Wednesday, September 30, 2009

This morning Ms. Stern read us another book by Nancy Carlson called Smile A Lot! The other books that we read by the same author are: I Don’t Like to Read!, How to Lose All Your Friends, and I Like Me! We discovered that Charlie Caps would probably like Smile A Lot because he tells us to do the same thing. The pictures in her books are so colorful and they are also really helpful in telling the story!

We used post-its again during Reader’s Workshop. We were marking our favorite parts or interesting parts while we read. After our private time was over, we got to turn and talk to our partners and explain why we marked our pages. Drew marked a favorite part. Sasha marked an interesting part.

In P.E., we learned how to play blacktop games on the playground that we use during snack recess. Sarah’s favorite game was the animal game. Hunter’s favorite game was Crocodile, Crocodile because Coach Hudson ate him with the little crocodile. Lauria’s favorite was also Crocodile, Crocodile. The crocodiles’ names were Shirley, Jake, and Buster.

Just before lunch, we met Miss Harding. She is going to be coming to our classroom sometimes to learn about first grade. She is in college to become a teacher. Nancy thought she was really nice.

We sorted again during math today. We sorted with two attributes again today using a Venn Diagram. Everyone had a turn showing brothers and sisters. We learned that most people have brothers AND sisters in our class (8 in all). We also learned that 6 people have sisters only and 4 people have brothers only. More people have sisters than brothers. We also did some sharp thinking and discovered that we couldn’t tell the names of the siblings, how old they are, or how many we have just by looking at our chart.

During Writer’s Workshop, we learned how to try our best to spell words and then move on. Anthony D. and lots of other children were able to get a lot of writing done. Victoria, Eesha, and lots of others added details to their drawings to help tell the story to the reader. At the end of the workshop, Ms. Stern showed us Amanda’s and Eesha’s work. They used their time well and remembered to practice what we had talked about! Just about everyone remembered to stay focused and use every minute to write. Ms. Stern’s bucket was overflowing!

Friday, September 25, 2009

After morning meeting, we reviewed short i words on a website. Some of the words were easy. Others were hard to find. Then we had our spelling test. This week was a little tricky because it was the first time we had 2 spelling lists going on at the same time! Children who got the sentence correct were able to choose something from the bucket of prizes. Children who didn’t get the sentence correct were still positive and thought to themselves, “Next week I’ll try again.”

While we were outside during snack recess, the fire alarm went off. We had to line up and wait quietly outside on the opposite side of the building.

During Reader’s Workshop, we made a list of Reader’s Workshop Do’s and Don’ts. Here are the things to do: keep your books out and in front of you, choose interesting books, read quietly, think about your book, reread, use EVERY minute to read, take care of your books, stay at your seat, and enjoy your books.

The don’ts: talk during private time, interrupt!, distract others, rip the books, go to the bathroom, take water breaks, get up out of your seat, play with books, take books that aren’t for you, and waste time. Everyone turned and talked to their partner to share the do and don’t that they were going to focus on before starting to read independently at their seats.

During gym, we went outside to play on the equipment. Nancy, Meaghan, Sarah, Adam, and Sasha played with the animal figurines. Hunter played on the monkey bars with his friends. Lauria and Drew played on the monkey bars too. The class also played a game called Surprise Animals. Coach Hudson calls an animal. Everyone has to act like that animal.

We learned about sorting today. Drew reminded us of a fancy math word called “attribute” that he learned from Bakugan. The word sort means a group of things or people that have something in common. The attribute is what they have in common. We used the Smartboard to sort objects in different ways. First, Dylan A. sorted the objects by color and shape. Then Sasha sorted them by size. After that, everyone took off a shoe and made a pile. We took turns sorting by 1 attribute. Anthony sorted them by black and not-black. Meaghan did laces and no laces. Eesha did shoes that tie and shoes that don’t tie. Jacob sorted them by shoes with letters and shoes without letters. Finally, Ms. Stern let us choose partners to work with “treasures.” The partners worked to sort the objects by 1 attribute.

Dylan A. got to hold Buddy the Bucket Filler for the second time today! He even earned a marble for the whole class during P.E. As a result, he is the very first person to take Buddy home for the weekend. Happy bucket filling at home, Dylan and Buddy!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Today we continued to practice the short i sound. Yesterday we practiced singing along to a video about a girl named Silly Jill. Today we read The Big Hit on Starfall.com. We practiced making words in the –ig family. Then we learned how to use magic squares to make words on the Smartboard. Everyone got to try it on their own at their seats. When we were done, we shared and sorted our words together and made a chart.

We had first grade assembly. Junie B. Jones and Mr. Wu, the bus driver, came to our school. Junie B. had a special chest filled with lots of interesting things. Some of them were: a pointer to talk about school rules and grades you get, a purple fluffy scarf, a clown wig, her elephant named Phil who tried to fly, an elf costume, a toilet plunger (that she kissed!!!), and lots of dirty clothes with stains on them from the cafeteria. Junie B. used cymbals to make loud noises. At the end, Junie B. was moving around and we were able to see her underwear! Dylan, Stephen, Nancy, Lauria and Jacob’s favorite part was the cymbals. Sasha’s favorite part was when she came into the cafeteria jumping and skipping. Dylan A.’s favorite part was when she tried to make her stuffed elephant fly. After the performance, everyone got a Junie B. Jones paper doll and a stamp from Junie B. Jones, herself! The class went outside to look at her “stupid, smelly bus” before returning to the classroom.

We continued to work on our All About Us book. Jacob, Arlo, Victoria had a turn today.

In music, we played instruments first. We also practiced the typewriter song that we learned in kindergarten. Everyone got to use the finger drums. Then we played freeze dance. Amanda thought Meaghan was really good at it. Arlo thought everyone did a good job, especially Lauria.

Before math, Ms. Stern hung up our self-portraits. We made a list of questions that we could ask (and answer) using the pictures that we drew. Some of the questions were:

-How many people are there?
-How many girls are there?
-How many boys are there?
-How many pictures have suns?
-How many people are playing sports?
-How many houses are there?
-How many fingers?

Tomorrow we will be working on answering our questions.
During Writer’s Workshop, we reviewed what we need to be good writers. We came up with the following: quiet space, materials (pens, papers, etc.), practice, spelling help, ideas and experiences to write about, and details in our work. Then Ms. Stern introduced date stampers. We learned to hold the stamper with the flat part against our thumb. We also learned not to change the date, to stamp our papers only one time on the date line at the top of the page.

Today we finished reading our first chapter book, Junie B.: First Grader At Last! We thought the book was really good because it was funny. In the beginning, Junie B. didn’t like first grade. She discovered that she needed glasses to see better. Her friends weren’t nice to her. At the end, Junie B. ended up really liking first grade!

Friday, September 18, 2009

We had a small class today! 5 children were absent. Hopefully, everyone who is sick will rest up and be back to school on Monday.

Charlie Caps, Zelda, and Mrs. O’Donnell came to visit and put on a puppet show for us. Dylan A. thinks that they came to help us learn to be kind and caring. Ms. Stern helped the visitors by reading a BIG book all about being a good friend. We earned 4 marbles in our first day!

Today we took our first spelling practice test. Nancy thought it was easy. Some people thought it was hard to figure out which way the letters go…especially the b’s and d’s! Ms. Stern reminded us to look above the Smartboard at the alphabet chart to check and make sure. She also reminded us to use lowercase letters. The bonus word was “gym.” Lots of children wrote all of the words correctly but many forgot to start their sentences with uppercase letters and to end them with a period. Luckily, most people corrected their work before handing in their papers.

We had our second fire drill this morning. Stephen thought it took forever! We had to wait a long time outside because the alarm wasn’t going off. Finally, we were able to return to the classroom and get back to work.

We continued getting to know each other by getting to know Anthony D. We have 8 more children to go and then we will have learned about everyone in our class.

Ms. Stern read us a story called I Don’t Like to Read! In the story, Henry didn’t like reading at first because it was hard for him. After he practiced for a while, Henry was able to read! Sasha remembered that one of the illustrations was of the book I Like to Read! because it is written and illustrated by the same author.

During Reader’s Workshop, we made a chart to help us not to interrupt and to use EVERY SECOND to read. The chart had different problems that might happen and the solutions that we came up with. When it was time to read, some of those problems happened. Some children worked to solve them and others needed some reminders.

In Art, everyone worked on their “masterpiece” that will be on display for the art show in October. Some people painted, others used Q-tips, and some people used oil pastels to make self-portraits or movement pictures. Mrs. Piteo was very proud and gave us a compliment about our behavior!

We got our writing folders during Writer’s Workshop. One side has a green sticker and the other side has a red one. The red side is for stories that we have finished. The green side is for pieces that we are still working on. Today we continued to focus on adding on to our pieces. We know that “When you’re done, you’ve just begun.” That means that once we think we are done, we need to go back and see if we can add words or pictures to tell more. Then we can begin a new piece of writing.

Lots of our invisible buckets have been filling up this week. Here are some examples of bucket-filling acts that make our days better:

*Stephen let me have a book during Reader's Workshop. -Sarah
*Mrs. Piteo said my self portrait looked good. -Drew
*Eesha sat next to me at lunch. -Dylan M.
*Adam got me the paint. -Anthony
*Everybody liked my picture a lot. -Anthony D.
*Eesha and Nancy helped me when I dropped the books. -Dylan

Have a great weekend!

Meet the Teacher Night

Dear Parents,

Thank you so much for attending Meet the Teacher night last night. I enjoyed meeting you and putting names with faces. There is always so much that I want to communicate to you and never enough time! I truly believe that education needs to be a partnership. Your kind words and warm smiles set the tone for a great evening. Together, we can work to make this year a real success.

If you did not get a copy of the presentation or any of the other handouts and you would like one please let me know. If you were unable to attend, I will contact you to set up a time to meet on our November conference day on Nov. 3rd. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns throughout the year. I will always do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.

I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with your children and you this year. I look forward to an outstanding year together.

Sincerely,
Randi Stern

PS-The "Shift Happens" video that I showed at the end of the presentation can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-8DRPCJ86U

The full length version can be viewed here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhuV_rmf5Mg

Our Class Rules

We agree that our classroom needs to be a place where EVERYONE feels safe and is comfortable learning. Here are the rules that we all agree to follow:

1. Be kind to everyone!
2. Listen carefully and respectfully
3. Keep your hands and feet to yourself
4. Share and be fair
5. Be responsible (for yourself, the classroom, and the materials)
6. Raise a quiet hand and wait to be called on
7. Be positive and always try your best!

Please review these rules and the importance of adhering to them on a regular basis. As we are in the early stages of the new school year, we are working particularly hard on rule #2 as we aim to listen and follow the directions the first time they are given.

Thanks for your continued support,
Randi Stern

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Most of the students in our class remembered to unpack all of their belongings, take care of attendance and lunch count, and hand in their homework this morning!

We practiced our handwriting. We talked about the lines on the paper. The top line is called the headline. The dotted line is called the midline, and the bottom line is called the baseline. Ms. Stern showed us how to correctly write 3 lowercase letters on the Smartboard. They were: l, t, and i. Some people got to practice on the board. Everyone got to write in the air. We watched the Smartboard. It looked like the letters were writing themselves! Ms. Stern recorded the way to make them before the children came. It looked like magic. Everyone went to their seats to practice sitting properly (we call it “stacking your blocks” when we sit up tall with two feet on the floor, our chairs pushed in, and our hands anchoring our papers) and begin working.

We reviewed our short a word list from yesterday. Some children thought of new words to add. Then we learned a new poem called Alan’s Apples. We highlighted short a words and pasted it into our poetry journals. Ms. Stern asked us to read both of our poems 3 times to get better at them.

During Reader’s Workshop, Ms. Stern read us a story called Reading Makes You Feel Good. We love to read and we discovered that people like to read in different places for different reasons by drawing and writing.

Today was our first time going to the library. Mrs. Cornelius is our new librarian. She went over the library rules. The rules spelled “POLITE.” Next, she read us a book about animals. When we finished the book, we had a surprise. Everyone got to make their very own shelf marker! Adam decorated his with a giant eye. Dylan drew herself wearing a pretty dress. Amanda made an American flag. Dylan A. made a light saber. Star Wars was a popular theme. Mrs. Cornelius taught us a song about how to use the shelf markers. It is sung to the tune of the Hokey Pokey.

In P.E., we went outside. Coach Hudson went over the rules for playing on the playground equipment. Coach Hudson pretended to be a fire alarm so we could practice what to do during a fire drill. After we finished, the class had free time to play.

After specials, we had a real fire drill. Everyone was quiet and stood nicely outside near the fence. We know to be quiet so that the teachers and students can listen for directions and know what to.

From Ms. Stern:
Please have your child decorate his/her journal with photos, stickers, etc. of things or people that are of interest or importance and return to school tomorrow. Sorry for the delay. Thank you!

Reader's Workshop: Favorite Books

Dear Parents,

We are off to a wonderful school year together! We are continuing to get to know each other and I can see some great friendships forming. We have a very sweet class who are eager to learn new things.

We are about to begin our Reader’s Workshop. Our goals over the next few weeks are to make the children feel like readers and classroom management during Reader’s Workshop time. We will be learning how to handle books, where the books belong in our classroom, and what good readers look and sound like. This will take some time, but it is so important to establish these things from the beginning of the year.

We are asking that each child bring in one of their favorite books from home to keep at school for the month of September (please write your child’s name inside the book). This is a great way for all of us to see the different types of books we enjoy reading at home. The books will be kept in a safe basket in the classroom. Please have your child bring his/her favorite book to school by Tuesday. Those children that brought a book for the first day of school will use it for this purpose.

Thank you for your support! Have a terrific weekend.

Sincerely,
Randi Stern

Friday, September 11, 2009

This morning we went into the gym after we got off of our buses. It was raining out. All of the first graders sat in a line for each class. Mrs. Polansky spoke to us about Patriot Day. A patriot is a person who supports their country. We are all patriots. Everyone stood up and said the Pledge of Allegiance. Next, we listened to a song called Proud to Be an American and then sang This Land is Your Land. After we sang, Mrs. Polansky asked us to have a moment of silence to remember the people who died while trying to save one another many years ago.

We had indoor recess because of the rainy weather. We could use Legos, the computers, blocks, stuffed animals, or paper to draw. Meaghan played with the blocks with Eesha. Amanda played on the computer. Stephen used the Legos with Adam and Drew.

Ms. Stern read us a few stories. One was called Brand New Pencils, Brand New Books. We found out that Gilbert, the character in the story, will be coming back to the classroom later this year. We also read A Giraffe and a Half, which is written by Shel Silverstein. We noticed that it was a rhyming book! It was kind of like a tongue twister, too. The last book that we read was called I Like Me! Dylan A. remembered that the message in that story was that we should all like ourselves.

In P.E., we played Skeletons and Mice. Some people are picked to be skeletons. They have to tap the mice who become skeletons then. Sasha was a skeleton the whole time. Nancy started as a mouse and became a skeleton.

This afternoon we had catch-up time (not ketchup!). People got to finish their self-portraits, “Today I feel…” faces, and Leo the Late Bloomer activities.

Please make sure to send in any missing supplies by Monday. All children need to have 2 composition notebooks, 2 folders, and a clipboard. Thank you for your assistance.

Have a terrific weekend!

Our First Grade Goals

My first grade goal is to learn how to tell time. -Lauria
My first grade goal is to learn how to keep sorting stuff. -Meaghan
My first grade goal is to learn how to read Pinkalicious. -Dylan M.
My first grade goal is to put numbers together. -Anthony D.
My first grade goal is to get better at adding numbers. -Stephen
My first grade goal is to be smart in school. -Arlo
My first grade goal is to learn how to tie a bow. -Jacob
My first grade goal is to learn math. -Dylan A.
My first grade goal is to learn how to tie my shoe. -Drew
My first grade goal is to draw people better. -Eesha
My first grade goal is to learn how to draw. -Dylan
My first grade goal is -Nancy
My first grade goal is to learn technology. -Victoria
My first grade goal is to learn putting numbers together. -Sasha
My first grade goal is to get better at writing. -Amanda
My first grade goal is telling time. -Adam
My first grade goal is to draw better. -Hunter
My first grade goal is to learn how to dread and draw. -Sarah
My first grade goal is to -Anthony D.

Our First Day!

Today was our first day as first graders! We in the hall and waited patiently for everyone to arrive. Ms. Stern greeted us at the door and said, "Good morning." We looked at her and said, "Good morning" back. Next, Ms. Stern read us a story. Then we began to unpack our supplies. They were HEAVY! After that, we talked about good choices for behavior while eating. We ate our snacks and went outside for a few minutes. It was a beautiful day. When we came back inside, we read another story called Chrysanthemum. It's about a girl (mouse) who is named after a flower. At first, she really liked her name. Then the other students at school made fun of her and pointed out that her name was so long and was the same as a flower. That made Chrysanthemum sad. Finally, the other students became envious of her because their music teacher, Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle, also had a long name and was named after a flower. We talked about our names. A few children shared the stories behind their names and so did Ms. Stern.

Before we knew it, it was lunchtime already! We met Mrs. Graff. She is our lunch aide during recess and lunch. When everyone came back to the classroom, we filled out Name Bingo cards for each other and began to play. First, we played having to get rows. Lots of people got Bingo! Then we played using the corners. Everyone was a good sport in playing. That made Ms. Stern so happy and proud! Sasha and Dylan A. both had great luck with their Bingo boards!

Today was our first day of music with Mrs. Fox. We learned about different instruments that she JUST got this morning! Some of the instruments were finger drums, metalaphones, lollipop drum, thunder drums, and a rainstick.

Here are some highlights/noticings from our first day:
*Dylan A. liked when Ms. Stern read us a book called My First Day of School. His favorite part was the last part because he is excited to learn a lot this year.

*Drew noticed that his friends James and Robert have the same lunchbox as him!

*Victoria saw lots of her friends passing her in the hall. She was excited to meet Ms. Stern.

*Hunter liked when we unpacked our bags. They were so heavy when we came to school. During recess, Stephen and Adam went on the swings and monkey bars. Drew was able to go across all of them for the first time!

*Meaghan thought we had a great day and we had lots of fun! She liked playing outside.

Welcome!

Dear Boys and Girls,

I hope you are enjoying your final days of summer vacation! I have been working hard to get our classroom ready for all of the learning and fun that we are going to have this year. I can't wait to meet you on Tuesday, September 8th. Please remember to bring the following supplies:

. 1 box of #2 pencils with erasers (preferably Ticonderoga), sharpened
. 1 highlighter
. 1 Sharpie permanent marker
. 1 box of Crayola broad tip markers
. 2 black Flair pens
. 4 Elmers glue sticks
. 2 black and white composition notebooks (labeled)
. 2 two-pocket folders (labeled)
. 2 post-it pads
. Clip board (labeled)
. 1 box of tissues
. 1 box of Ziploc bags: boys-gallon; girls-snack/sandwich/quart
. 1 package baby/cleaning wipes OR hand sanitizer
. a healthy snack each day

We share supplies so you only need to label your clipboard, notebooks, and folders. Pre-paying for school lunch or snack is preferred by the cafeteria. Please practice or have your pin number if you plan to buy. Also, please bring your favorite book to share for the first day.

I am so excited to finally meet you! We're going to have a great year together in first grade.

Love,
Ms. Stern