Look at my quiet students! :)

Look at my quiet students taking their reading test today!  We tried something new today-we took the test piece by piece and the students became "teachers" and graded their own work.  You should have heard them as they cheered or sighed if they got the answer right or wrong.  Awesome immediate feedback for learning! :)

Report Cards and Conferences

Just a heads up-I will be sending a copy of your child's report card home on Wednesday, December 5th for you to take a look at.  That way, if you have any questions, we can discuss them at conferences.

Here's the conference schedule.  If you can't make your conference, please let me know ahead of time.  Thanks! :)

Thursday, December 6th, 2012
12:50 David
1:10 Taylor
1:30 Katie
1:50 Alexys
2:10 Anya
2:30 Jessica
2:50 Logan
3:10 Alana
3:50 Hunter
4:10 Joselyn
4:30 Cara
4:50 Josiah
5:10 Ryan
5:30 Oyinkansola
5:50 Rebecca

Friday, December 7th, 2012
8:50 Braden
9:10 Andrew
9:30 Angelica
10:10 Sammy

Look at these great teacher helpers!

They're calling on kiddos to answer math questions on the smartboard! 

Meanwhile, I'm taking a nap!  (JUST KIDDING!)

Measuring

Today, we learned how to measure in feet!

Change of time for Snowball Express

Due to a holiday concert at the middle school that our class will be attending, the kiddos in room 21 will now attend the Snowball Express on Wednesday, December 12th at 10:30. Thanks!

Too cute!

What a fun way to start the morning!  We were chorus reading this morning and I was calling "girls," "boys," "kiddos wearing blue," etc and I said, "Anyone with stinky feet."  It was so funny to watch the kiddos smell their feet to see if they qualified to read!  Too cute! :)

Check out our tree!!

See the entry below about adding ornaments! :)  These lucky girls got to help me set it up at lunchtime!  (They earned all of their clips!)

Indoor Recess

Look what we made during indoor recess!

 

P.S. We really want to go out and play in the snow!!

Snowball Express-Holiday Shopping

Will be December 13th at 10:30...If you'd like to send money in with your kiddo, you can do so at any time. 

Practicing our sight words!

BINGO!

Ornament Exchange

This week, I will be putting up a small holiday tree in our classroom.  If you would like, you can send in an ornament with your child to put on the tree.  Before the holiday break, each kiddo that brought an ornament in, will be allowed to pick a different ornament to take home with them.  You will not get the ornament that you sent in back.  Happy Exchanging! :)

Spelling Words Unit 1 Week 5

Unit 1 Week 5 Spelling Words
1. men
2. red
3. step
4. ten
5. net
6. leg
7.jet
8. sled
9. wet
10. bed
11.saw
12. your

Are these yours???

I still have two books that kiddos ordered from our very first book order that haven't been claimed!  The order form didn't have a name on it.

The books are:
Dog Finds Lost Dolphins and 125 True Stories of Amazing Animals

Let me know if they belong to you!

More things I'm thankful for....

MY JOB... And the wonderful kiddos that I get to teach each day... Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your children's lives.  I value each and every one of them and enjoy watching them grow everyday.  They are amazing little individuals.  Thank you for sharing them with me! :)

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR........

Anya-my family, my clothes, my cousins, my parents, friends and my teachers
Rebecca-my American girl doll, my house, my family, God, living, friends
Oyinkansola-friends, parents, my home, teacher, my school, my sister, my grandma and grandpa
Jessica-God, Jesus, my family, my friends
Joselyn-my friends and God
Alexys-my best friends, my family
Ryan-my dog and family and my cousins and school and my teacher and donuts and pizza
David-Sammy and Ryan, my family
Josiah-my family and friends and Andrew to play with me and my pets
Hunter-my dad and my mom
Alana-my grandpa and AJ, my nana, my cousins and my family and my friends
Logan-pizza, my family, my brother, my pets
Cara-my mom and my dad and my dog and my friends
Katie-my family and my dog
Taylor-shelter, family, friends and my clothes, my home
Andrew-that tomorrow is Thanksgiving
Mrs. Smith-my family, my home, food

Dismissal

Just a reminder that the kiddos leave at 11:30 today. :)

The Snowball Express is coming soon!

Info on "The Snowball Express," a place for your kiddos to shop for their family members this holiday, will be coming home today.  A schedule is being developed as to when our class will attend.  I will let you know via blog when I find out.  Kiddos can bring money to shop and buy small things for their family members and friends.  This is the first year that our school is doing this so I don't know details until I go, but I remember doing it when I was little and it was so neat to have surprises for everyone during the holidays.  (Surprises that mom didn't help us pick out or didn't know about!)  More info to come!!

THANKSGIVING FEAST PICS!!!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO DONATED FOOD AND TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Important info regarding lunch tomorrow!

I surveyed the kiddos today and there are quite a few that do not like turkey.  So....I would suggest that if your kiddo doesn't like turkey, mashed potatoes and corn (the main part of the meal) to send a sandwich along to go with their meal. If they usually buy, that's okay too! 

THANKS!

Check out the pilgrims getting ready for their feast!

Thanksgiving feast is tomorrow!

Just a reminder that our Thanksgiving feast is tomorrow!  Set up is going to begin at 11 so if you have anything to bring in, please drop it off between 11 and 11:15.  You can tell the office that you're here for the feast and bring things to the large group room, located right next to the cafeteria.  Mrs. Gearhart will be there to show you where to put it.  (Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!) If you have something that can be sent with your kiddo, feel free to just send it in the morning.  The kids will begin eating at 11:30. 

This is my first time participating in this feast-I'm excited!  I hope it's a fun time for the kids! Thanks for all of your donations!!!!!

Heads up!

Your kiddo will be bringing home a math, reading and spelling test today. :)

No spelling test this week!!!

There will NOT be a spelling test this week! :)

Practicing math facts at our math center!

Check out your little actors and actresses!

This morning, we role-played to practice showing feelings of empathy for others.  Check out some pics of your great little actors and actresses!

WANTED: TURKEY

We're still looking for someone to be kind enough to donate some turkey ( or an already made Rotisserie chicken, cut up!) for our Thanksgiving feast on Tuesday!! If you are able to donate this, please let me know!!!!!!!

Look! The desk fairy was here!!

 

Look! The desk fairy visited some very clean desks this morning and left special treats!!!!

Spelling Test Words-Better late than never!

So sorry!! Here it is!
Unit 1 Week 4 Spelling Words
1. hit
2. hits
3. win
4. wins
5. sit
6. sits
7. nap
8. naps
9.fit
10. fits
11. her
12. too

JUNIE B JONES ASSEMBLY ROCKED!

Sorry there wasn't much blogging this morning! We just got back from a Junie B Jones assembly at the elementary school.  As you can see in the picture above, the kiddos were completely engaged!  It was a great lesson on friendship, the changes that take place from kindergarten to first grade, setting goals and believing in yourself.  Kudos to PTO for finding a super show for us!!

Check out our new fancy watches!

They display our "Word of the Day"......WHAT! :)

Looking for "ing" words in our weekly story!

King of "ing"

This week, we're learning about words that end in "ing."  All of my students have transformed into Kings of "ing!" 

Disguise a Turkey!

Tonight, your child will bring home a "disguise a turkey" project!  They will have a naked turkey (yes, naked!) and they need to disguise the turkey into something else so that no one will eat it for Thanksgiving!  The project is completely optional.  You don't have to do it if you don't want to.  For those kiddos that would like to do it, it needs sent back to school on Wednesday.  Happy Disguising! :)

Yay! We keep on earning those Cocoa stickers! :)

Hats off to Josiah for filling his COCOA star today! :)

High Fives!

Some of our friends reached their goals today! :)

Money!

Cara and Anya led the class in our new "money song."  So far this year, we've learned about pennies, nickels and dimes.  Your kiddo is learning how to count a small handful of them mixed together.

Book Fair

We had fun at the book fair today!  I encouraged the kids to pick out books, not toys!  If they did want a toy, I said they had to pick a book first and if they had enough money they could get a toy!  Hope that was okay with all of you!

Another pie accounted for!

Thank you to Alana's Nana for volunteering to make an apple pie!!!!!

Introducing......a dime!!!

We couldn't remember what a dime was, so we decided to wear them on our foreheads today!! I hope I remember to take mine off before I go to the grocery store!!!

One change to our Thanksgiving Feast.....

Hello parents!! Thank you again for all of your donations to our exciting Thanksgiving feast!  As Mrs. Gearhart shared, we are still in need of a few items. 

One change...  Parents are welcome to come and take quick pictures, but because we have four classrooms eating together, teachers are asking that only the room parents stay and help serve the food to the kiddos.  Also, siblings CAN NOT attend this event.  So sorry!!  I'm new to this first grade thing and I didn't think about how crowded it would be if all 80 parents came!  Sorry everyone!

Thank you for everything!! 
Mindy

Also, thank you to Mrs. Bortel for offering to bring an apple pie!!!!!! YAY!!! :)

Bus Safety Assembly

Today, we had an assembly to learn the importance of being safe on a school bus.  David got to be a part of the assembly!

Another pumpkin pie! :)

Thank you to Ryan's mom for signing up for another pumpkin pie!! You are super!!!!! :)

How do animals help people?

This week, our question of the week is "How do animals help people?"

Here are some ideas that my terrific students came up with:

Animals can help people see and give us milk.  Horses can help us with travel, too.  By Taylor

 

 

They help play with us.  Cows give us milk.  Pigs give us meat.  By Logan

 



This is what we still need for our Thanksgiving feast...

turkey
mashed potatoes
gravy
rolls/bread
orange slices
apple pies
pumpkin pie

THANKS EVERYONE!! You are the best!!!!!!! :)

More Thanksgiving Donations

Thank you to Mrs. Lawson for volunteering to send in juice boxes, cups and butter!!!!!!!!!! :)

Thank you to Anya's mom for volunteering to send in milk!!!!!

Spelling Words Unit 1 Week 3

Here are the spelling words for this week.  Test is on Friday!

The pattern is short o.

1. hot
2. hop
3. pot
4. pop
5. ox
6. lock
7. mop
8. got
9. rock
10. mom
11. help
12. use

Flower Power!

Today, we began writing our first "official" made-up story!  The kids chose a character and setting for their story.  We began to talk about "transition words," such as first, then, next, suddenly and finally that they can use in their story to show time passing.  Such fun to see their imaginations working so hard!!!

OUR GOALS

Today, we talked about motivation and goals.  Ask your kiddo about the goal they set today!

A peek during math.....

Thank you, Alexys' mom!!

The three cans of corn and juice boxes are accounted for!  Thank you to Alexys' mom!!!! :)

Thanksgiving Feast!!!

Our Thanksgiving feast is QUICKLY creeping up on us!!! We are still in need of many items.  In order to have our feast, we would really appreciate it if you could send in any of the following:

Turkey-cut already  (We need two servings!)
Mashed potatoes- (We need two servings!)
Stuffing-(one serving)
Canned corn (We need 3 more cans)
Cornbread/Muffins (Enough for whole class)
Rolls/Bread (Need one more person to sign up)
Butter
Orange Slices (one person)
Apple Pie (Need 2 pies)
Pumpkin Pie (Need 1 pie)
Juice boxes (need class set)
Milk (need one gallon)
Cups (Need 12)

The following people already signed up for things: (THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!)
Stuffing-Mrs. Gearhart
Can Corn-Mrs. Bortel
Grapes-Mrs. Lawson
Rolls/Bread-Mrs. Goldstein
Pumpkin Pie-Mrs. Koons
Cider or Juice Boxes-Mrs. Johnson
Cranberry Sauce-Mrs. Gearhart
Large plates-Mrs. Essis
Cups/Cutlery-Mrs. Freet

Please let me know ASAP if you can sign up for any of the things above!!
THANKS SO MUCH!!!
Mindy

Welcome, November!

Welcome, November!!! We're getting our turkey feathers ready!!!!

LUNCH REWARD

Look at all of the kiddos that earned a special lunch in the classroom!!!!

 

SNACKS! :)

As we enter a new month, we would really appreciate it if you could send in a class snack.  We are running super duper low on snacks!!

Thanks so much!

Halloween=SLEEPINESS!

Look how sleepy we are today!!!!!!!!!  Don't worry, I'll take it easy on them! :)

Reading Incentive Paper

Good morning! It was brought to my attention that a reading incentive paper was sent home to the kiddos yesterday, without my instruction to do so.  Although our class is participating in the reading incentive and will recieve the same rewards as the rest of the first graders, you DO NOT have to turn that paper in.  I am tracking how much kiddos are reading by their composition book that you fill out each night when they read their little books to you.  So...no need to fill out extra paperwork-you can trash that paper! :)