December 2 Newslette

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

December 2, 2016

Review of our week:

         We have been doing some fun Christmas things.  In math we started Chapter 5. We are working on related facts.   For writing we wrote letters to Santa.  We also made gingerbread people to send to a class in Michigan.  We are excited to send them and see what we get back from them.  We also made one for ourselves to do a really fun project.  I have included the information.

Homework:

         I know this time of year is very busy.  Remember to have your child keep reading.  Please encourage your child to fill out a tree right after they are finished reading, so you don’t have to try and remember at the end of the month how many days they read.  

Flat Gingy:

         We made gingerbread boys and girls this week.  Your child brought theirs home yesterday.  I have included a letter about a  fun activity for your family to do with Flat Gingy during this holiday season.  It says to take a photo of an activity you do with him or her.  You can take as many as you would like.  You can have your child fill out the paper or you can do a write up for each picture.  Do whatever works for you and your family.  Have fun with this activity.  If you are familiar with Flat Stanley, this is kind of like that.  We will be doing Flat Stanley at the end of the year.  I will keep what you send and put it in your child’s portfolio.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

Book Orders:

         I  am sending home the December Book Orders. There are some really fun books.  If you would like to order some for Christmas, please let me know and I will keep them for you.  The orders are due by Thursday, December 8.  You can also order online.

Upcoming Events:

·      Friday, December 9 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, December 16 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, December 19 – Celebrate Karter’s ½ Birthday

·      Tuesday, December 20 – Celebrate Emma L’s Birthday

·      Wednesday, December 21 – Christmas Party

·      Wednesday, December 21 – End of 2^nd Quarter

·      December 22 – January 2 – Christmas Break

·      Tuesday, January 3 – School Resumes

·      Tuesday, January 3 – Celebrate Tiely’s Birthday

November 18 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

November 18, 2016

Review of our week:

         This week in Math we have been working on counting back and using addition to help us subtract.  We will be having a math test again next week before Thanksgiving break.  I have been doing some benchmarking moving reading levels.  I can really tell those students who are doing their reading every night. I also sent home some spelling words.  I would like your child to spend a little time on these.  Please, do not spend a lot of time practicing them.  I would rather they spend the time reading.

Homework:

         I know this time of year is very busy. Please encourage your child to fill out their reading record right after they are finished reading, so you don’t have to try and remember at the end of the month how many days they read.

         There are several students who are not bringing their take home books back every day.  This is a great resource and some are not taking advantage of it.  Please make sure your child reads their book every night and brings it back, so they can get a new one the next day. 

         You can go ahead and cross out the last row of pies on the reading records.

        

Cold Weather:

         The weather changes so much from day to day.  Please make sure your child has a warm jacket and or a coat to wear outside to recess.

Gingerbread Houses:

         We are going to be making gingerbread houses on Friday, December 2 at 2:00.  If you could donate a small bag of candy or a container of white frosting, I would really appreciate it.  The candy can be M&M’s, small candy canes, peppermints or anything else you think would look nice on a gingerbread house.  I also need 4-5 parents to come in and help with the gingerbread houses. If you would like to help please let me know.   Anyone who wants to is welcome to come.   If you can donate something please have it here by Thursday, December 1, so I will know how much candy and frosting I will need to get.

        

Upcoming Events:

·      November 23-25 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

·      Wednesday, November 30 – Celebrate Jackson’s Birthday

·      Friday, December 2 – Make Gingerbread Houses

·      Friday, December 9 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, December 16 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, December 19 – Celebrate Karter’s ½ Birthday

·      Tuesday, December 20 – Celebrate Emma L’s Birthday

·      Wednesday, December 21 – Christmas Party

·      Wednesday, December 21 – End of 2^nd Quarter

·      December 22 – January 2 – Christmas Break

·      Tuesday, January 3 – School Resumes

·      Tuesday, January 3 – Celebrate Tiely’s Birthday

November 11 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

November 11, 2016

Review of our week:

         We have done a lot this week.  In math we took our Chapter 3 Test and started on Chapter 4. Last week, I sent home a copy of some addition flashcards, please take some time to help your child practice these. You can also purchase a set from Walmart for just a few dollars.  I will be sending home the subtraction ones in a week or two.  In writing we learned how to write notes, so if your child writes you a note please try and write back to them.  We also wrote about what we were thankful for.

         Thank you for those of you who sent information about your veterans.  We learned some really neat things.  If you have not sent the information in, you can still do it next week.

        

Homework:

         I can’t stress to you enough how important it is that your child is reading every night.  Your child should be reading the full 20 minutes by now.  They are doing it in class, so I know they can do it at home also.  I also have several students who are not practicing their sight words.  This really holds them back from advancing in their reading.

        

Box Tops:

         As you are doing your baking and cooking for the Holidays, make sure you are keeping your Box Tops.

Upcoming Events:

·      Friday, November 18 – Family Fun Day

·      November 23-25 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

·      Wednesday, November 30 – Celebrate Jackson’s Birthday

·      Friday, December 2 – Make Gingerbread Houses

·      Friday, December 9 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, December 16 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, December 19 – Celebrate Karter’s ½ Birthday

·      Tuesday, December 20 – Celebrate Emma L’s Birthday

·      Wednesday, December 21 – Christmas Party

·      Wednesday, December 21 – End of 2^nd Quarter

·      December 22 – January 2 – Christmas Break

·      Tuesday, January 3 – School Resumes

·      Tuesday, January 3 – Celebrate Tiely’s Birthday

October 27 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s Firsts Grade News

October 27, 2016

Review of our week:

         We had a great time at the pumpkin patch. When we got back we had an assembly with the drug dogs for Red Ribbon Week.   We also wrote about our favorite part of the field trip.  I am really impressed with the writing abilities of our class. 

Reading:

         At this point I want your child to be doing the reading for all of that time, instead of having somebody read to them.  It is great if you are reading to them on top of their 20 minutes and I would like you to continue with that, but they really need to be doing their 20 minutes of reading themselves.  Reading to them will help make them better readers also.

When your child is reading to you please listen to the way they are reading.  We are really working on fluency and expression especially if your child is on a level F or higher.  We talk about how when you are reading it should sound like you are talking and not like a robot.  Please listen to your child and help them work on these things.  This is one of the reasons they should be reading their take home books at least 2 or 3 times.   I would also like them to be reading the sight word lists. If you would like some more books for your child to read at home, please let me know.

Veterans:

         I would like each child to find out if they have any Veterans in their family.  If they do, I would like them to find out any information and find pictures.  If you could send things that we can keep, at least for awhile that would be great. If you can make a copy of the picture, so that we can keep it, that would be the best.  If it is something that your child can just bring for the day and share, we would love to see it.  Part of our first grade core is American Symbols, so we are going to be really focusing on patriotism.  If you could send them sometime in the next couple of weeks, that would be great.

Red Ribbon Week:

         We are celebrating Red Ribbon Week and we can wear our pajamas and crazy hair tomorrow.  Also, we do not wear costumes to school on Halloween.

F.Y.I’s:

         * I just wanted to thank all of you who come in and help in                  our classroom it really means a lot.   

·      I have also included your child’s progress report.

·      I will be sending home some addition flashcards.  It will really help them in math if they can learn these math facts.

Upcoming Events:      

         * Friday, October 28 – Crazy Hair and Pajama Day

·      Monday, October 31 – Carve Pumpkins 10:30

·      Monday, October 31 – Halloween Party 1:00

·      Thursday, November 3 – Celebrate Dolce’s Birthday

·      Friday, November 4 – Family Fun Day

·      Thursday, November 10 – Celebrate Graysen’s

·      Friday, November 11 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, November 18 – Family Fun Day

·      November 23-25 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

·      Wednesday, November 30 – Celebrate Jackson’s Birthday

·      Friday, December 2 – Make Gingerbread Houses

October 21, 2016

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

October 21, 2016

Review of our week:

         In math we have been working double facts, doubles plus 1 and doubles minus 1. We wrote about what we are going to be for Halloween. I just wanted to thank all of you for your help and support.  I really do appreciate it. You are all so wonderful.

Homework:

         Please, make sure your child is reading every night.  We have been using Raz in class.  If you have not started using it at, I would really like you to have your child use it. It is a wonderful resource.    

Sight Words:

         I have a lot of students who have not brought their paper back saying they are ready to pass them off.  This is holding your child back from moving on in their reading.  I really need you to practice those words with your child.  If you don’t know where the list is please let me know and I can get you a new one.  I do have 1 who has worked really hard and passed all of them off, since I sent the first list home.

Carving Pumpkins:

      I have 3 dads (Zack, Jeff and Clint) and a couple of others who might be able to come to carve pumpkins. If I missed anyone or if there are others who would like to come in, please let me know.  I just want to make sure I have enough pumpkins for the dads. We will do it on Halloween at 10:30.  If you can and would like to come and help us, please let me know.  Thanks

Progress Reports:

·      I am sending home Progress Reports next week.  There are not a lot of things marked for this quarter.  It doesn’t mean your child can’t do those things, I just haven’t assessed it yet.  On the counting if they were able to count by 1’s to 120 I circled 1’s. If they were not able to do it, I wrote at the bottom what number they were able to count to. Please look over this

Upcoming Events:

·      Monday, October 24 – No School (Fall Break)

·      Monday, October 31 – Carve Pumpkins 10:30

·      Monday, October 31 – Halloween Party

·      Thursday, November 3 – Celebrate Dolce’s Birthday

·      Friday, November 4 – Family Fun Day

·      Thursday, November 10 – Celebrate Graysen’s

·      Friday, November 11 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, November 18 – Family Fun Day

·      November 23-25 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)

October 14 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

October 9, 2015

Review of our week:

         I just wanted to thank everybody for coming to SEP’s.  In math we finished our Subtraction Concepts and took our test.  We fixed them and they came home.  We started our next chapter on Addition Strategies.  I am sending home the packet that goes a long with this chapter. Remember your child doesn’t have to turn this, but they can.  We also made a fun ghost picture.

Homework:

         I did the prizes for those students who had met the reading goal.  The goal was to read at least 5 days a week and turn them in. I have some students who did not turn in their reading record. I need to have them reading every night. 

Field Trip:

         We are going to go on a field trip to the Robinson Family Pumpkin patch here in Cedar City on Wednesday, October 23, when we come back from the fall break.  I have included a permission slip.  If you would please send the permission slip and $1 to pay for the pumpkin by Friday, October 16 that would be great. I would like to get 3-4 parents to come and go with us.  We will leave about 9:45 and be back by 11:45.  Thanks

Reminders:

*It is so important your child is here on time, if not a few minutes early.  If they are late on a regular basis they are missing out on a lot of important things in the morning.  I would like you to check out how many tardies your child has when I send home the first progress report.

*Remember to keep all of your Box Tops and send them in.  This is a very easy way to earn money for the school.  I have attached a paper your child can put Box Tops on.

* If you have not linked your Smith’s card to South Elementary, please do that.  The code for our school is 80702.  They said that anybody can link their card to our school, even people who live in other towns or states.  Have all of your family do it as well.  It is a great and easy way to make money for our school.

* A couple of weeks ago I sent home the list of sight words your child was on. If you have not been practicing that list with your child, please do so.  They need to have those sight words down to read a lot of the books we are reading and it will help them move up in their reading levels as well. 

                 

Carving Pumpkins:

         I am looking for 2-3 more dads to come in and carve pumpkins with us on Halloween.  We will do Monday, October 31 at 10:30.  If you are interested and can come and help please let me know, so I know how many pumpkins to get.  Thanks

Upcoming Events:

·      Monday, October 17 – Family Fun Day (Garfield Family)

·      Friday, October 17 – Family Fun Day (Sullivan Family)

·      Friday, October 21 – Picture Retakes

·      Monday, October 24 – No School (Fall Break)

·      Monday, October 31 – Carve Pumpkins 10:30

·      Monday, October 31 – Halloween Party

·      Thursday, November 3 – Celebrate Dolce’s Birthday

·      Friday, November 4 – Family Fun Day

·      Thursday, November 10 – Celebrate Graysen’s

·      Friday, November 11 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, November 18 – Family Fun Day

·      November 23-25 – No School (Thanksgiving Break)