Ms. Homoelle

January 31, 2008

****** January Character Education Winner is Jack!!!! He was chosen for having RESILIENCE!******

Important Reminders and Dates:

1.   Mystery Reader for February 8th is Mr. Moskowitz

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. A new packet came home today in your child's bookbag. Please return by February 4th.

4. Wednesday, February 6th is ANOTHER EARLY RELEASE DAY! The bell rings at 12:10!

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will be using our inferring skills to solve unknown words and predict what will happen and answer questions we have about the test.

2. Math Workshop: Your child will be exploring time in minutes, hours, before, after, shorter, longer. Your child will use this knowledge to create their own schedule.

3. Writer's Workshop:As writers we will continue to write "How-To Books" or nonfiction stories. We will clarify our stories to help our reader understand the directions. Also, we will talk about "How-To Helpers, such as, bold words, labels, captions, and pictures.

4. Phonics:

Word Wall Words: NOW, WANT, ANY, PUT

5 Social Studies: Canada

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: AS, WITH, HIS

Special Thanks:

Thank you Mrs. White Fitts  for coming in and sharing with us how to be fancy!

I was happy to see everyone at the Smart Board presentation on Thursday. The students had a blast showing you all the things they can do! I hope you found the presentation informative as well as entertaining. Thank you for joining us!

January 24, 2008

****** January Character Education Winner is Jack!!!! He was chosen for having RESILIENCE!******

Important Reminders and Dates:

1.   Mystery Reader for February 1st is Mrs. Cohen

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. A new packet came home today in your child's bookbag. Please return by February 4th.

4. Conference Week will be Tuesday January 22-Monday January 28. Early Release will occur on these days at 12:15. Conference times were sent home in your child's  behavior folder. Thank you for making the time to come in a discuss your child's progress. It was so nice to you!

5. A Smartboard Demostration will take place Thursday, Jan. 31st from 1:30-2:00 in our room. Please come and see all the amazing your child can do with our new technology!

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will continue our book study on Tacky the Penguin. Using these books we will learn about character development, problem/solution and create our own interpetations of Tacky books.

2. Math Workshop: Your child  will be exploring equal parts. We will discuss items that are divided in half, thirds and fourths.

3. Writer's Workshop:As writers we will begin to write "How-To Books" or nonfiction stories. We will use our convention notebooks from Reader's Workshop to help us recall what good authors use to help the reader!

4. Phonics:We will review vowel sounds such as oa, ay. Also, we will practice using contractions (two words that crash together; I am = I'm), and plural endings while using the smartboard.

Word Wall Words: Review

5 Social Studies: We will continue with continents and oceans.

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: Review

Special Thanks:

Thank you Mrs. Euston for reading to us last week. Your expression was wonderful and I know everyone visualized they were there!

Thank you making my Birthday special!  We enjoyed the cake and I LOVE the cards the class made. I appericiate all the effort and my Birthday was extra special!

Thank you to my PARENT VOLUNTEERS for a WONDERFUL Celebration. Thank you Mrs. White Fitts and Mrs. Alexander and Ms. Bengston for organizing crafts, food, and goodies. It was so wonderful to see so many of your faces come and help out. I know  the students really enjoyed seeing all you. Thank you for all your hard work and making the first grade holiday celebration very special!

Family and students THANK YOU for the generous  gift card. I was surprised to receive such a thoughtful gift. With your support you have made my transition to Mt. Bethel such a positive experience. I am so lucky to be your child's teacher.

January 16, 2008

****** December Character Education Winner is AVERY!!!! She was chosen for being COMPASSIONATE!******

Important Reminders and Dates:

1.   Mystery Reader for January 25 is Mrs. White-Fitts

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. A new packet came home today in your child's bookbag. Please return by February 4th.

4. Conference Week will be Tuesday January 22-Monday January 28. Early Release will occur on these days at 12:15. Conference times were sent home in your child's  behavior folder. Please sign and return ASAP. Thank you

5. A Smartboard Demostration will take place Thursday, Jan. 31st from 1:30-2:00 in our room. Please come and see all the amazing your child can do with our new technology!

6. 100th Day Assignment: Please have your child collect 100 items around the house and bring to school in a bag on Wednesday, January 23rd. A letter will be sent home tomorrow as a reminder!

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will finish our convention notebooks. Then we will do a book study on Tacky the Penguin. Using these books we will learn about character development, problem/solution and create our own interpetations of Tacky books.

2. Math Workshop: Your child  will be exploring trading and counting coins such as, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Also, your child will use these skills to solve money related math exemplars. Please continue to practice counting money at home!

3. Writer's Workshop: As writers we will compose our own acrostic poem using winter words and practice good writing conventions.

4. Phonics: Word Wall Words: Review

5 Social Studies: We will be learning about continents and oceans.

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: Review

Special Thanks:

Thank you Mr. Moskowitz for reading such a wonderful story! We all enjoyed it!

Thank you making my Birthday special!  We enjoyed the cake and I LOVE the cards the class made. I appericiate all the effort and my Birthday was extra special!

Thank you to my PARENT VOLUNTEERS for a WONDERFUL Celebration. Thank you Mrs. White Fitts and Mrs. Alexander and Ms. Bengston for organizing crafts, food, and goodies. It was so wonderful to see so many of your faces come and help out. I know  the students really enjoyed seeing all you. Thank you for all your hard work and making the first grade holiday celebration very special!

Family and students THANK YOU for the generous  gift card. I was surprised to receive such a thoughtful gift. With your support you have made my transition to Mt. Bethel such a positive experience. I am so lucky to be your child's teacher.

January 10, 2008

****** December Character Education Winner is AVERY!!!! She was chosen for being COMPASSIONATE!******

Important Reminders and Dates:

1.   Mystery Reader for January 18 is Mr. Euston.

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. A new packet came home today in your child's bookbag. Please return by February 4th.

4. Conference Week will be Tuesday January 22-Monday January 28. Early Release will occur on these days at 12:15. Conference times were sent home in your child's  behavior folder. Please sign and return ASAP. Thank you

5. A Smartboard Demostration will take place Thursday, Jan. 31st from 1:30-2:00 in our room. Please come and see all the amazing your child can do with our new technology!

We are learning...

1. Reader's Workshop: We will be exploring components of nonfiction texts. Also, we will compare and contrast fiction and nonfiction. Also, we will create convention notebooks noting the special features of nonfiction books.

2. Math Workshop: Your child  will be exploring trading and counting coins such as, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. Also, your child will use these skills to solve money related math exemplars.

3. Writer's Workshop: As writers we will explore homophones, synonyms, antonyms and writing words in a snap.

4. Phonics: Word Wall Words: KNEW, NEW, LEARN, GET.

5 Social Studies: We will be learning about continents and oceans.

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: WAS, ON, ARE

Special Thanks:

Thank you making my Birthday special!  We enjoyed the cake and I LOVE the cards the class made. I appericiate all the effort and my Birthday was extra special!

Thank you to my PARENT VOLUNTEERS for a WONDERFUL Celebration. Thank you Mrs. White Fitts and Mrs. Alexander and Ms. Bengston for organizing crafts, food, and goodies. It was so wonderful to see so many of your faces come and help out. I know  the students really enjoyed seeing all you. Thank you for all your hard work and making the first grade holiday celebration very special!

Family and students THANK YOU for the generous  gift card. I was surprised to receive such a thoughtful gift. With your support you have made my transition to Mt. Bethel such a positive experience. I am so lucky to be your child's teacher.