Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Sorry for the lack of pictures on this fun day!  My battery died…go figure.

In Reading, we will focus on the sound “oo” as in “moon.”  But mostly, we will celebrate our last week of school before the Christmas holidays and talk about Santa Claus and his little elf helpers.

In Language, we will wrap up December with rule 7 {Words that name on thing are singular.  Words that name more than one thing are plural.}  Students will continue identifying nouns in their DOL sentences by circling them.  We are working really hard on checking our own paper.  As I explicitly go over each word in each sentence that should be capitalized and what punctuation mark belongs at the end, the children are expected to follow along and correct their own papers as needed. 

In Math, finally we will take our test on Tuesday!  We will begin Ch. 7 when we return to school in January.

Don’t forget that Thursday will be a busy busy day for us!  We will celebrate a “Green Grinch Day” and would like for the students to wear something green that day.  It is also our party day and what a fun afternoon it will be with pizza, cookie cake, BINGO, treat bags, and a present to unwrap from ME!  You do not want to miss!  The party will begin at 1:30 and end at 2:15.  If you plan to check your child out after the party, please remember to follow the procedures listed below for a smooth checkout:

~ Stop by the office to sign your child out and wait to receive a check out slip from the office staff.  I will collect all check out slips as soon as you get to the party.  If I do not receive a check out slip from you then I cannot allow you to take your child!

Friday is a regular school day, but if you know that you will not be sending your child that day, please let me know so that I can have all crafts we have done for Christmas ready to send home with them on Thursday.  Otherwise, I will have them ready on Friday.

Other Important News

All students have taken their second STAR test, which gives them a ZPD level, which helps me to determine “good fit books” for them to check out in the library.  I will be working on new library cards and will have those ready for them in January when they return.

Also, DIBELS scores have been sent home with a detailed letter explaining the purpose of each test.  If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me.  These do not have to be signed and returned.

Dec 17 ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice $1.00

Dec 18 ~ Library Day with Mrs. Morris

Dec 19 ~ Signed Papers

Dec 20 ~ Green Grinch Day and Christmas Party

Dec 21 ~ Last day for students

Jan 3 ~ Students return from holidays

From the bottom of my heart, my family wishes your family a Very Merry Christmas!  We hope that you enjoy your time with friends and family and have safe travels.  Cannot wait to see everyone in 2013!

Christmas Blessings ~ Kristin

Christmas is Near!

It is going to be a pretty busy week.  Does the word DIBELS sound familiar?  MPS decided that we would not be participating in DIBELS this year.  However, they have changed their minds so on Tuesday our first graders will be headed to the library for some DIBELS testing.  Please do not worry or feel like you need to do anything at home to prepare your child for this.  For those of you that have never heard the term DIBELS a detailed explanation along with your child’s score will be sent home to you before we get out for the holidays!  :)  Kindergarten will be testing on Monday so during these two days the library will be closed for most of the day.  When it opens I will try my best to send those that need new books to the library to get them.  Please still continue to send library books with your child to school.  Thanks so much!

In Reading, we will focus on the letter “k” as in “kangaroo.”  We will also spend some time talking about reindeer, particularly Rudolph. 

In Language, we will continue learning about rule 7 {Words that name one thing are singular.  Words that name more than one thing are plural.}  Remember, we are still identifying nouns by circling them in our DOL sentences. 

In Math, we will continue Ch. 6.  I know it seems like we have been on this chapter forever and we have.  We got way off schedule last week and I apologize for that but we will definitely spend every day this week covering a lesson or two. 

Thanks to my wonderful parents and grandparents who were able to come on Thursday and treat the kids to a lunch without their teacher.  It was a treat for me to because I got to eat in the library and the food was delicious.  Our very own Andi Graydon {Scott’s mom} is the coordinator for our treat days and always does a fabulous job!  Thanks PTA for all that you do!  We truly are blessed with the BEST!

On Friday, first grade is going to have a very exciting day.  We have planned for the children to wear their pajamas while enjoying the movie, The Polar Express.  I know several children have already seen this and may have even participated in something similar to this in Kindergarten but it never seems to get old and this year they have new friends to share the fun with.  And who doesn’t like to come to school in their pajamas and watch a movie?  A letter will be sent home as a reminder.  I will need some treats donated so if you are able to do so please send me an email to let me know.  Thanks for helping make this a fun day!

Our exciting news has not ended!  On Tuesday of last week, I received a letter that said our class had met the goal to become a MODEL classroom for AR!!!!!  Is everyone screaming?  I haven’t told the children yet but can’t wait to share the news with them tomorrow!  They have worked so hard and are independently taking tests as they have completely become self-motivated from the start!  And a shout out to all the parents and grandparents who have volunteered your time to read with the children and encourage them along the way!  What a great bunch of super smart readers!!!  Is this not an exciting way to start the week or what?

Important Dates and Reminders

*Please do not forget to send back signed papers!

December 10 ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice $1.00

December 11 ~ First Grade DIBELS

December 12 ~ Money due for Christmas Party

December 14 ~ Pajama Day and Polar Express

December 20 ~ Green Grinch Day, Christmas Party, Signed Papers

December 21 ~ Last day for students

December 24 – January 2 ~ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year {No School}

January 3 ~ Students return to school

Have a great week and contact me with questions or concerns!  Kristin

Look who has joined the 25 point club…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….in room 121!

 

December is finally here!  Have you put up your Christmas tree?  Room 121 has and this is my most favorite time of the year to celebrate for many many reasons.  It is time to pull out all the traditions that make the season so memorable.  And I think the biggest tradition in room 121 they are all busting at the seams to talk about is the Elf on the Shelf!  I promised them we would dedicate an afternoon of laughing and discussing all the crazy things Elf on the Shelf has done at their houses!  Can’t wait :)

 

 

In Reading, we will focus on the letter “sh” as in “sheep.”  With Christmas being right around the corner, we will sneak in a few activities to go along with our Gingerbread Unit.  We will begin with the traditional Gingerbread Man story and spend each day reading a new Gingerbread story with a twist.  This will make for a fun discussion as we compare how the stories are alike and different.  At the end of the week, the students will come home with a recipe for Gingerbread cookies and if you have never made them before I encourage you to start a tradition with your family in the kitchen!  I would love to hear about them next week and if you are brave, pull out the camera and snap a few shots of your little one in action and send the pictures my way.  :)

In Language, we will begin discussing rule 7 {Words that name one thing are singular.  Words that name more than one thing are plural and end in “s” }  Please remember the importance of going over their DOL sentences each night that come home in their take home folder.  Students will be circling singular nouns and underlining plural nouns.

In Math, we are steadily working our way through Ch. 6.  We will spend the rest of this week and some of next week finishing up.  A review sheet will come home the night before the test.  This will be our last chapter test before the holidays.

 

Look what got delivered last week to our class….

A SMART BOARD and let me just say the kids were “oh” so excited!!!  We had to do a little rearranging but we are thankful for the new technology.  Now, if Mrs. Thomas can just learn how to use it!

 

A letter was sent home with your child on Friday about a teddy bear collection that Blount participates in every year.  We are collecting 12” bears through Friday that will be delivered to the Family Sunshine Guidance Center.  Thanks for your spirit of giving!

Our classroom holiday party is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 20 from 1:30-2:15 and we welcome all parents!  Please be on the look out for a detailed letter by the end of the week. 

I will be out of the classroom all day on Friday but have secured a wonderful sub, Mrs. Wilson!

Other News…

Monday ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice $1.00

Tuesday ~ Library with Mrs. Morris

Thursday ~ Teacher Treat Day and Signed Papers

Have a great week and as always contact me with any questions or concerns! ~ Kristin

Congratulations to Wilson for making the 25 point club!

December is almost here….woohoo!!!

I hope everyone had plenty of time with family and friends. 

In Reading, we will focus on the letter “r” as in rabbit and “ea” as in eagle.

In Language, we will continue learning rule 6 ~ Some words name things. {nouns}  A noun names a person, place, thing, or animal.  The children will be identifying the nouns in their DOL sentences each morning by circling them.

In Math, we will take Ch. 5 test on Monday.  The review sheet was sent home before the holidays so we will do a quick review in class and I will thoroughly go over each problem  with the students during the test.  {Some of the problems we will do together.}

We will begin Ch. 6 on Tuesday {Number and Operations in Base Ten}  By the end of the chapter, students should develop an understanding of whole number relationships and place value, including grouping in tens and ones.

Other News…

11/26 ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice $1.00

11/27 ~ Library with Mrs. Morris

11/29 ~ Humane Society Speaker and Spirit Night @ Salsaritas

11/30 ~ Box Tops are due!

12/6 ~ Signed Papers and Teacher Treat Day

Have a great week and please contact me with any questions or concerns ~ Kristin :)

Congratulations Cooper on making the 25 point club!

Pumpkin Patch Fun!!!

Happy Veteran’s Day!

I hope everyone enjoyed the early dismissal on Friday and the “no school” holiday on today!  We slept in and stayed in our pajamas most of the day!

Students may purchase Nancy’s Italian Ice on tomorrow since Monday was a holiday.  As a reminder, I will be taking a half day tomorrow.  Mrs. Martinez, {a former Blount second grade teacher} will be in room 121!  :)

In Reading, we will focus on the letter “c” as in “cat.”  Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner we will also spend this week and next talking about the Mayflower, Pilgrims and Native Americans.  But most importantly we will give thanks!

In Language, we will begin learning rule 6 {Some words name things. ~ nouns}  The children will start identifying nouns in their DOL sentences by drawing a line under them with a blue crayon.  A noun names a person, place, thing, or animal. 

In Math, we are still working our way through Ch 5, Related Facts {fact families}.  If all goes well the test will be Friday so be on the look out for a review sheet to come home Thursday. 

Progress Reports will come home on Thursday.  Please remember this means we are halfway through the nine weeks.  If you are concerned about a grade, please know your child will have almost four weeks to work on bringing it up.  :)

On Thursday, the lunchroom will be serving a yummy Thanksgiving meal ~ turkey and dressing so if you haven’t had the opportunity to eat with your child or just need an excuse to eat with your child we would love for you to join us!  Our lunch time is from 11:10-11:25.

Congratulations to Josh for making the 25 point club! 

Have a great week and please contact me with questions or concerns!

Kristin :)

November Already!

Can you believe that November is already here? I love this month and have so much to be thankful for at Blount Elementary.  A big thanks to everyone who was able to attend the fieldtrip on Friday.  The weather was perfect, the children’s behavior was perfect and it was a great way to start November.  Please check back later in the week to see our Pumpkin Patch pictures.  :)  I got some good ones!

I am thankful for all the precious children and their families in room 121.  On Thursday afternoon I was presented with a gift card to Chappy’s from PTA for having the most children attend the Spirit Night at Chappy’s on Monday!  And let me just say that the Thomas family started out their weekend celebrating a much loved dinner at Chappy’s!

Don’t forget that Tuesday, November 6th is the ONLY day for first graders to purchase the grade level t-shirt.  The students may wear these every Tuesday and we will also ask our students to wear these on future field trips! 

Remember that Friday is an early dismissal day.  Blount will be releasing students at 1:10 so please make sure you have made arrangements for your child.  Enjoy an early start to a long weekend because there will be no school on Monday in observance of Veteran’s Day!

The PTA meeting scheduled for Tuesday, November 6th has been cancelled!

In Reading we will focus on the letter “h” as in “hippo.”  We will focus on mammals and their habitats.  I hope by the end of the week your children can recall that mammals are animals that have a backbone, can breathe air, can give birth to live babies, and have hair or fur.  Ask him to name some of the mammals we talked about this week and what habitat they live in.

In Language, we will continue learning rule 5 {A sentence that asks something needs a question mark at the end.}  Last week, every sentence we wrote ended with a question mark.  This week, their DOL sentences will contain asking and telling sentences and the children will be expected to sort them appropriately.  Please go over these each night as it will be taken for a language grade on Friday!

In Math, we will continue with Ch. 5, Related Facts using the Fact Family.  A fact family is made up of 3 numbers that make two addition sentences and two subtraction sentences. 

Ex.  2, 3, and 5   {2+3=5, 3+2=5, 5-3=2, 5-2=3}

The Kindergarten and First Grade Community Service Project is up and running.  We will be collecting items for the Montgomery Humane Society through Friday, November 16th.  A letter will be sent home listing needed items that can be donated in a big yellow box located in the front lobby. 

Upcoming Events and Reminders

10/5 ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice $1.00

10/6 ~ Library Visit with Mrs. Moore

10/15 ~ Signed Papers/Progress Reports

10/21-10/23 ~ Thanksgiving Holidays

Have a happy week and please contact me with any questions or concerns!

Kristin :)

Pumpkin Patch, Here We Come!

Our field trip is Friday to the Pumpkin Patch.  Please have your child wear a Blount spirit shirt so we can easily recognize them.  I anticipate it to be very crowded and it looks like the weather is going to be absolutely perfect.  Lunch was included in the price of the field trip.  If you are not planning on checking your child out, you might want to send a snack for them to have when we return to school that afternoon.

In Reading this week, we will focus on the letter “i” as in “insect.”  Some insects we will learn about include caterpillars, ladybugs, and butterflies.  We will also begin talking about pumpkins to help us make connections on our field trip.

In Language, we will learn rule 5 {A sentence that asks something needs a question mark at the end.}  This is such a tricky skill for first graders so please make sure you talk about questions each night.  We will brainstorm question words for our anchor chart to help us learn the rule such as who, what, why, where, when, how, did, can, which, is. 

In Math, we will be ready to test on Monday.  On Tuesday, we will begin Ch. 5 Addition and Subtraction Relationships.  I will use the terms Fact Families and Related Facts a lot during this chapter.  Remember, a review sheet will come home the night before the test.

The Book Fair is here until Thursday.  Please feel free to stop by and shop with your child or send money in an envelope labeled with their name.  I have spoken with the children and they know that whatever they buy {books, toys, erasers, pencils} must go directly in their book bag to be taken home.  All books from home should only be brought to school for AR testing. 

Happy Halloween on Wednesday as I imagine most of the children will participate in some kind of trick-or-treating.  I hope you have fun and safe experiences!  I do ask that you not send more than one piece of candy {no suckers} to school each day with your child for lunch and/or snack. 

Upcoming Events and Reminders:

Monday ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice and Spirit Night at Chappy’s

Thursday ~ Signed Papers and Book Fair Ends as well as the Just Give Campaign

Friday ~ Field trip to the Pumpkin Patch

Nov. 9 ~ Early Dismissal

Nov. 12 ~ Veteran’s Day Holiday {no school}

Help Needed:

I have an easy job for some parents who might have some extra time this week.  :)  I have a stack of consumable science workbooks that need to be put to use in room 121.  However, I think I might go crazy if the students have one more workbook to cram in their desk or under their desk.  So I need certain pages torn out.  Please let me know if you are interested {send me an email} and I can send home a small stack and a list of the pages to be torn out with your little one.  Thanks so much!

Items Wanted:

The next time you get ready to throw away your cereal boxes, please don’t!  I use them to make templates for the children to trace for some of their writing jobs.  Send them in to room 121 as they will be used right away!  Thanks!  :)

So now for some pictures I was able to snap this week of your smart, talented, and artistic children.  We wrote about our favorite weather and our not so favorite weather.  We wrote about “good wind” and “bad wind.”  We labeled a scarecrow and learned lots of sound words and of course our favorite was when the pumpkin at the end said, “BOO BOO.”  I am guessing that was a favorite because the children got to scream it out over and over!  What a fun and happy week we had together! 

 

Green Slime and Magical Colored Drinks…..Oh My!

Did your children come home super excited on Tuesday with a little green slimy treat in their bookbag? 

A New Nine Weeks!

On Friday, we ended the nine weeks with new seats on the carpet.  Everyone loves to be on the front row so my goal is to give everyone that opportunity!  :)

This week we will get new desks and clean out our supply boxes to make room for some fresh supplies {crayons, glue sticks and pencils}.  Also, your child will receive a new behavioral log and everyone will start with a 100.

In Reading, we will talk about the letter “w” as in “wind.”  We will brainstorm weather words and make an anchor chart together.  We will also spend some time learning about scarecrows and they will even get to show off their artistic skills by making one to put out in the hallway!  We will read The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid Of Anything and learn sound words such as clap, stomp, nod, wriggle so be sure to ask your children about them.   If you don’t have the book, it is a must have.  There is so much expression in this book and good readers read with expression!

In Language, we will continue learning rule 4 {The names of specific places begin with capital letters.}  I hope you have noticed some of the places the children helped me come up with for our sentences each morning. 

In Math, we will continue learning subtraction strategies.  So far, we have learned how to count back and how to relate addition to subtraction. 

The students are continuing to take AR tests and doing a fabulous job.  Please remember to sign the AR log when you have read and read and read their library book with them backwards and forwards!  This lets me know you are ready for your child to take a test!  Children in first grade get recognized school wide when they receive 25 points and have a 90% average correct.  I have some that are so close!!!

Red Ribbon Week {Oct 22 – Oct 26} Celebrating being Drug Free

Monday ~ we will make a red chain with our signatures promising to stay drug free

Tuesday ~ students may wear crazy socks

Wednesday ~ students may wear their favorite hat

Thursday ~ students may wear sunglasses

Friday ~ students may wear their favorite team’s jersey

Other Upcoming Events and Reminders:

Nancy’s Italian Ice every Monday for $1.

Tuesday we will visit Mrs. Morris for our library lesson ~ don’t forget to bring your book!

Wednesday, Oct. 24 is the deadline for permission slips and money to be turned in for our exciting fieldtrip to the Pumpkin Patch on Friday, Nov. 2.  Also if you plan to attend as a chaperone, please also let me know ASAP so that I can make sure a paper has been filled out and submitted for a background check {a new MPS policy}.

Thursday report cards will go home.  You will receive two copies {one to keep and one to sign and return}.

Go ahead and mark your calendars and make plans for an Early Dismissal on Friday, Nov. 9.  All MPS schools will be releasing two hours early for professional development.  Blount will dismiss at 1:10 on this day. 

There will be no school on Monday, Nov. 12 in observance of Veteran’s Day!

On Tuesday, Nov. 13 Mrs. Martinez {a retired 2nd grade teacher from Blount} will be subbing for me beginning at 11:30.  I will be attending the Southern Baptist Conference with my church’s choir as we were chosen to lead the congregation in a few praise and worship songs!

The Thanksgiving holidays are only three days this year!  There will be school on Monday, Nov 19 and Tuesday, Nov 20.  Thanksgiving holidays will be Wednesday, Nov 21 through Friday, Nov. 23. 

Sorry for the overload!  Have a happy week!  Please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Fall Festival is Finally Here!

The Fall Festival is finally here!  I hope to see all my friends and their family Thursday for some food, fun, and fellowship!  It begins at 4:30 and ends at 7:30.  There will be games, candy, music and good food.  If you did not buy an early bird wristband they will be available for purchase at the gate.  The PTA has worked very hard to make this happen so let’s show our support and don’t forget to wear your t-shirt! 

In Reading, we will be discussing the letter “t” as in “turkey” but will focus on spiders as it is getting close to Halloween.  We decided to save “turkey” for when it gets closer to Thanksgiving!  Make sure to practice those word wall words and read your homework stories each night!  A word wall word assessment will be given on Friday for a reading daily grade. 

In Language, we will be discussing Rule 4 {The names of specific places begin with capital letters.}  Remember to go over their DOL sentences each night and talk about the new rule.  As you are out and about this week, have your children notice the names of places and restaurants that begin with a capital letter.

In Math, we will test on Ch. 3 and move right into Ch. 4 on Tuesday.  Chapter 4 will focus on Subtraction Strategies.  You may have noticed a set of doubles flashcards in your child’s take home folder.  I challenged the students to memorize them and recall them to me for a small prize.  :)

Nancy’s Italian Ice is Monday for $1.00.  Library Day will be Tuesday so remind your child to pack his or her library book so they can return it for a new one.  If you have not already turned in your money and permission slip for our first fieldtrip to the Pumpkin Patch, please do so.  And remember to let me know if you plan to attend as a chaperone.  I will probably assign groups so that I can walk around and capture all the fun times and memories being made!  :)

Oct 18 ~ Fall Festival 4:30-7:30 and signed papers

Oct 19 ~ End of the first nine weeks

Oct 25 ~ Report Cards

Nov 5 ~ PTA Meeting 6:00

Have a happy week and please contact me with any questions or concerns!

We read, we shared, we learned…

We read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes.  We shared how we got our names.  We learned that before we speak to think and be smart because it’s hard to fix a wrinkled heart!

First Nine Weeks is coming to an end…..already!

A BIG THANKS to Mrs. Tamela and Mrs. Shellye for dedicating a Thursday afternoon to take the kids to lunch so I could enjoy Teacher Treat Day that PTA {Mrs. Andi is in charge of this and does a fabulous job} so generously puts together!

Was your weekend as busy as mine?  I must confess that I love nothing more than to get up early on Saturday and hit the neighborhood yard sales for books, games for fun friday centers, and other “non sense items” that become my “treasures”  haha!  I even saw a few Blount kids with surprised looks and small whispers of “Mom, she teaches at Blount.” 

We will visit Mrs.  Morris on Tuesday for a fun library lesson.  Please make sure your child is bringing their library book with them every day, especially on Tuesday so they can check out a new book!  We are really taking off with AR so please continue reading with your child!  They love taking tests and I have wonderful volunteers daily that assist with this!

This week in Reading we will learn about “n” as in “nest.”  We will also have some fun activities to go along with Columbus Day! 

Be sure to go back and review all the Word Wall Words from the first week of school.  I will take a reading daily grade on word wall words this Friday, October 12.

In Language, we will continue reviewing Rule 3 {The names of people and pets begin with a capital letter.}  A language daily grade is taken every Friday on their sentences that come home in their binder.  Make sure you are talking about the rule and reviewing each sentence! 

In Math, we are finishing up Ch. 3.  I have skipped some sections that I felt were not teachable the way the book presented them so you may have noticed in your child’s Math Practice HW page that I had them write “skip” on the sections we skipped.  They will not be assessed on these so no worries!  We are excited about learning our DOUBLES and I have even challenged the students with flashcards that will come home Monday to work on memorizing them for a small prize!  :)

Fall Pictures are scheduled for Thursday, October 11 and the children will be allowed to dress out of uniform {but must remember to abide by the Dress Code ~ no spaghetti strap shirts or dresses and no flip flops, sandals or crocs please!}

Upcoming Events and Reminders:

10-8 ~ Nancy’s Italian Ice for $1.00

10-11 ~ Fall Pictures, Early bird wristband sale ends for Fall Festival, and Spirit Night at Flip’s

10-12 ~ Word Wall Assessment

10-18 ~ Blount Fall Festival {4:30-7:30}  Volunteers are needed!  Please fill out the form that was sent home in your child’s take home folder and return it to their teacher or the office!

Here is one thing your first grader is up to in Room 121!  Good writers draw appropriately with detail and use real-life colors.  They sometimes label what they draw! 

Have a Happy Week and please contact me with any questions or concerns you might have!

Kristin :)

P.S. Working on the slide show to present our Chrysanthemum project!  Pictures to come soon!!!

October and Fall…..Love it!

In Reading, we will spend the week talking about our NAMES!  We will read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes and as an extension, the children will learn and share how they got their names. 

In Language, we will learn rule #3:  The names of people and pets begin with capital letters.  A daily grade will be taken on Thursday and Friday.

In Math, we will learn about Doubles. {1+1=2, 2+2=4, 3+3=6}  These are great addition facts to practice at home and memorize!  The Math test will NOT be this week.

Don’t forget that juice and snack and Nancy’s Italian Ice may be purchased every Monday.  Information was sent home last week about Blount’s Fall Festival!  It is scheduled for Thursday, Oct 18 from 4:30-7:30.  It is a fun way to celebrate the Fall season with friends and family!

Upcoming Dates:

Tuesday {Oct 2} ~ Library Lesson with Mrs. Morris

Thursday {Oct 4} ~ Teacher Treat Day and Signed Papers

Friday {Oct 5} ~ Deadline for Fall Festival T-Shirt Order

Thursday {Oct 11} ~ Fall Pictures {information coming later} and last day to purchase early bird wristbands for Fall Festival

Thursday {Oct 18} ~ Fall Festival 4:30-7:30 and Signed Papers

Thursday {Oct 25} ~ Report Cards {end of the 1st nine weeks}

Have a great week!  Contact me with any questions or concerns you may have :)

 

Meet Mrs. Thomas’ First Grade Friends….Finally!!!

BE SMART ~ JUST GIVE!

Thanks PTA for the AWESOME Pep Rally Friday afternoon to get our kids excited about the campaign. Parents, be on the lookout Monday afternoon for a letter from PTA explaining in detail the Just Give Campaign. If PTA meets their goal, they promise to not have any fundraisers for the entire year ~ woohoo! Thank you for supporting our school! :)

Don't forget that Nancy's Italian Ice will be back on Monday for only $1.00.

We will be rotating tomorrow to Mr. Darby for Art for the next three weeks.

We have a special Author/Illustrator that will be visiting our school on Tuesday from 1:00-1:45. Her name is Michelle Nelson-Schmidt. She sent us a video with a sneak peek of the "what-if monster" she will be bringing to share with the children. We are very excited!!!

Make sure your child is bringing their library books to school everyday!

Thanks to everyone who was able to attend our First Grade Parent Meeting on last Wednesday. I know there was a lot of information covered so please do not ever hesitate to ask questions!

Upcoming Events at Blount:

Tuesday, Sept. 11 @ 6pm ~ PTA General Membership Meeting {Carrabas will be catering dinner for only $6 per person}

Thursday, Sept. 20 ~ Signed Papers/Progress Reports

Friday, Sept. 28 ~ Box Tops are due

Thursday, Oct. 4 ~ Teacher Treat Day/Signed Papers

Thursday, Oct. 11 ~ Fall Picture Day

Thursday, Oct. 18 ~ Fall Festival from 4:30-7:30/Signed Papers

Thursday, Oct. 25 ~ Report Cards

Have a great week ~ Kristin

Week 1 Of First Grade!

We had a wonderful first week of school! I am very proud of how well the students have adjusted to our rules and procedures. They have done an excellent job listening and following directions. I have already learned so much about them...that is one of the best parts!!!

Please make sure to carefully read over the letter that was sent home with your child on Thursday about our First Grade Parent Meeting. Our First Grade Team feels this is the best way to explain to you what your child participates in each day. We will also cover in detail the curriculum we follow to teach your children. This is an informal meeting that I hope will answer questions you may have.

I have had the best time reading the student surveys you were given on the first day of school. I love having a connection with your child in a way that allows me to communcate and integrate their "likes" into our day! :)

We began our Nancy's Italian Ice fundraiser on Monday and it will continue each Monday for the remaining of the year. Thanks to everyone for sending in their 1.00 labeled in a baggie or envelope. This allows me to focus on instruction. I do ask that you continue to only pay for one week at a time. The Italian Ice is delivered during our snack time so you may not want to send a snack on Mondays if your child purchases an Italian Ice. :)

PTA Membership Drive will end on October 5th! If you have not already joined, please consider doing so. Membership dues are $5.00 per child. We would love for grandparents and family friends to support our children and join as well!

A Few Reminders:

• 
  
  An excuse for any absence must be sent in within two days of returning back to school.


• 
  
  Any change in transportation must be in writing. {I cannot take the word of your child.}

Upcoming Happenings:

8/31 ~ First Box Top Collection Day

9/3 ~ School Holiday {Labor Day}

9/11 ~ PTA General Membership Meeting at 6:00 {Lunchroom} and Room Parent Meeting at 9:30am and 1:30pm.

9/28 ~ Second Box Top Collection Day

10/4 ~ Teacher Treat Day hosted by 4th and 5th grade and Team Spirit Day {students may wear a shirt honoring their favorite team}

10/11 ~ Fall Picture Day

10/18 ~ Blount Fall Festival {4:40-7:30}

Happy Labor Day Weekend and please check the blog again soon for some pictures from the first week of school!

'Twas the Night Before School Started

'Twas the night before school started,

when all through the town,

The parents were cheering.

It was a riotous sound!

Be eight, kids were washed

And tucked into bed...

when memories of homework

Filled them with dread.

New pencils, new folders, new notebooks, too!

New teachers, new freinds...

Their anxiety grew!

The parents just giggled when

They learned of this fright

And shouted upstairs -

"Go to bed! It's a school night!"

WOW! I can't believe school starts Monday! I enjoyed meeting my firsties at Meet the Teacher Thursday night! I have a cute bunch of kiddos that I cannot wait to get to know! Here is a picture of my family and a few fun interesting facts about me...

MY FAVORITES

Food ~ Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Junk Food ~ Chocolate Chip Cookies

Drink ~ Diet Coke

Color ~ Turquoise

Sport ~ Football

Holiday ~ Christmas

Season ~ Winter

Subject ~ Reading

Genre ~ Fairytales

Restaraunt ~ Ixtapa

Store ~ Hobby Lobby

Website ~ Pinterest

I cannot wait to hear all about your favorites on Monday!

I hope everyone enjoyed the beautiful warm weather this weekend...I know we did!

READING

Our letter this week is "v" as in "volcano."

The word wall words are keep, up, never, because, pick, give, seven, have, sleep, live, of, and very.

LANGUAGE

We are down to the very last rule for the year. Rule 18 ~ Synonyms are words that have similar meanings.

MATH

We are just about done with our chapter on Solid Figures and Plane Shapes. The students have once again AMAZED me with how well they caught onto the skills introduced in this chapter such as faces and vertices. They had to use alot of spatial sense, which I have none of, so I was pleased with how well they did under my teaching...hahaha!

A look at what's happening at Blount this week:

Monday, Apr 16 ~ Nancy's Italian Ice $1.00

Tuesday, Apr 17 ~ Library 2:00-2:30

Wednesday, Apr 18 ~ Deadline for Yearbook orders

Thursday, Apr 19 ~ Math Store Opens

Friday, Apr 20 ~ Deadline for Spring Picture Orders

A sneak peek at what's happening at Blount next week:

Monday, Apr 23 ~ Nancy's Italian Ice $1.00

Tuesday, Apr 24 ~ PTA meeting

Thursday, Apr 26 ~ Talking Tree visits 1st Grade

Friday, Apr 27 ~ Field Day for K-3 from 8:20-10:40

Please allow your child to wear their first grade t-shirt or blount shirt along tennis shoes. The students will be involved in several games that involve running or jumping and trust me, they will be most comfortable in tennis shoes. Sack lunches and milk may be purchased through the lunchroom for students that plan to buy that day and students may still bring lunches from home.

I think and hope I have covered everything for now! Have a GREAT week!!!

Kristin :)

Hello Spring and Fourth Nine Weeks!!!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Spring Break only to come back to school for a short week! Friday, April 6 will be our second and final weather day so enjoy! :)

READING

The letter this week will be "y" as in "yarn."

The word wall words for this week are better, called, calling, those, yes, and doing.

LANGUAGE

We will review all rules learned since this will be a short week of school.

MATH

We will begin Ch. 15, Solid Figures and Plane Shapes. Children will learn to identify and sort spheres, cones, cubes, cylinders, rectangular prisms and pyramids as well as relate them to everyday objects. I love what all they come up with! The children will also sort and classify solid figures by the number of faces and vertices. This is going to be a F-U-N chapter. We will not finish this week so we will continue and test the following week.

REMINDERS

Monday, April 2 ~ Nancy's Italian Ice

Thursday, April 5 ~ Report Cards

Standardized testing will begin Monday, April 9 for third-fifth grade students, so please make plans to be at school on time. :) Our schedules will be FROZEN, which means no volunteers in the morning. To help encourage and get the students who are testing EXCITED, we all will participate in a daily special theme.

Monday ~ Wear your sunglasses as we "SHINE BRIGHT" on testing!

Tuesday ~ Wear your baseball hat or visor as we "HIT A HOMERUN" on the test!

Wednesday ~ Wear your craziest socks as we "SOCK IT" to testing!

Thursday ~ Wear your Blount shirt of other favorite team jersey as we "TEAM UP" for testing!

During testing kindergarten -second grade has been assigned an upper grade class to get treats for throughout the week. We are paired up with Mrs. Huffman's fourth graders and will need to send them a small treat on Monday and Wednesday of next week. Please let me know if you would like to help donate a treat. Small treats like smarties or blow pops are GREAT!

As always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns and have a WONDERFUL week!

Kristin :)

Hello March!!!

I cannot apologize enough for having to leave first thing Friday morning. Not the plans I had in mind for starting out our weekend! But we are fever free and ready to start a new week.

I did get to see everyone dressed in character and was so impressed! My sweet life-saving first grade teachers took lots of pictures for me!

A BIG THANKS to Mrs. Leap, Mrs. Morrow and Mrs. Fallesen for taking time out of your day to come and read to the class. It is WAY TOO MUCH FUN to listen to someones besides your teacher read a story.

READING

This week we will talk about the letter "f" as in "frog." We will read and discuss non-fiction books about frogs and talk about their life cycle.

The word wall words for this week are: bring, green, one, fly, sing, two, get, three

LANGUAGE

We will continue talking and review rules 1-15 but will learn rule 16 this week ~ Homonyms are words that sound the same but mean something different.

Example: road and rode; by and buy; to and two; meet and meat

MATH

We started Ch. 13, Addition and Subtraction Facts to 12. The students should be a little more challenged with this chapter as addition and subtraction will be mixed. They will have to really pay attention to what the sign is asking them to do. A review sheet will come home the night before the test.

OTHER REMINDERS AND EVENTS

Monday ~ Nancy's Italian Ice (should be labeled in a bag or envelope)

Tuesday ~ Doughnuts for Dads 7:15-8:00 (last name A-L)

Wednesday ~ Doughnuts for Dads 7:15-8:00 (last name M-Z)

call or e-mail with questions or concerns!

Hope everyone enjoyed their extra day this weekend...it always goes by way too fast for me!

READING
The letter this week is "b" as in 'bat."
The word wall words are: black, by, little, does and first. Make sure your child can read all the word wall words up to this point within three seconds. We will be having a daily reading grade on these at the end of the week.
LANGUAGE
We will continue talking about rule 14, but last week students were introduced to rule 17 ~ Antonyms are words with opposite meanings. This was not planned, but it seemed to come up alot last week in some of our books and activities so I went ahead and introduced it. I love how kids are just as flexible as we teachers need them to be and always ready to learn something new, even when it wasn't planned. :)
MATH
We will finish up Ch. 12 this week and take our test. Look for the review sheet to come home the night before. Last Thursday the students were taken to preview the Math Store where they can spend their Blount Bucks they earn through passing levels on Math Facts In A Flash, making "A's" and "B's" on their tests and report cards, etc. I encourage the children to practice their Math Facts In A Flash at home and test each day. They are not limited to how many times they can take them each day so hopefully the Math Store will put a "pep in their step" to help them memorize their facts. We are getting a letter ready to send home with all the information you need to know about the Math Store!

OTHER REMINDERS

The Community Spirit project for the Kindergarten and First Graders this year is the Montgomery Humane Society. A representative from the Humane Society will be here tomorrow for a presentation to kick off our project. Students in all grades are welcomed to donate to this project. We will begin collecting Tuesday February 21 thru March 2. A list of needed items can be found on Blount PTA’s website (www.blountpta.org). Thanks so much for helping out with our Community Spirit project.

No Nancy Italian Ice this week due to President's Day!

Muffins For Mom ~ Tuesday, Feb. 21 from 7:15-8:00 (last names A-L)

Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 7:15-8:00 (last names M-Z)

Spirit Night @ Burger King ~ Tuesday, Feb. 21

Let's Pretend Hospital ~ Monday, Feb. 27 (permission slip on it's way)

Spirit Night @ Nancy's Italian Ice ~ Wednesday, Feb. 29

Read Across America Week ~ Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!!!

Monday ~ We will complete a decoration for our class door.

Tuesday ~ DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) for thirty minutes.

Wednesday ~ We would love for a volunteer(s) to come and read a Dr. Seuss book at anytime during the week, not just on Wednesday. If you are interested just send me an e-mail or note.

Thursday ~ Silly Hat Day ~ Students may wear a silly hat in honor of Dr. Seuss

Friday ~ Character Parade @ 9:30. Parents are welcome to join us in the cafeteria as we walk across the stage "strutting our stuff." Your child will need a sign with the character name and book!

Have a super short rest of the week! As always, e-mail me with any questions!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Remember, our Valentine's Party is Tuesday from 1:30-2:15. Thanks to everyone who has sent in items to make our Ice Cream Sundaes a hit! Items can still be brought in Tuesday morning. Please do not forget to send your Valentine's with your child and remember, we have a new friend, Emmanuel. Hope you can make it to our fun afternoon. Check out procedures will be the same as it was for our Christmas party.

READING

Our letter this week will be "o" as in "otter." We will read nonfiction books and learn lots of fun facts about otters. Word wall words are not, on, well, they, and before. We are moving right along in our reading groups, I am so very impressed with how well everyone is reading!

LANGUAGE

Last week students were introduced to Rule 14 ~ Some words tell what is happening or already happened. (Verbs) We will of course continue to review ALL previous rules.

MATH

We have had many interruptions that have not allowed us to consistency start and finish a math chapter, so we will get right back on track this week. We will begin Ch. 12, Number Patterns. Students will learn how to skip count by 2's, 5's, and 10's. A review sheet will come home the night before the test.

Has your child been practicing their Math Facts In A Flash at home? Well, now it is time for them to get paid! Our annual Math Store is ready to open and Blount Bucks are ready to be passed out! Children will earn Blount Bucks for levels passed as well as other activities. For example, making an "A" on a math test. As soon as our first grade team has come up with fair and appropriate goals, we will send a letter home explaining all the ways they can earn their Blount Bucks. We have a preview day Thursday, which will allow the children to see potential items they may purchase with their Blount Bucks as well as get them even more excited and motivated to reach the goals to earn Blount Bucks. A letter from PTA will come home tomorrow briefly explaining the Math Store and a letter from the First Grade Teachers will soon follow explaining our goals for the students. Sorry, kinda wordy, but clarification is on it's way.

OTHER BLOUNT NEWS

We will rotate to computer tomorrow for the next three weeks.

Monday, Feb. 13 - Nancy's Italian Ice - money must be sent before the 8:10 bell.

Tuesday, Feb. 14 - Valentine's Party from 1:30-2:15

Thursday, Feb. 16 - Progress Reports

Monday, Feb. 20 - Presiden't Day (No School!)

Tuesday, Feb. 21 - Humane Speaker to kick off our First Grade Spirit Project

Monday, Feb. 27 - Field Trip to Let's Pretend Hospital - Permission slips will be sent home in the next week or so. Due to limited space at the facility, parents will not be allowed to attend, but we will take lots of pictures for the yearbook!

Have a happy week!

A New Nine Weeks!

The third nine weeks will begin on tomorrow! Your child will bring home a new behavioral log as well as a new reading log ~ that means everyone starts off with a 100 for conduct ~ woohoo!!!

DIBELS testing will also start tomorrow, which means the library will be closed for most of the day. When it opens each afternoon, I will do my best to send each student that is ready for new library books. Do not be alarmed if your child brings home the same library book or no library book! The first grade classes will DIBEL on tomorrow and will be assessed in Oral Reading Fluency (ORF). They will be given one minute to read three unfamiliar passages. The total number of words read correctly will give them their score. (the highest and lowest scores are tossed and the middle score will determine their ORF) First grade benchmark is 40 words per minute. The results for this will be sent home in their Report Cards this Thursday, Jan. 26th.

On Wednesday, I will be pulled from my class as I am on the DIBELS team so your child will be put into another first grade class through lunch. This is a familiar routine for them and they will go to the same class as before so NO WORRIES!!!

Do not forget to send in your Scholastic Book Order if you did not order online. I will be submitting the order no later than this Tuesday.

READING

The letter for this week is "e" as in "engine" and "Ed."

Word Wall Words are: make, when, red, do, take, into, ten, went, to

LANGUAGE

We will continue as always reviewing rules 1-13, while introducing rule 14 ~ Some words tell what is happening or already happened. (verbs or action words)

MATH

Are you using Math Facts In A Flash at home? This is a great way to help your child memorize their math facts, which makes their math later on so much easier when they do not have to stop and count on their fingers or draw tally marks.

We will continue through Ch. 11, Comparing and Ordering Numbers. Remember, look for the review sheet to come home the night before the test. Also, please make sure you are reinforcing the lessons being taught by referring to their yellow Math Homework Chart.

OTHER REMINDERS:

Monday, Jan. 23 ~ Scholastic Book Orders Due, Class DIBELS,

Nancy's Italian Ice 1.00

Thursday, Jan. 26 ~ Report Cards

Friday, Jan. 27 ~ Box Tops Due

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday!

The second nine weeks and first semester will end this Friday, January 20th.

Where has the time gone? We have had such a GREAT first semester and I look forward to an even better second semester.

I am sending signed papers home on tomorrow, which are the last set of grades that will be coming home before report cards. Please make sure you are keeping track of your child's grades through STI. You can get your login information from the office if you have not already done so.

This Friday I will be sending home your child's Writing Portfolio, which consists of all their writing jobs from the first semester. These writing jobs are completed independently during reading centers. Please keep them in a safe place so when you get the next one you will be able to see the growth and difference. You will be AMAZED!!!

READING

Read Well Unit 18, "wh" as in "whale." We will spend this week talking and learning about whales and dolphins. We will continue reading nonfiction books as they make the connection that nonfiction books teach us new things that are real. The word wall words for the week are what and we.

LANGUAGE

We will continue talking about adjectives. I have some fun activities that I think will help the students understand that adjectives are describing words; which are different from nouns and verbs.

MATH

We will begin Ch. 11, Comparing and Ordering Numbers. The students will be introduced to the terms and symbols for: less than, greater than, and equal to. Remember to look for a review sheet to come home the night before the test.

OTHER REMINDERS

Class Library Time: Tuesday, January 17

Nancy's Italian Ice: Monday, January 23

Scholastic Book Orders Due: Monday, January 23

CLASS DIBELS: Monday, January 23

Report Cards: Thursday, January 26

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I sure hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed their nice, long break. The Thomas house stayed very busy. After Christmas, we celebrated Connor's first birthday!!! We spent several days sleeping in and staying in our pj's...only a glimpse of what our summer will be like. :) I was so excited to see everyone on Wednesday and get back into somewhat of a routine. Hopefully this full week will get us right where we need to be!

READING

We will focus on the letter blend "ar" as in "shark" and star." This will be a favorite among my class. Our word wall words this week will be are and ask.

LANGUAGE

Last week I introduced rule 13 ~ Some words describe. (adjectives) We will spend another full week talking about this because it seems to be a very difficult concept to grasp.

MATH

We have started Ch 10, Identifying Tens and Ones. Look for a review sheet to come home the night before the test.

UPCOMING EVENTS AND IMPORTANT DATES

Monday, Jan. 9 ~ Nancy's Italian Ice for $1.00

Tuesday, Jan. 10 ~ Library Day

Monday, Jan. 16 ~ MLK Holiday ~ No School!

Thursday, Jan. 26 ~ Report Cards