finished up the story I have been modeling with them. Next week we will all write the same story together at the same time. We go very slow to write every word and letter correctly! It is important to learn the process slowly to build their independence as writers.
• Math: We finished unit 1 this week, and we will begin our new unit, Addition and Subtraction Strategies, next week. 
• Social Studies: We concluded our citizenship unit. We will be focusing heavily on literacy this next month. We will hit another social studies unit in November/December. 
• Word Work: We have learned and practiced reading and writing the two most common sounds for /th/ and the sounds in the word this (this one tickles your toungue), and the sound in three. Next week we will search for words with this sound in our books and record them. 

Whiteboard Practice Idea:

I have heard a lot of excitement from students who have been using their whiteboards for writing at home. Thank you for encouraging this! Remember, email me if you have any questions about any words. I typically will reply quickly, often with a quick video to explain it to you. I love the questions I have already gotten!

Here something you can have your child try at home using their whiteboard. 

• Have them first tell you how many sounds (not letters) are in his/her name. They can use their fingers to tell you.  Then have them write their name, saying their sounds as they write. Have them place a dot under one letter spellings for sounds, and a dash under 2-4 letter spellings. Ask them if their prediction matched the actual number after it was written. Repeat for other family member's names. See photo for how this would look. Have fun!

Growth Mindset

We will be working on forming a growth mindset this year in 1st grade. We have discussed, and will continue to discuss that we welcome mistakes. Mistakes are how our brains grow. We don't want to be perfect or our brains won't grow as much! This is a helpful chart to understand what a growth mindset is.