Labor Day 2018

Hello families.  I apologize for the lack of a post last week, I don't usually miss a week.  However, we were in the middle of some changes and I wanted to wait until the pieces fell into place and the dust had settled until I communicated further with all my families.  With that being said, I am happy to let you know that we have added a first grade teacher to our team and that has allowed us to decrease our class sizes!  We now have 21 students in our class, down from 28.  This will allow for more personalized instruction for each student and more instructional time spent on each subject matter.  Exactly what is ideal for first grade!  The students who were affected by this change were notified last week before open house and began classes with Mrs. Flores on Thursday.  Now, here is what we have, and will be working on last week and this.

Math:  We have been learning how to solve math stories with either missing totals or missing addends.   Students learned to solve by drawing pictures or using 5 group cards, and writing answers in number sentences and matching number bonds.  We will continue using these strategies this week to continue practicing counting on up to 3 more.  We will end the week with our second math assessment of the year.

ELA:  We have officially learned everything we need to know to kick off Daily 5.  The students now know how to read to self, read to someone, work on writing, and work on spelling with work work.  They have also learned how to listen to reading, and tomorrow they will learn how to listen to the reading and write about the story afterwards.  Now this week we will put all pieces together and they will make their choices during each round of Daily 5.  I will work with them individually on sight words, and in small groups with leveled readers, helping them to become better readers.  We will also be starting RTI this week, where I will be working with a group of 5 students on a program called LASER.  This is a reading program that will incorporate a number of reading skills, and will be done solely during RTI time.  If your student is a part of this group, they will receive a letter in their LASER bag that they will take home nightly.  If they do not receive a bag with a letter it is because they will be involved in a different program with another teacher during this time.  

Social Studies:  We will continue to work on our family unit.  I have been unsuccessfully trying to incorporate making tortillas with family traditions.  I will however make sure this happens at some point this week, since the children have been waiting so patiently.  

Open House:  It was so great to see so many of you at open house!  If you couldn't make it I put a pink pamphlet in your child's cubby that was handed out at open house.  This is a quick overview of what your child will be learning in first grade, our schedule, and all other things first grade.  Feel free to review and ask any questions you may have.

Save the Date:

• Wednesday, September 5th - PTO in Library @ 4:30 - Great way to get involved and stay informed about all things happening at Marshall!  Childcare is provided, come check it out.
• Friday, October 5th - Mustang Gallop - our one and only fundraiser of the year - more info to come.
• October 8th-10th - Parent/Teacher Conferences - more info to come.
• Thursday October 11th and Friday October 12th - School Closed - Fall Break.

Hope everyone had a restful and enjoyable Labor Day weekend.  -Ms. Shaw