Weekly Update

Happy Friday!

I'm happy to report that this week has been much smoother than last week.  The kids even filled our class marble jar and earned some extra recess Tuesday.  They voted, and decided they'll next work to earn a pajama day.  :)

Please read this update to its end.  It contains important information about conferences and homework.

Please Sign Up for a Conference!

Parent / Teacher conferences will be held at the end of the first quarter.  I am using Sign Up Genius to schedule conferences.  I sent the Sign Up Genius via email yesterday. You can also sign up for a conference time by clicking HERE.  If you are unable to attend a conference on one of the dates / times listed, please send me an email to make alternate arrangements. 

Homework Begins Next Week:
On Monday, your child will receive his/her first written homework sheet.  In an effort to make homework both meaningful and manageable, our 1st grade homework will be the same every week.  Students will be required to read (as usual) each night.  Students will be required to practice writing our weekly sight words one night.  This means the only change to your child's existing homework routine is the addition of written homework (the sight word practice) one night each week.  You choose the night that works best for your family's schedule! Homework sheets will go home on Monday and are due back by Friday.  There's a much more detailed explanation about homework on the homework sheet itself. Please read through it Monday and let me know if you have any questions.  For those of you looking for a little something "more", please refer to the "online resources" page of this blog for some extra practice and enrichment ideas.  *Please note that your child will write our weekly sight words in his/her agenda each Monday.  I will also post the sight words on my blog -- look to the right under my picture.

Sound of the Week:
Next week, we will begin Sound of the Week.  Each week, we'll work in school to focus on a specific sound and the correct way to spell the sound when doing written work, or in recognizing that spelling when reading a tricky word.  Some children are very successful in learning and correctly using this information.  For others, it's an important exposure to a sound and spelling pattern they'll become comfortable with in the future.  Each week, your child will glue some information into his/her agenda about our sound of the week.  While there is no formal homework related to sound of the week, I encourage you to look for the spelling pattern when reading, and to help your child apply it in his/her writing. We'll begin next week with the short vowels, and progress to long vowels from there.  

More Flexible Seating Coming:
Thanks to some very generous souls, my Donors Choose project was funded!  Over the next 2 weeks, I will add additional Hokki (wobble) stools, stability ball chairs, and 2 more tables to our classroom.  

Shoe Tying!
Please help keep your child, our classroom, and our school safe by helping your child practice tying his/her shoes.  Untied shoes are a huge distraction during instructional times. 5 Puma Paws to any student who can demonstrate the ability to independently tie his/her shoes!  (Students may demonstrate during recess!)

Focus Areas for the Coming Week:

• Reading:  We will learn tips for decoding tricky words.  I will continue administering the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA).
• Writing:  We will practice focusing on a topic and adding details to our writing.
• Math:  We will begin to wind down our number sense unit and continue practicing the routines of Math Workshop.
• Science:  We will talk about the relationship between the Earth, Sun, and Moon and what makes day and night.

Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns.  

Have a wonderful weekend!