We Did It!

Good evening wonderful Great Hearts parents,

I am very excited  to send this email with all the information you will need for the coming weeks.  I will try to provide answers to your questions here, and in the blog.  I would like to say, though, that I am very proud of our class this year.  I truly enjoy all children, but this particular class is going to accomplish great things.  I have enjoyed learning about their loves and fears.  We have shared about our pets, favorite foods, family members and vacations.  Every day draws our classroom family together.   We have focused on the virtues this week and speak of them all throughout the day.  Virtues are not taught as a particular lesson  but as a way of life.  We discuss perseverance and honesty when we read Aesop’s fables.  We discuss friendship and humility when we have classroom encounters where students are helping one another.  Don’t be surprised if you start hearing some of that vocabulary at the dinner table.

Homework:

We have practiced sending the green homework folders home this week.  The students know that they are to read with a parent (or to themselves) for 15 minutes each night Monday through Thursday.  Please make sure you initial the space on the reading log letting our assistant teacher know to mark complete.  The reading log is good for two weeks, so please keep them in their folders.  If they have read each night for those two weeks, they will receive a star on the class reading chart.  You will be amazed with the results of this diligent reading schedule.  Starting this week, Monday August 17, the students will bring their planners home.  Each morning when they come into class, they will write their homework for that day in their planners.  The planners will go home for you to check and  send  back with their green folders.  They will also be practicing their phonograms this week.  We have been reviewing  the first 10 phonograms in class,  along with writing them with proper letter formation and pencil grip. I will let you know when the spelling list will appear, but for now we are practicing writing and recognizing our phonograms.  Another book that will go home will be the math workbook.  The homework will be specific pages assigned in their workbook.  I expect that you will check the work and we will mark it as  completed.  If you ever have a question about a particular problem, please send a note attached to the workbook or email me. This also will return to school the next day, along with their green homework folder and planner.

Estimation Jar:

By now, you must have heard about our famous estimation jar.  During calendar each day 6 students estimate how many items are in our estimation jar.  By the end of the week all 30 students have given their estimation.  The calendar leader for the week counts the items on Friday, and the one who estimated closest to the amount that was actually in the jar, gets to take the jar home and refill it with items of their choosing.  It doesn’t have to be candy.  Students can be very creative here (although I do advise against items like rice because we would be counting for hours …lol). This week,  Evan estimated the closest and we are  excited to see what he brings Monday.

Reading books from home:

I have asked students to bring one or two books from home for the week for when they have finished classwork .  In a couple of weeks we will be assessing and giving students leveled readers to take home and read.

Weather alert:

It has been extremely hot this week.  We are only allowing the students to go outside to the playground for the morning recess.  For the other two, they will remain in the classroom playing indoor games.  Please make sure they have water bottles when they come to school.  We can refill them for them.  It is more conducive and efficient for learning when their water bottle is in the classroom.

Class mom:

I would like to introduce our class mom.  Ms. Kendra Olszowka, Riley’s mom.  She has made herself available to answer questions and organize our volunteer list.  Soon we will need volunteers for reading, math, crafts, parties, etc. If you need to contact her : Kenolsz@hotmail.com ; call or text 480-720-2366.

Student release/pick-up times:

Would you please send me a quick email letting me know when you will be picking up your students each day?  If they have siblings in Archway, they will be picked up at 3:05;  If they have prep siblings, they will be picked up at 3:25.  All other students will be picked up at 2:45, at least until the clubs start.

Nut-Free Room:

Thank you parents for being considerate in regards to our student’s allergy.  All snacks have been very healthy and nut-free.

August Classwork –August 17-21

Literature:  We will continue reading Aesop’s fables and discussing the moral for each story.  Be sure and ask them about this.  The ability to retell a story and events helps them to organize information for understanding and retention.

Writing:  We are reading excerpts  from The Little House on the Prairie.  The passage is discussed and students share their favorite parts of the passage. We collect their ideas on the board and they copy the one that is their favorite.

Spalding: Review phonogram cards and practice proper pencil grip and letter formation.  Homework will be assigned each night.

Geography:  We will continue to review the 7 continents and 4 oceans.  We will focus on the 4 regions of the United States and what each region contributes to the nation.

Science:  We will continue to study the oceans and the variety of life teaming in warm and cold regions.

Math:  We will continue to review number bonds and simple math sentences using word problems and manipulatives with white boards.  Homework will be assigned each night in the Singapore workbook (to be returned to school each morning).

Most of the student’s work this week will be placed in their “First Week of First Grade” file.   I will return graded homework beginning this we on Fridays.

Reading Book List: We will begin Owl at Home by Arnold Lobel  in September.  You may have your child bring this book to class and I will keep it for them.  Other books include:  A Bargain for Francis by Hoban; Sam the Minuteman by Benchley; My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett; Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel.

Curriculum Night is August 20, 2015 at 6:00 p.m.  Please join us for information about our classroom curriculum.  There will be a time for questions and answers following.  You will also be able to meet the Specials Teachers. This is a parent only event.

Be sure to check out the blog, updated each Sunday night.  If there is an important item I need to address, I will email. Otherwise, all information will be on the blog.  Please join today!  Ms. Olszowka can help if you have difficulty.  aretesipe.blogspot.com

“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced”.  Soren Kierkegaard

 

Have a wonderful week!