Showing posts with label News Flash. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News Flash. Show all posts
Monday, September 9, 2013
Thank You, Donors!
Our most recent project listed on DonorsChoose.org has been funded! The project, entitled, "Spread the News!" will provide Scholastic News and Science Spin magazine subscriptions for every child in our class! Thank you so much to our Donors!!! We really appreciate your generosity. We can't wait to read our new magazines!
Saturday, August 31, 2013
What a Week!
Greetings, 1st grade families!
I hope you are enjoying this fabulous Labor Day weekend!
Have you heard news of our 1st week? We had a GREAT time! I am blessed to have such a wonderful group of students. Thank you for sharing your children with me!
In reading we learned to read a book three different ways (read the pictures, read the words, and retell a familiar story). We worked on building our stamina for reading independently. Our goal is to build our stamina to 30 minutes of sustained, silent reading. We practiced a reading comprehension strategy called “Check for Understanding” to help us remember who and what we are reading about.
Next week we will practice “Checking for Understanding” while reading with a partner. We will begin reading with our Book Buddies from Ms. Eller’s 3rd grade class on Wednesday. During Book Buddy reading we will practice our reading fluency as well as other reading strategies.
In writing we wrote stories about things we like. We worked on building our writing community by listening to and sharing stories. We noticed many commonalities with our friends. Two of our friends enjoy playing volleyball with their dads. Two other students like playing at the pool. It is so fun to learn about each other through our stories!
In math we are working to solve word problems, staying flexible with our thinking, while attempting to avoid common misconceptions. When students see two numbers in a word problem we don’t want them to automatically add them together. We want them to understand the problem first, so together we have worked to analyze the meaning of word problems before working to solve them with our own independent strategies. Your children are amazing! So far they have used strategies such as drawing a picture and making a model to solve problems. Two students created t-charts to organize their data. Student volunteers shared their work and taught the class new strategies for solving problems!
For the next several weeks we will work to internalize number combinations to 10 and, as the year progresses, to 20. Next week we will write numerals to 120, practice counting by groups, and use equations to represent our work.
In social studies we are learning about what it means to be a good citizen. We have reviewed what it means to S.O.A.R. (Show self-control. Offer peer support. Actively listen and learn. Respect people and property.)
We will begin a unit in science soon called Force and Motion. As an introduction to the unit we have been reading about magnets and magnetic force. We did a few informal experiments through which we discovered that a magnet’s magnetic force can travel through some materials, such as paper, to another magnetic material, such as a metal refrigerator door. Ask your child if a magnet’s magnetic force will travel through a paperclip. Ask them what else they can tell you about magnets. (Possible answers: Magnets have two poles, and North Pole and a South Pole. Earth is a magnet. Our planet also has a North Pole and a South Pole. Some metals are magnetic, Etc.)
Have a fun weekend! I look forward to seeing your children on Tuesday!
I hope you are enjoying this fabulous Labor Day weekend!
Have you heard news of our 1st week? We had a GREAT time! I am blessed to have such a wonderful group of students. Thank you for sharing your children with me!
In reading we learned to read a book three different ways (read the pictures, read the words, and retell a familiar story). We worked on building our stamina for reading independently. Our goal is to build our stamina to 30 minutes of sustained, silent reading. We practiced a reading comprehension strategy called “Check for Understanding” to help us remember who and what we are reading about.
Next week we will practice “Checking for Understanding” while reading with a partner. We will begin reading with our Book Buddies from Ms. Eller’s 3rd grade class on Wednesday. During Book Buddy reading we will practice our reading fluency as well as other reading strategies.
In writing we wrote stories about things we like. We worked on building our writing community by listening to and sharing stories. We noticed many commonalities with our friends. Two of our friends enjoy playing volleyball with their dads. Two other students like playing at the pool. It is so fun to learn about each other through our stories!
In math we are working to solve word problems, staying flexible with our thinking, while attempting to avoid common misconceptions. When students see two numbers in a word problem we don’t want them to automatically add them together. We want them to understand the problem first, so together we have worked to analyze the meaning of word problems before working to solve them with our own independent strategies. Your children are amazing! So far they have used strategies such as drawing a picture and making a model to solve problems. Two students created t-charts to organize their data. Student volunteers shared their work and taught the class new strategies for solving problems!
For the next several weeks we will work to internalize number combinations to 10 and, as the year progresses, to 20. Next week we will write numerals to 120, practice counting by groups, and use equations to represent our work.
In social studies we are learning about what it means to be a good citizen. We have reviewed what it means to S.O.A.R. (Show self-control. Offer peer support. Actively listen and learn. Respect people and property.)
We will begin a unit in science soon called Force and Motion. As an introduction to the unit we have been reading about magnets and magnetic force. We did a few informal experiments through which we discovered that a magnet’s magnetic force can travel through some materials, such as paper, to another magnetic material, such as a metal refrigerator door. Ask your child if a magnet’s magnetic force will travel through a paperclip. Ask them what else they can tell you about magnets. (Possible answers: Magnets have two poles, and North Pole and a South Pole. Earth is a magnet. Our planet also has a North Pole and a South Pole. Some metals are magnetic, Etc.)
Have a fun weekend! I look forward to seeing your children on Tuesday!
Sunday, October 21, 2012
We have new books!
Our grant for new books from DonorsChoose.org was funded several weeks ago! Our new books have arrived! It did not take long for every student in our class to dive right in to a new book. The kids helped me unpack the box and explore the contents. We have already read a few books as a whole group, and most students have had a chance to read one independently.
We know that reading books on our level (books we like, can read with 96% percent accuracy, and that we can understand) helps us grow as readers. Many of the books are "Just Right" reads for the kids, and some of them are easy. Easy books are great for building fluency and for working on reading with expression. A short book talk about the Dr. Seuss books was all it took to get students engaged in independent and partner reading focused on fluency, comprehension, and expression.
They are off to a great start this year. I can see a lot of growth happening already. Thank you for your support at home and through DonorsChoose.org. We are so glad to have new books in the classroom!!!
We know that reading books on our level (books we like, can read with 96% percent accuracy, and that we can understand) helps us grow as readers. Many of the books are "Just Right" reads for the kids, and some of them are easy. Easy books are great for building fluency and for working on reading with expression. A short book talk about the Dr. Seuss books was all it took to get students engaged in independent and partner reading focused on fluency, comprehension, and expression.
They are off to a great start this year. I can see a lot of growth happening already. Thank you for your support at home and through DonorsChoose.org. We are so glad to have new books in the classroom!!!
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
End of the Year Celebrations
The end of
the year is almost here! Let’s celebrate all we have learned and all the fun we
have had!!!
Awards Day will be
Thursday, May 31, 2012 from 12:30-1:00pm in the gymnasium. This Awards Day will
be combined for ALL first grade classes.
Ms. Matthews will be announcing student award winners. You are welcome to join us.
Ms. Matthews will be announcing student award winners. You are welcome to join us.
The next day, we will enjoy our End-of-the-Year Celebration (Friday, June 1, 2012 from 2:00-2:45pm).
We will be reviewing all of the fun we have had and sharing some of our
outstanding work. Please visit our Google Group or contact me or Becky Cooper
if you are interested in volunteering for this fun event!
Thank you for all of your help. We look forward to seeing you
at our celebration!
Sincerely,
Mrs.
Harrell
Sunday, March 25, 2012
News Flash!
Hello, all! I hope you are
having a pleasant weekend. Remember, tomorrow is a teacher workday. Some
students were telling me that they plan to work on their fish projects on
Monday. I have heard many great ideas. I can't wait to see what they come up
with!
Classroom Update: We have started to tally
up our good behavior. Each time our class receives a compliment, or earns a
perfect score in Specials, or transitions well throughout the day we record our
accomplishment with a tally mark on the board. When we collect 30 tally marks we
will celebrate with a voted upon activity. We already have 4 tally marks! We
voted last week for our first celebration to
include "Performances." Several students will showcase their talents. Please let
me know if you would like to join us.
J March 26th—No School Teacher Work Day
J March 27th—Beginning of the 4th Quarter
J March 29th—Report Cards go home
J March 30th—Rock Presentation
J April 2nd—PTA Meeting at 7:00pm
J Spring Break—April 6th-April 13th
J April 19th—Volunteer Breakfast 8:35-9:30
J April 25th—Last Early Release Day at 1:30pm
J April 26th—Field Day!
Friday, February 17, 2012
Mark Your Calendars...
February 21st is CiCi's Pizza Night from 6:00-9:00pm in Oak Creek Plaza (15-501 and Garret Rd.). When you order make sure you mention that you are from Creekside to earn our school 10% of sales. Thank you for supporting Creekside!
February 24th--Yearbook orders are due!
February 24th--Yearbook orders are due!
Sunday, February 5, 2012
February News Flash
Feb. 14 Valentine’s Day card exchange!
Feb. 17 Black History Magazine Project Due (see homework packet for information)
Feb. 24 No School (Teacher workday)
March 14 Science Festival 6:30-8:00pm
WELCOME
Mrs. Knight is our new Instructional Assistant. She is a certified teacher and has taught 7th grade. She is working on completing an add-on to her license which will allow her to teach elementary-aged students.
HOMEWORK
February Homework Packet will be going home on Monday, February 6, 2012
OTHER INFORMATION
Valentine’s Day information:
We will be celebrating Valentine’s Day by exchanging Valentines cards on February 14th. As a class we will be decorating bags to put our Valentines in.
We need your help! The children will need Valentine’s themed decorations for their bags (hearts, cupid, love, flowers, etc). Stickers, stencils, doilies, feathers and other lovely things are much appreciated by Friday, Feb. 10!
To help your child address his/her Valentines to their classmates, we have provided the class list below. (If your child chooses to participate, please make sure your child gives a Valentine to every child in the class.)
Pascale Elizabeth Tania Parker
Bhumika Thomas Lilly Maria Joselin
Julian Caiden Dev Nisha
Miriam Ayden Amaya Bryan
Maria Lili Dreizin Lillian Arashdeep
Roseyln Calvin
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
News Flash
January is full of excitement with Awards Day, a field trip, report cards, and a special presentation. Please read the January Newsletter to find out more.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Mark Your Calendars
January 11th—Early Release at 1:30pm
January 16th—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day—Holiday (no school)
January 19th—Class Awards Day at 11:00am in the classroom (room 126)
*Each child will be receiving an academic award. Lunch will be afterwards at 11:30am. If you are able to stay you may have lunch with your child in our classroom.
*Please let me know as soon as possible if you will be buying a lunch from the cafeteria.
January 20th—Field Trip to Marbles Children Museum
*Please make sure permission slips and money are returned by Tuesday, January 10th.
January 23rd—Teacher Work Day
January 24th—Beginning of the 3rd Quarter
January 25th--National Weather Service Presentation (10:45am-11:25am)
January 25th--National Weather Service Presentation (10:45am-11:25am)
January 26th—Report Cards go home
February 7th--Parent Workshop: Bully-Free Creekside (K-2) in the Media Center (6:00-6:40pm)
February 7th--Parent Workshop: Bully-Free Creekside (K-2) in the Media Center (6:00-6:40pm)
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