I hope you all enjoyed the holiday today.  My own kids enjoyed putting on their costume and heading outside.  By the weekend I know Ava will have forgotten all about the bucket of candy.  I can’t believe we are now entering the month of November.  Boy, time sure flies.  We have lots to learn in first grade.  Here is an update on many of the things we have been learning.

Language Arts:

The skills we have been working on are making predictions, using picture clues and being a critical thinker while reading stories. Some of the books we have enjoyed are “Dear Zoo”, “Space Pup”, “Boots for Beth”, “Louella Mae She’s Run Away”, “Head to Toe”, “Stellaluna” and “Pumpkin Pumpkin”.  We also read a variety of holiday literature while we worked on the skills of comparing and contrasting, sequence of events, identifying nouns and verbs and story mapping (characters, setting, problem, solution).  While you read with your child at home, please have him/her make predictions during the story and then discuss what ended up happening.  You can also talk about the characters, setting, story problem and then how the problem was solved (solution).

The students have begun working in flexible groups. These groups are targeting specific skills at your child’s level. Your child may work with me or another teacher. Each child’s progress will be discussed at the upcoming Parent Teacher Conferences.

Word Wall Words:

come, get, from, here, day, was, but, she, two, make, will, find, his, may, they

The sight words for 2^nd quarter came home earlier this week.  Please let me know if you need another copy.  Please spend time practicing these important words with your child.

Grammar:

We have been working on telling, asking and exclamatory sentences, identifying nouns and verbs,

Phonics:

The students have been assessed on short a, i and o.  We are now working on short u.

Math:

Some of the skills we have been working on are counting on (adding) and back (subtracting), solving addition and subtraction number stories and telling time to the hour (analog and digital).  We are also working on solving Halloween story problems that require us to use many different math strategies.  Just a reminder when math homework is sent home, it is always due the next day.  Please make sure your child has his/her name on it.

Science/Social Studies:

The students researched our adopted animal, Isis the African lion.  They learned many interesting lion facts.  They sure enjoyed seeing her during our trip to the zoo.  Also the students learned about different animal habitats. The first graders have also learned about the famous Explorer Christopher Columbus.  Next week we will begin our rock unit.  Please have your child bring in his/her rock collection by Monday so your child has a collection to study and observe.

We are beginning our bully unit.  We have talked about having empathy and how to read someone else’s facial expressions to know how they are feeling.  We will continue to work on this topic.

If you are interested in coming in and sharing with the class about a special holiday or celebration your family celebrates, we’d love to have you. Pleae contact me so we can set up a time for this.

A special thanks to…Mrs. Klimes, Mrs. Suresh, Mr. Simon, Mrs. Pomazal, Mrs. Hartley and Mrs. Keeler for volunteering to come along on our trip to the zoo.  Mrs. Cebula and Mrs. Villalobos for a fun holiday party.

Just a reminder…as you send in a healthy snack for your child, please make sure it DOES NOT contain peanuts, peanut butter or any type of nut. We want to keep all our classmates safe and healthy. Thank you for your cooperation.

Don’t forget…

Thursday, November 1: Read In, October Reading Calendar Due or record minutes online at maywattsreads.com

Friday, November 2: Report Cards Sent Home: Keep all items inside and return the signed envelope only.  Feel free to bring the report card to your child’s conference.

Monday, November 5: Parent Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, November 6: No School: Parent Teacher Conferences

Thursday, November 8: Parent Teacher Conferences

Thursday, November 15: Picture Retakes: See note below

Picture re-takes are being planned for Thursday, November 15, 2012, beginning at 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. If you need to have your child’s photo re-taken, please do the following:

1) Call the office to get your child’s name on the re-take list.

2) Return the complete original packet of photos on November 15.

If your child did not have money with them on the original picture day to purchase photos, forgot to turn in their payment envelope, was absent, or is new to May Watts School, they should also be placed on the re-take list. All students have their photos taken in order to have them appear in our May Watts yearbook and for their academic file regardless of whether you purchase photos or not.

If you have any questions, please contact the office at 428-6700.

 

Don’t forget to visit the LMC blog for more information about the At-Home Reading Incentive Program.

The temperature is changing and we go outside most days. Make sure your child dresses for the weather.  Also, first graders should be able to zip, button and take off their coat on their own (so the sleeves don’t get inverted in coats that have two layers) so please help your child if any of these things haven’t been mastered yet.  Thanks for your help.

Thanks for reading all the way to the end.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  I look forward to seeing you next week at your child’s conference.

Mrs. Giarrante