First Grade Newsletter
November 16th, 2017
Important Dates
- November 17th: Canned Food Drive ENDS
- Friday, November 17th: Colonial Day
- November 20st - 24th: THANKSGIVING BREAK!
- November 27th - December 1st: Math MAP Testing
- December 1st: Author Visit (flyer below)
- December 5th - 9th: Reading MAP Testing
- December 6th: PACE Referral Deadline (more information below)
THANK YOU DADS!
Outdoor Recess - Please Remember!
As the weather begins to get cooler, please make sure that your child brings appropriate clothing for outdoor recess. Please remember to label all jackets, coats, hats, and gloves with your child’s name.
Plano Academic and Creative Education (PACE)
PACE provides services for students who require academically gifted enrichment services and have demonstrated the need for advanced, differentiated instruction. PACE at the elementary level is a weekly pull out program in which students are removed from the general education classroom to work under the guidance of a gifted specialist. The time spent in the PACE program will vary according to the grade level of
the student. For more detailed information about the PACE program, please refer to the following link:
https://www.pisd.edu/giftededucation
Students in 1-5 are assessed in the second semester to determine placement for the following academic school year. Students may be referred for gifted services by teachers, parents, principals, counselors, or by the students themselves. Students are assessed at their home campus during the school day. Students not referred for PACE in their Kindergarten year will be eligible for PACE assessment during the spring semester of their 1st grade year.
Referral packets must be completed and returned to the gifted specialist at your child’s school by December 6th.
If you are interested in a referral packet, please contact your teacher!
Six Flags Read to Succeed
Once again Barksdale will be participating in the Six Flags Read to Succeed reading incentive program. It’s very simple. Students are to record their reading minutes over the next weeks and months. When they have completed 6 hours worth of reading, then they may turn in their recording log and will receive a free Six Flags ticket for the summer.
**Students may count the minutes they read weekly for 1st grade! Just record the minutes in both their reading log and the Six Flags form.**
Students can begin now to record their reading minutes. Anything counts!! Reading at school, reading at home, parents reading to the students
Bronco Press
Bronco Press is a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their writing talents by publishing a book. Bronco Press is open to all students in kindergarten through 5th grade. The Bronco Press template and step by step instructions can be found on the PTA website http://www.barksdalepta.org Follow the link, Award Winning PTA, Bronco Press. PTA will then bind the books. All student authors will be presented with their bound books at a special author’s reception. What a wonderful treasure and keepsake! The Bronco Press is a part of the principal’s triathlon recognition program.
MAP Assessment Reminders
- Make sure your child eats healthy breakfast!
- Help your child to get a good night of sleep! Anywhere from 8 - 11 hours is recommended.
- Send your child with a HEALTHY snack and water. Please try to avoid sugary and sweet treats.
Author Visit - Nancy Churnin
What We Are Learning?
Math
Language Arts/ Social Studies
In Social Studies, we have been discussing Thanksgiving and how it came to be. Students have been comparing and contrasting Thanksgiving past and present. We are all very excited for our Colonial Day on Friday! In the following weeks, we are starting a new unit on culture. Students will explore different cultures around the world along with their own.
Science
After Thanksgiving Break, we will dive into the engineering process and begin exploring the role of a mechanical engineer.
First Grade Team
Email: firstname.lastname@pisd.edu
Website: http://k12.pisd.edu/barksdale-elementary-school
Location: 2424 Midway Rd, Plano, TX, United States
Phone: 469-752-0100
Facebook: facebook.com/barksdalebroncos
Twitter: @bbengaged1