May 24th Newsletter

Important Dates

May 24– Patriotic Day – Wear red, white, & blue

       24  - Last Day to Return Library Books

            27 – No School – Memorial Day

            31 – School Picnic

June    5 – Last Day of School

                    

Last Day of School

     Our last day of school will be Wednesday, June 5^th.  School will be in session for approximately one hour.  Report cards and registration packets will be handed out on this day.  If your child is unable to attend on this day, you may pick up his/her report card and packet the following week in the office.  They cannot be handed out early.

 Summer Reading Suggestions

          It is important to continue to read with your child every day this summer.  It is also important for them to read to you.  This will not only better prepare them for 2^nd grade, but it will also increase their confidence and comprehension skills. 

            Here are some popular kids' book selections for you to enjoy!

Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Henry and Mudge by Cynthia Rylant

Arthur by Marc Brown

Horrible Harry by Suzy Kline

Cam Jansen Mysteries by David A. Adler

Jigsaw Jones Mysteries by James Preller

Junie B. Jones by Barbara Parks

Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne

ABC Countdown

5/28 – “T” – Team Spirit Day

5/29 – “U” – USA Day (Wear red, white, & blue)

5/30 - “V” – Video Day

5/31 - “W” – Walt Disney Day

Phonics Skills

            We will work on words with the /ur/ sound in them.

Grammar Skills

            We will work on using question words (who, what, where, why & when).

Spelling Words

Our spelling words for next week are:

Not, sum, next, turn, nurse, turkey, purple, love, cover, hamburger

End of the Year Picnic

          Our end of the year picnic will be on Friday, May 31.  We will be going outside (weather permitting) for quite a while in the morning.  You may want to put some sunscreen on your child that morning to make sure he/she doesn't burn.

     The PTO will be supplying lunch which will consist of a piece of cheese pizza, watermelon, animal crackers & a Capri Sun drink.  If your child does not like pizza, just send a sack lunch to school that day.  Thanks.

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!

May 17th Newsletter

Important Dates

May   17 – Early Dismissal – 12:00

        22 – Blackberry Farm Field Trip

   24  – Patriotic Day – Wear red, white, & blue

   24  - Last Day to Return Library Books

        27 – No School – Memorial Day

        31 – School Picnic

June    5 – Last Day of School

      

                 

Teacher Appreciation Week

     Thank you for all the food and beverages that were sent in last week – it was wonderful!   It was so nice not to have to pack a lunch. 

     Thank you also for the treats during the week – flowers, cards, candy, etc.  They really made me feel special!

Library Books

     All library books are due back by Friday, May 24.  We will still go to the library for story time, but we will not be checking out any more books after that date.

     A librarian from a local library will be coming to our school on May 29 to talk about the library program that is offered at their library during the summer.  Most libraries offer a similar program to promote summer reading.  Small prizes and awards are given as the children reach their reading goals.  These programs are helpful in motivating the children to read over the summer.

        Barnes & Noble usually offers rewards for reading during the summer also.  Reading throughout the summer will help to maintain and improve your child's reading skills.

ABC Countdown

5/20 – “O” – Outside Day

5/21 – “P” – Partners/Puzzles Day

5/22 - “Q” – Quiet Day

5/23 - “R” – Read w/a Friend Day

5/24 - “S” – Superhero Day

Reading

     We finished our reading anthology, but will continue to work on guided reading along with doing a poetry review and some reader theater work.  This is where the students have a certain character’s part to read in a story.  This helps to build fluency and helps the children to learn to use more expression while they are reading.

Phonics Skills

            We will work on words with the /ir/ sound in them.

Grammar Skills

            We will work on using synonyms.

Spelling Words

Our spelling words for next week are:

yet, hid, kept, skirt, girl, shirt, first, of, eight, birthday

End of the Year Picnic

    The picnic is scheduled for Friday, May 31.  More information will be coming home at a later date.

May 10th Newsletter

Important Dates

May       10 – Ide Movie Night

            17 – Early Dismissal – 12:00

            22 – Blackberry Farm Field Trip

            24 – Patriotic Day – Wear red, white, & blue

            27 – No School – Memorial Day

            31 – School Picnic

June        5 – Last Day of School

                    

Blackberry Farm Field Trip

   On Wednesday, May 22, all first grade classrooms will be going on a field trip to Blackberry Farm in Aurora.  Please make sure your child has a jacket in case it rains or if it is chilly outside.  

       We will be leaving shortly after 9:00 and will return around 2:15.  Since we will be eating there, please pack a disposable sack lunch for that day.  Hot lunches will not be available.  Make sure you put your child’s name on the outside of the paper lunch bag.  

         The children will stay at school throughout the end of the day & will ride the bus home or be picked up as usual.

            If you are chaperoning this trip, please be at school by 8:50 and bring a small tote bag in order to carry your group’s lunches.  You may want to bring an umbrella if it is rainy that day since we will be walking around quite a bit.

 

  

ABC Countdown

5/13 – “J” – Joke Day

5/14 – “K” – Kid’s Choice Day

5/15 - “L” – Letter Day

5/16 - “M” – Music Day

5/17 - “N” – Neatness Day

Reading

          In our anthology we will be reading Days with Frog and Toad.

Comprehension Strategies

          We will be working on monitoring, clarifying, cause and effect, and how to read a chart.

Vocabulary Words

Next week’s vocabulary words are: beautiful, birthday, delighted, giant, pleasant, smaller, & sorry

Phonics Skills

          We will work on base words and –er and –est endings.

Grammar Skills

          We will work on using quotation marks.

Spelling Words

Our spelling words for next week are:

mud, jam, sent, herd, summer, river, number, always, also, woodpecker

Headphones

     You do not need to purchase new headphones for next year.  Your child's headphones will be passed along to the second grade teachers.  They will be sorted & placed in the correct classroom in late August once class lists are done.

May 3rd Newsletter

Important Dates

May  10 – Ide Movie Night

       17 – Early Dismissal – 12:00

       22 – Blackberry Farm Field Trip

       24 – Patriotic Day – Wear red, white, & blue

       27 – No School – Memorial Day

       31 – School Picnic

June   5 – Last Day of School

                    

Chick Embryology Unit

   Our chick unit is coming to an end and was very successful.  We had 7 chicks hatch in our classroom and a total of 33 chicks in the entire first grade.  Mrs. Fish will be taking them home with her and will be returning with a few chicks on Fridays so the children can see how much they have grown and the changes in their appearances. 

     We received eggs from 3 different sources so we had a variety of breeds this year.  We had Brahmas, Leghorns, Wyandottes, and Rhode Island Reds.  These chicks already have homes waiting for them once they get a little bigger.

 

5/6 - "E" - Exercise Day

5/7 –  “F” – Freeze Pop Day

5/8 - “G” – Game Day

5/9 - “H” – Hula Hoop Day (in gym class)

5/10 - “I” – “I Spy” Day

Reading

    In our anthology we will read Fireflies for Nathan and The Firefly.

Comprehension Strategies

We will be working on summarizing, sequencing, and reading a poem.

Vocabulary Words

Next week’s vocabulary words are:  appear, beacon, favorite, journey, monarch, promises, warn & whispers.

Phonics Skills

We will be working on the sound of /nk/ and also r-controlled vowels, such as -or, -er, -ar, -ur, & -ir.

Grammar Skills

We will be working on dictionary skills.

Spelling Words

Our spelling words for next week are:

Fin, sob, left, sink, pink, drink, thank, once, upon, thinking

        Thank you for attending last week’s open house.  It was good seeing everyone.  This year sure went by fast!  I apologize if I didn’t get a chance to visit with all of you.  It was a very busy place, which is a good thing.

            Thank you also for the donations to our classroom.  We were able to get several new books.