Ms. Homoelle

November 29, 2007

Important Reminders and Dates:

1.   is the Mystery Reader for Dec. 8th

2. Our Media Center Day is EVERY Thursday! Please make sure your child's book is in his/her bookbag, ready to be returned. Thank you!

3. Math Blaster: Thank you for all your support and working with your child. Remember, folders are DUE at the end of the month, which is TOMORROW!

4. "Holiday Homework": Please encourage your child to complete the drawing and writing piece to showcase your family traditions.

5. Author Celebration: Next Friday, December 7th from 1:30-2:00. Your child has been working hard on his/her small moment and is now a published author by working through the writing process. Please stayed for an invitation next Monday!

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will be expert readers and focus on fictional stories with realistic and make believe componets.

2. Math Workshop: We will begin noticing number patterns in real life situations and use skip counting by 2's, 5's and 10's to help us. Also, we will explore even and odd numbers.

3. Writer's Workshop: As writers we will be finishing up the publishing process and illustrate our small moments.

4. Phonics: Word Wall Words: WHEN, HERE, MANY, WHERE.

5. Social Studies: Economics- For the next two weeks your child will be involved in the first grade economics unit. We will discuss needs and wants, work ethic, and counting/saving money. The following week your child will choose a "job" and will earn money. He or she will then inturn produce goods for his/her specific job. Wages will be earned and saved to purchase the goods made by several different classrooms.

6. Spelling: First Grade has begun Sittion Spelling. Your child is responsible to spell 35 words  for first grade. These 35 words are repeated throughout the series to ensure automaticity. The spelling test is a cloze test, which means words will need to be placed within the correct context of the sentence read aloud. Because context is key, if a spelling word comes at the beginning of the sentence it must start with a capital letter or it is counted wrong. Furthermore, if the spelling word is in the middle of the sentence, it must be in all lowercase letters to be correct. Word Previews will come home on Monday and in class we will practice skills throughout the week.

SPELLING WORDS FOR NEXT WEEK: OF, A, TO

Special Thanks:

Thank you to  Chappell's and Lauren's Mom for volunteering on Tuesday for First Grade Planning!

November 15, 2007

Important Reminders and Dates:

1.  Marc Moskowitz is the Mystery Reader for Nov. 30th

2. Our Media Center Day is EVERY Thursday! Please make sure your child's book is in his/her bookbag, ready to be returned. Thank you!

3. Math Blaster: Starting thisThursday a manilla math folder be in your child's bookbag. There will be a parent letter, 8 math test, and a recording sheet. The letter explains Mt. Bethel's goal of increasing problem solving skills throughout all grade levels. The first grade teachers are asking for your support at home by guiding your child through extra practice, which will be an extension of what is covered in our curriculum. The parent letter explains this and more in detail. Please take time to read over the letter. Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you for your continued support!

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will be expert readers and review sequencing story parts and types of responses; schema, mental imgaes, and discuss main idea.

2. Math Workshop: We will begin math exemplars and continue working on our problem solving strategies and skills.

3. Writer's Workshop: As writers we will edit old stories by adding puntuation and capital letters.

4. Phonics: Review word wall words

Special Thanks:

Thank you for donating supplies for our Mt. Behtel military families!

A VERY special thank you to Mrs. Harper for joining us on our field trip to see the Junie B. Jones play. 

November 8, 2007

*** Our Character Education Winner for October was EMMA!!! She was voted most Responsible***

Important Reminders and Dates:

1. Pat Harper is the Mystery Reader for Nov. 16th

2. Our Media Center Day is EVERY Thursday! Please make sure your child's book is in his/her bookbag, ready to be returned. Thank you!

3. Math Blaster: Starting thisThursday a manilla math folder be in your child's bookbag. There will be a parent letter, 8 math test, and a recording sheet. The letter explains Mt. Bethel's goal of increasing problem solving skills throughout all grade levels. The first grade teachers are asking for your support at home by guiding your child through extra practice, which will be an extension of what is covered in our curriculum. The parent letter explains this and more in detail. Please take time to read over the letter. Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you for your continued support!

4. Junie B. Jones Field  Trip is Monday, November 12th. We will leave the school at 9 am. If you marked your child is BRINGING A LUNCH FROM HOME, there will be a reminder in your child's folder tomorrow.

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will be expert readers and discussing the sequence of stories and use the words: first, next, then, and last.

2. Math Workshop: We will begin exploring and practicing the concept of greater than and less than. Also, we will discuss one more and one less.

3. Writer's Workshop: As writers we will revisit old stories and add more juicy details and our thoughts and feelings.

4. Phonics: WORD WALL WORDS: TBA We will discuss inflected endings such as ed and ing.

Special Thanks:

A VERY special thank you to Mrs. Cohen, Ms. Bengston, Mrs. Alexander, Mr. Moskowitz, Mrs. Bradley, and Mr. Rosenthal for all your hard work and help with Scarecrow day. We all had a wonderful time!

Thank you for donating your change for UNITED WAY. Every little bit helps as Cobb County nears its goal of $200,00.

*** Our Character Education Winner for October was EMMA!!! She was voted most Responsible***

Important Reminders and Dates:

1. Marc Moskowitz is the Mystery Reader for Nov. 9th

2. Our Media Center Day is EVERY Thursday! Please make sure your child's book is in his/her bookbag, ready to be returned. Thank you!

3. Math Blaster: Starting thisThursday a manilla math folder be in your child's bookbag. There will be a parent letter, 8 math test, and a recording sheet. The letter explains Mt. Bethel's goal of increasing problem solving skills throughout all grade levels. The first grade teachers are asking for your support at home by guiding your child through extra practice, which will be an extension of what is covered in our curriculum. The parent letter explains this and more in detail. Please take time to read over the letter. Please let me know if you have any questions.  Thank you for your continued support!

4. No School on Monday and Tuesday Nov. 5th and 6th! Enjoy your long weekend.

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will be expert readers and discussing beginning, middle and end.

2. Math Workshop: We will begin exploring and practicing the concept of place value. Place Value Test on Thursday, practice sheets were sent home today!

3. Writer's Workshop: As writers we will focus on using thoughts and feelings so our readers can make a mental images and connections to our small moments. Also, we will cover the conventions of nouns, verbs and adjectives.

4. Social Studies: Weather and Seasons

5. Phonics: Review Word Wall Words and vowel sounds.

Special Thanks:

A very special thank you to the Mt. Bethel Foundation for the grant to allow me to purchase "Touchstone Books." These books  are used as teaching tools during Readers and Writers workshop so I can model and students can practice the skill. Thank you for giving your child a strong foundation so teacher grants and extra curricular supplies and activities can continue.

A VERY special thank you to Mrs. Cohen, Ms. Bengston, Mrs. Alexander, Mr. Moskowitz, Mrs. Bradley, and Mr. Rosenthal for all your hard work and help with Scarecrow day. We all had a wonderful time!

Thank you Mr. Alexander for reading such cool stories to our class last week. We really enjoyed them!