WOW what a great start to First Grade we have had!!!  Your kids are amazing and so creative.  I have so many different personalities that is creating an awesome environment for learning.  You should expect (in a perfect world) a blog post about every two weeks letting you know what your kiddos are learning and how you might be able to help them.  If you have any questions at all please e-mail me or call me at (903) 291-2156 and leave a message.  I will call you back at 1:15 or after school.

Spelling words last week and this week:  the, of, and, a, to, in, is, you, that, it  Please have fun with these words, it’s not all skill and drill.  Let them write them with markers, shaving cream, sand outside with a stick, etc…  It is important for them to know these words but I don’t want them to dislike the practice.  When my kids were little I would make a chart of all of the spelling words and then I would do different things like hide the words in the house and when they found them and could identify them they got a sticker on that word.  I would write them on funny paper or funny things etc… but when they could identify them they got a sticker and when the chart was filled they got some little prize.  Just a thought and suggestion.

We do spelling test every two weeks usually on a Tuesday.  You child will bring home a preview the day before a test to let you see what they may need to focus on.

Phonics:  We are learning about long and short vowels and are starting to get use to our workstations.  I am still testing reading levels so please understand that your student is picking out his/her own book right now so if it is too hard just read it to them.  Pretty soon I should know where they are and be able to begin Guided Reading with you kiddos.  I will let you know when this begins so you can help monitor your students progress!

Math:  We are working on basic word problems, adding using pictures, number paths, and 120 charts.  We are working on vocabulary like greater than, less than,  basic number skills and basic addition.

Social Studies/Science:  Our focus right now is team work and right choices vs wrong choices.  We are reading a ton of Kevin Henkes books to get us going.  I will begin introducing STEM to our kids at the end of this week.

Again, please don’t hesitate to call me for anything!  Thank you for sharing your sweeties with me.  I am having a great time getting to know them.