Taste testing our Mesopotamian plant!

Today we tried the plant we have been observing and nurturing over our Mesopotamian unit! Ask your scholar about it tonight! :] 

First a prediction...

 

Then the tasting.... 

 

Masters of Addition!

Reviewing addition skills independently today! Our scholars have done a great job showing various strategies to solve their addition problems. Some strategies include counting up using their fingers, drawing pictures, and mental math using memorization!

Feelin' good Friday!

The Archway Arete staff spent the afternoon volunteering at 
Feed My Starving Children in Mesa. Along with another organization we packed 210 boxes, containing 43,360 meals. A great way to start the weekend!

Happy Fall Y’all!

·   We loved celebrating fall with these poems and painted leaves.  As a class we created a poem about the new season ahead.  I was beyond impressed with our first grade poets!

·      Rocket math memo: your child may bring home extra rocket math homework if they have not passed their leveled time test after 4 attempts. Instructions are attached.  Copies can be made, flashcards may be helpful, or simple math fact practices in the car or at the dinner table is great also! Please complete with your child as many times as you have time for, no need to send back

·      I apologize for creating a subscription/update link. For whatever reason I cannot add that link to my blog.  I will be posting on Thursdays, please check in weekly for updates, pictures, and reminders.

·      We are doing extremely well with our addition facts! This past week he have been specifically focusing on subtractions and will continue to do so next week. Students have been using pictures to show their thinking, using a crossing out technique, and next week we will be using our fingers to take away.

·      We are finishing our ancient Mesopotamian unit this week. Onto ancient Egypt next week! We will be spending a month on the Egyptian civilization.  Once our unit is complete we will have an ancient Egypt party! Updates will follow once schedules are finalized :]

·      Fall break is quickly approaching; parent teacher conferences will take place the week after break.  Keep an eye out for a signup genius link to sign up for a convenient conference time.  I look forward to meeting and sharing what has taken place so far in first grade!

·      Here are a few pictures from the week: 

·      Parents please take the time to read the memo below about fluent reading, and strategies that can take place before, during, and after reading at home! 

Precious Pandas!

We met Mei and her cub today while learning about animal conservation! You can log on at home as well: 

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/webcams/giant-panda.cfm

 

Happy Thursday (Friday)!

·      No school tomorrow, Friday, September 18^th. I hope you enjoy your day!

·      I am beyond happy to announce that our first graders rocked their addition assessment! We have using our counters, the counting up strategy, and mental math to help solve our problems. Subtraction here we come!

·      Rocket math memo: your child may bring home extra rocket math homework if they have not passed their leveled time test after 4 attempts. Instructions are attached.  Copies can be made, flashcards may be helpful, or simple math fact practices in the car or at the dinner table is great also! Please complete with your child as many times as you have time for, no need to send back.

·      We have traveled to 7 habitats found around the world, as your child about our interactive science notebooks! Next week we will be learning about environmental changes and human impact. Our 1^st grade scientists have loved learning about habitats!

·      Mrs. Smith and myself have been blown away with the amount of Arete citizenship within our class! Our firsties have been kind to our friends and environment, showing honesty and kindness, active scholars, and have been showing curiosity about the world around us. We are so impressed with how much growing and learning has taken place! You make us so proud!

·      We learned how to write in cuneiform!

Weekly Update from 1A!

·     We have seen a rise in absences and early pick-ups. Please be sure that your child is in attendance as much as possible. I am able to send home important worksheets to help with missed concepts. Although most work and discussions can only be had and experienced at school. Interactive notebook activities and notes are not able to be sent home, with an absence concepts can be missed.  I appreciate the notice in advance when needed. I do ask that PLEASE be sure your child is here, we love to see them and want them to be apart of each and every day!

·     School pictures are on Tuesday the 15^th

·     It is very important that you are reviewing handwriting practices at home as your child is working on their nightly homework.  At some point grades will be taken along with work for handwriting.

·     Thank you parent volunteers, we loved having you this week! I am looking forward to planning for the next :]

·     Congratulations to Tai Sorge for being awarded with the August virtue, showing responsibility! Tai is a wonderful first grade role model and is continuously showing that he is trustworthy and reliable! 

·     The virtue this month: CITIZENSHIP! Best defined by our class as, being helpful to our environment and others. Ask your scholar how they are showing citizenship at school!

·     Quarter 1 is half way done with… ALREADY! Wow! Keep up the great work, I am always impressed with our firsties love of learning, school, and implementation of new concepts and ideas. :]

Weekly Update

·      Thank you for the communication about the leveled readers levels.  Mrs. Smith is always happy to switch them out on Thursday (after first night reading) for a better-fit book for the week!

·      I also very much appreciate your patience and communication about the Spalding homework routines and expectations. I apologize for a shorter list.  Most weeks will have 30 words :]

·      Spalding handwriting: Please be sure you student is using correct letterform and size while completing the spelling homework. Review the manuscript packet (sent home first week) if you have any questions.

·      I will always provide a re-teaching group on Wednesdays for students who fell below the class average on the previous math test.  If your child received a below average score the test will be sent home for corrections and should be brought back to school the following day.  With a little more practice at home and school the student will approach or exceed mastery when retaking the test. Thanks for your support and follow up at home!

·      We are in full swing with math and reading groups thanks to parent volunteers! We are happy to have you. Implementing math and reading groups allow for student movement in class, differentiation, and more hands on learning experiences!

·      No homework this weekend with it being Labor Day on Monday and a school wide R&R weekend! I hope you enjoy a long weekend with friends and family doing lots of fun things!

·      Spalding Singapore night has been cancelled. We will notify families when a rescheduled date is made.

·      Save the date: School picture day will be on Tuesday, September 15^th!

·      Save the date: PSO Kick off meeting at 7 p.m. on September 16^th!

Math Groups this week!  

Next week we will get movin' around the room with our parent helpers!

Thank you!!!!

Thanks Kneeco for the new soccer ball donation! 

It was happily used this morning at recess :]