September 25 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

September 25, 2015

Review of our Week:

In math we have been working on taking apart, taking from and subtraction in story problems.  We wrote about what we want to be when we grow up, I will share those with you next week.  In our reading program, we have started reading stories.  In Science we have been learning about rocks.

Homework:

         It is very important that your child is doing their reading for 20 minutes every night. I really need you taking the time to listen to your child read.  I have several who have already moved up a level and several who will be ready to move up a level with in the next couple of weeks.  I can tell they are reading at home.  As I start reading with each child next week, I will be able to see who else is ready to move.

         I just wanted to let you know, you don’t have to turn your child’s math packet in.  I am not grading it for homework.  You can turn them in, but you don’t have to.  I just wanted to send them home as some extra practice, if you wanted to have your child do it.  It has helped review and pre-teach some of these math concepts.  I think I will do this with each chapter.

FYI’s:

* I just wanted to thank you all for sending the snacks when your    child was the leader. Please make sure your child is getting a good breakfast.  If they would like to bring a snack for themselves they can do that.

         * When it starts to get cold outside, please make sure your child           is bringing a coat or a jacket everyday.

        

         * SEP’s are next week, please remember when your appointment               is.  Also, school gets out at 2:30 everyday (even on                                    Wednesday).

Upcoming Events:

·      September 28-October 2 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)

·      Wednesday, October 14 – Celebrate Kensley’s Birthday

·      Friday, October 16 – Family Fun Day

·      October 19-21 – No School (Fall Break)

·      Friday, October 23 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, October – Halloween Party

        

Reading Parents

If you or a grandparent would still like to come in, please let me know. We would love to have you!

Reading Volunteers

8:40-9:10 or 11:15-11:45

Monday –    Robyn Ekker(11:15-11:45)

                  Melanie Green (11:15-11:45)

                  (Every other Monday)

Tuesday –   Becky Lowe (11:15-11:45)

                  Stephen & Hannah Price 8:40-9:15

Wednesday –

Thursday – Valyn Webster

Friday –      Jenilee Nelson (8:40-9:15)

                  Amy Barrick (Every other)

Take Home Books – Any takers?????

(This can be done any time of Friday.  It is just changing their Take Home Books.)

September 18 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

September 18, 2015

Review of our week:

         In math we started on Chapter 2, Subtraction Concepts. I had each child fix the problems, that he or she missed in Chapter 1 and sent that home.  I was very happy with the scores from the math test.

We are starting a unit on rocks next week. I need your child to go on a rock hunt and bring in a rock next week.  It has to fit in their hand, but big enough that we can take a good picture of it.  It can be any kind of rock they would like.  We read a book about what to look for and what they need to do.  I need each child to have a rock to do some of the activities I have planned.

Office Things:

         I just wanted to remind you or make you aware if you didn’t know already about a few things.  Whenever you come to the school to read or anything else you need to check in at the office and get a visitors pass.  The other thing is if your child is gone, we need you to call the office and excuse them.  Mrs. Griffith has to call the parents of every child who is absent and see why they are not at school.  If they are going to be gone it is good to let me know, but will you please let Mrs. Griffith know also.  I don’t always remember to tell her.

        

Homework:

         I have some really fun prizes for those students who reach the reading goal.  The reading goal is at least 5 nights every week.  Even if every apple is not filled in please have your child turn in what they have read (when it is due). Please make sure you sign your child’s reading record.  It is very important your child is doing their reading homework.

SEP’s:

         I am sending home a paper that tells you when your SEP is.  I need you to sign it and mark if you can make your appointment or not.  If you can’t make it please let me know as soon as possible, so I can reschedule it.  We coordinated with other teachers, so please try to make your appointment.  Remember school gets out everyday at 2:30, even on Wednesday.

Reading Parents:

         We will start reading this next week.  When you come in I will have you listen to a child read 3-4 poems out of their poetry notebook and then practice their sight words.  Soon, they will have books I am reading in Guided Reading Groups with them.  After awhile I will have you do fluency readings with them.

Next Week’s Leaders:

         *September 21 – Rosie

         *September 22 – Will

         * September 23 – Shawnie

We won’t be doing snacks after this. If your child would like to bring their own healthy snack to eat at first recess, they can.

Upcoming Events:

·      Tuesday, September 22 – Celebrate Will’s Birthday

·      Friday, September 25 – Fall Pictures

·      Friday, September 25 – Family Fun Day

·      September 28-October 2 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)

September 11 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

September 11, 2015

Review of our week:

         We finished our unit on fables and fairy tales.  We will start a unit on the human body next week.  Each day we interview the leader and I am really seeing some improvement in our writing.  We have also been working on sentence structure. We did the chapter review yesterday, and took our math test today. 

        

Homework:

         You and your child need to be reading for 20 minutes every night. We will start the Take Home Library on Monday.  These books are on your child’s independent reading level, they should be reading them to you.  They may seem easy and that is because they are or they should be.  They are one level lower than where I have them instructionally.   I would like your child to read the book 2 or 3 times.  After they have read the book have them tell you what happened in the book and ask them some questions about the book for comprehension.  I did the assessments over the last couple of weeks to find their reading level.  By the time we start in our guided reading groups, some of them will be ready to move up.  Please, be patient with their take home book level until we start guided reading groups.  If your child is on a higher reading level, they won’t move through the levels as fast.

                  I am going to try something different with the chapter in math.  I am going to send home the extra practice sheets all together.  You can have your child do these for extra practice, or you don’t have to.  There are some who could really use the extra practice, but I want their reading to be the priority. I may do some other math pages for homework later.  I just want to try this.

Sight Words:

         I have gone through the sight word lists I have and placed your child on a list they need to work on.  They may only have 1 or 2 they need to work on.  When they have practiced and can read them with mastery, which is being able to read each word in a second (see it, say it) please sign the paper I have attached and return it.  I will have them pass the list off and get the new list.  We will also be working on stories in a little while.

Reading Parents:

         I would like to start having parents come in and read with the class in 2 weeks. They can be moms, dads or grandparents.   I have included a list of the parents who have signed up.  If you can and would like to come in and read with us, we would love to have you.  Let me know if there is a day that would work for you.  

         At Back To School Night I had said we would do reading from 8:40-9:10.  If that time works for you, you can still come at that time.  I have looked at my schedule and decided that I can also have parents come from 11:15-11:45.  I will be pulling small groups at this time.  If this time works better, please let me know.

Reminders & FYI:

* Please make sure your child is here on time.  We cover a          lot of very important math concepts in our opening.  We are also doing bell work or finishing up from the day before.  I would really appreciate it if you had your child here on time.

     

* Remember Library books on Thursday. I have asked my     class to keep their backpacks in their backpacks, so they are here every week.  Thanks

* Don’t forget to link your Smith’s Card to our school.  Ask grandparents and neighbors to do it also.  The school really makes a lot of money with this. 

* Please have your child wear their favorite T-Shirt on Monday.

Leaders for next week:

September 14 – Kyla

September 15 – Lance

September 16- Mckell

September 17 – Peter

September 18 - Peyton

Family Fun Day:

         I attached a copy of the paper on Family Fun Day to my email last week.  Usually they will be on Fridays, but if that does not work let me know and we can set up another day. I have dates listed in the upcoming events.  If there is one of those dates you would like, let me know.  If you have any questions please let me know.

Upcoming Events:

·      Saturday, September 12 – Back To School Bash & Splash

·      Monday, September 14 – Vision & Dental Screenings

·      Tuesday, September 22 – Celebrate Will’s Birthday

·      Friday, September 25 – Fall Pictures

·      Friday, September 25 – Family Fun Day

·      September 28-October 2 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)

September 4 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

September 4, 2015

Review of our week:

         I have been doing some assessing this week. In the afternoon, we interview our leader and each child then writes something about the leader and draws a picture.  When we finish each student will have a book they have made with a page about each person in our class.  I am very excited to see how much each child has improved in their writing abilities.  In math we have been working on adding 0 and adding digits in any order and ways to make 9 & 10. 

Next Week’s Leaders:

         September 7 – No School (Labor Day)

         September 8 – Holden

         September 9- Jarom

         September 10- Kamryn

         September 11 - Kensley

*When your child is the leader please send a healthy snack for the class.  If you can’t provide a snack please let me know, so I can get something. 

Homework:

         Your child should be reading every night. At this point their reading time can be a combination of them reading and you reading to the.  I know some of you are reading the full 20 to your child and that is ok.    I hope we will be starting our Take Home Library soon.  Your child will be getting a book they can read on their own.  

Family Fun Day:

         I have included several dates for Family Fun Days.  If would like to do a Family Fun Day and one of those dates works for you, just let me know.  If you have any questions, please let me know.  I attached the paper explaining what it is to my email.

Book Orders:

         I will be doing a book order every month.  These are a great way to get good books for your child, which are not very expensive.  If you would like to order books please have your order returned by Thursday, September 10.  You can write one check to Scholastic for all your orders, if you ordering from more than one club.   You can also go online and order, which is really easy.  The code for our class is L9GWX.  There is a link at the end of my email.  If you have any questions please let me know.     

Upcoming Events:

·      Monday, September 7 –No School (Labor Day)

·      Friday, September 11 – Family Fun Day

·      Saturday, September 12 – Back To School Bash & Splash

·      Monday, September 14 – Vision & Dental Screenings

·      Tuesday, September 22 – Celebrate Will’s Birthday

·      Friday, September 25 – Fall Pictures

·      Friday, September 25 – Family Fun Day

·      September 28-October 2 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)