Wow! It is the last week of the 3rd quarter already. I wonder how many feet the students will grow during the week of spring break. I am being totally serious when I say that they all grow A LOT over spring break. The first day back they seem so much taller. Parents, please check the length of your scholars' skirts and shorts. I know it is tough when uniform clothing has to be purchased for the last quarter of the school year but it is important that the shorts and skirts are proper length (see the family handbook for guidance) that that shirts are long enough to be tucked in.
GENERAL ACADEMICS: Spalding - Students will not have any new words on Monday. The homework is just practicing phonograms. Students will learn 10 words on Tuesday, review them on Wednesday, and take a 10-word spelling test on Thursday. Math - Introduction to fractions. A "friendly notes" page is in today's red homework folder. Science - We are reviewing the habitats unit in class on Tuesday and Wednesday. The unit test is on Thursday. Literature - Bargain for Frances Grammar - Conjunctions Poetry - Poetry recitations for "The Puffin" begin on Tuesday. UPCOMING DATES: Friday, March 4 - No School: Academy In-service March 7-11 - No School: Spring Break Friday, March 11 - Q3 Evals available in Powerschool Parent Portal by 5pm Monday, March 14 - School Resumes Friday, March 18 - Reading Under the Stars Family Event, 6:30-8 PM Tuesday, March 22 - PSO Night at Culver's Friday, March 25 - Half Day Dismissal, 12 PM Spirit Day and Field Day ON A PERSONAL NOTE: - I tried to meet with as many parents as I could after school in the last few weeks. This is just a reminder that if you ever want to meet with me, you are welcome to e-mail me and request a parent/teacher conference. :-) - Do you have any spring break plans? I will probably think really hard about cleaning my house at the beginning of the break, but, in reality, that isn't going to happen. I have much more important things to do - crafts, dancing, and spending time with my son and my parents. NAMING THE GOOD: -I had to buy new uniform stuff for my son at the beginning of the 3rd quarter so maybe this year I won't have to buy new uniform clothes just to get him through 4th quarter. - The class is working hard to fill up the marble jar. It is pretty close. They might get to have another marble jar party before the end of the quarter. That would be cool! Enjoy your week and your spring break!
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Hi! Last week was a very fun week. The scholars got to have their marble jar party on Friday. It was a bubble party. Each student got a small container of bubbles. Bubbles were floating all over the classroom! Spalding was a lot of fun last week too. The students have a tendency to blend the three sounds of the /ch/ phonogram together. Same with the /ed/. We practiced those sounds to the basic waltz step. (HA! Waltzing to phonogram sounds and learning pronouns to the Rumba! I wish you could be flies on the whiteboard so you can see a whole class of toothless grinning 1st graders!) The students also got to pound their desks when they learned the word pound and they got to witness me gallop around the room when they learned the word horse. There was a lot of laughter during last week's Spalding lessons.
SWEET STUDENTS: The students in the class are so sweet to each other. Most children this age are so focused on what they did and their life. The students in 1B regularly ask each other about their weekend and how things went. WATER BOTTLES: PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR SCHOLAR BRINGS A WATER BOTTLE TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY. THANKS BUNCHES! :-) PORTOR APPRECIATION DAY ON FRIDAY FEBRUARY 25TH: Our porters, Palmira and Raquel are amazing! Palmira always has a smile on her face. Raquel is enjoyable to talk with. They both do such a great job at keeping our school clean. GENERAL ACADEMICS: Spalding - Students will learn 10 new words on Tuesday and Wednesday and review the 20 words on Thursday. The spelling test is on Friday. Math- We are finishing up the Introduction to Multiplication Concepts unit and will move into a short unit that introduces division concepts. A "friendly notes" page will be placed in your scholars red folder tomorrow. Science - Habitats and the Food Chain Literature - Bargain for Frances Poetry - "There Once Was a Penguin" UPCOMING DATES: Friday, February 25 - Day Porter Appreciation Day Friday, March 4 - No School: Academy In-service March 7-11 - No School: Spring Break School resumes on Monday, March 14 ON A PERSONAL NOTE: - It is so so so important to be able to have fun and bring laughter into the classroom! The days where I can get the kids to laugh while learning are so special! - At the beginning of the last week I had a conversation with a couple of my students. I could tell they weren't feeling very confident with themselves. I wish, as a teacher, I could wave a confidence wand and give all of my kids confidence but I can't. Confidence comes from within. Anyway, I had a talk with them and told them I knew they could do it. They just needed to realize it. I told them that every time they realized they succeeded at something to take a moment and smile and celebrate it, that if they kept doing that with each step they would soon become more confident. As they went back to their task I realized I should have had a little tape recorder so I could tell myself those same words at my ballroom dance lessons. I watched as their confidence grew with a concept that was being taught during the week. I thought, "Hmmm... if they got this then I can do it too!" so Friday night I had the most amazing dance lesson so far. It never ceases to amaze me how, when I think I am teaching my students, they are the ones teaching me. NAME THE GOOD: - Super porters - Laughter in the classroom Laugh lots and have a fun week! Every group of students is different. They laugh at different things, they argue about different things, and each group likes different units or concepts. This year's group loves Rattenborough (the fictional rat that is telling the students about different habitats) and they love adding three numbers. Every day, before math last week, they asked me if they would get to add three numbers that day. Every day, after lunch, they asked me if the rat was going to take them to a different place. I think my class will be very pleased with this week. They get to add 3 or more numbers together, Rattenborough is going to be taking them on a couple of trips around the world and we will have out marble jar party on Friday. Yep. It will be fun week!
GREAT HEARTS: Just a reminder that Great Hearts schools do not have Valentines Day parties to pass out individual Valentines to classmates in school. Our school has Great Hearts days which is fun. We always focus on the virtue of friendship, but Great Hearts day the focus is doubled. :-) MARBLE JAR PARTY: The class filled up the marble jar several days ago. On Friday afternoon the students get to have a bubble party. GENERAL ACADEMICS: Spalding - Students will learn 10 new words on Monday - Wednesday, review on Thursday, and take the test on Friday. Math - Unit 12 - Repeated addition, equal groups, and they relate to multiplication concepts. *Note - a "Friendly Notes" page was place in the red folders today. Science - Habitats and the Food Chain Literature - Bargain for Frances *Note - There are still a small number of students who do not have Bargain for Frances here at school. If you scholar does not have it please send it to school TOMORROW!!! Thanks! Poetry - "There Once was a Puffin" *If your scholars start singing the poem. That is fine. We are practicing it as a song here at school. UPCOMING DATES: Saturday, February 19 - Trivium Run the Virtues 5K/1-Mile Fun Run Monday, February 21 - No School: Presidents' Day Weekend / R&R Friday, March 4 - No School: Academy In-service March 7-11 - No School: Spring Break - School resumes on Monday, March 14 Have an amazing week!!!!! Hi there!
THANK YOU: Thank you to all who sent in hand sanitizer, tissues, and other supplies that 1B needed! 1B CLASSROOM COORDINATORS: BOTH of our incredibly wonderful classroom coordinators were hired to work for Great Hearts so 1B is without a classroom coordinator. The classroom coordinators from 1A and 1C are going to do their best to step in and help. Please contact the PSO if you are interested in becoming a classroom coordinator for the remainder of the year. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH: This is just a friendly reminder that Great Hearts does not allow students to pass out Valentine's Day cards to the class on February 14th. MID-QUARTER REPORT: In tomorrow's homework folders I am sending home a Mid-quarter grade report. This report will have your child’s current grades for the quarter. This is an informal report I have created in order to provide you with information in understanding how your child is doing in class during the first half of the third quarter. Important Items to Note: - The mid-quarter grades for ELA will not reflect your child’s current reading level. This level will be calculated at the end of the quarter. - This mid-quarter report will also not include grades for Xtramath as that is also calculated at the end of the quarter. - Science grade reflects the project week assignment only. - I am requiring that the report be signed and returned once you have viewed grades so that I know you have seen it. Please return signed by Thursday, February 10th. FYI- The grade of 1 is considered below grade level expectations / the scholar has not shown evidence of the skill. The grade of 2 is considered inconsistent to the grade level expectations. The grade of 3 is considered to be meeting the expectations of the grade level / the scholar is right where they need to be. There are 4 weeks left in quarter 3 to continue to support and help your scholar. Here are some tips for supporting your child at home:
GENERAL ACADEMICS: Spalding - Students will learn 10 new words on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The 30-word review will be on Thursday, and the test will be on Friday. Math - Adding and subtracting numbers to 40 including solving word problems and adding 3 numbers. Science - Habitats and the Food Chain Literature - Beatrix Potter, Bargain for Frances *Note: Please make sure your scholar has Bargain to Frances at school by Wednesday, February 9th Grammar - Adjectives Poetry - "There Once was a Puffin" by Florence Page Jacques UPCOMING DATES: Tuesday, February 8 - PSO Restaurant Night - In-N-Out Burger, 4-8 PM Saturday, February 19 - Trivium Run the Virtues 5K/1-Mile Fun Run Monday, February 21 - No School: Presidents' Day Weekend / R&R ON A PERSONAL NOTE: Yeaaaahhh... I am kind of done with the whole junk food / fast food thing. Seriously, that stuff makes my brain move slower and my insides feel like everything is all clumping together. I try to be present and support every PSO restaurant fund raiser night that I can but fast food... I won't be at In-n-Out Burger on Tuesday. ;-) NAMING THE GOOD: - Mrs. Garza has been so so helpful over the past two weeks. I am also thankful for the help she received. - When I walked out onto the playground this past Wednesday morning to get my students and bring them back to the classroom I was suddenly surrounded. Almost all of them came up to me and gave me giant hugs and their smiles were huge! Have an energetic week! |
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May 2022
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