Mrs. Gorton – First Grade

Just a head’s up – The first grade team is planning a few field trips between now and our next break at the end of March.  Since a new measure kicked in on Jan. 1 (mandates car seats for children until they are 8, or 4 feet 9 inches tall), all drivers for these trips will need to have room for 3 or more booster seats. Please be prepared to provide a booster seat for your child, if needed, in the case you are not one of our class drivers.

This week in class we started a weather unit in science. To kick it off, the kids worked in pairs, read about specific weather topics, designed posters and presented the information learned to the rest of us. The posters are displayed on the wall just inside the door. Take a peak when you pick up or drop off next week. The first grade objectives for this unit are:

-       weather changes from day to day but temperatures tend to be predictable during a season

-       use simple tools to measure weather conditions and record changes from day to day across all seasons

-       understand that the sun warms the land, air and water

Dates to Remember:

Jan. 24 – Arts Attack – 1:15

Jan. 25 – Science Attack – 8:15

Feb. 3 – Sports Dress Up Day

FYI – The weekly homework is listed on my website. The oral share is NOT negotiable. The project for each week is listed in the Oral Share section on the website. Every student is responsible for the sharing each week that it is assigned. The projects are listed for a few weeks out so you can plan ahead when necessary. Math work is sent in the Friday Folders. If you do not see it over the weekend, please do not wait until the following Friday to tell me you never saw it. Spelling words for the week are also listed on my site. Homework is a hassle for parents, I get it. I am obligated to assign it, and I do keep records of items returned on time and late. Please help your child take on this small responsibility now so he will be independent and successful in future years when it gets longer and harder.

Every morning we start the day with a 5-minute Daily Oral Language drill. On each sheet the students practice writing the date for the day. They also count and write the total of a handful of coins posted on the board. They are asked to answer 3 – 4 questions that reinforce various language, grammar and writing convention skills that are needed at this level. For example: contractions, compound words, pronouns, proper nouns, rhyming, identifying correct spelling, punctuation and more. The first grade team has found that this is the best way to review the skills the students need to master for future testing. The kids are getting very good at editing the Daily Language papers. They have more trouble finding and editing their own writing for these same mistakes. One can only hope it will sink in and transfer over soon!

This week we have been finding and discussing patterns in the first hundred numbers. Time spent helping children recognize patterns on the hundred chart helps them develop a deeper understanding of numeration, and lays the foundation for adding and subtracting two-digit numbers. We worked on skip counting by 2, 5, and 10’s with multiple starting points. Children who easily learn to skip count are better able to understand the concept of multiplication. We also had some fun playing with even and odd numbers. All will be reviewed with the homework sent home this week.

Dates to Remember:

Jan. 24 – Arts Attack – 1:15

Jan. 25 – Science Attack – 8:15 – 9:00

Welcome back! We have gotten off to a great start for the New Year. The class behavior has been exemplary!  I have decided that this group is one of the best I have ever had the privilege of teaching. Seriously. They came back ready to pick up where we left off and have done so easily and seamlessly. That said, from this day forward, I will not be sending home a quote, poem or any slips to show your child has behaved correctly each day. I will now just send a note if something does go wrong and you need to hear about it. On Wednesday, Jan. 11, I will open the store again and kids will use the quotes earned last period to purchase some fun things. At this time, your child could have up to 35 quotes. Please help your child remember to bring the earned quotes to school on that day. It helps too, if they are counted, labeled and bundled before returning.

We have begun the study of numbers and their relationship, beginning with activities dealing with Place Value. The primary focus of this unit is on helping the children make sense of our place value system of numbers. The activities draw from other areas of the mathematics curriculum, including statistics, geometry and measurement. A second element to this unit is the idea that students are the constructors and interpreters of their own understanding. The students are able to explore ideas, solve problems, make conjecture, investigate patterns, invent procedures and communicate their thinking and reasoning – orally and in writing. The goal is to have children construct for themselves an understanding of place value. All of the children in the class do the same activities. The activities are designed to be accessible for students with limited experience and understanding while, at the same time, are of interest and value to students with more experience and deeper understanding. Throughout this unit, students are helped to develop understanding from interactions with the teacher, conversations with other students, opportunities to work with concrete materials and by solving problems that make them think about numbers.

Homework will resume next week. Please look to my website for spelling and oral share. Math homework is in the Friday Folder today.

I added my holiday cards to the folders today. Somehow they did not make it into the folders on the last day before the break.

Dates to Remember:

Jan. 11 – Shop using kindness quotes

Jan. 13 – OPE Reads ends

Jan. 16 – Martin Luther King Day – No School

Jan. 24 – Arts Attack – 1:15

Wow! Here we go again – another break is almost here. This has been the fastest year yet!

We had a fun time at the party today celebrating the holiday season together before leaving for the 2-week break. The kids had a lot of fun with the craft and eating the tasty goodies. Thanks so much to those of you who were able to be there to help out.

Thank you all for the generous gift card to Skin Vitale in Solana Beach. It is one of my favorite spots for a relaxing facial, pampering etc…. I will really enjoy using your gift in the New Year.

Happy Holidays and New Year to you all! I wish all of you a wonderful time over the break!

See you in 2012.

We  are trying to adopt a healthier way of eating on campus this year. So, if you really want to bring a treat for your child’s birthday, please make it a small taste or piece rather than a large, delicious piece of yummy goodness. I will be making sure Zero The Hero follows the same rules when he arrives every 10 days.

Each week our class has a half hour block of time in the Mac computer lab. Our computer lab teacher, Mr. Rex, leads the class through the steps it takes to become proficient and independent on the computer at the first grade level. It is a great way for all the kids to be on the computer at the same time. At this point in the year, the kids are expected to log off and on, open a program and move around the site independently of an adult. Most are getting the hang of it and are really enjoy our time in the lab. Some of the students are experts already and have really enjoyed learning some new things they have not been taught before. During our reading rotations, groups are assigned to the computer for practice.. We have also started typing the final drafts of some of our own writing using MS Word. At math time students can practice their skills as well. These programs are leveled and take the students through problems at their own pace.

*If you returned the volunteer sign-up sheet to work in the room over the next period you will find the new schedule attached.

IMPORTANT DATES

Tues., Dec. 13 –  Science Attack – 10:00

Class Holiday Party – 1:15

Friday, Dec. 16 – School wide Pajama Day

Winter Break – December 19 – December 30

This week we did some work with patterns in math. Patterns can be identified and extended using both words and symbols. Patterns can be found in physical and geometric situations as well as in numbers. Encourage your child to look for patterns in events, shapes, designs and sets of objects. This helps begin to understand how mathematics applies to their world.

Almost everyone in class has gotten started on the OPE Reads challenge. Don’t forget to get those reading minutes sent in so your child can move his marker and get the next prize. 1 student has already reached the gold medal station of the challenge. I know you read every night but don’t always remember to write the minutes down. It only takes 300 minutes to move to the next station!

We continued our unit on matter this week. Next we are talking about changing matter from one state to another and mixing matter. We will also explore reversible and irreversible changes in matter before wrapping up the unit next week.

Report cards for the  first trimester have been sent today in the Friday Folders. The comment section limited the writing to only a few sentences so I could not get into much detail. If you feel you need to discuss anything that is not clear to you regarding your child’s grades please drop me an email and I clarify.

*If you would like to be on the next classroom volunteer schedule from January 3 – March 26, please find and return the choices sheet found in the Friday folders today.

Dates To Remember

Fri., Dec. 2 – First Trimester Report Cards sent home

Tues., Dec. 6 – First Grade Science Night 6:30 – 8:00

Thurs., Dec. 8 1:15 – Arts Attack

Tues., Dec. 13 – Class Holiday Party – 1:15

Winter Break – December 19 – December 30

FYI – a math assignment comes home every week for homework. Everyone should have one. Please look for it in the Friday folders and let me know ASAP if you don’t find it. At the same time, several papers returned this week with no name and do not receive credit for the week. Please help your child put a name on EVERY paper before returning anything.

There is no homework assigned for next week. It is only a short week and I know you are all busy celebrating Thanksgiving with your families. Take a well-deserved break from homework. However, you can find the spelling and oral share homework for the week of Nov. 28 on the website now. It is not due until Friday, Dec. 2. Homework math sheets will come home on Monday of that week.

We finally finished watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory today. We are currently reading, How To Train Your Dragon, in class during oral literature time. When we finish we will be showing the movie that goes with it. This is a DreamWorks movie that has a PG rating. If you do not want your child to watch it, please let me know. I am happy to have him/her do a different activity in another room at that time.

I am really excited to be helping with the adoption of a military family with along with the class. The family selected really seems like the perfect fit for us. The kids were very eager to hear all about the 3 children and seem excited to help – especially now that they have seen their pictures and read the email narrated by the 5 year old. It is my hope that we can really help this family have a wonderful holiday. Remember, anything will be appreciated. Gift cards are really easy since they can buy food as well as toys and clothing with them. Also, gift cards are light and easy to send! Thanks Tina C. for getting us up and running on this.

We are still in the middle of a canned food drive for families in our San Diego area. I have had only a few kids bring cans so far. Look through that pantry and clear out all those items you know you will never miss or even use. They are collecting until Dec. 2.

I hope you all were able to catch our Thanksgiving performance this morning. The first graders, (and Ms. Smith) worked very hard to get to that point. I think it was worth the wait. I know the kids had a lot of fun when it finally came time to perform for an audience. As you could see, we have some future American Idols in the group. In case you wondered, not every child wanted a speaking part. I was lucky to have just enough that volunteered.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break. We have so much to be thankful for here in our little piece of the world!

I am thankful for….

An extraordinary batch of students,

A marvelous collection of parents,

A positive, supportive school environment,

And a job I still love!

Dates To Remember

Nov. 15  -  Dec. 2 – Canned Food Drive

Tuesday, Nov. 22 -Arts Attack – 1:15

Nov. 23-25 – Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, Nov. 29, Science Attack – 10 : 00

Friday, Dec. 2 – First Trimester Report Cards sent home

Tues., Dec. 6 – First Grade Science Night

This track period your child will earn a small kindness quote as a reward for following class rules each day. Please encourage your child by reading and discussing the quotes together as they come home and remind him/her to save them all as you did with the poems. In January or so, all quotes will return to school to be used to purchase small prizes as before. The more quotes earned, the better.

This week we have started to explore the concept of subtraction. Many students understand the concept of addition but are challenged a bit more with subtraction. We will be doing many activities that show similarities between addition and subtraction and reveal how they are related.  Flashcards are a great way to practice the facts at home. Just be sure to use only the cards that add and subtract to 12 until your child is ready to move beyond. By the end of first grade your child should know the basic addition and subtraction facts to 20 and with quick recall. In a timed situation s/he should be able to answer 30 problems per minute.

In music class with Ms. Smith, we continue to practice for the annual first grade Thanksgiving Program. Mark your calendars for this year’s program. It will be in the auditorium on Friday, Nov. 18 at 8:15.

Dates To Remember

Week of Nov. 14 – Jacket and Toiletries Drive

Tuesday, Nov. 15 Science Attack – 10:00

Friday, Nov. 18 – First Grade Thanksgiving Program – 8:15

Tuesday, Nov. 22 -Arts Attack – 1:15

Nov. 23-25 – Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, Nov. 29, Science Attack – 10 : 00

Tues., Dec. 6 – First Grade Science Night

We had a lot of fun on Wednesday spending our poems for prizes. Your child brought the poems home again to save or do with as you see fit! Next track period we will be collect something different for good behavior. More to come on that when we return.

We had a very successful Book Character Day on Friday. We started with Community Reads and ended with a yummy class party. The book characters we made will be used as the main character in original stories we will work on when we return. Thanks to all the moms and dads that came to share in the fun.

Have a wonderful break and get lots of good rest. When we return we will be up and running again.

Dates To Remember

Tuesday, Nov. 1 – Science Attack – 10:00

Tuesday, Nov. 22 -Arts Attack – 1:15

Week of Nov. 14 – Jacket Drive

Tuesday, Nov. 15 Science Attack – 10:00

Friday, Nov. 18 – First Grade Thanksgiving Program – 8:15

Nov. 23-25 – Thanksgiving Break

If you are able to help with Science Attack on Tuesday at 10:00 – please email me now so I can let Kim Wright know if we have enough help to do her lesson. Thanks.

If your child earned a belt from participating in Kinderate last year, please have him bring it in. Kids will be able to earn a new one if they do not have one now but they are hoping to recycle some from last year if possible. I will hang onto them at school and hand them out every Monday just before our time.

It’s hard to believe we have reached the end of the first track period already. Wednesday, Oct. 12 will be ” Pocket Poetry Shopping. “ Please help your child remember to bring in his / her pocket of poems that have been collected since the first week of school. He / she will be able to purchase goodies from our class store using the poems as cash. Please help your child count and write the total somewhere on the collection. After they have been counted and spent, all poems will be sent home for your child to keep or do with as you see fit.

Next week, we begin our first science unit titled, “Materials And Their Forms.” We will be discussing and learning about the 3 forms of matter, the properties of matter, and will observe how matter can be changed.

You may have noticed that there has not been much student artwork and/or projects sent home yet this year. I have been saving the projects completed in class thus far. At the end of the year I will mount some of the pieces and bind them in an individual portfolio / scrapbook for each student. It will make a wonderful keepsake for your child for years to come. Others will be saved for Open House at the end of the year. Rest assured, all will come home in the end.

Today begins the 2011 – 2012 OPE reading challenge. OPE Reads will go from Oct. 7 – Jan. 13. Mr. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory inspire this year’s theme, “Books Sweet Books.” Please find a record sheet in today’s Friday folder. Keep track of the minutes your child reads and list them on this sheet. Send in the sheet every time your child has reached 300 minutes. A medal is earned when your child reaches 1200 minutes. Reading for just 20 minutes for five days a week can easily do that. Everyone is more than capable of earning a medal. Count all reading minutes – alone, with a parent, with a sibling etc.…

Dates To Remember

Monday, October 10 – Arts Attack – 1:15

Tuesday, October 11 – Science Attack – 10:00

Wednesday, October 12 – Poems for Prizes

Friday, October 14 – Community Reads

Class Party – 11 : 45

October 17 – 28 – Fall Break