Night Tree

Yesterday, we read the story Night Tree by Eve Bunting.  The story is about  families tradition of decorating a tree in the forest with food.  The food is to be a Christmas meal for all of the forest animals!  After we finished the story Mrs. Shea's Kindergarten class came over to help us prepare our own night tree food.  We strung cranberries and popcorn, made fruit loop wreaths, and created our own bird feeders with pinecones and birdseeds.  It was a great opportunity for us to practice working together, doing something kind for others, and following the directions.  Below are some pictures of us working on the different projects!

Fruit Loop wreaths

Bird Feeders

Stringing popcorn and cranberries

Stringing popcorn and cranberries

Christmas Concert

Thank you for joining us for our holiday concert!  We were so excited to share all of our hard word with our families and friends.  

We want to be elves!

Elf of the Shelf

This past week we have had a little mischievous visitor.  His name is Mr. Jingles the elf.  Monday when we came into school we were greeted by a note from him and our door being blocked off by red cray paper.  Then on Tuesday we found a mess in both Mrs. Scorza and our room, glitter had been thrown throughout our rooms!  Finally, at the end of the week we found a recipe for the makings of a surprise.  Mrs. Scorza's class came into our room to make the magical mixer.  As we made this, we talked about fractions, measuring, and following directions.  The next morning to our surprise we found candy canes left!  We are having a lot of fun with Mr. Jingles, and we can't wait to see what he brings to us next week!

Our famous Mr. Jingles

Our recipe left for us

What we found the next day!

Author's Skype

In November we were privileged to do an author's skype.  We met the author of the book Boy and Bot by Ame Dyckman.  It was a great opportunity for students to put a face to an author.  She shared with them how she came up with the story, how long it took her to make it into a book, and how many other books she is writing.  Students were then given an chance to ask Ame about writing and the book.  It was a great experience, and everyone was excited about our Boy and Bot bracelets and bookmarks!

Ame sharing about her book on Skype

Friendship Quilt

To finish up our long ago unit we talked about how long ago they use to have to make their own clothes and blankets.  Mrs. Scorza and I then shared our own personal quilts that we own, and we talked about how each type of quilt has a different name.  One of the quilts Mrs. Scorza shared was called the friendship quilt.  After, each child created their own square using triangles and squares.  When we finished the pieces we put them together to create a beautiful friendship quilt!

arranging pieces to our quilts

Our beautiful quilt taking form!

Veteran's Day Celebration

Yesterday we had a very special Veteran's Day assembly.  Several veterans from the area were invited to join us in our celebration.  This assembly was to honor the men and women who have served our country.  This was a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about veterans, honor, and respect.  First, the veterans brought in the colors.  We then did the pledge of allegiance together.  After we presented our guests with patriotic songs that we had learned with Mrs. McVety.  

Entering of the colors

Saying the pledge

Singing patriotic songs

Honoring our veterans!

Pearson Farm

Friday we had a wonderful time on our field trip to Pearson's farm.  It was a great opportunity for students to learn about harvesting plants.  It went right along with our plant unit that we had just completed.  While we picked beets we talked about the different parts of the plant.  After we finished picking plants we sorted through the beats.  The small ones went to the bunnies at the farm, and the large ones came back to school with us for the cafeteria to make something with them.  Some of the class got to help sort through kale and tamales.  At the end of our hard work we got to see the sheet and bunnies.  It was a lot of fun, and we are so thankful to Mrs. Flag for helping to write the grant that allowed us to go on this wonderful field trip!

Here is Pearson Farm's website: Pearson Farm

We're on our way!

Farmer Mike telling us about the farm

got to play a little bit before being a hard working farmer

Picking beets

wow that was a doozi

A beet collection

Seeing a few sheep

Feeding the bunnies some of our pickings

ah we love those bunnies!

Parent Teacher Conferences

Please check you child's folder for the upcoming parent teacher conferences.  I will be holding conferences the week of November 5th.  If you are unable to make the times that are offered please let me know, and we can try to set up a different time on a different week.  I am looking forward to meeting you and discussing your child's progress so far in 1st grade.

Important Upcoming Events

Picture Retake

Friday, October 26th is our picture retake day.  If you would like to have your child's picture redone please send the old one in on Friday to have a new one taken!

Field Trip

On November 2nd we will be going to Pearson's Farm at St. Joseph's college.  We were blessed to receive a grant that allows the 1st grade to go and experience a working farm.  We will be picking different types of root vegetables.  This will go perfectly with our plant unit that we just completed.  On top of this, we will be bringing back the vegetables that we pick so that the ladies in the cafeteria can cook it up for the schools lunch!  This is a great opportunity for students to learn about how plants are grown and used for food.  Please make sure your child is dressed in appropriate fall clothes.  The link below tells a little bit about Pearson's farm.

http://www.sjcme.edu/mercy-center/farm

Harvest Party Celebration

This year Halloween falls on a Wednesday.  As we all know this day is a very exciting for kids.  Because of how much that is going on for them that day, and it being in the middle of the week, we are going to have a small celebration at school.  I am planning on having it be a popcorn movie time in the afternoon.  If you would like to either donate popcorn, another healthy snack, or juice boxes to the celebration please let me know.

Fire Safety

Friday was our Fire Safety day.  We were fortunately enough to have our local fire department come in and share about the importance of fire safety.  They talked about Stop, Drop, Roll, 911, and how to have a plan in place at your home in case there is a fire.  We also got to practice a fire drill with a real fire truck there.  I've attached a great website for kids about fire safety.  It has games and great family things to discuss concerning fire alarms and a fire escape plan.  

http://www.usfa.fema.gov/kids/flash.shtm

Spelling City

Spelling City

Dear Parents,

This year, we will be using VocabularySpellingCity.com in our classroom.
VocabularySpellingCity is a website that helps students learn their weekly spelling and vocabulary words while having fun at the same time.

As a teacher, I will put up my weekly spelling lists on VocabularySpellingCity and your children
can review the words, and play spelling and vocabulary games with their words to reinforce the
learning process.

Here’s how to help your child master his or her spelling and vocabulary words:  Simply go to www.spellingcity.com to see how the site works.  To get started, click on “Sample Lists” and choose any list you like.  Then try the Teach Me, Test Me, or Play A Game link.  You can find our class’ spelling lists by using the Find A List feature and searching for my name, Kristen Saunders, or you can go directly to my VocabularySpellingCity homepage at http://www.spellingcity.com/krissaunders1/.  You can bookmark this URL on your computer to make it easy for your child to access the class’ word lists!

Many kids enjoy building their spelling skills with Spelling City. Please encourage your children to spend about twenty minutes, two nights in a row before their weekly test. Let’s work together as a team to ensure that your child becomes an independent, lifelong learner.

Yours truly,
Mrs. Saunders

Busy Start

This has been a very busy start to the school year, as I'm sure all of you are feeling the business also.  I will try to write a blog once a week or at least every other week to keep you up to date with what is going on in the classroom.  Here are a few highlights from the different subject areas.

Reading:  We have been working on short vowel sounds /a/ and /i/, we've started our small group guided reading groups (some students meet with Mrs. Scorza), we've learned some new vocabulary, and talked about retelling a story using a beginning, middle and end.

Math:  We did some review of number writing 0-9, tally marks, and telling time on the hour.  We have also had the opportunity to use the classroom calculators and we received our own math tool kits.  Ask your child what we have in them so far.

Writing:  We have worked on sentences containing a telling and a naming part.  Our goal now is to try to write 2-3 sentences about ourself or something.  Another goal for writing right now is to remember spaces between words, capital at the beginning of sentences, and punctuation at the end of the sentence.

Science:  Mrs. Scorza has just completed the plant unit.  We have learned about the parts of plants, what the function of the different parts are, and the life cycle of a plant.

Social Studies:  Next week Mrs. Scorza will be moving us on to social studies with a few lessons about Columbus Day

Welcome to First Grade

Welcome to a new school year. I am excited to meet your child and family.  This year will be lots of fun and learning. First grade is a huge transition from Kindergarten and the expectations are very different.
Your child will come home tired for the first few months of school.  There is not much play time in first grade. Children have a recess at lunch.  Your child will need a snack daily to help keep them going during
the day. It is very important that they have healthy snacks and drinks.  Please do not send them candy or soda.
In first grade children love to bring things in to show their friends.  Unfortunately this causes many issues. I ask that no toys be sent to school. I understand that some children have a long bus ride or go to
after school care and are allowed toys then. This is fine as long as they remain in their bags during the school day. Any toys that are taken out in the class will be kept until the end of the year. Thanks for your help
with this.

Homework will consist of spelling and math.   Each week you will also receive spelling words to practice with your child. They will be tested at the end of the week. Also, your child will have three math homelinks that coincide with our daily lessons.  Please return the math homelinks the next day, and the spelling is for your use at home.  The only other homework that will come home is work that is not completed in school. Please encourage your child to complete their work at school. This is where it should be done as I am there to assist in anyway that may be needed.  We highly encourage you to continue your bed time story routine.

At the end of the year I sent home a flier with your child from Mrs. Scorza and myself.  I just wanted to fill you in some more on the team teaching that we will be doing this year.  I will be testing your child early on in the year to see what her/his needs are in reading and math.  Then, Mrs. Scorza and I will decide on what flexible groups your child will continue to grow at their academic level.  This may mean that your child will work in a reading or math group for part of the time with Mrs. Scorza.  The groups will be evaluated throughout the year, and I will try to keep you informed as to your child’s progress and moving of groups between classrooms.  If you have any questions concerning the team teaching that Mrs. Scorza and I will be doing please do not hesitate to contact me.

I am looking forward to seeing your child grow this year as a learner!  You will be fascinated by the changes in your child this year.  Please do not hesitate to email or call with any questions or concerns

you may have. Remember if I don't know about them I can not help resolve them.  You may email me at kristen.saunders@lakeregionschools.org or call and leave a message with the office at 693-6828.

Sincerely,
 Mrs. Saunders

February News

                                                                                                                              February 3, 2012

                                         Mrs. Saunders Newsletter

Dear Families,

I hope this letter finds you all healthy and well.  I know that there has been a number of coughing, belly aches, and headaches.  If your child has had a cough, and you would like to send them in cough drops, they are more then welcome to have them in their backpack. 

Seeing that it is the middle of the school year, it a good time to go over the behavior contract that you and your child signed at the start of the year.  If you would like a new copy of this, please send a note in with your child and I will send one home with them.

Also, I am sending some information home about your child’s latest Every Day Math assessment.  If you have any questions, please feel free to e-mail me or call me at school.  

There are a few things coming up in the month of February.  First, mid trimester progress reports will be going home on Monday, February 6th.  Next on February 14th we will be having our Valentine’s Day celebration.  I will be sending home a list of kids names for Valentines, and giving you more information about the celebration next week.  Finally the week of February 19th is winter break!  

Finally, during these chilly winter months if you could send your child in a sweatshirt that could stay here at school that would be wonderful.  Our room can get a bit cold on certain days, and it can be rough to work in our jackets, especially if they are wet from recess.  Thank you for all your help.

      

Literacy Block

As you may have heard from you child we have regrouped our literacy block groups.  As a first grade team we decided these groups by basing them off of an assessment that was given to all of the students.  The assessment covered  phoneme segmentation, nonsense words, letter sounds, and oral reading fluency.  Each classroom will be working on these different components during literacy block time, depending on the section that the group of students struggled with.  


In addition to this your child will be continuing to meet with me for guided reading groups at different times throughout the day.  We are all excited to start these interventions with our first grade students.  We believe by helping them in these specific areas that you will see gains in there reading.  


If you have any questions or concerns about where and why your child is in a specific reading group do not hesitate to call me or send me an e-mail, kristen.saunders@lakeregionschools.org.