Weekly Update for 10/02/17

Reading Log

Beginning on Monday, your child will be bringing home a canvas bag with 2 books and their reading folder each night.  Please help your child complete the following each night:

1.    Read 30 minutes (a total of 2 steps).  15 minutes must be read INDEPENDENTLY and from the books he/she brings home on their level.  The

2.   Log 2 steps (2 book titles) on his/her reading log. 

3.   Put 2 books back into canvas bag to return to school.  If a child does not return his/her books, they may not take new books home.

It is imperative that your child complete their 30 minutes of reading each night.  If there are evenings that your child is involved in an afterschool activity, please plan to log extra steps on the weekend or another evening to ensure your child doesn’t fall behind.  Just like we are reading each day in class for 30 minutes to help build stamina, your child needs to practice building stamina at home.  If you have questions or concerns about this practice, please let me know and I will hopefully be able to help. 

Crazy Hair Day

Thank you so much to all of those that donated to our schools APEX Fun Run.  I was completely blown away by the amount of money our class raised.  As a reward for reaching our $20 class pledge goal, we have voted to have a crazy hair day on Tuesday, October 3. (Think Dr. Seuss Who hair.)

Conferences

I send an e-mail on Thursday, September 28 about upcoming conferences.  Wednesday, October 18 is a scheduled work day and conference day for all teachers.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to meet with everyone on that date.  Therefore, I am willing to meet before or after school for the next several weeks.  If you did not receive the e-mail concerning conferences, below is a link that will connect you to the Google Form that you may complete.  

What are we learning this week?  

Reading: SOL 1.9

Students will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts.  We will focus on identifying characters, setting, and important events.

   

Writing: SOL 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of purposes.

Math: SOL 1.11 Geometry
The student will:
a) identify, trace, describe, and sort plane figures triangles, squares, rectangles, and circles according to number of sides, vertices, and angles; and
b) identify and describe representations of circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles in different environments, regardless of orientation, and explain reasoning.

           Weekly Schedule

*Monday, October 2        Purple Resource Day

*Tuesday, October 3       Red Resource Day
Crazy Hair Day

*Wednesday, October 4    Orange Resource Day

Picture Day
Interim Reports Issued

*Thursday, October 5       Yellow Resource Day

*Friday,October 6            Early Release @ 1:00
SHS Homecoming Parade @ 4:15
         

                Looking Ahead

October 10th       Back to School Night @ 6:30
October 12th       WatchDogs Pizza Kickoff @ 6:00

Weekly Update for 09/25/17

APEX Fun Run
I am so excited to tell you about the Apex Fun Run event that will be at our school for the next two weeks!  The Apex program teaches leadership and fitness to our students who will be seeking pledges for the Fun Run this. Friday, September 28.

Please visit www.apexfunrun.com and log on with your students access code to hear about this interactive program that helps schools all over the country raise money, while promoting leadership and fitness in the classes.  This year’s character theme is Apex United where students will follow Sam, Rob, Wendy, Robin and Luke who together make up the United Squad. We catch up with our characters while the deceiving Mr. E is constantly testing them. With special powers provided by Omega these five friends will truly learn what it means to be united along with a surprise none of them saw coming.

Students are raising pledges for the laps they run (between 26 and 36, 36-lap max).  Each lap is 1/16^th of a mile.  For instance, $1 per lap means $30 dollars total pledged if the student runs 30 laps.  Our class has a goal of reaching $3 per lap for each student, or $90 simple donations.

Here's the important part!  The majority of the funds raised this year will go to our school to pay for technology, equipment and other items to further deeper learning and activities.  However, the school has promised that an additional 10% of whatever we raise in each class goes directly to that teacher to use in their own classroom. My goal is to raise $100/lap, enough money to buy flexible seating options such as yoga mats, Hoki stools, and Scoops Rockers.

Please help us reach our goal by talking to family and friends about pledging for your student. A great way to do this is to use the “Share Wizard” found on your students pledge page. The Share Wizard is an awesome tool that allows you to send texts, emails and share posts on Facebook and Twitter to help your child get sponsors for the upcoming fun run.

If you need your child’s access code to login on www.apexfunrun.com you can contact info@apexfunrun.com.  I hope to see you at the Fun Run next week!

What are we learning this week?  

Reading: SOL 1.9

Students will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of fictional texts.  We will focus on identifying characters, setting, and important events.

   

Writing: SOL 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of purposes.

Math: SOL 1.11 Geometry
The student will:
a) identify, trace, describe, and sort plane figures triangles, squares, rectangles, and circles according to number of sides, vertices, and angles; and
b) identify and describe representations of circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles in different environments, regardless of orientation, and explain reasoning.

           Weekly Schedule

*Monday, September 25       Orange Resource Day

*Tuesday, September 26      Green Resource Day

*Wednesday, September 27   Blue Resource Day

*Thursday, September 28     Purple Resource Day

*Friday, September 29         Orange Resource Day
APEX Fun Run for 1st Grade @ 10:15
         

                Looking Ahead

October 4th         Picture Day
October 6th         Smithfield High School Homecoming                                      Parade @ 4:15
October 10th       Back to School Night @ 6:30
October 12th       WatchDogs Pizza Kickoff @ 6:00

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Weekly Update for 09/18/17

Huge Thank You

I want to thank all of the families who came with our class to the IOWC Fair on Friday.  It was hot and busy, but the class had a great time.  Having so many extra eyes and hands meant so much to me especially at the beginning of the year.  We will be taking another field trip to the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk in November to help launch our research lab on animals.  More information on this trip will be coming home soon. 

Volunteers

Last week I sent out an e-mail with a Google form linked to it if you would like to volunteer in our classroom.  Thank you to those that have filled the form out.  If you are still interested in volunteering, please e-mail me and I will resend the link to that form.  My hope is to start using volunteers in the classroom beginning in October.  I want to make sure that our routines are established before adding anyone new to the mix. 

Amazon Wishlist

Several parents have contacted me about any needs in the classroom.  I have an Amazon Wishlist that I keep updated as the year progresses with items that the class needs or would like to have.  The link to our wishlist is listed below.

http://a.co/7QQ54Y5

What are we learning this week?

This week we will be establishing routines and our classroom community.  We will learn each other's names and decide what rules and consequences should be part of our class this year.     

Reading: SOL 1.10
The student will read and demonstrate a variety of fiction nonfiction texts.

Writing: SOL 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of purposes.

Math: SOL 1.11 Geometry
The student will:
a) identify, trace, describe, and sort plane figures triangles, squares, rectangles, and circles according to number of sides, vertices, and angles; and
b) identify and describe representations of circles, squares, rectangles, and triangles in different environments, regardless of orientation, and explain reasoning.

           Weekly Schedule

*Monday, September 18       Green Resource Day
APEX Fun Run Pep Rally @ 2:30

*Tuesday, September 19      Blue Resource Day

*Wednesday, September 20   Purple Resource Day

*Thursday, September 21     Red Resource Day

Girl Scout Information Night @6:00

*Friday, September 22         Organge Resource Day

         

                Looking Ahead

October 4th         Picture Day
October 10th       Back to School Night @ 6:30
October 12th       WatchDogs Pizza Kickoff @ 6:00

Weekly Update for 09/11/17

IOWC Fair Field Trip

Friday, September 15 is our field trip to the IOWC fair.  Permission slips are due Wednesday, September 13.  The cost of the trip is free for students and $1.00 for parents/chaperones.  Parent chaperones can meet teachers and students at Gate 2 to enter the fair with the class. We plan to arrive at 10:00.  Unless noted on your child’s permission, please pack a bag lunch that we will have as a picnic lunch at the fair.

New Resource and Lunch Time

Our schedule has been adjusted slightly for resource and lunch.  We will be going to resource beginning on Monday, September 11 at 9:15-10:05.  Our lunchtime will be 11:35-12:05.

Wednesday Schedule Change

Each Wednesday, first grade teachers will be meeting for an extended grade level meeting.  In order to accommodate this in our schedule, our day will be upside-down.  We will go to the computer lab at 9:30-1:30.  Our recess time will be 11:00-11:30, and resource 2:10-3:40.

Red Folder and Agenda Book

 Thank you for checking your child’s agenda book and red homework folder each night.  Included in your child’s agenda book will be there daily behavior check-in.  At the end of the day, your child decides what kind of day they have had: a great day, an okay day, or tomorrow will be better.  I will initial the agenda book and write a note if I disagree with the evaluation your child has written. 

What are we learning this week?

This week we will be establishing routines and our classroom community.  We will learn each other's names and decide what rules and consequences should be part of our class this year.     

Reading: SOL 1.10
The student will read and demonstrate a variety of nonfiction texts.

Writing: SOL 1.13 The student will write to communicate ideas for a variety of purposes.

Math: SOL 1.15 Number and Number Sense
The students will:
a) count forward orally by ones to 110, starting at any number between 0 and 110;
b) write the numerals 0 to 110 in sequence and out-of-sequence

           Weekly Schedule

*Monday, September 11       Blue Resource Day
Patriot's Day- Remember to wear red, white, and blue

*Tuesday, September 12      Purple Resource Day

*Wednesday, September 13   Red Resource Day

*Thursday, September 14     Orange Resource Day

*Friday, September 15          IOWC Fair Field Trip

         

                Looking Ahead

September 18th   APEX Fun Run Pep Rally
October 4th         Picture Day