FIRST GRADE FLASH
April 22nd
HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!!
A BIG THANK YOU for all the donations for centers and the lemonade stand and to our moms who helped volunteer!!!!
HELP!
- We still need a few volunteers to help next week with the lemonade stand!! Please! http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b45aba62aaaff2-lemonade
- Each student needs a plain white t-shirt by next Wednesday.
WHITE SPRUCE TREES CAME HOME TODAY...
REMINDERS...
Wednesday is Administrative Assistant's Day!!
Please bring White t-shirt on Wednesday. We will decorate an wear them on Friday.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
APRIL 22ND REPORT CARDS ON HAC
APRIL 22NDHAPPY EARTH DAY
APRIL 25TH -29TH 1:00 DISMISSAL CONFERENCE WEEK
April 25th -28th Lemonade Stand
APRIL 29TH FIRST GRADE ROCKS KINDNESS DAY
May 2nd Matthew reads to the class
May 3rd Brooke S. reads to the class
May 4th Zean reads to the class
May 5th Madelyn reads to the class
MAY 11TH OPEN HOUSE 6:00-7:30
MAY 13TH DINOSAUR/ROCK CENTERS
MAY 18TH 5TH GRADE SPRING CONCERT
MAY 24TH LEHIGH VALLEY ZOO
MAY 27TH BEACH DAY
MAY 30TH NO SCHOOL MEMORIAL DAY
JUNE 9TH FIRST GRADE MUSICAL
JUNE 9TH MRS. ARNOLD'S BOOK BRUNCH
JUNE 10TH SCHOOL TALENT SHOW
JUNE 13TH LAST DAY MUSTANG MEETING
See Saw Learning Journal
Download “Seesaw Parent Access” in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store -OR- Go to https://app.seesaw.me using Firefox or Chrome and choose "I'm a Parent".
Flower Of the Day Readers...no readers this week
DIGGING IN...
We were Entomologists and learned about butterflies and insects.
Eddie Entomologist introduced us to butterflies and dragonflies.
We wrote our WINGS books..they are almost ready to go out to be published...last chance to purchase a book.
We learned about Turtles and my tortoises came to visit.
We made flower poetry.
We rotated through centers...and learned about worms, soil, stick bugs, and planted our school garden....ask your kids all about the best day!!!
We got all kinds of insects including our Painted Lady caterpillars.
We painted our paper mache back yard critters.
We learned about fractions.
We reviewed nouns, verbs and adjectives.
We wrote POETRY.
Butterfly/Insect Thinglink
The Monarch Burtterfly Song
Butterfly Feeder
EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES...no new story or spelling...but there will be new vocab!
DIGGING DEEPER...
Due to conferences we will only have gym on Monday and Music on Friday next week.
1:00 dismissal all week...Book Fair...Lemonade Stand
We will finish fractions.
We will not have a new story, vocabulary words or spelling words.
Monday: Lemonade Stand activity with our buddies!
Tuesday: All About Me Day...paint life size people, poetry and time lines.
Wednesday: Insect Day...we will finish our Backyard critters and insect activities.
Thursday: Introduce Dinosaurs and Dino-mite poetry Finish Earth Day activities.
Friday: First Grade ROCKS KINDNESS CENTERS..introduce Rocks...Rock N roll Party
Plant Seeds of Kindness... LEMONADE STAND
We will use our learning to reinforce money, reading , writing and higher level thinking skills and then show kindness by donating the money raised.
We are looking for student and parent volunteers to help monitor the stand during conference week. Sign-up on sign up sheet on sign-up genius.... http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0b45aba62aaaff2-lemonade We also need donations for cups, Countrytime Lemonade, lemons and anything else we might need.
REPORT CARDS
TODAY...On April 22nd , the report cards will be available to view on HAC. Report cards show a snapshot of the progress your child has made. For the first time, you will see a letter grade in language arts and math, along with the checklist. Students often do not understand the letter grade which they receive, therefore we try not to put the emphasis on the grades but rather on the learning and the strengths and areas how the student can improve. Grades are a combination of chapter, unit, and theme test scores, daily work, vocabulary and spelling progress, writing activities, and reading and math progress made. The checklist and comments provide the areas where students show strengths and weaknesses. Please keep in mind that a C is considered satisfactory work, a B is good work, and an A is excellent work. The Achievement code is listed on the back of the report card.
We will be busy assessing students over the next months.
I am so proud of the progress our first graders have made and I look forward to meeting with you to celebrate their growth! I will go over their portfolio and grades with you during conferences week, during the week of April 25th . Thank you for your continued support. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to call me.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Arnold
You are invited...
YOU ARE INVITED...
MARK YOU CALENDARS! If you can't be there please send a grandparent.
STUDENT TREASURES PUBLISHED BOOK...LAST CHANCE TO ORDER!!!
Our class will be creating a Student Treasured Published Book....WINGS. Each child will have a written page and illustration in our class book...If I had wings I would have....
We will share our books at our Book Brunch in June. If you wish to purchase a book please follow the directions on the form and return by April 11th.
Please do not feel you need to purchase a copy of the book but they make a wonderful keepsake. If you do not wish to buy a book please check no and sign the form at the bottom. We need the signed form back so our class can get a free copy of the book. If you wish to purchase a book please follow the directions on the form. My class made the books last year for the first time and they got wonderful. All order forms due back by April 11th. Thank you!!!
YOU ARE INVITED...
Thanks to Mrs. Dager and Mrs. Rosati for volunteering to chaperone.
The Zoo...Please return permission slips and $5.00 ASAP
Lehigh Valley Zoo
The first graders will be visiting the Lehigh Valley Zoo on May 24th .
Please look for permission slips today. The PTO is paying the cost of admissions ($11.50)for each student. The cost to you is $5.00 per student which will help pay for the remainder of transportation costs. We will need two parents with clearances to help chaperone the trip. Each student will need to pack a bagged lunch and wear their Shoemaker Shirt. Please return the permission slip and $5.00 ASAP.
Top Turtle is Giana & Alana
Genius Hour
Videos
Motivation: Pep Talk by Kid President
What Is Genius Hour?
Change the World kid president
Welcome to our Student Teacher.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR 2 IMPORTANT DATES
OPEN HOUSE
On Wednesday, May 11th 6:00-7:30 the first graders will share all the have done throughout the year at our SHOEMAKER OPEN HOUSE.
FIRST GRADE MUSICAL
On Thursday, June 9th the first graders will perform a First Grade Musical for parents and school friends.
BOOK BRUNCH
On THURSDAY, June 9th Mrs. Arnold's Class will also have a Book Brunch where students will share books they have made and we will watch our end of the year school video.
Look for invites in the future.
STEM
STEM ACTIVITIES
Spring is in the air! As we prepare for spring we are not only planting seeds of kindness but planting seeds of learning. We will be busy doing many hands on STEM related projects including planting and observing seeds, planting our school yard garden, learning about animals, especially backyard animals, rainforest animals, going to the zoo, learning about rocks, fossils and dinosaurs and learning about Earth Day.
Plant Seeds of Learning...Our Butterflies and TREES ARRIVED
RAISE BUTTERFLIES and PLANT TREES
In April, we will be raising caterpillars and watching how they transform into butterflies. We will be bringing home trees to plant in honor of Arbor and Earth Day. Please plant them and water them often until they take root.
Earth Day Centers
DON'T FORGET YOUR WHITE T-SHIRT
First Grades Rock Kindness
DINOSAUR DAYS
Talent Show
The Shoemaker talent scouts are searching for talented students to perform in our annual talent show! The talent show is open to students in all grades. Later in the spring, each grade level will produce its own talent show for the students in that particular grade. From these grade level talent shows, select acts will be chosen to perform at an all-school assembly at the end of the year. Ask me for a sign up sheet or print off Shoemaker website.
Guidelines for the talent shows are: acts must be no more than 2 minutes in length. Please keep in mind that all songs must be appropriate for a K-5 audience, so please monitor lyrics. Ideas for acceptable acts include: singing, dancing, playing an instrument, performing a skit, telling jokes, and performing magic tricks. Martial arts acts are not permitted. Acts may have more than one student, but all students in the act must be in the same grade. Students may only audition for one act. Acts must be well rehearsed, and students must be prepared with sheet music, CDs/iPods, and props on audition day. If your child wishes to perform an act, please fill out the form (emailed) (please attach lyrics to songs!) and have your child return it to school by the deadline.
First Grade Talent Show is June 3rd
School Talent Show June 10th
SPELLING STARS!
Click on link below to access SPELL CITY:
Reinforce and practice spelling words by weekly lists on Spell City. Start with the bottom list of words and work up.
KICKING IT MATH
Xtra Math
How to Practice with your child...
Practice Sheets-When your child comes home with a practice sheet, have him/her erase any work from earlier that day. Then have him/her read each fact (not just the answer) aloud along with the answer. If you hear either the slightest hesitation or you child makes an error, give them extra practice by immediately giving your child the answer and asking him/her to repeat the problem and the answer again. Your child should then back up three problems and begin again. If there is no hesitation or mistake, be sure to praise your child. If you would like to have them practice writing the answers, wait at least an hour or try again in the morning. When working on memorizing facts, two short sessions with time in between is much more helpful than one very long session.
Flash Cards–When using flash cards with your child, use only 12 flash cards at a time (9 cards should be cards with facts that your child has already mastered. Brain research states that it is better to learn a small amount of new material mixed with a larger amount of mastered material. Cards are numbered at the bottom to let you know what order to switch new cards in. Start with the original 12. When your child is able to answer all 12 correctly in a cold read (the first time you practice), switch out #s 1-3 for #s 13-15. You will repeat this process each time switching out the oldest cards for newer ones as your child masters new facts. Do not rush to swap out cards, make sure your child has really mastered the facts. The old cards will go into a review deck which should be used every 4thtime you practice.
Spend about 2 to 3 minutes running through the cards. Your child should read each fact (not just the answer) aloud along with the answer. If you hear either the slightest hesitation or your child makes an error, give them extra practice by immediately giving your child the answer and asking him/her to repeat the problem and the answer again. Have your child repeat the fact and answer three more times. Put the card back three cards from the front so that your child has an opportunity to practice it again.
Math Fact Automaticity
What is Automaticity With Math Facts?
When students first begin learning math facts, they learn them to the level of accuracy –they are able to solve the problems correctly, if they take their time and concentrate. As they continue practicing, they develop fluency –the ability to solve problems quickly without making mistakes. The final stage is automaticity –students are able to solve problems quickly without errors and without much conscious attention. A student who has automaticity with math facts is able to perform other tasks at the same time (problem solving, multi-step problems, etc.). Students who have automaticity in decoding are able to read flashcards of the word without even thinking about it. Likewise, a student who has automaticity with math facts can’t help but to say the answer when they see the math fact.
Students who lack automaticity with math facts often complete higher leveled math problems riddled with tiny computation errors. These errors stem from not knowing their math facts to the level of automaticity. The student can either focus on the steps of the math problem, or focus on solving the math fact correctly, but they can’t do both. Helping students learn math facts to automaticity will improve their ability to learn and retain higher order math skills because they won’t be distracted with remembering their math facts.
How this program works: Rather than the usual sequence of learning math facts by factor (all the ones, fives, nines, etc.), this program introduces 2 new facts (and their reverses) per sheet so that students do not have too many to learn at a time. Students often fail to learn their facts because they are asked to learn too much at one time. When facts are introduced too quickly, students begin to confuse what they have already learned with newly introduced facts.
In addition, some of the more difficult facts are introduced midway through the sequence rather than at the end so that students have more time to work with them. Research seems to indicate that students often have more difficulty with these facts because they don’t have as much time to work with them, and they are learned late in the sequence when students have more facts they are trying to keep track of.