September 30th Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our topic this week in reading will be all about sports and teamwork.  We will be talking about books that give information about a specific topic.  The sounds we are focusing on this week are nd, nk, nt, and st.  Our chunk of the week this week will be –et as in met.

Thank you for sending in binders.  The kids are enjoying new
poems each week.  We use them to help practice our reading fluency.

This week we will be working on counting up and back on a number grid, learning our telephone numbers, and practicing single digit addition.  Watch for the Unit 2 Family Letter to come home this week.  Home Links for lessons 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3 will also be coming home this week.

In science, we will be studying many animals we see during the fall season.  We will be reading and writing about these animals as well as seeing some of them up close on our field trip to The Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary.

Special Points of Interest

• Our take-home book program will begin during the month of October
• Family Fall Fest is Friday, October 4th from 5:00-8:00 at Thorson
• Donuts with Dads is on October 8th starting at 7:30  

Thank you, yet again!

Thank you for sending in the permission slips so quickly!  Everyone has turned theirs in.  The kids are so excited to go to Shalom to see the animals!

Also, thank you for sending in playing cards.  The kids love all of the math games that we play with them throughout the year.  If you are looking for something fun and educational to do at home, ask your kids to teach you the different math games we play at school.

Have a great weekend!

September 23rd Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In reading this week, we will be reading about pets.  Our main focus will be on characters and settings.  As you read with your child, remember to ask them about the setting of the story.  We will be working on r blends this week.  The blends are br, fr, cr, gr, and tr.  Our chunk of the week will be –an as in can.  Remember to practice spelling and vocabulary words throughout the week.  Our spelling test this Friday will be given in sentence form.

This week in math we will be working on problem solving skills, writing tally marks to show a number, and looking at weather and temperature routines.  Look for Home Links 1.12, 1.13, and another addition practice sheet to come home this week.

We have been learning about the American flag and what it symbolizes.  Your child will also learn the Pledge of Allegiance and its meaning.

• This Friday afternoon is a professional development day for teachers.  Your child will be released at 11:35 a.m.
• I still have a few students who have not sent in a one inch binder to school.  If you have not, please send one in.
• Do you have any old playing cards?  If any of your decks are missing cards, I would love to have them to use for math games!

THANK YOU!!!!!

Thank you to everyone who sent in paper towels, napkins, Ziploc bags, and Clorox wipes!  We use them often and I greatly appreciate your generosity.

Old Playing Cards

Do you have any old playing cards?  If any of your decks are missing cards, I would love to have them to use for math games!  Thank you in advance!

Scholastic Book Orders

Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub
One-Time Class Activation Code: JBVLX

Dear Families,

Please remember to place your Reading Club orders by September 20!

You can shop and submit your order online or return the printed order form with payment directly to me. No matter how you order, every purchase you make earns FREE Books and educational supplies for our classroom.

The arrival of the book box is always a highlight-thanks for making it happen!

Happy reading,

Mrs. Majinski

Ordering online is fast and easy:

• REGISTER at scholastic.com/readingclub
• ENTER the Class Activation Code at the top of this letter
• CHOOSE from thousands of print titles, value packs, and Storia eBooks
• SUBMIT the order to me by the due date at the top of this letter
• EARN FREE Books for our classroom too!

September 16th Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In reading this week, we will be continuing to work on sequencing a story.  As you read with your child, remember to ask your child what happens in the beginning, middle, and end of the story.  Our chunk of the week will be the short sound of i as in it and bit.  Our class has been working hard to choose appropriately leveled books to read.  The children are learning to choose books with a purpose and topics that interest them.  They are also encouraged to choose a book that they are able to comprehend and read a majority of the words correctly without help.

We will be working in math on the elements that make up a calendar, counting objects correctly, comparing quantities, and using tally marks.  Please look for Home Link 1.8 and an addition practice sheet to come home this week.

Our room moms this year will be Courtney and Phoebe’s moms.  The room mom’s will be contacting you about future opportunities to chaperone field trips and volunteer to donate food or help with classroom parties.  Thank you in advance to our two room moms!

•  We are still looking for socks to use as erasers for our dry erase boards. 
• Please remember to send a healthy snack with your child everyday.
  
  
  
  

Thank you!

Thank you to everyone who was able to make it to our First Grade Curriculum Night.  It is always wonderful to see parents and share important information about what goes on in first grade with you.  If you were not able to make it, I will send home all of the handouts tomorrow with your child.

I know a lot of information was presented in a short amount of time, so as always, please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.  Thank you!

September 9th Newsletter

Dear Parents and Guardians,

In math, we will be learning about naming numbers before and after a given number and how to use a number line.  We will also be working on our daily math routines.  There will not be any math homework this week.  

In social studies, we are working on our school unit.  This week, our principal, Mrs. Gibson, will be telling us about her job.

In reading, we will be looking at the different events that occur in a story.  We will be sequencing the events that happen throughout a story.  After you read a book to your child or your child reads a book to you, make sure you ask them about the events that happened in the story (what happened at the beginning, middle, and end of the story).  Additionally, we are going to be working on the short a sound, as in bat.

We will be taking our first MAPS test tomorrow.  This is our first MAPS test of four this fall.  We will be taking the MAPS test again in the winter and in the spring.

We will be creating a poetry binder this year.  We will be adding different poems to our poetry binder throughout the year.  If you could please send a one inch binder to school with your child by the end of the week, it would be greatly appreciated.

Friendly Reminders

• Curriculum night is tomorrow night.  If you are not able to make it, I will be sending home a packet of information with your child on Wednesday.
• Picture day is this Friday!  If you would like to purchase photos, please return the order form that you got at the start of the school year.
• Please empty your child's red folder each night.  Many children are returning their red folders still filled with the previous day's items.  Please look over your child's work with them and return necessary items back to school.
• If you have not sent an old sock to school for our dry erase boards, please send one or more to school with your child soon.  I greatly appreciate it!