This week...

Hello everyone,

On Tuesday of this week we will be going snowshoeing with our Grade 4 buddies in the afternoon so please wear snow pants or a snowsuit, hat, mitts and boots. We are going to have a great time.  Hopefully the weather works with us this time. 

Over the last couple of weeks I have been reading with the students and the amount of progress they have made is amazing.  Please encourage your child to keep reading and using Raz kids.  They should be able to read for at least 5 – 10 minutes each night.  Reading every night is the key to making progress!!  I am currently listening to sight words with each student.  Please continue to practice all the sight words. 

In Math we are adding and subtracting numbers to 12.  We are learning about the senses in Science.  Winter safety is discussed all the time and the students are becoming experts in this subject area.

Just a reminder that the only day toys should be coming to school is on Friday. 

I have added a blend and diagraph page to my website.  There are videos here to watch and a reference page like the one I sent home about blends and diagraphs.  We are now finished learning about the sounds the short vowels make and after blends we will move to the long sounds the vowels make and the rules that go with them.

I have added a couple of new videos.

Our Art Smarts project with local artist Catherine Wright will begin the first week in February!!  This will be my fourth time working with Catherine.  She is a wonderful artist and I know the students will love working and learning with her.

Information about Valentine’s Day and the 100^th day of School will come later.

Thank you for all your support, we are half way through our school year!  Where has the time gone?  Have a great week!!

Mrs. Murphy

Sailor the Hangashore Newfoundland Dog

Since we were discussing sequencing Mrs. Morgan stopped by for a visit and she read the book, Sailor the Hangashore Newfoundland Dog.  Then we wrote about the beginning, middle and end of our story.  After we discussed the message that the author was trying to tell us.  We decided that her message was to not take part in dangerous or unsafe activities such as copying ice pans or playing on a snowbank to close to the street!  Great message, critical literacy at work!!

Thanks for visiting Mrs. Morgan!!!

Making Ice Cream!!

Hi, Last week we were learning about sequencing.  We talked about sequencing the order of events in a story or mapping the story.  We talked about a recipe and how it is written so that people know what they need and how to complete the task.  Last Friday we made ice cream!!  It was awesome!  We discussed what we needed and the tools we would need to use.  Then we looked at the steps we needed to follow to make our ice cream.  Everyone had a really good time doing this.  It also tied in nicely with our science lessons about our senses.  Here are some of the pictures from our ice cream making!!

 

 

 

 

Lots of fun!!

Some before Christmas pictures

My dad reading How the Grinch Stole Christmas

December Student Achievement Award winner Caleb

December Student Achievement Award winner Logan

January notes

Happy New Year everyone!! 

 I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with family and friends! I must admit I am happy to be back to a routine.  I have sent home a baggy book for each child to read today.  I am not going to send home the reading log until next week.  As well, beginning next week there will be a homework folder sent home every Monday and the work is to be done each night as well as the nightly reading.  Please return the folder on Fridays.  The homework for the whole month will be in the folder. Only complete the work one week at a time.  Everything in the homework has been taught in class.  The homework should be able to be completed by your child in about 15 minutes. At the back of the folder there is a new reading record where you can record your child's nightly reading.  I am in the process of reading with your child and listening to their sight words.  I expect some levels to definitely be changing in the next week or two!!:)  We are beginning a mini unit of study on snowmen.  On Thursday we are doing Snowga!!  It is yoga to accompany the book Snowmen at Night.  Please have your child dress in comfortable gym clothes.  This term I am hoping to do yoga with the children on Day 7 in our schedule.  We have a class set of yoga mats.  I am also hoping to have a day to build snowmen outside and then complete some writing about their snowmen, and maybe a few other winter surprises!! 

 

Tomorrow in Math we are beginning subtraction.  Please continue to practice adding and subtracting numbers from 18 with your child.  We are on day 72 on our count to the 100th day. Friday will be our show and share day.  Please have your child choose one item to bring to school.  It must fit inside a book bag.  Please no electronics.  I told them if they had their heart set on bringing an electronic or something that might not fit in their bag I told them to take a picture of it and email it to me so I can show it on the board when they are speaking.  Encourage your child to practice what they are going to say to their audience.  Where the object came from, who gave it to them, why they love it, why they chose it, etc.  I am looking for eye contact with their audience, knowledge about their topic, how fast they talk, etc.  I will be observing for these things but they are 6 and 7 years old so this is an introduction to speaking in front of an audience and I want them to be comfortable but to learn some skills also.

 

We are moving to our last vowel sound short e.  Videos for this will be posted soon.  As well all our diagraphs are taught:  sh, ch, th, wh, ph and ck. We are doing blends now.  I will send home a reference sheet for these tomorrow for your child to keep at home.  I am also beginning to work on alphabetical order and how to use the alphabet.  Once our vowels are done I will move into vowel teams and flipping the vowel strategies. 

 

I am moving into work on writing during our daily 5.  I am so excited to do this!! We will be learning more about it this week!!  We work for about thirty minutes each day independently reading and practicing our sight words now writing will be included!!  During this time I get to work with small groups to help them learn. 

 

 

Please continue to dress your child for outside days.  Thank you for all your continued support!!

 

 

Nicole Murphy

Grade One Teacher

Mary Queen of the World School