Getting into a Routine

Upcoming Events:

JSept. 3 Labor Day, No School
J Sept. 12 2 hr. early out
J Sept. 13 Field Trip to Apple Orchard (depart at 1:30)
J Sept. 25 Farm Safety Day Field Trip (depart at 9:00)
J Sept. 26 School Picture Day
JSept. 28 1 hr. early out (Homecoming Parade)
Notes:
J Homework will be sent home on Monday’s and Thursday’s.
JWe have just begun our Daily 5 adventure.  Students will be busy completing meaningful literacy tasks.  The choices will be: Read to Self, Work on Writing, Word Work, Listen to Reading, and Read to Someone.  Right now we are focusing on building stamina to work independently. 
JI have attached a list of words called “No Excuses.”  Students need to be able to spell each of these words by the end of first grade.  I will spend time each week practicing a couple words.  Please work on them at home throughout the year.
Things to Work on:
JWriting numbers to 120 without any reversals.
What we have been up to:
Reading: This week we started our Smart Start workbook.  We practiced reviewing the sounds and writing the letters for: m,p,t,s, and a.
Math:  In math we have been reviewing the numbers through 4.  We have also reviewed making an ABAB pattern and our shapes.
Social Studies: We have continued our study on rules and laws.  Mr. Carter came and talked to all first grades about his job as principal and as Athletic Director.  He mentioned our eHawk boundaries: respect yourself, respect others, and respect this place.   
Please contact me if you have any questions sstraw@emmetsburg.k12.ia.us

Welcome to First Grade

Upcoming Events:

J Aug. 31 1 hr. Early Out

JSept. 3 Labor Day, No School

Notes:

J Please remember to call the school or send a note to me if your child’s plan after school changes.

Things to Work on:

JPlease review: having your child write their name with lowercase letters. 

JLetter sounds

What we have been up to:

Reading: This week we read the book The Night Before First Grade and discussed how first grade is different than kindergarten.  We have also spent time reading poems that we will read all year long.  We have taken time to review writing our alphabet letters uppercase and lowercase.  We have also started journaling about topics of our choice.  I have already read many great stories about summer vacation.  This week we also had time to cut apart the poem: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and glue it back together from memory.

Math:  In math we have been doing beginning of the year assessments.  We have completed our number writing as high as we can go.  We have also started our addition story problem assessment.  We have reviewed the numbers 0, 1, and 2.

Social Studies: We made a list of rules we have in school.  We then narrowed our rules down to five and were able to illustrate them.  I will bind the rules and illustrations into a book that students can read all year long.

Please contact me if you have any questions sstraw@emmetsburg.k12.ia.us