February 17 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

February 17, 2017

Review Of Our Week:

         This week in math we have been working on double-digit addition and subtraction. We have also been working on a descriptive paragraph describing different animals we have been reading about in our reading program.  We had a wonderful Valentine’s Party.  Thank you to all of you who helped with that.

         February is dental health month, so our school nurse put together a program for us about keeping our teeth healthy.  The wonderful PTA got toothbrushes for all of the kids.  

* We are learning about our Earth and the different kinds of rocks.  I need everyone to go on a rock hunt and find a rock to bring to class.  It has to fit in your hand and be a new rock they have found.  We read a really fun book about the rules for going on a rock hunt.  Please, have your child bring their rock on Monday.  We will keep them for a week or so.

* Remember to remind your child to keep filling in their Reading record for the Lion’s Club.  It isn’t any extra reading, just what they are already doing for class.

Upcoming Events:

·      Monday, February 20 – No School (President’s Day)

·      Friday, February 24 – Family Fun Day (Sullivan Family)

·      Monday, February 27 – Celebrate Emelynn’s Birthday

·      Friday, March 3 – Family Fun Day (Pierce Family)

·      Wednesday, March 8 – Celebrate Chevelle’s Birthday

·      March 9-10 – No School

·      Friday, March 17 – Celebrate Brodee’s Birthday

·      Friday, March 17 – Family Fun Day (Shaver Family)

·      Friday, March 24 – Spring Pictures

·      Friday, March 24 – Family Fun Day (Holmgren)

·      Wednesday, March 29 – Kindergarten Registration

·      Friday, March 31 – Celebrate Brittnee’s Birthday

·      Friday, March 31 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, April 7 – Family Fun Day (Murray Family)

·      Friday, April 7 – Celebrate Ada’s Birthday

·      Friday, April 14 – Easter Party

·      Friday, April 14 – Celebrate Jack’s Birthday

·      April 17-21 - No School (Spring Break)

February 10 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

February 10, 2017

Review of our week:

         The weeks just seem to go faster and faster.  We had a very good week. In math we took our test on Greater Than and Less Than.  We did really well on this test.  If you help your child fix any problems they missed and have them return it, they can get 100%.  We wrote about “What a Friend is….” and we wrote a 5 sentence descriptive paragraph.

Homework:

         I know there are less days in the month of February, please make sure your child is reading everyday.  Reading records are due back at the end of the month.  Even if your child has not filled in every heart, please have them turn it in.  I would really like to see how much each child is reading at home. I have several students who are not bringing their Take Home Book back.  The Take Home Library is a great resource, please take advantage of it. 

         I just wanted to remind you, that your child needs to be instructional on level J to be on grade level for the end of the year.  To be on track for that your child needs to be an instructional level F-G.

        

FYI’s:

* Keep saving those Box Tops, this is a great way to earn money for our school.  If you have any please send them by Friday, February 17.

* Let me know if you are interested in doing a Family Fun Day.

        

Upcoming Events:

·      Tuesday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

·      Thursday, February 16 – Celebrate Taeya’s Birthday

·      Friday, February 17 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 20 – No School (President’s Day)

·      Friday, February 24 – Family Fun Day (Sullivan Family)

·      Monday, February 27 – Celebrate Emelynn’s Birthday

·      Friday, March 3 – Family Fun Day (Pierce Family)

·      Wednesday, March 8 – Celebrate Chevelle’s Birthday

·      March 9-10 – No School

·      Friday, March 17 – Celebrate Brodee’s Birthday

·      Friday, March 17 – Family Fun Day (Shaver Family)

·      Friday, March 24 – Spring Pictures

·      Friday, March 24 – Family Fun Day (Holmgren)

·      Wednesday, March 29 – Kindergarten Registration

·      Friday, March 31 – Celebrate Brittnee’s Birthday

·      Friday, March 31 – Family Fun Day

·      Friday, April 7 – Family Fun Day (Murray Family)

·      Friday, April 7 – Celebrate Ada’s Birthday

·      Friday, April 14 – Easter Party

·      Friday, April 14 – Celebrate Jack’s Birthday

·      April 17-21 - No School (Spring Break)

January 20 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

January 20, 2017

Review of our week:

         In math this week we are still working on Place Value.  We had so much fun celebrating the 100^th Day of School!!! We are working on some really fun snowman stories.

Progress Reports:

         I have attached them.  Please look at how many days your child has missed or has been late this quarter.  They are missing a lot of things when they are gone or late.  Also, there might be things I didn’t have a chance to assess with your child because they were gone.

Stuffed Animal:

         At this time in the year, some students get tired of doing Read To Self in Daily 5, so I have some stuffed animals that they can read with.  If your child would like to bring a stuffed animal to keep in class and share until the end of the year, that would be great.  Please do not send one that is special to them. I will send them home at the end of the year or your child can leave it, if they no longer want it.

DIBELS:

         We just did our mid-year Dibels assessment.  I wanted to explain a few things.  The nonsense word fluency is the same as what I explained during SEP’s in October.  The benchmark has just gone up.  This time they did oral reading fluency.  Each child had 3 different stories to read for 1 minute each.  They counted how many words they read correctly which is the first score.  Then there is an accuracy percentage.  So, if your child read 23 words and had an accuracy percentage of 92% your child was able to read 23 words a minute and there were just a couple they either got wrong or skipped.  If the percentage is lower, your child has more words they were not able to read or they are skipping.  I know this is kind of confusing, please let me know if you have any questions about your child’s scores.  I will also go over them at SEPs in a couple of weeks. We have made a lot of progress from the beginning of the year.

Upcoming Events:      

·      Monday, January 23 – Celebrate Emma B.’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 27 – Celebrate Connor’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 27 – Family Fun Day (Riddle Family)

·      January 30 – February 3 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)

·      Friday, February 3 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 6 – Spelling Bee @1:30

·      Friday, February 10 – Family Fun Day

·      Tuesday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

·      Thursday, February 16 – Celebrate Taeya’s Birthday

·      Friday, February 17 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 20 – No School (President’s Day)

·      Friday, February 24 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 27 – Celebrate Emelynn’s Birthday

January 13 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

January 13, 2017

Review of our week:

         This week I have spent some time assessing and doing some reviewing where we needed it. In Math we are working on place value.  We also did the DIBELS reading assessment.  I will share those scores with you at SEPs.  We also started a new unit in our CKLA skills.  We are going to start writing snowmen stories. 

Math Groups:

         In First grade we have been doing some math groups.  We gave a common assessment with addition problems up to 20.  We then divided them into groups. One teacher is working with the students who could use a little more help with counting on and the other 2 teachers are working with the kids who understand it and just need fluency practice.

         As First Grade teachers we went through the core and decided and what was the most important math and reading concepts we wanted them to know by the end of the year.  In our math groups we are working on these skills. 

Homework:

         After your child has finished reading their book, I would like you to have them tell you what happened in the book and also ask them some questions to clarify.  Most of them are getting to the point where they can decode very well, now we need to start working on comprehension and fluency. 

         I have packets of books on each reading level.  If you would be interested in some extra books for your child to read on their reading level, please let me know.

RAZ Kids:

I purchased a subscription to RAZ kids for our class.  I don’t have very many students using this at home.  This is an amazing resource your child could be using.   Your child should know their password.  The teacher login in brookish.  You download the app or go to the website.  If your child is using this at home I would like you to check on them and make sure they are reading the stories.  They can listen to it, read it and take a comprehension quiz.  I have told them they have to read the story, not just listen to it.  If you have any questions, please let me know.

100^th Day of School:

We are going to have a 100^th day snack. We are going to take doughnuts and a wafer cookie to make the number 100. If would be willing to send a box or a small package of the small doughnuts, I would appreciate it. Each child would need 2, so we would need around 50 doughnuts. We also need a package of wafer cookies.  Will you please let me know if you would be willing to send some, so I will know how many extras I will need to buy?  Thank you.  The 100^th day is on Friday, January 20.

FYI’s:

* Keep saving your Box Tops. 

* Thanks for everything you have done. I really want to                      thank all of you who come in and read in the mornings.

Upcoming Events:

·      Wednesday, January 18 – Celebrate Kai’s Birthday

·      Thursday, January 19 – Celebrate Russell’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 20 – 100^th Day of School

·      Monday, January 23 – Celebrate Emma B.’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 27 – Celebrate Connor’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 27 – Family Fun Day (Riddle Family)

·      January 30 – February 3 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)

·      Friday, February 3 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 6 – Spelling Bee @1:30

·      Friday, February 10 – Family Fun Day

·      Tuesday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

·      Thursday, February 16 – Celebrate Taeya’s Birthday

·      Friday, February 17 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 20 – No School (President’s Day)

·      Friday, February 24 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 27 – Celebrate Emelynn’s Birthday

        

January 6 Newsletter

Mrs. Bali’s First Grade News

January 6, 2017

Review of our week:

         In math this week we started on our Place Value Chapter.  I will send home subtraction flashcards next week, so your child can practice their math facts at home. Your child really needs to know these math facts.

         We wrote some New Year Resolutions.  I have been really happy with the progress we are making in reading.  Almost everyone has moved up a level. If your child is reading on a J or higher, they won’t move levels in their take home book as often. 

                          

Book Orders:

         I am sending home the January Book Orders.  If you would like to order books, please return your order by Thursday, January 12.  You can also order online.

F.Y.I’s

*If you would like to do a Family Fun Day, please look at the dates and let me know if there is one that would work for you.     

*For this time of year your child needs to be on a F-G instructional reading level to be on track for being on grade level for the end of the year.  That means their take home books would be E-F.

Upcoming Events:

·      Monday, January 16 – No School (MLK)

·      Wednesday, January 18 – Celebrate Kai’s Birthday

·      Thursday, January 19 – Celebrate Russell’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 20 – 100^th Day of School

·      Monday, January 23 – Celebrate Emma B.’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 27 – Celebrate Connor’s ½ Birthday

·      Friday, January 27 – Family Fun Day

·      January 30 – February 3 – SEP Week (School gets out at 2:30 everyday.)

·      Friday, February 3 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 6 – Spelling Bee @1:30

·      Friday, February 10 – Family Fun Day

·      Tuesday, February 14 – Valentine’s Party

·      Thursday, February 16 – Celebrate Taeya’s Birthday

·      Friday, February 17 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 20 – No School (President’s Day)

·      Friday, February 24 – Family Fun Day

·      Monday, February 27 – Celebrate Emelynn’s Birthday

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