Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Newsletter for January 27, 2011
Dear Parents,
You often hear about the "light coming on" for first graders after Christmas. We are certainly bright in our classroom. Everyday I see students taking ownership of the skills we've been learning all year. Here is a picture of our week.
Reading-We started a new reading unit called "Keep Trying" that goes along with our social studies unit on Famous Americans. We've focused on reading strategies like predicting, summarizing and finding the cause and effect in a story. We have added our last poem to our poetry books. Now we'll use them for review and fun reading.
Math-We've continued reviewing time, measurement, money, fractions, missing addends, ordered numbers, fact families and bar graphing. We introduced double digit addition without regrouping too. Remember to keep practicing money counting at home. There is a great game on Mrs. Whipple's website too!
Writing-In writing this week we focused on revision of our stories. We learned that you should reread your story and play back a movie in your mind of that day. Then you can add more details to your story. Our high school buddies came on Wednesday to help us apply this skill.
Bible-We started our week with Pastor Hoff coming in to talk to us about temptation. We learned that temptation is the "invitation to do the wrong thing". The temptation is not the sin. The sin is when we give into it. We discussed lots of different ways we can be tempted and how we can use God's word to help us stand up to it. I hope you can take some time to continue this discussion with your child.
Here are a few updates and reminders:
*Please send $5 in on Monday (1/31)to cover the cost of our upcoming field trip to The Little Theatre.
*Your child's Famous American Report is due Tuesday (2/1). Please be sure that it is written in his/her very best handwriting with complete sentences. Also, have him/her take time to color the flag neatly. They will be on display at the Wax Museum.
*The First Grade Famous American Wax Museum is next Thursday, February 3rd. Our doors will open around 8:15. It is very important that your child be on time so he/she can get set before we open the doors. I hope to see you there!
*There is a Valentine's Party Sign Up on our door. Thanks for being so great and meeting all of our party needs:)! Also, there is a copy of the class list in the Friday Folder to use for making Valentines for the class. Our Party will be on February 14th at the end of the day.
Our Star Student will be Clinton!
Our secret word is Wilbur Wright.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dawn Newland
You often hear about the "light coming on" for first graders after Christmas. We are certainly bright in our classroom. Everyday I see students taking ownership of the skills we've been learning all year. Here is a picture of our week.
Reading-We started a new reading unit called "Keep Trying" that goes along with our social studies unit on Famous Americans. We've focused on reading strategies like predicting, summarizing and finding the cause and effect in a story. We have added our last poem to our poetry books. Now we'll use them for review and fun reading.
Math-We've continued reviewing time, measurement, money, fractions, missing addends, ordered numbers, fact families and bar graphing. We introduced double digit addition without regrouping too. Remember to keep practicing money counting at home. There is a great game on Mrs. Whipple's website too!
Writing-In writing this week we focused on revision of our stories. We learned that you should reread your story and play back a movie in your mind of that day. Then you can add more details to your story. Our high school buddies came on Wednesday to help us apply this skill.
Bible-We started our week with Pastor Hoff coming in to talk to us about temptation. We learned that temptation is the "invitation to do the wrong thing". The temptation is not the sin. The sin is when we give into it. We discussed lots of different ways we can be tempted and how we can use God's word to help us stand up to it. I hope you can take some time to continue this discussion with your child.
Here are a few updates and reminders:
*Please send $5 in on Monday (1/31)to cover the cost of our upcoming field trip to The Little Theatre.
*Your child's Famous American Report is due Tuesday (2/1). Please be sure that it is written in his/her very best handwriting with complete sentences. Also, have him/her take time to color the flag neatly. They will be on display at the Wax Museum.
*The First Grade Famous American Wax Museum is next Thursday, February 3rd. Our doors will open around 8:15. It is very important that your child be on time so he/she can get set before we open the doors. I hope to see you there!
*There is a Valentine's Party Sign Up on our door. Thanks for being so great and meeting all of our party needs:)! Also, there is a copy of the class list in the Friday Folder to use for making Valentines for the class. Our Party will be on February 14th at the end of the day.
As I'm typing this Thursday afternoon, I'm not feeling well. I am taking a sick day tomorrow. I will send missing items from the Friday Folder home next week and also update the rest of the website. Thanks for your patience.
Our Star Student will be Clinton!
Our secret word is Wilbur Wright.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dawn Newland
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Friday, January 21st
Dear Parents,
We had a short but full and fun week in first grade! We love our new schedule with reading groups in the morning. Our reading fluency and comprehension skills are getting better each day! Next week you will start to see a written comprehension test coming home. We will read the story in class while reinforcing reading strategy skills. Then we will take a test to check for understanding. The first one will not be graded.
In writing we finished publishing our Country Research Reports as well as practicing piggyback paragraphs. We focused on ordering our mixed change from greatest to least, then counting it in math. Please take a few minutes each day to review this with your child. In Bible we learned about John the Baptist and how he was a messenger for Jesus. We made doves to remind us of how God was pleased with Jesus after he was baptized.
We met a very famous American in class today as we officially kicked off our Famous American Unit. We are very excited! I hope you hear all about it!
Our first Class Store was a big hit. We had money to spend and lots of cool stuff to buy. Thanks to everyone who sent in donations. If you didn't get a chance this time, we'll need more in two weeks!
Here are a few updates and reminders:
*1ooth Day Celebration on Thursday, 1/27.
*Famous American Wax Museum on Thursday 2/3. Please see me if you are having any trouble finding a costume.
*Field trip to see "Turtle's Shell" on Tuesday 2/22. Please send $5.00 to cover the cost of the show and transportation by Monday, January 31.
Our Star Student will be Skyler!
The Secret Word is "Harriet Tubman"
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dawn Newland
We had a short but full and fun week in first grade! We love our new schedule with reading groups in the morning. Our reading fluency and comprehension skills are getting better each day! Next week you will start to see a written comprehension test coming home. We will read the story in class while reinforcing reading strategy skills. Then we will take a test to check for understanding. The first one will not be graded.
In writing we finished publishing our Country Research Reports as well as practicing piggyback paragraphs. We focused on ordering our mixed change from greatest to least, then counting it in math. Please take a few minutes each day to review this with your child. In Bible we learned about John the Baptist and how he was a messenger for Jesus. We made doves to remind us of how God was pleased with Jesus after he was baptized.
We met a very famous American in class today as we officially kicked off our Famous American Unit. We are very excited! I hope you hear all about it!
Our first Class Store was a big hit. We had money to spend and lots of cool stuff to buy. Thanks to everyone who sent in donations. If you didn't get a chance this time, we'll need more in two weeks!
Here are a few updates and reminders:
*1ooth Day Celebration on Thursday, 1/27.
*Famous American Wax Museum on Thursday 2/3. Please see me if you are having any trouble finding a costume.
*Field trip to see "Turtle's Shell" on Tuesday 2/22. Please send $5.00 to cover the cost of the show and transportation by Monday, January 31.
Our Star Student will be Skyler!
The Secret Word is "Harriet Tubman"
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dawn Newland
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Newsletter for January 14, 2011
Dear Parents,
We had a wonderful week full of fun and learning in first grade! We continued our unit on Journeys in reading and social studies. We learned about all different kinds of maps, from maps of our rooms to our towns and even of the world. In writing this week we started researching some different countries that we may want to journey to one day. We started off by gathering information with our high school English buddies. We'll continue to work on these next week. In math we've been focusing on counting mixed change. We can use all the money we're earning by making good choices in class to practice. One way you can help your child is to have them count coins from your pocket (and maybe keep them if they can count them correctly:). Next week we will be making a change in our daily schedule. We'll have Reading Groups from 9:30-10:30 Monday through Thursday. In Bible we talked about how Jesus told others about God even when he was a child. We learned that we can be an example of God's love even when we are children.
Our days start best when everyone is unpacked, seated and working on morning work before the pledges start at 8:10:)
Here are some upcoming dates and reminders:
*Please remember to send a water bottle and a snack each day for your child.
*Breana is bringing a chicken nugget lunch for everyone next Thursday, January 20th to celebrate her birthday. Make sure you don't order lunch on that day.
*You will find information about the First Grade Famous American Wax Museum/Research Report in your child's Friday Folder today. Let me know if you have any questions.
*We will have a field trip to The Little Theatre in St. Petersburg to see a show called "Turtle's Shell" on Tuesday, February 22. We will eat a regular lunch at school and leave at about 11:30. I can take only two parents on this trip so it will be on a first come basis.
*Next Friday we will have our first 1st grade store. It would be great if each child could donate a few items so it will be fun to shop with all of the money we've earned and counted. The dollar section at Target is a great place. Keep in mind that we need girl and boy items...Thanks!
*Our 100th Day celebration will be Thursday, January 27th. Thanks for signing up for all the goodies so quickly!
*No school this Monday, January 17th in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Our Star Student will be Emma!
Our Secret Word is "Journey".
We had a wonderful week full of fun and learning in first grade! We continued our unit on Journeys in reading and social studies. We learned about all different kinds of maps, from maps of our rooms to our towns and even of the world. In writing this week we started researching some different countries that we may want to journey to one day. We started off by gathering information with our high school English buddies. We'll continue to work on these next week. In math we've been focusing on counting mixed change. We can use all the money we're earning by making good choices in class to practice. One way you can help your child is to have them count coins from your pocket (and maybe keep them if they can count them correctly:). Next week we will be making a change in our daily schedule. We'll have Reading Groups from 9:30-10:30 Monday through Thursday. In Bible we talked about how Jesus told others about God even when he was a child. We learned that we can be an example of God's love even when we are children.
Our days start best when everyone is unpacked, seated and working on morning work before the pledges start at 8:10:)
Here are some upcoming dates and reminders:
*Please remember to send a water bottle and a snack each day for your child.
*Breana is bringing a chicken nugget lunch for everyone next Thursday, January 20th to celebrate her birthday. Make sure you don't order lunch on that day.
*You will find information about the First Grade Famous American Wax Museum/Research Report in your child's Friday Folder today. Let me know if you have any questions.
*We will have a field trip to The Little Theatre in St. Petersburg to see a show called "Turtle's Shell" on Tuesday, February 22. We will eat a regular lunch at school and leave at about 11:30. I can take only two parents on this trip so it will be on a first come basis.
*Next Friday we will have our first 1st grade store. It would be great if each child could donate a few items so it will be fun to shop with all of the money we've earned and counted. The dollar section at Target is a great place. Keep in mind that we need girl and boy items...Thanks!
*Our 100th Day celebration will be Thursday, January 27th. Thanks for signing up for all the goodies so quickly!
*No school this Monday, January 17th in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King.
Our Star Student will be Emma!
Our Secret Word is "Journey".
Have a Great Long Weekend!
Dawn Newland
Friday, January 7, 2011
Memory Verse
I wasn't able to add next week's memory verse on the usual spot...so here it is.
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."
1Timothy 4:12
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity."
1Timothy 4:12
January 7, 2011
Dear Parents,
Happy New Year! We are half way to being second graders in this room and I'm starting to see that more and more every day. This week we started a new reading and social studies unit called "Journeys". We will be focusing on map skills like keys, symbols, directions and more. Today we are making a Treasure Map for Mrs. Fleming's class to follow and they are making one for us...fun! In writing, we wrote piggyback paragraphs about what we would do if it snowed at our house. Most of our class can write a paragraph with a beginning, middle (with supporting detail sentences), and an ending. We get a little better every week. In math we've been focusing on liquid measurement. We know how many cups are in pint, how many pints in a quart, and how many quarts in a gallon.
In Bible time this week we had a very special visitor. Rueben (Joseph's brother) came to tell us the story of Joseph's forgiveness for his family. He followed God's example. He forgave their sin and forgot about it. He never brought it up again. That's hard for us to do sometimes, but we are going to try.
Check out the article in Gulf Coast Family newspaper. Our class is famous!
Starting next week we are going to switch from using chips for positive reinforcement to plastic money. In the past first grade has always had a "store" that the kids shop in every other Friday. For the store to be successful, we need parents to send in items that the kids would like to buy with their earned money. We set the items up by price and the students have to be able to count their money before they can spend it. Our first "Store" will be Friday, January 21st. It would be great if each child could donate a few items from the dollar section before then.
Here are some upcoming events and reminders:
*Each child needs new markers and crayons.
*Thursday, January 27th is the 100th Day of School. There will be a sign up sheet on the door next week...thanks!
*Our First Grade Famous American Wax Museum will be on Thursday, February 3rd from about 8:20 to 9:00. Next week your child will find out who their Famous American will be. Each child will research his/her person, write a report, and then dress up like their person on the day of the wax museum. It is a wonderful and memorable day for everyone. I hope you can come. There will be lots more details in next Friday's Folder.
*Our classroom is in need of a few items: water bottles, boxes of Cheerios for snack, Clorox wipes, 3X5 note cards, and extra markers. We could also use some containers that hold a gallon, a quart, a pint and a cup of liquid. Already used and washed items are best.
Our Star Student will be London!
Our Secret Word is "compass".
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dawn Newland
Happy New Year! We are half way to being second graders in this room and I'm starting to see that more and more every day. This week we started a new reading and social studies unit called "Journeys". We will be focusing on map skills like keys, symbols, directions and more. Today we are making a Treasure Map for Mrs. Fleming's class to follow and they are making one for us...fun! In writing, we wrote piggyback paragraphs about what we would do if it snowed at our house. Most of our class can write a paragraph with a beginning, middle (with supporting detail sentences), and an ending. We get a little better every week. In math we've been focusing on liquid measurement. We know how many cups are in pint, how many pints in a quart, and how many quarts in a gallon.
In Bible time this week we had a very special visitor. Rueben (Joseph's brother) came to tell us the story of Joseph's forgiveness for his family. He followed God's example. He forgave their sin and forgot about it. He never brought it up again. That's hard for us to do sometimes, but we are going to try.
Check out the article in Gulf Coast Family newspaper. Our class is famous!
Starting next week we are going to switch from using chips for positive reinforcement to plastic money. In the past first grade has always had a "store" that the kids shop in every other Friday. For the store to be successful, we need parents to send in items that the kids would like to buy with their earned money. We set the items up by price and the students have to be able to count their money before they can spend it. Our first "Store" will be Friday, January 21st. It would be great if each child could donate a few items from the dollar section before then.
Here are some upcoming events and reminders:
*Each child needs new markers and crayons.
*Thursday, January 27th is the 100th Day of School. There will be a sign up sheet on the door next week...thanks!
*Our First Grade Famous American Wax Museum will be on Thursday, February 3rd from about 8:20 to 9:00. Next week your child will find out who their Famous American will be. Each child will research his/her person, write a report, and then dress up like their person on the day of the wax museum. It is a wonderful and memorable day for everyone. I hope you can come. There will be lots more details in next Friday's Folder.
*Our classroom is in need of a few items: water bottles, boxes of Cheerios for snack, Clorox wipes, 3X5 note cards, and extra markers. We could also use some containers that hold a gallon, a quart, a pint and a cup of liquid. Already used and washed items are best.
Our Star Student will be London!
Our Secret Word is "compass".
Have a wonderful weekend!
Dawn Newland
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Welcome back everyone! It was great to see all of my sweeties' smiling faces this morning. We are going to make New Year's goals today and have a New Year's party!
If you have a chance this week, your child could use new markers and crayons. Our old ones are used up. Have a great week!
If you have a chance this week, your child could use new markers and crayons. Our old ones are used up. Have a great week!
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