This week in First Grade...

December 14-18

This week is a special week for us as we wrap up this semester.  We will be completing a few assessments for report cards and middle of the year instruction planning.  On Wednesday we will have Polar Express Day.  For years the First Grade at Caraway has enjoyed immersing ourselves in everything Polar Express.  We read the book, discuss the beginning, middle and end.  We create a Hot Chocolate recipe and even have a Hot Chocolate Tasting! We will watch parts of the movie and compare the movie to the book.  At the end of the day we will act out a part of the book! 
We will also be wrapping our Book Drive Project up! The students have been so excited to bring books in, count the books we are receiving and add then to our graph.  We've even separated the books into categories, K & 1, 2nd & 3rd, 4th & 5th. So far First grade is in the lead! We can't wait to hear how happy the students and teachers at Palm Elementary will be when they get our books!


This week's Homework:
None!! Enjoy your family time!!  

 REMINDERS
Monday: No Homework! Please encourage your child to read over the winter break and take advantage of on-line resources such as Razkids, BookFlix, and PebbleGo.  The student's usernames and passwords are in your child's daily folder.

Tuesday: Tuesday folders come home. Please return signed Tuesday folders on Wednesday morning. No Math Optional Homework- Have the kiddos work on IXL math for at least 10-15 minutes.  ( Areas of focus: subtraction and addition facts, graphs, and problem solving)

Wednesday: Pajama Day!  Have your child come to school in their PJs if they like to for Polar Express Day!

Thursday: Last day of this semester. Winter Party! 1:30-2:25- Hope you can join us.

Dec 18- Jan 4: Winter Break! I wish you all a safe and peaceful holiday break!

Save the Date: We will be having our Annual Fairy Tale Parade when we return from our winter break! Friday, January 8th. 

FIRST GRADE PBL (Project Based learning) PROJECT:
Our PBL project has been a huge success so far! Our first graders did a great job making posters and advertisements and using other forms of media such as TV broadcast to inform the public about a real life problem.  So far, we have been able to collect over 200 books and we're hoping to collect and add more to our Book Drive bar graph this coming week.  Once all books are collected, we will deliver the books to Palm Elementary and record our interview with teachers.  These books will be used by students and teachers that lost many of their books during the flood.  What a great difference our first graders have been able to make! 

THANK YOU!

Thank you for stuffing the folders, and being willing to help in the classroom or outside the classroom. Your helping hands and hearts are greatly appreciated!

More than anything, thank you for supporting your child's learning at home.  Your child's success and education is a result of, us working together! So thank you for being a partner in your child's learning!

This week in First grade...

Dec 7-11

I have GREAT NEWS!! The project I posted on Donors choose was fully funded!! We will have stability balls in January!!  If you are interested in helping me air them up please let me know!!
Check out our Field Trip pictures below this post!

It's going to be a lovely week! Please make sure your child's coat has his or her name in it!  The lost and found is very full and if we find coats with names they can be returned!

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

Monday: Field Trip to the Austin Nature and Science Center

Tuesday: Tuesday folders come home. Please return signed Tuesday folders every Wednesday morning. 
Please make sure you check your child’s Daily Folder each night and initial the day to show me you saw the information.

           We will go to the Book Fair today to look at all of the books.  You are welcome to send money or come with your child before or after school this week.

           *Homework folders will come home on Tuesday.Thursday:  I will be out for a meeting.  I will be on campus for my meeting.  Mrs. Barnes will be my sub.

Friday:Homework folders are due.



This week:

FIRST GRADE PBL (Project Based learning) PROJECT:
We are so excited to start our first PBL project this year.  Project-based learning is an active and engaged learning in which our students explore real-life problems and challenges.  In doing so, they will obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they are studying. 

In the spirit of Holiday, giving to the community, and helping our community, we will focus on the flood that happened  on Oct 30th this year in South Austin. Twenty-two classrooms at palm Elementary school were damaged.  Many teachers lost classroom books and many other supplies.  What can we do to help? How can we help? What is flood and what is the effect of flood on people and their properties? 

Our students will get inspired to think deeply about these questions,  brainstorm, discuss, and come up with different ways, and ideas. One idea, is to hold a book drive donation.  Our first graders will inform the public (caraway community) through media (school broadcast, fliers and posters) and ask for gently used books to be donated.  They will set up empty boxes around the school and each day, collect and count the donated books. We have set up a big graph in the first grade hall and our students will mark the graph to show the progress.  They will work cooperatively and collaboratively towards a common goal and a good cause.  In the process, they will practice writing letters, and making fliers, learning about graphs, different types of weather including flood, good citizenship and helping community, and much more. 


SPREAD THE WORD AROUND AND HELP OUR FIRST GRADERS TO HELP THE COMMUNITY
If you have any gently used books at home for elementary ages especially kindergarten, or first grade, please consider donating it to our book drive.  Our first graders will be collecting the books and send them to Palm Elementary school.

Field Trip