Back to School Night- TONIGHT!

Just a reminder that Back-to-School night for parents will take place at the school from 6:00-7:15. We will meet together first as a grade in the library, then as a class in our classroom. The remaining time will be spent in the gym with Mr.Spencer and the specialists. I look forward to seeing everyone tonight! :)

Read To Self

"Read to Self" is a time that happens each day. After our mini lesson in Reader's Workshop, the students go off with their book bags and practice their reading and the skills I have taught that day/week/unit. This gives me time to go around and conference with students to informally assess their understanding of skills and to provide one-to-one instruction.

To set up the routine during this time, we created this I chart together to highlight the expectations. We review it each day and most students know it by heart now!

We have been have building our reading stamina and try to read a little longer each day to help us become stronger readers. Tomorrow night, you will be able to see our Reading Stamina chart. Ask your little one how many minutes we have worked up to!

Our mini lessons this week revolved around different ways to read a book. During Read to Self, the students have been practicing these three different ways:

I keep meaning to snap some pictures of everyone reading, but I just get so wrapped up in reading conferences, I completely forget! I will try to get some next week and will be sure to post them for you. :)

Book Bags

"Read to Self" is a time that happens daily and is just like it sounds- a time when students are reading by themselves! After I teach a mini lesson/skill at the beginning of Reader's Workshop, the students have an an opportunity to go off and practice their reading with their book bags. 

Right now, I have been putting "just right" books in each child's book bag based on the information I received from the kindergarten teachers and my own assessments I have done thus far. These books are close to the level I believe your child is reading at. It is important that each child practices books that are not too easy or too hard. When all of my assessments are complete, I will know exactly what books are "just right". Students will then have the opportunity to start "book shopping" weekly on their own from certain bins that contain books at their level. 

They will also have the opportunity to pick some interest books from our classroom library too!

Our Apple Orchard Field Trip!

The bus ride- on our way:

We're here!

On the tractor, ready to head out to the orchard:

 Ready to pick Empire and Cortland apples:

 

 

Today was perfect. :)

Apples, Apples

Class made chart and paper apples :)

Tomorrow is the day! Apple picking is one of my favorite fall activities and I can't wait for us to head to the orchard tomorrow. It's going to be a great day!

I reminded everyone that even though it is supposed to be warm tomorrow, the orchard can get muddy. Please dress your child in sneakers or boots. The bus will leave promptly at 9:15 so if your son/daughter gets dropped off in the morning, please make sure they are at school on time. Bags for apples will be provided at the orchard. We will eat lunch when we return to school. Please make sure your child packs a lunch because we will miss lunch in the cafeteria.

We started a few apple activities in the classroom yesterday and today, but our unit will continue into next week. I am going to be sending home a little note tomorrow about making applesauce with our orchard apples on Monday. Students will be able to donate an apple tomorrow (only if they want to!) to help make our applesauce. Yummy! 

Volunteering

Thank you to everyone that has emailed/sent in a note asking if they could chaperone our field trip on Friday. While I wish I could bring everyone along, unfortunately I am only allowed to take one extra adult to the orchard. Mrs. Murphy, the school psychologist, will be traveling with our class. I will snap lots of pictures though and post them for you to see! Also, if everything goes as planned, we will go on a walking field trip in the Spring. This one will be open for any parents that want to chaperone.

If you sent in a volunteer slip, please check your email when you get a chance. I sent out the schedule to the email you provided on the form. Thank you!

Field Trip and Volunteers

Today the first grade teachers and I sent home permission slips for our apple orchard trip this Friday! Please sign and return the slip as soon as possible. We will leave school at 9:15 and return around noon. Because we will miss lunch in the cafeteria, please make sure your child packs a lunch for that day. If it is nice out, we might eat on front lawn of the school. If not, we will be eating in the classroom. Please do not pack any peanut or nut products that day just in case we eat in the room. Unfortunately, I am severely allergic. :( Thank you for understanding!

I am still compiling the class contact list. I got a few more forms back today. I will wait until Wednesday to get forms from everyone who wishes to be included.

I am also finalizing my volunteer schedule. Those of you that expressed an interest to volunteer should be hearing from me sometime during the next few days. :) 

Thank you!