Week 29

Just let me say I HATE WIND!!! Now I feel better.

Also my daughter is engaged so we finally get to have a wedding in our family. It has been a long time coming.

This week we will be reading "Frog and Toad all Year". It is a fiction piece that has a story within a story. The vocabulary words are:

caught

cold

hurried

near

son

sure

In math we will be working on patterns within the number grid. We will continue working on math facts, telling time, and counting money. We will also continue timed tests to speed up fact recognition.

I have started paying the kids for their work. They can't trade coins unless they can tell me what they are trading for and how much it is worth. It seems to be helping some. I will either be having an auction or a store where they can buy things with their money. I also charge them for things like replacing a lost baggie, misbehavior, and pencils. If their agenda is signed they earn extra money. They don't seem to be taking them home as much since we started doing the writing part in class. Please help by reminding your child to bring it home.

I am setting up a web page. This page will allow your child to go to it and do the activities that we do on the smartboard at school. I will have all the vocabulary words there with sound bytes so they can click on the word and hear it. This may be some good review practice this summer, if you wish. Please let me know if you think this will be helpful to you and your child. It will probably not be a fancy site but hopefully it will be functional. I am just learning this so please be patient. In order to use it, you will have to download a program. Instructions for that will be there. We will probably need to have a meeting to get permissions set and for me to show you how it will work.

I hope you all had a great Spring Break. I really didn't do anything special but it was nice to have the time to wind up some loose ends.

Have a great week.

Week 28

I'd like to say thanks for all the hugs, thoughts, prayers, etc. that came from all of you. I did return to work on Tuesday and was met by 3 little girls with huge hugs. They assured me that is was OK that my mom died and it was OK if I cried. Life in the eyes of a 6 year old is a special thing. I am so lucky to do what I do. I have really enjoyed all the cards and notes written to me by these wonderful children and wonderful parents.

We will be starting our last book of the year (can you believe that!!) The first story is called "The Story of a Bluebird". It is a fiction story about a little bird who is afraid to fly. The sound for this story is /igh/ says long i. The new vocabulary words are:

afraid

flew

join

learn

nothing

thought

wonder

We will be doing review in math.

I have lots of kids who are on track for a shirt or some kind of AR award. I am so pleased that they have worked so hard.

I you have any great pictures of the program, please email them to me at tsass@elks.net. I will then be able to post them on the blog. I got a few that we took early in the morning, but none during the program. . .too many people and not enough time.

Once again thanks for all your concern.

Have a great Spring Break!!!

Week 27

I'm sorry to put a personal spin on this weeks post, but my mom died on Saturday. She has been in poor health and mind (Altzheimer's stinks) for quite a while. I moved her here from Kansas at the end of September. It was time for her to go but sometimes it is hard to get your head and your heart on the same page. I am struggling with that right now. I will not be in on at least Monday. We will see what Tuesday brings.

This week's story is a non fiction story called "Busy Buzzy Bee". The sound focus is long o made by o-e, The new vocabulary words are:

another

change

field

touch

twelve

wait

wild

Math this week will be focusing on fractions and the number grid. Time and money are a daily review.

Remember that this Friday is our first grade music program. It will be at 1:30 in the cafeteria. I hope you all can make it to see your cute little 'cowboy' kids'.

Sorry this is short but it is all I can do right now.

Week 26

This week we are reading "Little Bear's Friend". It is a fantasy story where animals talk and take on human qualities. The sound for this week is the long i sound made by the letter y at the end of a word. The new vocabulary words are:

again

blue

high

love

opened

hello

In math we will continue with money and place value. We should get to fractions by the end of the week. We are taking timed tests of math facts. The kids are ranging from Test 3 to Test 10.

Spelling seems to be moving along better. Lots have been passing tests with regularity. That is a good thing.

In checking AR folders, I have noticed that I have several that are on track to earn a shirt by the end of the year. I should also give away a few more watches.

Friday is the end of the nine weeks. Report cards will be coming out the next Wednesday. We also have an early release for conferences. Be watching for a note. I will probably meet with most of you.

Week 25

This week we are reading a non fiction story called "On the Job with Dr. Martha Smith". This story is written in an interview style to gain information about her job at an animal shelter. The sound this week is /ou/ (what you would say if I pinched you) made by the letters ou and ow. The new vocabulary words are:

any

Dr.

busy

care

eight

took

Most of this week in math will be spent on money. We will review coins and add the dollar. We will learn the dollar sign and writing dollar notation. Keep counting at home!!!

Lots of kids are working hard on spelling and AR. I am seeing lots of progress for many. It is an exciting thing to watch.

We will be doing the writing portion of homework in class. I am working on handwriting, neatness, capitalization, and punctuation. We are practicing being second graders. This will give you more time for reading, math, and spelling.

From now on we will be asking you to return the paper copied books. We are sharing them with all the other first grade classes. Paper is an issue. We are still not sure what the legislature is going to require of us, so we are cutting every corner we can right now. Thanks for being understanding.

Remember Friday is Early Release. Have a great week.

DANG

I had captions on each post.  I finally learned to do that.  They didn't come through and I am disappointed.  Let's see if I can add names to the pictures and make some sense out of this.  Dariun Barreras got his watch for passing 100 AR tests.  

Kaden Padilla got his shirt for 50 tests.  He gave up lots of recesses to stay in and take tests.  I am so proud that he was willing to do that.

The girls are Lauren Storms (dark hair) and Bailee Phillips (blonde).  They also stayed in and took lots of tests.  They are both already asking how many more to a watch!!

We will have a great lunch tomorrow.  

AR STARS

Here are our latest AR Stars