brendel

Octoberfest and More!

We're entering that busy exciting part of the year! The students said they had fun with the COGAT test and were attentive. They listened very well to the questions which could only be read once. We will take our Math test over Chapter 2 on Monday.

Friday we will have a classroom "I Can Do It Day !"  Discuss with your child what they would like to share and prepare a short explanation. We'll take pictures and make a video if possible, of the event to share at home. Because this is our first opportunity for a presentation we'll keep it to a "first graders only "audience. Thanks for understanding. 

In a week or so, the first grde team will send home with each child an information sheet for a very special book report. On October 31 we'll have our 4th annual I Love a Book Day.  I'll be looking for a parent or two to read to several classes after our parade as we rotate and read great books. This is not a Halloween theme. Books should be chosen by the student. The parade is an event you are invited to attend. It will be first thing in our school day, followed by stories in each classroom. If you are interested in reading to several classes [and perhaps in a costume to make the story come alive], please let me know via email or note.

Remember to get your armband for Octoberfest this week!

Welcome Fall!

We'll celebrate the change of seasons and change in general .Our story  An Egg is an Egg, and activities will highlight just that! Check out your Friday folder for deteils about our upcoming week. Please keep reviewing the take home books and vocabulary words from past stories. Our lists are getting longer and more difficult. Also get some addition and subtraction flash cards to work on learning the facts. Start low and with a few cards and then add new facts to the mastered ones for continued review. We now have a good understanding of addition and subtraction. Learning the +0, +1 and +2 facts would be an appropriate next step. Thanks for helping with this ongoing goal.

This year the initial qualifying score for TARGET will be the COGAT. This test will be given in all first grade classrooms on Wednesday, September 26- Friday, September  28. Research says that students perform best if well rested, well fed, and if they have a positive state of mind. Our testing segments will be broken up and we will take breaks in the room where we move around and stretch. Please encourage your child to listen well and do your part by having them to school on time. We will try to maintain our schedule outside of the time needed to administer the test. Some flexibility with homework should be expected next week.

September 17-24

We'll be going to the media center so send in your library books on Monday. This week on Thursday we'll have a visit from Buster the Bus to review bus safety. Give your bus driver a special" hello" as this is Bus Safety and Bus Driver Appreciation Week . They will be treated to a special brunch at Sope Creek Monday. These dedicated men and women are entrusted daily with the lives of our children. We honor their hearts of gold and nerves of steel! Why not find your own special way to thank your driver?

• In math we are gaining an understnading of subtraction and the difference between numbers.
• In weather we'll look at temperatures around the world. Look for your homework on this!!
• In reading we will grow our reading vocabulary and look at inflected endings and contractions
• Buster the Bus will visit!
• Early release day is Wednesday
• Patrick is our BFW!
• We made edible frogs on a log to celebrate the "og" word family. Yummy...

Have a wonderful week. Every day with the Butterflies is a gift!

Weather and the Earth and I !

This week we will visit the media center for the first time. A big difference in the first grade is that we will be getting 2 books at each check out. If your child is ready to enjoy a new book and is in the classroom first he/she may ask to visit the media center after unpacking in the classroom. 

We will continue our study of weather by posting our classroom weather pictures which we had great fun categorizing on Friday. The pictures are incredible that you sent in, and the children were proud to share them with the group. We will be working in our classroom and teaming up with Mrs. Welch's Winners for joint projects on weather.  The video-streaming on Weather, A First Look, was packed full of information and ideas to try at home and school.

In math we will take a rather lengthy pretest for the year. I am splitting it into 2-3 days depending on  the "student climate". So... we will not have math homework on Chapter 2 until  later in the week. Consult the homework paper for specifics.

Please review the word lists that come home with the newsletter on Friday. The list will grow in length and difficulty ,so it is best to review all lists until your student can rapidly read them to you.

Also, you have seen the level of math facts in addition that we have been working with. Now is the time to pick up some flash cards and begin to work to commit the facts to memory.

I'm sure that is quite enough information for one sitting. Thanks for all you do and for taking the time to read our blog. Your roll in your child's education is paramount to success as you know!

The World of Weather

Parents and friends of the Butterflies! We will begin our study later this week. In preparation for our work with weather we are asking that you begin to gather some pictures of different kinds of weather. Look in old magazines, do a web search, or look in the newspaper.  You may even have photos you wish to share. We'll be making large posters of various types of weather from storms to delightful days! These posters will be made and displayed during our unit. Thursday evening look for our weather overview in your child's folder. Vocabulary and websites are featured. Thank you for your help and... happy hunting!