Last Week of January 2021 Updates

 Happy last week of January. So excited we are seeing some snow. What does that mean for school. Read below for that info. First, let's start with what is on the agenda for learning.

Math:  We will begin working on word problems this week, as well as revisiting the equal sign and working on making number sentences true.

ELA:  This week we will be working on our guided research project. We will be learning about hedgehogs (this was the animal from both "The Hat" and "The Mitten" stories we have featured all month). After we research hedgehogs together we will learn how to identify important information from a text and use that information to write a rough draft and then a final draft. Our spelling rule for the week is words with y.

Snow:  I am loving the snow we have had all weekend, and I hear we have more headed our week Monday and Tuesday. What does this mean for school? Quite honestly, I'm not 100% sure. We were originally told because all students have iPad access school would not be closed due to weather this year, although late starts were still a possibility. Then there was talk about internet working, and teachers and students still needing to make it into buildings and safe learning centers. Nothing was really ever mentioned, but we did receive an email mentioning school closures and delays due to weather. Which leads me to believe that, just like a normal school year, school closures due to inclement weather could now be a thing still. Soooo, although I am not clear I would strongly suggest listening to the radio or tuning into Facebook the next two days to keep updated on any possible closures or delays.

Nevermind, just recieved an email saying school is closed for tomorrow due to the forecasted storm event. Guess that answers that question. Please check the radio or Facebook in regards to what will happen on Tuesday.

Material Distribution:  We will be having another distribution this Friday. I think having the material out in front of the school for you to pick up at your convenience worked well last time, so we will do the same this time around. I will place the bags in a bin outside the school on Friday morning by 7 am. Please pick up anytime between 7 am and 6pm, when I will pick up any leftover bags and place them in the office. Any bags not picked up by 6 pm Friday will be left in the office and you will need to call them prior to pick up to make arrangements with them for when you can swing by and get your child's bag. Please, make sure to grab the bag with your child's name on it. I will be putting out materials to carry us through the rest of the semester (which is up to spring break). I thought about only doing through the end of the month, but then end of semester/spring break is only two weeks after that. To me it makes more sense, and at that time we will do a materials pick up before break if needed. 

Material Organization:  Please make sure when your child has their new materials they know where they are at. If your child is at home please make sure they are in an accessible but safe place so that they may be readily available when they need them for lessons. If your child is traveling to a safe learning center or any place outside of the home for their school day please make sure they take all their school supplies they have been given back and forth with them. They could need any supply on any given day, depending on the lesson. Obviously, the new packets of material being sent out during the new distribution will be what they need for that month. They will also need their handwriting books, wipe-off boards and markers are used practically daily, the spiral notebooks and science notebooks are used when needed. The scissors, gluesticks, and math manipulatives need to be handy. If your child travels for school it is best just to have these stay in their backpack on a daily basis, along with the math, morning work, spelling, and whatever other packets get sent out. A backpack may also be a good idea for those who stay home, just as a place for all the supplies to be in one spot. The hardest thing is when they tell me they do not have something they need for a lesson and I know every child has it. I feel helpless that I cannot reach through the screen and help them rummage through their learning spaces to find what they need to help their learning be more successful. They end up sad and stressed out when they miss out because they do not have everything they need for the day. Lost and missing items are a regular occurrence in first grade, in the building I would help them find it or have extra copies already made. I cannot do this remotely. So I need your help by helping them keep their materials in a consistent safe and organized spot. Thank you.

I hope you all found time to get outside and enjoy some fresh air and just have some fun playing in the snow. I hope your kiddos helped you shovel! Stay warm, and I will see you tomorrow - possibly. -Ms. Shaw

MLK 4 Day Week Updates

 Happy week 21! I hope you all found some time to recharge over this three day weekend. More importantly, I hope you all found some time to remember Dr. King and have some meaningful conversations about his impact on our society and why we have a day off to celebrate and remember him. We discussed these things in class on Friday, and our conversations and understanding were amazing. Here is what we will be doing this week in class:

Math:  We will be wrapping up subtracting from teen numbers this week, with an end of unit assessment on Thursday if we stay on track.

ELA:  We will finish our unit on The Hat and The Mitten story comparison and take that into a writing/research type project on Hedgehogs. Our spelling sound for the week is soft c and soft g.

RTI:  RTI will begin again this week. RTI groups are changing a little. I have attached the new RTI groups here, as well as in our Google Classroom. Please make sure to click on your child's new RTI teachers name to go to their RTI teachers ZOOM room to attend. Aria, Sofia, and Cypress will be attending RTI with me, although it is not listed. Anyone else who is not on the list does not need to be in an RTI group at this time. If you have questions about this, please feel free to email me. Those not in RTI will still meet with me for groups and 1:1 during their scheduled times throughout the week, as will everyone else. I am also attaching that updated form.

Mrs. Hanno - Christian, Guner

Mr. Kasch - Victoria, Cohen

Mrs. Burgoon - Riley

Mrs. Stamer - Marcus, Isaac, Dakota

Mrs. Anderson - Rayland, Violet, O’Ryan

Ms. Voorhees - Vaerick

Ms. Waltner - Damiana, Jake, Jocelyn

Mrs. Hartsock - Nino

Shaw - Cypress, Aria, Sofia

Thursday:  I will be cancelling my Thursday afternoon 1:1's this week. I have an appointment and will be out for the afternoon as soon as I send everyone off to lunch. There will be a sub for the closing circle. Just wanted to give you all a heads up.

Show and Tell:  There will be no show and tell this week being that it is a four day week. 

As always, I feel I am forgetting to put something in this blog that I should be communicating. If I remember I will let you know. If you have questions please feel free to reach out.  -Ms. Shaw

End of 2nd Quarter Updates

 Happy end of second quarter. This means report cards are complete, more information below. First, here is what we will be working on this week...

Math:  Lots of subtracting 7, 8, and 9 from teen numbers this week.

ELA:  We will be reading Jan Brett's "The Mitten" and comparing it to her book "The Hat." We will also be looking at story elements like character and setting. The spelling rule for the week is long u words. 

Social Studies:  This week we will learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his life and the important role he played in the civil rights movement.

Report Cards:  Report cards are finished and available for your viewing through parent vue. After you take a look at your child's standards report, if you have any question please feel free to email. 

RTI:  There will be no RTI this week. RTI will resume next Tuesday when we return from break. Your child may have a new group once we finish looking at data and reforming groups. I will notify you of any changes in the next blog. Also, due to the needs of some students, I might also be changing some 1:1 sight word times. I am hoping to keep this at a minimal, and I will let you know by next week if this impacts your child's time or not. 

Show and Tell:  This weeks show and tell theme is something you made or created. Can't wait to see!

Remember, next weekend is a three day weekend. No school on Monday, Jaunuary 18th in honor of Martin Luther King. Hope you all enjoyed this weekend, and are rested and healthy.  - Ms. Shaw

January 2021 New Year Post.

 Welcome back, and welcome 2021. We are now entering our 19th week of FRL, and although it seems like the more things change the more they stay the same, I must say it feels good just saying goodbye to 2020 and hello to a new year. I hope you all enjoyed your well deserved winter break and are ready to jump right back into the learning, because we are hitting the ground running. Here is what we have in store this week:

Math:   We will be subtracting 9 from 10 and from teen numbers this week. Half the week we will be using our subtraction knowledge to solve word problems.  

ELA:  This week we will begin our Hat and Mitten compare and contrast unit with reading "The Hat" by Jan Brett. We will identify problem and solution, as well as do some sequencing. We will also take a look at verbs this week. In spelling we will be working on long O words. 

RTI:  As of now it is my understanding that there is no RTI next week. We will be meeting as a team to look at our data and make any necessary changes. I will notify you if your child's RTI group changes at that time, and then RTI will resume the following week. 

Show and Tell:  Show and Tell will start back up this week. Our theme will be free choice. I have a feeling the kiddos will be excited to get to choose an item of their choice to show and tell about this week. Our show and tell schedule is below:

Monday: Aria, Christian, Cohen, Cypress, and Dakota
Tuesday: Damiana, Guner, Isaac, Jake, Jocelyn
Wednesday: Juniper, Marcus, Nino, O'Ryan, Paloma
Thursday: Rayland, Reese, Riley, Sofia, 
Friday: Vaerick, Victoria, Violet, and any Make-Ups

Thank you to all the Christmas wishes I received from everyone, some over zoom. This group really is just the sweetest and your thoughtfulness and kindness was so very much appreciated this year. 

2020 was certainly a year that brought us all much reflection. So many big, historic events that we are still living and still feeling the impacts of right now. The school year is only half way over, and we are still not face to face. However, I know we are still learning and growing and navigating and surviving. We will still enter 2021 with the same grace we showed at the beginning of this school year because we still have children learning in the middle of a pandemic that has yet to let up. Let our focus remain on this, and helping our babies navigate this time. I am still here for your needs as well. Whatever it may be, feel free to reach out. Yes, I said we are hitting the ground running, but the priority is still on people. Remember this from week 3 together...

It still holds true as we return from our break. I am here for you, reach out anytime. In the meantime, can't wait to see my kiddos tomorrow! They have been missed. 💜-Ms. Shaw