Mrs. Nelson's 1st Grade News!
Week of August 7th
Whitney Nelson
Email: whitneynelson@misdmail.org
Website: www.firstatgideon.weebly.com
Location: Gideon Elementary School, South Main Street, Gideon, MO, United States
Phone: 817-299-7800
An Importnat Note From Mrs. Nelson...
Happy Tuesday, I hope you all had a WONDERFUL long weekend. I wanted to let you know that I am going to be having some somewhat unexpected surgery next Tuesday. I will be out for 2 weeks. :( I am so sad to be away from the kiddos for that long, but at the same time so grateful that it is not longer and that I am getting this taken care of. To spare you the details, but give a little bit of information; I had a cancerous tumor a year before my son (5 years old now) was born. They have found another suspicious area that they are removing next Tuesday. So.... I will be out for just a bit.
I have told the kiddos, not to that extent (haha), but they know they will be having a substitute. I will be here on Monday the 14th, but then plan to return on the 29th. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. I am busy getting everything together to make sure all goes just a smooth as if I was here!
Thank you so much in advance for your support!
Important Notes!
It is the 3rd week already! This week we are continuing to moving fast and furious as we begin to get into our normal routine! Below are some of the most important things for you to keep in mind this week as you continue to help your kiddos make the adjustment to a faster paced week.
- Please make sure you have signed and returned both your child's "Science Safety Contract", and the "Title 1" pink form. Thanks!
- Just like last week, your child is bringing home a "Take Home Folder" today in their backpack. Please check this nightly and sign the box for the day. This lets me know you are aware of their classroom behavior for the day and have checking their folder for any notes and papers. If there is a sticker, it was a great day! :)
- If there are any papers in the folder, please remove and only send back anything that requires being returned to school.
- If you need to send money or anything of that nature, feel free to use the small page protector in the very front to help assure those important things make it to me in the mornings!
- As mentioned last week, there is also a reading log in your child's folder. continue to make sure your child is reading 100 minutes per week. In the coming weeks, I will be sending leveled readers home (as I get all my levels established). Please remember that you reading with your child counts and is IMPORTANT! :) These minutes need to be logged on the reading log form. I had a few kiddos not have this filled out last Friday.
- If you need to change the way your child goes home, PLEASE make sure you have contacted me to let me know the change so I can make sure all of my kiddos make it home safely.
- There will be a spelling test this week! Your child is bringing home spelling words (in flashcard format) along with a paper detailing "spelling homework". Please have your child pick 4 of the spelling activities and turn them in on Friday. This will help them prepare for the spelling test which is also on Friday. I did send the incorrect spelling words home today, but I sent an e-mail and have the correct ones below. I will send the correct ones in paper format tomorrow!
- Please make sure I have a good e-mail contact address on file for you (on the yellow paper you filled out at "Meet the Teacher Night" or that came home in your child's folder if you were not able to get it that night. I use e-mail as my main communication method, so it is important that I have any e-mail addresses for you that are needed.
- Please sign up for my "Remind" texts so that you can get up to date information throughout the week as things change or reminders are sent.
- Today baggy books were sent home for the first time. Please read the letter that came home with them for more detailed information regarding how those are handled. These are books that are selected based on your child's level and provide excellent practice for their nightly reading.
~Mrs. Nelson
What Are We Learning?
This week we will continue to learn and practice policies and procedures. We will also begin to get more into our routine. I have given a brief description of what we are learning in each subject area below. In addition to this, please know that as we ease into our routine more and more, your child will begin doing more independent work. This takes time to establish stamina, but is well worth it in the end. I send (try to) daily work on Friday's, with the exception of some items. The work I am referring to is mainly; journal writing, work work, and spelling/sight word practice activities. I keep track of how much work each student completes and they spend part of their "Fun Friday" catching up if they fall behind. This helps me see how each student is independently building their work ethic. Please do not be surprised if you see assignments come home with the note, unfinished or incomplete. Please just discuss this with your child and talk about how to best manage time in the future. You should have received your first "stack" of weekly work last Friday. :)
Language Arts:
- identifying and reading high frequency words
- decoding words
- forming letters (handwriting)
- writing legibly
- matching sounds to letters
- writing
- story comprehension, story structure, and retelling a story (beginning, middle, and end)
Math:
- composing and decomposing numbers 1-30
- observing patterns within numbers (odd, even)
- building numbers with manipulatives
- breaking apart numbers into ones and tens place
- discussing the idea of greater than and less than
- introducing standard and expanded forms of numbers
Science/Social Studies:
- authority figures and their responsibilities
- healthy habits
- beginning our unit on matter
Spelling/Sight Words
You will notice these overlap a little, that is for a reason. :) We are also focusing on the word families "ad" and "at" this week.
Spelling:
1. pad
2. sad
3. lad
4. hat
5. bat
6. mat
7. at
8. by
9. him
10. that
11. jump
12. help
Sight Words: (Please add these to the baggy for continued practice. :)
1. at
2. by
3. him
4. that
5. jump
6. help