September lunch menu

Click for the September lunch menu

Newsletter 8-31-12

        We have been working on how to figure out tricky words in reading workshop.  We don't give up after trying just once.  We try several different strategies.  Don't let the word win!

We took our first math test over addition fact strategies.  We are now working on subtraction fact strategies.

The class is very excited about this year's PTO fundraiser!  This year, students are asked to collect the money for the items when they sell the items, not when they deliver.  An envelope is included with the product forms to put the money in and should be turned in with the order forms on Tuesday, September 11.  Parents can pick up the items for delivery from 3:00-6:30 pm on Tuesday, October 9, at the school.  Thanks for supporting our school!

Spelling words for next week:
less  tell  well  will  still  off  
letter  little  silly  happy

        This week I will start giving a dictation sentence on the back of the test.  It will include some spelling words from our current list.  One point will be counted for each spelling word and for a capital at the beginning and for a period at the end.  Our spelling tests are on Thursdays.

Upcoming events:

Sept. 3 – Labor Day, no school
Sept. 6 – Open House 6-7:30pm, also PTO Book Fair
Oct. 4 – Parent Teacher conferences

Reading takes us places!

to the jungle
Dr. Seuss land
to school
a rocky island with a snake (a Magic Tree House story)
to the kitchen
to see a tiger and a rhino
 to Willow Smith land
outside
to the zoo
to church
to the barn
to the bathroom (with Junie B.)
to Hawaii

PTO Fundraiser

      The class is very excited about this year's PTO fundraiser!  This year, students are asked to collect the money for the items when they sell the items, not when they deliver.  An envelope is included with the product forms to put the money in and should be turned in with the order forms on Tuesday, September 11.  Parents can pick up the items for delivery from 3:00-6:30 pm on Tuesday, October 9, at the school.  Thanks for supporting our school!

Notebook decorating party!

     This afternoon we decorated our reading and writing notebooks.  We brought in things from home and cut things from magazines that we liked and are a reflection of who we are.  It was great fun!  More pictures to come next week of the completed notebooks.

Newsletter 8-24-12

We don't eat lunch until 11:55a.m. (yes, 5 minutes later than last week due to a scheduling conflict) - that's much later than when your child was in first grade.  They often get hungry in the morning and love a small snack.  If you are able, please send in a snack for the class snack cabinet for us to share.  Healthy, economical items like crackers, cereal, and pretzels are excellent.  FYI - We do have a few food allergies in our class, including dairy and citrus fruits.  Your kids thank you!

Spelling words for next week:
sent   puppy   take   candy   didn't   my   like   time   by   went

Our spelling tests are on Thursdays.

Upcoming events:

Aug. 28 – PTO meeting at 5:30pm
Sept. 3 – Labor Day, no school
Sept. 6 – Open House 6-7:30pm, also PTO Book Fair

Math Facts

     Today we will start doing our math fact sheets.  Your child will bring home their sheet and it is divided into a top half and a bottom half.  Please do the top half only for homework.  We will do the bottom half in class the next day as a timed exercise.  Their goal is to complete 20 facts in one minute.  At home when you are working on the top half for homework, you can have your child complete the top section timed, or untimed, choose what works for you and your child.  Just leave the bottom half blank for us to do the next day.  As your child reaches their goal on their fact sheet, they will advance to the next sheet.  Each sheet has a different letter of the alphabet at the top.  We are starting with A and working our way through.  Students will advance through the fact sheets at their own pace.  Thanks for your help with homework!

How to Choose a Just Right Book

We've been talking about choosing "just right" books when we are shopping for books to read in the classroom and at the library.  Just right books are:

not too easy and not too hard

looks interesting

I can understand it

use the 5 finger rule (if I find 5 or more words on a page I don't know it is too hard)

Here are some visuals we used to help us.

(too small shirt)

This book is too easy.

I know all the words

and can read it very easily.

I may have read it

LOTS of times already.

I won't challenge myself

as a reader much with

this book.

(fits just right shirt)

This book is "just right"!

I know most of the words.

I may stumble on a few as

I read but I understand

what the book is about.

I am interested in this book!

(too big shirt)

This book is too hard.

I might be interested

in it, but it is too big and has

several words I do not

know (5 or more on a page)

I am not sure I

understood what the

author was telling me

when I got to the bottom

of a page.

What do readers do?

Today we talked about the things we see readers do while they are reading.  Here is our list.

Readers write words or pictures about their thinking.
Readers point at words and pictures while they read.
Readers look at words and pictures while they read.
Readers whisper to themselves while they read.
Readers keep their hands and feet mostly still.
Readers use bookmarks to keep their place.
Readers use booklights if they need more light to see.
Readers read in their head and listen to their thinking voice.
Readers are mostly quiet when they read.
Readers find a comfortable spot so they can read for a long time.
Readers look at book covers to help them make choices about what to read.
Readers turn pages slowly after finishing a page.

Here are some pictures of us doing some of these things.

Newsletter 8-17-12

        We've had a great first week!  We are learning about how Reading and Writing Workshop flows and works in our classroom.  In math we are working on addition facts.
We have a class blog at www.hayscorner.blogspot.com .  I hope to post new things about what we are learning in our classroom a few times a week.  I will also post spelling words there.  Check it out!  Enter your email address there if you wish email notifications of blog updates.   I do not have updated Media Release forms for each student so if you received one (it's a yellow form) earlier this week, please sign and return it.  If you have any questions regarding this, please email me at jhays@wawasee.k12.in.us.
We don't eat lunch until 11:50a.m. - that's much later than when your child was in first grade.  They often get hungry in the morning and love a small snack.  If you are able, please send in a snack for the class snack cabinet for us to share.  Healthy, economical items like crackers, cereal, and pretzels are excellent.  FYI - We do have a few food allergies in our class, including dairy and citrus fruits.  Your kids thank you!

Spelling words for next week:
send, back, end, both, fast, last, must, just, bath, black
Our spelling tests are on Thursdays.

Upcoming events:
Aug. 23 – Individual student pictures
Aug. 28 – PTO meeting at 5:30pm
Sept. 3 – Labor Day, no school
Sept. 6 – Open House 6-7:30pm, also PTO Book Fair

Our first day

     We read a book by David McPhail called Something Special.  We each drew a picture of something special we can do and put them out on the bulletin board outside our door.  We are really special kids!

Hello and August lunch menu

  I've been working hard in the classroom to get ready for the new school year.  I'm so excited to meet all my new students!  I don't have the class handbook up on the blog yet because I still need to add some scheduling information to it.  I will probably get that information on August 13th.  I do have the lunch menu though!

click for August 2012 lunch menu