January 22nd-26th Updates

Happy middle of January.  I hope everyone enjoyed their snowy weekend.  I don't see any snow on schedule for this week, but it looks like real cold weather is on tap.  Please, please, please make sure to dress your children appropriately for the weather for the rest of the winter.  This looks like they will be needing BIG winter jackets to keep them warm, winter hats, and perhaps gloves.  Also, our playground has a tendency to get very muddy and puddly after rain and snow, making boots a real good idea.  You might want to pack extra socks in their backpacks as well.  Please remember to label all this clothing!  Thank you for helping us keep your kids warm.  We do go outside in all sorts of weather and temps, and will not keep children in (we do a good job of keeping track of wind chill and that sort of thing, and do keep them in when it really is too cold).  If you feel your child is too sick to go outside, they should probably not be at school.  If they are at school, we will send them out, so please keep this in mind. Now that we tended to those few important items of business, here's the scoop for the week...

Math:  We are wrapping up Operations and Algebraic Thinking with some big concepts this week.  We are learning to solve word problems with addition or subtraction when we have either a missing part or when we need to find the total.  We are solving problems using the Read, Draw, and Write (number sentences and statements) method.  We will also be working a little more on true and false number sentences, and making false sentences true.

Language Arts:  We will be reading the fable "The Fox and The Stork" from our Hartcourt series, making puppets later in the week so the students can do a story retell.  We will also read "The Hat" and "The Mitten" by Jan Brett, comparing and contrasting the two stories.  We will also work on story elements such as character, setting, and problems,  and sequencing events.  

Science:  The children will continue working on using counterweights to find stable position with arcs and triangles, as well as other fun balance activities.  

Social Studies:  Ms. Reger will complete her studies on the Inca's next week, following her wrap up with an assessment on all three ancient civilizations.

Extra Scoop:  Tuesday is the 100th Day of School!  We will be celebrating with some fun activities on Tuesday.  We always encourage every child be in attendance on Tuesday for attendance purposes, not to mention - no one wants to miss out on all the fun!

Also, the science fair is coming.  We will be doing a project as a class.  Although first graders are not required to partake in individual projects, you are encouraged to do so if you wish.  More info will be headed your way soon.

Dates to Remember:

• Tuesday, January 23rd - Fratelli's 10% Tuesday for Marshall
• Wednesday, February 7th - PTO
• Monday, February 19th - School Closed - President's Day
• Wednesday, February 28th - Kindergarten Registration
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See you all on Monday morning! - Ms. Shaw