Happy Holidays!

We made it to Winter Break!  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and enjoy the time with family and friends!  I thank you all for your support this first half of the year!  I know Ms. Surzyn is looking forward to working with all of you and the students after the holiday break!  If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email me or Ms. Surzyn.  I will be back some time in March to finish out the year with the students!

Take Care!

Curriculum

Reading:

This week, students continued to work on reading and writing different consonant blends.  In addition, they did some independent reading while I worked one on one with each student.  Please keep reading with your child over the winter break!  Many of them need to practice retelling the details of the stories they are reading and making inferences about the characters.  After the break, the students will continue to practice reading fluently.  They will also begin learning about the long a vowel patterns to help them as readers and writers.

Book Baggies:

Please remind students to return their book baggies on Friday along with bookmarks and tracking sheets.  That way, if needed, I can change their levels and we can keep track of the books they are taking home.

Writing:

This week we spent a lot of time publishing our How To Make Hot Cocoa books!  Many are turning out quite well.  After the break, students will have an opportunity to write a how to book on a topic of their choice.  It would be great if you could help them think of a topic over the break that they might want to write about when they come back.  It should be something that has about 4-6 steps.

Math:

We wrapped up Unit 4 this week by taking our assessment.  After the break, students will begin Unit 5.  This unit focuses on place value and comparing numbers.

Unit 5 Skills

o I can explain how pennies and dimes are like 1s and 10s

o I can exchange 10s for 1s and 1s for 10s

o I can use >, <, and = to compare numbers

o I can tell whether a number sentence is true or false

o I can solve comparison number stories

o I can add 2-digit and 1-digit numbers

o I can measure a path using base-10 blocks

Unit 5 IXL Skills - Students may use IXL to help them practice these skills.

Unit 5 Study Guide

Science

This week, we learned about the properties of water for our "Sorting It Out" unit. When we return from the break, students will begin to learn about weather.

MakerSpace/Play

We are learning a lot about how to problem solve and work together during play!

January Homework

Here is a link to the January Play Based Homework! 

Important Dates

December 24-January 8: Winter Break

January 9: School Resumes

January 10: Jump Rope for Heart Kickoff during school

January 12: LEAD time (wear Deerfield gear or green)

January 16: No School - MLK Jr. Day

January 19: Buddies (wear Deerfield gear or green)

January 26: Cabins  (wear Deerfield gear or green)

January 27: 1/2 Day (12:30 Dismissal) - Sharpen the Saw day (more information to come)

One more week!

Week of December 19-23

In the spirit of community and to have some fun the week before Winter Break, the school will be having some themed days.  Each day will have a different theme and at some point during the day or throughout the day, we will read books and do activities that go with that theme. 

• Monday (12-19): Holiday traditions/Read In
• We will learn about Hanukkah/Kwanzaa
• Read in Day! Bring in blankets, small pillows, and even your favorite stuffed animal for a day filled with reading. 
• Tuesday (12-20): Gingerbread Man Day. 
• We will be making gingerbread play dough 
• Sign Up Here: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0945a5a62da1f58-first
• Wednesday (12-21): Grinch Day 
• Wear Grinch shirts or green
• Thursday (12-22): Holiday party @ 10:30-11:15 am 
• Wear festive attire- green, red, gold, silver, etc
• Board game day in the afternoon= bring in your favorite non-electronic game (board games, puzzles, and card game) to play with friends. 
• Holiday Party Sign Up Genius 
• Friday (12-23): Pajama Day!
• Movie Day
• Whole school sing along at 9:30am

Curriculum

Reading:
We are continuing to practice fluency when we read.  This week, students learned to use the punctuation to help guide how the read a book.  Next week, we will discuss reading at the appropriate rate (not too fast or too slow).  The students have also been learning about consonant blends (words that begin with st, sl, tr, dr, bl, br, etc) and how to read them and use them to help with their writing.  We will continue working on consonant blends next week.

Book Baggies:
Please remind students to return their book baggies on Friday along with bookmarks and tracking sheets.  That way, if needed, I can change their levels and we can keep track of the books they are taking home.

Writing:
Thank you for sending in all of the ingredients to help us write our How to Make Hot Cocoa books.  The students learned the importance of being descriptive when they write in order to make their hot cocoa turn out well.  They wrote and revised their plans for their How to book this week.  Next week, we will finish the book by publishing it.

Math:
In math this week, we learned about bar graphs; how to make them and how to read them.  We also learned what doubles facts are and practiced solving doubles facts.  Finally, we reviewed combinations of 10.  Knowing these combinations of 10 will help the students as we move in to solving harder addition and subtraction facts.  I would like to wrap up Unit 4 next week before students go on the winter break.  We will finish by learning how to add 3 numbers and how to add and subtract 10 to any number.  We will take the Unit 4 test on Thursday of next week (December 22).

Unit 4 Skills
o I can measure length using paper clips and pencils
o I can make a bar graph to answer a question
o I can solve addition doubles
o I can add combinations of 10
o I can solve number stories about adding three numbers
o I can find 10 more and 10 less than a number

Unit 4 IXL Skills - Students may use IXL to help them practice these skills.
Unit 4 Study Guide

Science
This week, we learned about Magnets!  Students learned some new vocabulary words (attract and repel) and that magnets attract to four types of metals (iron, steel, cobalt and nickel).  They also learned that magnets have poles.  Next week, we will learn about water and the three forms water can take on (ice, liquid water, and steam).

MakerSpace/Play
We are learning a lot about how to problem solve and work together during play!

December Homework
Here is a link to the December Play Based Homework! 

Important Dates

December 22: LEAD Time and Holiday Celebration - 10:30-11:15 (use this link to sign up to help: Holiday Party Sign Up)
December 23: Last day of school before winter break
December 24-January 8: Winter Break
January 9: School Resumes

Thank You!!

Curriculum

Science/Social Studies:
Needs/Wants:
Thank you so much for all of your support throughout this Empathy Project! What an incredible group of students, families and community we have!  We raised over $2,200 for families in need!  The students did such a wonderful job presenting their project to the school and community.  Below is a link to a video of their presentation!  Thank you again for all of your help!  It wouldn't have been possible without you!  

Empathy Project Presentation

Empathy Project Animoto

Reading:
This week, we continued to learn about fluency in reading.  Students continued to practice reading with expression!  Next week we will practice using the punctuation and reading at the proper rate when we read to help us become better, more fluent readers.

Book Baggies:
Please remind students to return their book baggies on Friday along with bookmarks and tracking sheets.  That way, if needed, I can change their levels and we can keep track of the books they are taking home.

Writing:
As a first grade team, the students created a How To Wrap a Present Book this week!  Next week, we would like to continue to learn about writing How To books by writing a How To Make Hot Cocoa book.  In order to write this, we will begin by modeling how to make hot cocoa and then have students plan out their book.  After making a plan, we want them to test their plan by making hot cocoa themselves to see if their plan has enough detail and description.  In order to do this we are asking for your help!  Please use the sign up to help by sending in items or coming in to help us on Monday, December 12th if you are available!  

Hot Cocoa How To...Sign Up

Math:
This week we practiced measuring items using paper clips and pencils.  The students learned about common mistakes when measuring and how to avoid those mistakes.  Next week, we will learn how to make, interpret, and analyze a bar graph.  We will also learn how to add doubles and continue to practice making combinations of 10.

Unit 4 Skills
o I can measure length using paper clips and pencils
o I can make a bar graph to answer a question
o I can solve addition doubles
o I can add combinations of 10
o I can solve number stories about adding three numbers
o I can find 10 more and 10 less than a number

Unit 4 IXL Skills - Students may use IXL to help them practice these skills.
Unit 4 Study Guide

MakerSpace/Play
We are learning a lot about how to problem solve and work together during play!

December Homework
Here is a link to the December Play Based Homework! 

Week of December 19-23

In the spirit of community and to have some fun the week before Winter Break, the school will be having some themed days.  Each day will have a different theme and at some point during the day or throughout the day, we will read books and do activities that go with that theme. 

Monday, December 19th - Traditions (We will learn about Hannukah and Kwanzaa)
Tuesday, December 20th - Gingerbread Man Day
Wednesday, December 21st - Grinch Day - Wear green!
Thursday, December 22nd - Holiday Party/Game Day - Wear Holiday clothing
Friday, December 23rd - Sing Along/PJ Day

Important Dates

December 12: Hot Cocoa How To... Modeling and Testing
December 14: Holiday Shop (4:30-8:00)
December 15: Holiday Shop (4:30-8:00)
December 15: Buddies (wear Deerfield shirts or green)
December 22: LEAD Time and Holiday Celebration - 10:30-11:15 (use this link to sign up to help: Holiday Party Sign Up)
December 23: Last day of school before winter break
December 24-January 8: Winter Break
January 9: School Resumes

December is Here!!

Curriculum

Reading:
This week, we began learning how to read fluently.  Students learned that reading accurately is important and how to use expression when reading.  We will continue to practice reading with expression, using the punctuation when we read and reading at a good rate next week.  In addition, this week, students learned how to read and write words with "l" blends (bl-, cl-, fl-, pl-, gl-, etc).  Next week, we will read and write words with "r" blends (br-, cr-, fr-, pr-, gr-, etc).  

Book Baggies:
Please remind students to return their book baggies on Friday along with bookmarks and tracking sheets.  That way, if needed, I can change their levels and we can keep track of the books they are taking home.

Writing:
Students have been working hard to publish their personal narratives this week.  Next week, we will explore How to... books and how to write How to... books.

Math:
We wrapped up Unit 3 this week by taking our Unit Assessment and reflecting on our goals from the beginning of the unit.  We also took a pretest for Unit 4 and made a goal to work toward during this unit!  Ask your child about their math goal and how they want to accomplish it.  Next week, we will begin unit 4 by learning about measuring length.  Students will use non-standard units of measure (paper clips and pencils) to measure different items in the classroom. They will also learn about errors that can occur when measuring and how to avoid making these errors.

Unit 4 Skills
o I can measure length using paper clips and pencils
o I can make a bar graph to answer a question
o I can solve addition doubles
o I can add combinations of 10
o I can solve number stories about adding three numbers
o I can find 10 more and 10 less than a number

Unit 4 IXL Skills - Students may use IXL to help them practice these skills.
Unit 4 Study Guide

Science/Social Studies:
Needs/Wants:
Thank you so much for all of your support throughout this Empathy Project!  Students have raised over $1,000!  Our Penny Drive ends on Tuesday December 6th.  If you would like to help counting and rolling coins, we will use all the help we can get! Just sign up at this link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0a44a4a92ea5fe3-empathy. 

On Wednesday, December 7th, we will take the money raised from the Penny Drive and go to Target to shop for the items that were requested by the family.  We invite you to join us at 4:30 pm at the Target on Wixom road if you are available.

Finally, on Thursday, December 8th, in Cabins, the first graders and other students will be wrapping the gifts we purchase from Target.  If you have any rolls of wrapping paper that you could donate, we would greatly appreciate it.  It does not have to be a brand new roll!  Please send this in by Tuesday, December 6th.

Following Cabins, the first graders will be presenting at our Community Circle.  They will share with the school how much money was raised and how we helped a family in need.  You are welcome to join us for the presentation!  The Community Circle will begin around 9:50 am in the gym.

MakerSpace/Play
We are learning a lot about how to problem solve and work together during play!

December Homework
Here is a link to the December Play Based Homework! 

Important Dates

November 29-December 6: 1st Grade Empathy Project Penny Drive
December 8: (9:45-10:15am) Cabins and Community Circle 
December 9: Scholastic Book Orders Due
December 15: Buddies (wear Deerfield shirts or green)
December 22: LEAD Time (wear Deerfield shirts or green) and Holiday Celebrations (more information to come)
December 23: Last day of school before winter break
December 24-January 8: Winter Break
January 9: School Resumes