Welcome to our Class Blog!
Welcome families to our class blog. You will find updates on curriculum, important dates and other information here at our blog. Please check here weekly for these updates. If you haven't already, sign up on the side by putting in your email to follow the blog. Then go to your email and confirm that you want to receive the emails. This will allow it to update you via email any time I make a post.We also have a classroom Twitter account. I will be posting on here occasionally as we do things in the classroom, updates on things etc. If you haven't already, please fill out the Twitter form about pictures. It is linked below if you need another form.
Twitter Picture Form
Compass Points
Please fill out the Compass Points page that comes home with your child. I will address some of your thoughts from these at Curriculum Night next Thursday, September 13th. I would like the forms returned by next Tuesday, September 11th. You will be writing what you feel you Need to know to help your child be successful in 1st grade, what you are Worried about, what you are Excited for, and what next Steps we can take together to help make it a successful year for your child(ren).
Compass Points
Family Picture
This week our focus has been on our classroom community and how we can make it fun and safe. We want students to feel as if our classroom if a family. We also want to highlight and learn about each student's family, so if you haven't already, please send in a family photo (no larger than 5X7) so that we can discuss our families! These photos will be returned to you at the end of the year.
Curriculum
First 8 Days:As a school we have been focusing on the First 8 Days and using the 7 Habits. Each day we focus on a new habit. We have read stories, watched short clips, and had discussions around the 7 Habits. Ask your child about what these are and what they mean.
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Some of the stories we've read: Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister, Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, Chocolate Milk, Por Favor by Maria Dismondy, First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg, Zen Socks by John J. Muth, and My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook. We also watched Growth Mindset videos through Class Dojo.
In addition, we spent a lot of time getting to know each other this week. Students listened to several read alouds about appropriate behavior, how to treat others and growth mindset (learn more about this at the Learning Tab on our blog.)
Next week, we will continue our First 8 Days by learning and reading about the rest of the 7 Habits.
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw
Habit 8: Find Your Voice
Book Baggies:
In the next week or two, we will begin sending home book baggies. Students will have 6 books in their bag (two below their reading level to help them work on fluency, two at their level to focus on good reading skills, and two above level to continue to push and grow as readers). These bags will stay at home all week for students to practice reading. We will exchange books each week, so it is important that they remember to bring their bag back to school on Fridays when we exchange our books. If a student forgets or is absent one week, they will need to return them the following Friday. I will need some volunteers to help us prepare our book library and to help with the exchanging on Fridays. If you are interested, please let me know!
Purposeful Play
Please see the Purposeful Play tab on the blog to learn more about our weekly Play Time and donation items we could use for it!
Homework
- Read every night
- Work on a math skill (i.e. adding and subtracting to 20 - play a board game for this, telling time, counting coins, measuring - length and volume - have your child cook with you to practice this, talk about shapes - 2D and 3D - find items around your house, etc.)
Specials Schedule
Monday: P.E. (Wear tennis shoes)Tuesday: Art (Bring an Art shirt labeled with your child's name)
Wednesday: Music
Thursday: Media/Library
Friday: Rotates (See the back of your child's OWL folder (everyday folder) for a schedule.)
Important Dates
September 13: Curriculum Night (Please fill out the Compass Points form sent home with your child. I address some of your thoughts from these at Curriculum Night.)- 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. Mrs. Bedford’s presentation for K-2 parents
- 5:30 - 6:00 p.m. Mrs. Bedford’s presentation for 3-4 parents
- 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Kindergarten, first and second grade
- 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. Specials presentation for third and fourth grade
- 6:30 - 7:00 p.m. Specials presentation for kindergarten, first and second grade
- 6:40 - 7:40 p.m. Third and fourth grades
- 6:00-7:00 p.m. Parents of ELL students may stop in to see Mrs. Gaylord (formerly Ms. Cooper)
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