October
Ms. Lucken's First Grade Friends
Thoughts, Reminders, and Oops I Forgots
Do not be surprised if you began to see more Social Conference notes coming home. This is not because the children have began to make more poor or questionable choices. It is because I have taught all the expectations, I am getting to know the kids better, and now I am going to try to help them move forward and grow in their social and emotional health. Having a social conference form come home SHOULD NOT result in more consequences at home, unless we have had a verbal conversation and decided additional action is necessary. The forms are simply a chance for you to see what is happening at school, reinforce expectations, and encourage your child.
Please do your best to complete the monthly homework. The activities are directly aligned with the MN state benchmarks and standards. They follow the curriculum closely. The additional practice you provide at home should be brief. BUT that brief amount of time serves multiple purposes:
- Builds homework routines long before your child has an hour or more in junior high and high school
- Keeps you informed about what your child is learning at school and their success
- Communicates (non-verbally) that school is important and your child is important
If you are willing to purchase blank 3.5 by 5 inch note cards, please do. You and your child can make your own flashcards. Simply write the new words in the language arts goals below (also given on the monthly homework) each week. Memorizing these high frequency words is PIVOTAL to your child's reading success. These words are very common, appearing often in reading. Many of them can not be sounded out. When your child can read the word in three seconds or less, they are able to read fluently (at a good pace). Fluent readers comprehend (remember) what they have read. For many kids, the practice we get at school may be enough. But the pace is fast, six new words per week. Extra practice at home would be GREAT.
Thanks for all you do! I understand the significance of what I am asking. Being a parent is hard work. Some weeks we have more time than others. Doing the best you can is all that I ask:)
Jen
Important Dates
- October 1 - Oct. 12th: Westwood online apparel store is open
- Friday, October 2nd: PICTURE DAY & Homework Squares Due
- Thursday, October 8th or Tuesday, October 13th: Conferences
- Wednesday, October 14th: optional Scholastic book order due
- October 16th and 17th: No School, MEA
- Wednesday,October, 21st: Wear orange for Unity against bullies day & Bond Referendum Informational Meeting at Apollo at 6:30 pm.
- Thursday,October 22nd: GREAT Theatre Snow White Play.
- Monday, November 23rd - Friday, November 27th: No School
Westwood Spirit Buttons will be on sale near the cafeteria Monday mornings beginning Oct. 5th. Buttons cost $1.00. Buttons can be worn with or in replacement of t-shirts on Fridays. Proceeds from the buttons are used to support Positive Behavior Interventions at school.
Volunteers
Volunteer Opportunities Include:
- Accompanying class on field trips
- Attending class celebration
- Assisting with instructional activities on a weekly / monthly basis. Please contact me if you would like to do this. We will start in October. I am looking for a parent and/or grandparent who would like to spend time each Friday mornings between 8 - 10 helping students edit their writing.
http://stcloudisd742.mn.schoolwebpages.com/education/components/scrapbook/default.php?sectiondetailid=25079&
If you want to volunteer, but need the background check fee WAIVED, let me know. I can send the waiver paperwork home in your child's Wednesday folder.
Homework
- Read a minimum of 10 minutes daily (PAKRAT, library, or personal books)
- Complete one homework square five days per week. If you need an additional copy, they can be accessed from the weebly website link below. These activities are created to help your child meet the monthly social and academic goals below.
Social and Emotional Goals
- Use breaks to fix minor behaviors and return to the learning area with a positive / engaged attitude
- Accept redirection and consequences when needed
- Reflect on choices and make plans to be more successful
- Set your own personal and academic goals
Language Arts Goals
- Listen to, look at, and respond to books
- Follow words from left to right
- Read and write your name
- Name all 26 uppercase and lowercase letters, and give the correct sound
- Read high frequency words: I, like, do, to, you, he, can, go, a, has (by Sept 11th). This, is, my, look, little, where, here, play, the, we (by Sept 18th). Are, me, she, with, for, and, have, see, said, was (by Sept 25th). Down, not, school, in, that & what (by Oct. 2). Be, come, good, pull, as, & his (by Oct. 9th). Fun, make, they, too, at, & had (by Oct. 16th). Jump, move, run, two, word & but (by Oct. 23rd). Again, help, there, new, use & when (by Oct. 31).
- Recognize and produce rhyming words
- Count (can = 1 syllable), blend, and segment the syllables in words (/c/a/n/ = can)
- Write one syllable / 3 letter words
- Read one syllable words with double endings (fill, mitt, buzz, etc).
- Hear and identify words that have same beginning, middle or ending sounds
- Write a sentence
Math Goals
- I can name 10 colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white, black, brown)
- I can name 8 shapes (square, rectangle, triangle, circle, rhombus (diamond), trapezoid, & hexagon
- I can build and extend patterns
- I can read and write numbers to 50
- Add numbers between 0 - 20
- Write number sentences; 1+1 = 2
- Find multiple ways to make sums for numbers 1-10
- Draw pictures to solve addition number stories
- Identify whether a number sentence is true or false
- Use objects to solve for the missing part / addend (7+___=10)
- Developing fact fluency; especially problems involving +0 and +1