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