This week in First grade...

March 19-23

I hope everyone had a wonderful spring break! We went to visit my grandmother in Kansas then came home to recover from the stomach virus the kids picked up on our visit! We ended our week with some fun activities around town.  The Blue Hole in Georgetown was super fun for my big girls! Kids can explore, wade in the water and swim if you are up for the cold water!

We are in the home stretch of First grade! This week we will send home a reading calendar.  In second grade the students will be asked to track their reading minutes.  We want to help you and your children make this a habit! There will be a calendar in your child's Tuesday folder.

Reminders:
Monday (3/19): Welcome back!
Tuesday (3/20): Tuesday folders will come home.  Please return them on Wednesday.
                          We do not have Library this week
Wednesday (3/21): 
Thursday (3/22): Field Trip to Zach Scott Theatre.  Please have your child wear their Caraway First Grade T-shirt or a grey T-shirt (if they don't have a First grade shirt).  They will need a sack lunch this day.  We will eat in the classroom before we leave for our field trip. 
Friday (3/23): 

This week in Reading and Writing workshop...
We will continue our exploration of Poetry as readers and writers! We will begin to look for sensory language in Poetry.  We will listen for details make us think of something we see, hear, smell, touch or taste.  We will think about how this type of language engages us as readers.
As writers we will also think about the "ingredients" that poems need. When writing poetry we write about things we care a lot about! It helps us, as writers, think about the meaning of our poetry.  We will focus on "showing, not telling" to help the readers of our poetry feel our poems in their souls!

This week in Social Studies...
We will be wrapping up our unit on economics.  We will read about different ways citizens make choices to meet their needs in our community.

This week in Science...
We will be learning about Birds! This will help us prepare for our Project Based Learning activity! We will learn about the external characteristics of birds, movement, food and habitat as well as their life cycle! 
In First grade we hatch chicks!! Our eggs will arrive next week!! It will be a very exciting 21 days as we wait for our babies to join us! Our estimated hatch date is April 18th!

This week in Math...
We will continue relating Addition and Subtraction.  We will use objects and picture models to solve word problems that involve joining , separating and comparing sets of numbers.  

Coming Soon...

Mar. 22: Field Trip to ZACH Scott Theater

Mar. 28: Spirit Night

Mar. 30: No School

Apr. 6: Family Fun and Fit Night 6:30pm-7:30pm

Apr. 27: Field Day

               Skate Night

May 8: Spirit Night

May 28: Memorial Day Holiday

May 29: Last Day of School (Bad Weather Make-up Day)

Have a great week!

This week in First grade...

March 5-9

I can not believe that it is already March! We are quickly approaching the end of the year.  After Spring Break we will prepare for 2nd grade by adding a few new routines to our daily life.  One will be weekly spelling tests and the other will be keeping a reading calendar with a goal of reading 15 minutes each night.  Beginning to do both of these things will help ease the transition to 2nd grade.

Caraway City Limits was SO much FUN! I had a great time! It was so fun seeing those of you that came and running into parents from the past! It truly felt like a family reunion! I can't wait for next year!

Reminders:
Monday (3/5):
Tuesday (3/6): Tuesday folders will come home.  Please return them on Wednesday.
**Library check-out.  Please remind your child to return their books!** Day change due to Kinder Round up
Wednesday (3/7): Kinder Round up in the Library
Thursday (3/8):
Friday (3/9):

Spring Break: March 12-16

This week in Reading and Writing workshop...
We will be exploring Poetry as readers and writers! We will learn what poetry is and form our own ideas of what it can be. We will read poems and listen for the music in them.  We will discover rhythm and rhyme in poetry.  We will begin to write simple poems and discover that big thoughts can come in little packages!

This week in Social Studies...
We will be learning about jobs and community helpers.  We will learn about how different jobs are important to everyone in our community.

This week in Science...
We will be learning about the Life Cycle of a Frog.  We will discuss the similarities and differences in the life cycle of a frog to the life cycles of other animals we have studied.

This week in Math...
We will begin relating Addition and Subtraction.  We will learn about how the facts are related and all about Fact Families. We will practice with word problems and experiences with concrete objects in class.  Learning how addition and subtraction are related will help your child recall basic math facts quickly as their mental math strategies develop. 

Coming Soon...

Mar. 7: Kinder Round-Up

Mar. 12-16: Spring Break

Mar. 22: Field Trip to ZACH Scott Theater

Mar. 28: Spirit Night

Mar. 30: No School

Apr. 6: Family Fun and Fit Night 6:30pm-7:30pm

Apr. 27: Skate Night

May 8: Spirit Night

May 28: Memorial Day Holiday

May 29: Last Day of School (Bad Weather Make-up Day)

Have a great week!

This week in First grade...

February 26- March 2

We had a super fun time at STEAM Day! We learned all about the jobs that engineers do! We also learned that engineers solve problems just like we do.  There are pictures of our class creating a play house/ napping house for our kitty, Shadow, on the Bloomz page!

Reminders:
Monday (2/26):
Tuesday (2/27): Tuesday folders will come home.  Please return on Wednesday.
Wednesday (2/28): Library Check-out.  Please help your child remember to return their books.
Thursday (3/1):
Friday (3/2): Read Across America/Dr. Seuss' Birthday

**Caraway City Limits Saturday, March 3rd**
Thank you to the Berkovitz Family for sponsoring my ticket to the event! I look forward to seeing everyone! I also know that life is busy! Please consider donating if you can not attend the event!

On Friday, March 2, we will be celebrating Read Across America Day.  Please allow your child to bring 5-7 books from home.  We will be learning all about Dr. Seuss's life and books that he wrote.  We will spend time reading as we celebrate this fun day!

In Reading Workshop...
This week we will think about all of the strategies good readers use as we begin an Author Study of Dr. Seuss!  We will learn all about his life and how he made reading fun for so many children and adults! We will read books that he has written and research about his life!

Reading Homework:
Continue to read books on RAZ Kids and take the quizzes.  iXL is available for math practice as well.  I will email the optional TIC TAC Toe homework!

In Writer's Workshop...
This week we will revisit Small Moments stories.  We will take an event from our life experiences and explode it.  We will explore how authors write their stories and add details to help us really imagine what it was like to be there in that moment.

In Math...
We are finishing up our unit on Addition Strategies.  We've learned how to count on using a number track or number line.  We've practiced making ten and counting the leftovers.  We've used visual models to represent joining two amounts.  Now we will apply these strategies and solve problems!

In Social Studies...
We will be exploring the concept of Spending and Saving.  We will talk about how you must save money for things you want and "just in case".  We will explore what it looks like to budget your money for the things you need like shelter, electricity and water and the things you want!

In Science..
We will being exploring Mammals.  We will learn about the characteristics of a mammal and their life cycle.  We will explore how mammals move, eat and where they live.

This weeks life skill is Creativity: to generate ideas; to create something original or redesign through imaginative skill.

Coming soon...

March 3rd - Caraway City Limits @ Balcones Country Club

Mar. 7: Kinder Round-Up

Mar. 12-16: Spring Break

Mar. 22: Field Trip to ZACH Scott Theater

Mar. 28: Spirit Night

Apr. 27: Skate Night

May 8: Spirit Night

May 28: Memorial Day Holiday

May 29: Last Day of School (Bad Weather Make-up Day)