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ilovefrogsI am very excited about the new year.  This is my 9th year to teach but my 12th year at White Oak.  I have two boys, one is 30 and the other is 20 (my baby is an ACU Wildcat). Both my boys were 13 year Roughnecks and I couldn’t be more proud of them.  In case you can’t tell, I LOVE frogs, my favorite color is purple, and pepperoni pizza with jalapenos is my favorite. If you see me snacking on something it would be Hot Tamales.  We have 2 dogs, Gizmo(Gizmo went to doggy heaven last year) and Gabby.  I love to be outside doing just about anything!  I do not feel that teaching is my job, it is my favorite hobby and passion.  I will love your children as if they are my own.  You are going to be amazed at how much they grow this year.  I hope you will feel free to contact me at any time for any reason throughout this school year.  Please subscribe to my blog to find out about upcoming events and your child’s learning.

Just some info

Hi everyone!!!  Tomorrow will be park day!  YAY!  Just a few things to help us have a great day.  If your kiddo needs sunscreen, please apply it before coming to school.  They need a sack lunch and two drinks with their names on them.  If you plan on coming to the park and bringing their lunch please let me know by text or a note, otherwise, I will send them to the cafeteria to get a lunch. (this just ensures they all have food)  Please make sure they are dressed for a fun and messy day!  We have plenty of activities for them to do but they can certainly bring something that they don’t mind sharing or possibly losing.

We will become “inventors on Thursday and Friday so if your sweetie comes home asking for some strange things it is true.  If you have any empty plastic water bottles, empty kleenex boxes, balloons, tape, etc… that you wouldn’t mind sending that would be great.  Anything they can get creative with.

Thursday will be our Pizza party during lunch so they don’t need a lunch as long as they like pizza:)

STAAR testing is going on upstairs so no lunch visitors on Wednesday.

I’m sure going to miss this sweet bunch of kiddos!!!!

Lots of Information

Hey All!!!!  This post is just strictly going to be the things that are coming up.  I will do another post for academics.

Field Day:  Our field day is scheduled for Thursday from 12:15-2:30.  If the weather permits, we will be outside on the practice field where the kiddos play flag football and everyone is welcome to come.  The kiddos need to bring water, gatorade, or something to hydrate them.  They need to wear old clothes that no one minds getting a lot messy!!!  In the event that the weather does not cooperate, we will be having some activities in the gym.  In that case our space is limited and we will need to keep it just kiddos, teachers, and designated helpers.  Please still send water either way so we can keep these sweeties hydrated!

Kona Ice will be here on Thursday.  I sent order forms home today.  I completely understand if you have to wait until Thursday to send the money and forms.  Please send money and forms together!!!

Book Fair:  We will go tomorrow to “preview” the book fair.  The kiddos will take a “wish list” with them and mark down some books they may be interest in.  We will have a designated time to go NEXT WEEK to purchase books.  I am not sure of the day but I will let you know as soon as I do.  You are always welcome to send money with your kiddo on that day and I will help them make their purchase.  You may also come to the school and take them yourself on another day.  We will send a letter home later this week with the times.

Monday, April 29th will be class picture day.  Please think about purchasing this group picture because the year book will not have us as a group but rather individual pictures.  I love these fun pictures year after year.

Last but certainly not least, I want to thank all of you that pitched in and helped with the Easter Party.  I have never missed a party (don’t miss many days at all) so this was very hard for me but it made me feel so much better knowing I have such loving and giving parents to take over for me!!!!!

If you have any questions about any of this please feel free to give me a call or text or email!

Week of April 8th

Hey everyone!!!  Hope everyone is staying safe in this crazy weather.  The kids should be able to give you some great information on what is going on out there.  We have been learning a ton about clouds and weather.  I have a ton of information for you with this post.

Field Trip:  We will be going on a field trip to Yesterland Farm on Thursday April 11th.  Please send the kiddos to school in a White Oak shirt (if you have one) and tennis shoes.  We also need a sack lunch that can be thrown away when finished.  If you are going to meet your kiddo at the farm you will need to pay your way at a different gate then we will enter.  After you pay your entrance fee you will be allowed to join our classroom.  Each class must stay together throughout the entire field trip so parents you will walk around with our class to the activities we will be doing.   We cannot split off and go our own way like we can at the zoo.  It seems to be very organized so I look forward to this experience.  If you have not sent the money, please send it tomorrow!!!

Easter Party:  Our Easter Party will be April 18th at 11:45.  I have asked Melanie McMahon to help me out with this party.  We don’t need much for this one because most of our time will be spent outside.  I will be unable to attend this party:(.  I am on the hiring committee for our new Primary Principal and the first round of interviews has been scheduled for that day:(.  I just need parents to step up and help Melanie and to take a ton of pictures to send to me!!!!  My heart is just broken.  I have never missed a party but I know they will be in good hands.  I know my position on the committee is very important so I hope you all understand my absence on this very special day for our kiddos.

Spelling:  I am not introducing any new spelling words over the next two weeks.  We will focus on some that just gave us fits and focus on some spelling patterns that are important.  ( ould, ight, etc…)

Phonics:  We are focusing on contractions and how they are completely different than compound words and how.

Math:  We are working on double digit addition and subtraction without carryover and regrouping.  We are also working on counting a collection of coins.

Writing:  Main focus on beg/mid/end and punctuation.  I am encouraging the kiddos to add “juicy” words to their sentences.  Instead of using pretty, use beautiful-gorgeous

Science/Social Studies:   We will continue this week on clouds and weather then we will move onto planets.

Last but not least I wanted to talk about the STAAR test going on upstairs next week.  We are going to try our hardest not to let it affect our kiddos.  In the past they have had to have silent lunch, no enhancements, and no recess so that we can give our upstairs friends all the help they can get.  This year we are going to try something new.  We are going to make these two days next week as much fun as we can.  We will be having lunch in our room.  Whether they bring their lunch or go to the cafeteria and get a tray we will be having a “picnic lunch” in our room.  We will be going to the track to let them get some wiggles out and we are creating a fun time for enhancements.  If you have older kids that will be taking the STAAR test next week we be praying for a successful test for them but we at the Primary will be having fun!!!!

Week of February 25

Hey guys hope everyone is starting to feel better after all of this illness going around!  I’ve got tons of things to walk you through and remind you of so…  Tomorrow, February 27th is an early release day at 11:30 for teacher training.  Please let me know if your sweetie will be getting home a different way.  Don’t forget our Frog and Toad performance on March 7th @ 9:00 in the cafeteria.  Dark jeans, leggings or pants and tennis shoes for this day please!  They have cute little costumes to put over what they wear.  Valentine’s Day Party was super cute and once again I was spoiled by you and my “sweet Valentine’s”.  Thank you Melanie for taking that on!!!

Spelling:  like, him, see, time,could, no, make, than, first, been  We will have a spelling test next Tuesday on these words.  Again, please have fun practicing these words with them.  Shaving cream, sand and stick, writing on their backs to see if they can figure out what word you/they are spelling.

Writing:  We are working on our class story about the Toothfairy.  They are loving it!  Please keep talking to your kiddos about the entire story they want to tell.  Details, characters, settings, First, Next, Then, After That and Finally.  Punctuation should really be showing up in their work as well as those adjectives and verbs.

Phonics:  We have worked on Nouns, Adjectives, and Verbs.  They should be able to tell the difference between them and know what they mean.  This week we are working on plurals.  How do you know when to use “s” or “es” and what does a plural mean.  We continue to review all of the skills taught this year and will begin review in stations soon.  Vowels continue to get them so saying a word and asking them what vowel and is it long or short is great practice for them.

Math:  We will continue working on addition, subtraction, problem solving, and strategies.  We are working on combinations of different numbers. (mainly 10, we need those to be automatic)  I give them a “magic number” and they have to give me as many combinations to that number as they can.  Money and counting money will come next.  Please help your kiddo identify coins, know their value, and count sets of coins.

Science/Social Studies:  We have learned about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and American Symbols.  Your kiddos got to do a fun project on symbols that is hanging in our hallway.  This week we are learning about dental health.  We also have some fun stuff going on in our research area!  Mealworms, Pennies, and insects OH MY!!!  We will be adding several things to our research area over the next few weeks.  Ask your kiddos what’s going on over there!

Thank you for ALL the support you are/have given this year.  I can’t believe it’s already almost March???

Week of January 22

Welcome back from a long weekend!!!!  I have several updates and upcoming events.  I’ll try to cover it all quickly and get to the learning part of our days.  Early release tomorrow at 11:30 for PLC training for teachers, 100th day of school on Tuesday the 29th (will be needing a little help from my friends), and Valentine’s Day Party on the 14th (will also be needing a little help).  If there is anyone willing to head up the Valentine’s Day Party please let me know!!!!  I will do a sign up for a few fun things that I will be needing for our 100th day of school soon!!!

Spelling:  We will be having a spelling test on Thursday with these words; will, each, about, how, up, out, them, then, she, many.  The new spelling words for the next two weeks will be; some, so, these, would, other, into, has, more, her, two.  Please remember to practice these words having fun!  the more hands-on you make these words the better ingrained they are in their sweet little brains.

Phonics:  We have covered sooooo much with these littles!  We will continue to work on vowel teams, blends, vowel both long and short, word families, etc… We will begin nouns, adjectives, and verbs over the next few weeks.

Math:  The focus over the next two weeks will be telling time (hour and half hour) and fractions.  We will always continue focusing on addition, subtraction, and word problem strategies.  Please work on plus 1 and minus 1 with your sweeties.  We will also be touching on counting coins in the very near future so if you want a jump start:).

Writing: Our focus is on story elements (beginning, middle, end, characters, problems, solution) and punctuation.  They are improving so much on their stories.  I am so proud of them!!!

Science/Social Studies:  One of my FAVORITE things to teach, Arctic animals and Arctic climate!!!! We will be having so much fun over the next few weeks.  If anyone has extra empty shoe boxes, could you please send them for an amazing project that we will be doing at then end of this lesson.  I may also ask for a few things like cotton balls, “snow”(icicles that look like snow) plastic animals from the dollar tree, etc…  If your kiddo comes home saying I need “this” for my project, it is probably true.

I would love to meet with any and all of my parents over the next few weeks just to talk and update you on where your kiddo is.  If you have time during the day at 1:15 or after school, please let me know and I will do my best to schedule a time to meet with you.  As always, I am here if you have any questions!!!

Welcome Back

Hi everyone!!!  Hope you all had a great two weeks of food, fun, family and friends!!!!  I can’t wait to get some hugs in the morning and hear all about the many adventures y’all had.  First of all, I want to thank everyone that had anything to do with our Christmas party, from sending goodies to just being there!  It was awesome and the kids had a blast.  A very special thank you to Amanda and Amber for heading it up and taking care of things!  It’s always nice to get to walk around and just enjoy these Firsties.  I would also like to personally thank everyone for spoiling me with such awesome gifts this year!  I feel very special.

I know this is crazy but…Our CHAMPS Assembly is this FRIDAY January 11th at 8:00!!!!!! We get the opportunity to be the very first class on stage!!!  I will be sending the “skit” home for all to practice Monday.  Please plan to be there by 8 on Friday if you can.  The kiddos will be sooooo excited to get on stage and show off for our school and their families.

Spelling:  The words for the next two weeks will be:  will, each, about, how, up, out, them, then, she, many,

Phonics:  We will continue working on vowel combinations and dipthongs.  The vowel combinations that follow the rule of 1 vowel does the walking and the other does the talking like; ee, ea, ie, ai.  Dipthongs are the combinations that do not follow that rule like; oi, oy, ow, oo.  We will spend two weeks just focusing on these before moving to nouns.

Math:  We will begin a unit on measurement.  I will introduce vocabulary words like length, bigger than, smaller than, etc…  We will learn how to measure with different tools like cubes, paper clips, measuring worms, etc…  We will learn how to tell how much longer an object is than another.  We will continue with addition and subtraction with modeling and making 10 as well.

Science/Social Studies:  We will learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and all about RESPECT for our CHAMPS Assembly.

As always, thank you so much for all you do for our kiddos and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me at any time!!!! EEEEK I can’t believe it is already January!!!!!!!!

 

December 3

Hey everyone!!!!  Hope y’all had a great week of Thanksgiving with friends and family.  I had a great, but very busy, week.  I was very excited to see my Firsties last week and get back into the swing of things. I always miss them!!!

Our Christmas party will be on Thursday, December 20th at 9:00.  Amanda Jenkins and Amber Richardson are helping us out with organizing/planning/fun and games for this fun day.  THANK YOU ladies!!!  If you would like to help and have not been contacted by one of these ladies soon, let me know and I will get you in touch with them.  I would also like to do a puzzle exchange this year for them to give to one another.  Please do not spend more than $5 (I know the dollar store has some cute ones) and make it something that a boy or girl would love to put together.

Spelling words: which, their, said, if, do, will, we, there, can, an, your   Please have fun while practicing these words at home.  There and Their are so tricky for them.  I make a poster with them and I draw a person out of the “i” in their to make the connection with possession, or belonging to a person,  and we link there to a place Where? Over “there”.

Math: We will continue to build up our addition and subtraction strategies and begin to use bigger numbers. You could help us out at home by just asking things like “What is 10 + 1, What is 9-1, If I have 7 and need 11, How many more do I need?  Learning how to tie math into all aspects of life is so good for them, so any time you have a chance to ask them to count something for you or figure out how many days til this or what’s missing kinds of things are awesome!  We are learning how to do a survey, collect data, and create different types of graphs using this information.

Writing:  We will begin another class story to make into a book.  This usually takes about 2 1/2 weeks.  In Writers Workshop they will continue writing stories about anything they’d like.  We have met and laid out goals for each of them and what I would like them to be focusing on.  They are all at different stages of writing which is what makes this time so fun.  We are really focusing on what details we need in a story to make it a great story.

Science/Social Studies:  We will be conducting several science experiments over the next few weeks to keep their attentions!!!  We are also learning about wants vs needs.  I think this is the best time of year to talk about this very important but hard to learn lesson.

If I can ever answer any questions you have or help you out with anything please let me know.  I am having such fun getting to know your sweeties and watching them grow!