Update December 16th

*Thursday- All school holiday sing-a-long.

*Friday, December 23rd- 12:20pm Early Release

11:00am- Winter Party- No snack is needed this day. We will have snack at our party.

No School December 26-January 2nd.  We will return to school on Tuesday, January 3rd.

*We will finish up Unit 4 of Everyday Math.  The students are excelling in making sums of 10 and adding 3 numbers together.  We will assess students progress in math during the week.

*There will be no spelling list this week or the week we get back from vacation.

*In Science, we will answer the question: How Are Shadows Made?  We will experiment with light and paper gingerbread people.

*We will continue learning about holidays this week.  Our focus this week will be on:

*Las Posadas

*Kwanzaa

*Eid & Ramadan

*St. Lucia Day

*Christmas

*I want to wish you and your families a happy winter break.  Thank you for all you to do to support your child at school.  They are all excelling and showing great growth.  Thank you!

Update December 11th

*This Tuesday, we will have school store for first grade in the morning.

*We will begin to learn about Fall/Winter holidays this week.  The holidays we will focus on throughout the next two weeks are:

Diwali

Hanukkah

Las Posadas

Kwanzaa

St. Lucia Day

Christmas

*In Math, we will finish Unit 4 of Everyday Math.  Our focus this week will be on combinations of 10, adding 3 numbers together and 10 more/10 less.

*In Writing, we will continue to talk about adding ending punctuation, adding fancy words and details to our stories.

*This week in Science, our focus will be on whether light goes through all materials.  We will do an experiment focusing on using a flashlight to shine light through many materials.

*As our weather turns to snow in the forecast, please remember that students need proper attire to play in the field at recess.  Please consider sending in snow attire in a reusable shopping bag with your child's name on it.    Reusable shopping bags stand up on their own and do not break which is helpful in our crowded coat room.  In order to play in the field, students need:  boots, snowpants,  a winter coat and gloves.

Looking Ahead:

*Friday, December 23rd- 12:20pm Early Release

We will have our holiday party this day.  You do not need to send in snack.  Thank you Ruthanne Madsen for organizing this party.

Monday, December 26-Monday, January 2nd- No School

We will return to school on Tuesday, January 3rd.

Update December 5th

*This Thursday, December 8th is a 12:20pm Early Release.  We will have snack in the morning.

*On Friday, we will walk to Crisafulli for Book Buddies.  We will leave around 9:15 and return around 10:30.  Please dress appropriately for the walk through the woods.

*In Math, we will collect and represent data through graphs, work on double facts (2+2, 4+4) and explore with shapes.

*Last week, students produced pieces of writing to show all they've learned so far in first grade.  I was so impressed with their writing.  I will be making copies and sending them home this week.  Additionally, this week we will work on adding fancy words and interesting endings to our stories.

*In Science,  we will begin a new unit called "Light and Sound." This week, we will observe how light can help you see.  We will play a game called "spotlight," observe different types of light and write a story about light.

*Mrs. Kane will come to our classroom on Wednesday to read our next Care to Read book, The Other Side.

Update November 28th

It was nice to meet with all of you last week to discuss your child's progress in first grade.  Thank you for taking the time to come in and meet with me!

*In Math, we will begin Unit 4.  Unit 4's focus is on measurement.  We will make estimates and measure objects with standard and non-standard units of measurement.

*In Spelling this week, we will practice writing words with and without King-ed.  For example cut and cute.

*In Writing, we will work on our end of unit Writing Prompt.   I will look for students to use all of the elements of writing we've talked about since the beginning of the year.  Students will be expected to: 

*Use best handwriting- with spaces between words

*Capital letters at beginning of sentences and for names

*Periods or exclamation points at end of sentences

*At least 3 sentences

*Lots of details

*Outside and Inside Feelings

*In Social Studies, we will finish making our products and we will sell to our classmates on Wednesday afternoon.

*We will finish our Non-Fiction Features book this week.  We will also go to the library on Wednesday to learn more about features.

Looking Ahead:

Thursday, December 8th- 12:20pm Early Release

Friday, December 23rd- 12:20pm Early Release

No School- December 24-January 2

Update November 20th

*I hope you and your family are enjoying your weekend!  I'm looking forward to spending more time with family and friends over next weekend's holiday break.  We spent our weekend in New Hampshire with friends and even visited Santa at the North Pole.  Arya had a great time!

*I'm looking forward to greeting all of you at Parent/Teacher Conferences this week. Just a reminder, Progress Reports will not be shared during this conference time.  If you have a question about your conference time, please send me an email!

*Monday, November 21st- 2 hour Delay- School starts at 11:05am.  Conferences 8:15-10:45am  Please send a snack.

*Tuesday, November 22nd- No School. Conferences 2-8pm

*Wednesday, November 23rd- 12:20pm Early Release.  Please send a note if there is a change in dismissal plans.  We will have a snack in the morning. We will all eat together and share what we're thankful for.

ALSO on Wednesday, November 23rd- RACE FOR EDUCATION!!

First Grade will be participating in Race for Education (over $8,000 has been raised so far!!!!) We will be outside from 10:15-11:15 jogging, running, dancing, skipping and hopping to raise funds for our school.  Please remember the following for that day:

1. Dress students in layers.  It may be cold that day.  Come prepared with gloves and hats.  Also, in case the field is wet, it might be a good idea to pack an extra pair of socks.

2. Parents, grandparents, neighbors, etc. are invited to join us (not expected.)  We will invite you to join the kids in walking, jogging, and/or running if they’d like.  

3. Volunteers will be located at the front entrance to sign visitors and volunteers for the race in and out. Students may be signed out after the race provided that we have permission to do so (grandparent, etc.). 

4. Please email me with other questions.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend!

 

Update November 13th

*We are looking forward to a full week of school this week!

*On Tuesday, we will have School Store in the morning for first grade.  Please send no more than $2 for students to spend.

*Also, on Tuesday our class will be attending the school book fair during Library class.  For book fair students can browse and create a wish list for parents to purchase during conferences or they can purchase items using cash or check.  Tuesday will be a very busy shopping day for us!  I will try my best to have students put purchases directly into their backpacks to avoid lost items.

*On Friday, we will welcome our Book Buddies from Mrs. Kost and Mrs. Boyle's classes to our classroom.  We will work on "thankful" projects and read to our Book Buddies.

*Last week in Social Studies, students decided on the businesses that they would like to create.  We had some great ideas from a jewelry shop to a paper airplane shop.  Students are requesting the following supplies to create their businesses.  If you are able to donate that would be appreciated.  

Items Requested:

*Craft Paper

*Colored/Patterned Duck Tape

*Molding Clay

*Cookie Cutters

*Beads

*Paint

*Pasta-wheel shaped, large ziti

*Students will begin to use a new Math program called Dreambox at school.  This program will help with all areas of math and introduce students to new mathematical vocabulary.  For example, a number model is also a number sentence and an equation.  At this point, students will only be using Dreambox at school.  Tomorrow during math, students will begin to use Dreambox independently on the iPads and desktop Mac.

*In Math, we students will take the Unit 3 assessment.  I will share these assessments during conferences next week.

*In Writing, we are working on adding an "inside voice" to our writing.  Students are beginning to write about what they were feeling.  For example:  This weekend, I went pumpkin picking with my family.  We went on a hayride.  I was so excited to go over the big bumps.  

*At parent/teacher conferences next week, we will have an opportunity to talk about your child's progress academically and socially.  If you haven't returned your "November Conference Discussion Sheet" please return it this week. It gives me more information for preparing for your conference time.  A change this year is that Trimester 1 Progress Reports will not be finished by the time of conferences.  Grades close on December 2nd and progress reports will be available on iPass on December 16th.

Update November 6th

*To sign up for Parent/Teacher conferences, please use the online conference sign-up.  The link for sign-up will be available on the Robinson School website from Monday, November 7th at 3:30pm until Friday, November 11th at 3:30pm.  

*No School Tuesday, November 7th- Election Day

*No School Friday, November 11th- Veteran's Day

*We will not be sending home a spelling list this week.  Please continue to practice the 100 Power Words (high frequency words) that can be found inside your child's BEE Binder.

*In Math, we will learn about frames and arrows, which will help us practice addition and subtraction facts. We will also practice using a calculator to help with skip counting.

*In Economics, students will work creating a business.  They will work in teams to decide on a business they can create (paper fans, jewelry, holiday decorations, etc.)  Once students create a business plan with their team, I will send home a list of items we're asking to be donated to help build our businesses.  Students will then work on their products over the next few weeks.  Finally, we'll sell our items to the other "businesses" in our classroom.

*In handwriting, we are working on beginning our lowercase letters.  I'm encouraging students to begin using lowercase letters when appropriate.

Looking Ahead:

November 15th- School Store

November 18th- Book Buddies

November 21st- 2 Hour Delay- conferences

November 22nd- No School- conferences 2-8pm

November 23rd- Race for Education/ 12:20pm Early Release

November 24 & 25th- No School

Update October 30th

*This Monday, October 31st at 1:30pm, is our Harvest Party.  Thank you to the parent volunteers and parents that have signed up to donate items for the party! Students may wear costumes in school only during the Harvest Party.  The costumes should be brought to school in a bag with your child's name on it.  No face paint, masks or weapons will be allowed.  **In addition, students are welcome to wear "Crazy Hats" to school all day tomorrow.  Hats do not have to be crazy, they can just be hats!  Whatever works for your family.

*In Math, we will practice counting on the number line, counting to add/subtract and skip counting.

*In Social Studies, we will continue to focus on goods and services.  Businesses that provide goods sell items that are made or grown.  Businesses that supply services provide work that someone does for someone else.  This person is usually specially trained.  This week, we will listen to members of our community that provide goods and services.  The students will work with a partner to decide whether the person provides good or a service.  We will also discuss wants and needs.

*In comprehension, we will continue to learn about Non-Fiction features.  Students will begin writing their own Non-Fiction book: All About Me. 

*Star of the Week: I will be the first Star of the Week in our class.  On Friday, I will share personal photos, mementos and some of my favorite things with the class.  Each Friday we will choose a new Star of the Week.  Every student will have a chance to share.  When your child is chosen, you will receive a letter with information and a poster for your child to fill out.  My hope is for everyone to have their own special time to share a little bit about themselves.

*Thank you for sending in healthy snacks each day! The class gets a nice recharge halfway through our mornings!

Looking Ahead:

Tuesday, November 8th- No School

Friday, November 11th- No School

Update October 23rd

*Tuesday, October 25th is first grade's first Robinson School Store.  Students will have an opportunity to visit School Store during the morning on Tuesday.  There are many school supplies on sale including pencils, erasers, rulers, etc.  I suggest sending in $2.00 or less as many items are available for this low price.

*On Wednesday, we will welcome Emilie Boon, an author and illustrator of children's books.  Students will learn about the process of writing.  They will also learn and explore with Emilie's crayon and watercolor technique of illustrating.

*In writing, we continue to focus on writing small moment stories, adding punctuation to the end of sentences and capitalizing the beginning of sentences.  

*In math, we will focus on finding parts and totals, finding strategies for solving number stories and exploring length and pairs. Students will also learn about the proper use of iPads in the classroom.  We will begin to use iPads for students to explore math skills and games.  

*In handwriting, we are finishing reviewing uppercase letters.  We will begin learning lowercase letters and their proper placement.  Last week, Coleen Noble our school Occupational Therapist, did whole class instruction on proper pencil grip.  Students have been working hard to hold their pencils correctly in order to reduce fatigue and work on neater handwriting.

*We will shift our focus to Social Studies for the next month or so.  Economics will be our first subject of the school year. During the course of this unit, students will learn about:

*Want/Needs

*Goods/Services

*Businesses

*Mr. LaCoste has requested that students please leave Pokemon cards at home.  Thank you.

Looking Ahead:

*Next Monday, October 31st, is our Harvest Party.  Students may bring costumes to school to wear only during the Harvest Party.  The costumes should be brought to school in a bag with your child's name on it.  No face paint, masks or weapons will be allowed.

*Tuesday, November 8th-No School

*Friday, November 11th- No School

Update October 16th

I hope you enjoyed the beautiful Fall weather with your family.  We took advantage of the great weather this weekend with friends and family.

*Mr. LaCoste and Mrs. Kane helped excite students about our Race For Education Fundraiser on Friday by creating a funny video for students.  Take a peek at the video, here!
Please remember to send in labels with addresses for the Race for Education fundraiser.  Labels are due back to school tomorrow, Monday, October 17th!

*If you haven't already, please send in a photo of your child to use in a Non-Fiction book about themselves.  The picture can be from any time in the life, by themselves or with family and friends.  Please note, these photos will not be returned.

*We will begin to learn the features of Non-Fiction Books during our Comprehension lessons.  Features included are: table of contents, photographs, illustrations, glossary, index, labeling and bold print.

*Reading groups are up and running at full force in our classroom.  You will begin to see your child coming home with reading books throughout the week.  You can expect books at least twice a week.  Please continue to sign off on student's reading logs and share comments when appropriate.  You may notice that in some books, I will specify a page or chapter to stop at.  Please remind students not to read on because then they'll know information about the book that others won't when we meet in group the next day.

*In writing, we continue to focus on writing small moment stories, adding punctuation to the end of sentences and capitalizing the beginning of sentences.

*In math we will focus on writing math number sentences (equations) for addition and subtraction.  Students will also be assessed using the end of Unit 2 Math assessment.  These assessments help to determine areas students need additional support in during math instruction.

*Last week in Science, we received our pet hermit crabs.  Students observed how hermit crabs behave and the body parts they use to protect themselves.  We will finish up our Plants & Animal unit in science this week.  Please help us welcome our new class pets!

*Thank you to all the parents who have offered to donate goods or time for this year's classroom parties.  We also request a $6 donation per kid to cover the costs of crafts and games during each party.  The $6 covers all 3 parties.  If you haven't already, please send money into school in an envelope marked "Party Donation" with your child's name below.  Donations will be sent to our party coordinator, Ruthanne Madsen.  Ruthanne is busy planning our first party of the year.  The Harvest party will be on Monday, October 31st.

*Please consider donating Clorox Wipes to our classroom.  We use wipes each day to clean up after snack.

*Looking Ahead*
November 8th- No School (Election Day)
November 11th- No School (Veteran's Day)