Family Fun: Thanksgiving

We've been enjoying seeing how each family decides to disguise Tom Turkey and keep him hidden until after Thanksgiving is over! I will try and post pictures soon, although the kids would love to have you all visit them in person.

Here are some great links that you can explore with your student to help him/her learn more about the first thanksgiving:

America's Hometown

Pilgrim Hall Museum

The First Thanksgiving: Be the Historian

Boston Children's Museum

Scholastic Thanksgiving Activities

History Channel: Thanksgiving

Hubbards Cupboard Thanksgiving Activities

Science Unit: Studying Air

We learned air can move things!

We learned that air can fill things!

We've been studying the properties of air the past few weeks. Just ask our students what they've learned so far with all of their fun (and messy) experiments. Things we so engaging that we forgot to take pictures! Here are some pictures from our first experiment!

Our Class Harvest Party

We ate yummy treats!

All together in our costumes!

We played fun games and had a school wide parade!
Special thanks to all of our wonderful parent volunteers!

Extra Math Practice

Some parents have asked for more math homework for first graders this year. Instead of copying more worksheets and possibly overwhelming other families, here are some fun games and links to free worksheets online. Please let me know how this works out for your family. Extra math practice is always wonderful as long as kids get a chance to play and be kids at home too.

Math Blox- resource for free math games.

Family Math Night Modules- games and activities to do together as a family.

First Grade Math Worksheets- simple activities to introduce and reinforce concepts.

Homeschool Math-searchable site for fun games and activities.

National Library of Virtual Manipulatives- super great website that has fun games and activities.

Our Shady Oaks Pumpkin Pickin' Adventure

Come join us and see what fun we had!

We fed the goats and chickens today!

We rode on hay bales!

We picked out pumpkins!

We were joyful and excited and young!

We are proud pumpkin owners.
We picked pumpkins that were just right!

Playing Catch-Up: Our Fire Station Field Trip

Here is the story about our adventure at the fire station. We met many friendly fire fighters and learned a lot about fire safety.
We learned how to escape from a house in case of a fire.
We met at the mailbox to discuss fire safety plans.
We learned about fire trucks.
We each got to squirt a fire hose.!
We learned about how an ambulance works.

Special thanks to our parent volunteers and to the fire station for helping us have a fun and educational trip!

Request for Nature Pictures

Hello Families,
Our class is trying to start picture files for kids to help them build vocabulary and understand social studies and science concepts. If your family has old magazines with nature pictures in them we would love to have them donated to the classroom. Please let me know if you can help!

~Mrs. Elliott

Upcoming Owl Unit

Next week we will be studying owls and doing a science experiment where we get to dissect owl pellets. If you would like to come and help, just let me know, or if you have any great information to share! I've uploaded some fun crafts and informational websites for you to explore as a family. Hope you all have a happy weekend!

Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

Hello Families!

Our class will be taking a field trip to the Shady Oaks pumpkin patch on October 24th. at 11:00. We will be taking a hay-ride, picking out pumpkins, visiting farm animals, and eating a picnic lunch together. If you would like to join us on our field trip please let us know on your child's field trip permission slip. The permission slips will be going home next week. Also, if your child needs a sack lunch packed from the cafeteria please let us know on the back of your child's permission slip.

Fall Festival Baskets

Hello Families!

Bohemia's annual fall festival for school is just around the corner! Our class has been asked to put together a basket to be auctioned at the festival. The theme of our basket is going to be Family Movie Night. If you would like to donate some items for the basket here are some suggestions:

*popcorn
*jelly beans
*snuggly blankets
*hot chocolate
*fuzzy socks
*mixed nuts
*candy bars
*small stuffed animal
*family friendly dvd or movie

Of course, if you have any other great idea we'd love to incorporate it too! We need all donations to be turned into our classroom in two weeks. If you have any questions don't hesitate to call! Thanks so much for all your support!

Fire Station Field Trip

On Tuesday, October 9th at 9:45 a.m our class will be taking a tour of our local fire station and learning about fire prevention. If you would like to accompany our class on this short field trip, please let me know by Monday, October 8th in order to make sure school safety paperwork has been filled out. Call me at school or home if you have any questions!

Fall Conferences

Hello families!

I wanted to let you know that parent-teacher conferences will be held on:

Wednesday, October 17th (2:00-8:00)
Thursday, October 18th (2:00-4:00)

Please return the conference request time form in your child's homework folder. I will be trying my best to schedule you during the times you have indicated. Your invitation will be sent home soon. Also, remember that students will be released early both Wednesday and Thursday that week at 1:25 pm. Thanks for your help! I can't wait to meet with you individually to discuss your child's progress.

Classroom Pictures: October 2nd (Next Week)

Kindness Counts (and following the rules does too!)

In our class we reinforce the rules by picking "behavior scouts." It's the job of these kids to be watching and listening for other students who are:

Showing Respect
Solving Problems
Making Good Decisions

Periodically, I will call the behavior scouts up and ask them to tell us who was doing those three things. It helps the kids look for and understand good behavior and provides them with the natural reinforcement of being recognized by their peers. When your kiddo comes home with them in their folder, be sure to praise them for their excellent efforts at school and thank them for contributing to the learning environment. With 26 students, we are working very hard on showing respect for learning time and making good decisions. Thanks for your support and encouragement parents!

Open House

Hi Families! Just wanted to drop you a quick note that Open House will be next week. Here is the information:

Where: Bohemia, Room 4

When: Tuesday, September 25th

Time: 6:30 - 7:30

Come visit our classroom, go on a scavenger hunt, and meet your child's reading teacher. We can't wait to see you there!

Our Teddy Bear Picnic Day

We started the day by sharing our "Bear Facts About Me" bags with each other.
Then after lunch we introduced our teddy bears to one another.
We spent time teaching our bears the "ropes" of first grade, and helped them color little books to take home.
We picked out stories to read to our bears and have some snuggly bear time.
We played teddy bear games like the bear toss.
We ended our day with some special bear treats from A.J. and Alexi's mom, Jackie, and also celebrated Tyler's birthday. What a fun end to our first week together! Our next unit of study is insects and bugs. Parents if you have any neat ideas or information, please let me know, I'd love to include you!

Teddy Bear Picnic

Hi Parents! We are having our teddy bear picnic tomorrow. I just realized that I sent home last years "family fun" homework sheet, which won't make sense. Don't worry about the mysterious "vertical line" to cut. All your student needs to do is bring a bear to school tomorrow and finish the attached worksheet (they can imagine what will happen.) Thanks so much for "bearing" with me!

~ Mrs. Elliott

Our First Day All Together

These kids deserve a big round of applause for working together and being such a caring class!
I am thankful for each one of these unique and talented kiddos. Here's to a great year ahead!

Behavior Management: Kindness Counts

Here's a picture of our "Kindness count" this week!

In our classroom, it's our job to work together so that we can learn. When we work together by following directions, making good decisions, and helping one another we earn "kindness count" points. At the end of the week we count up all of the tally marks and record our progress on the "heart tree." Jasper came up with a great idea to add up all the points on the heart tree at the end of the month, which would be fun too!

Everyone has been settling in nicely and working hard to help stay on-task. They really are little sparklers! It's only been two days and they've already earned many points (we give them out in groups of five, so that kids can learn how to make tally marks as well.) I'm very impressed with how willing this new bunch of kids is to show respect, solve problems, and make good decisions. They should be proud of all their hard work!

Safe Place

In our class we strive to build community, help one another solve problems, and in general avoid melt downs. We have a "safe place" in our class, where a student can go if he/she feels sad, overwhelmed, frustrated etc. It has a big cushy chair, oversized stuffed animals and directions for ways to help calm down in a stressful situation. This helps me as a teacher know when a child is "at the end of their rope" and needs some extra care and attention. It also helps ensure that our classroom can stay a safe place for others to learn.

Morning Meeting Routines

Singing songs, stretching and saying pledges to one another helps make our classroom a safe place for all students and also reminds us how much we care about each other. Here are the special routines during our morning meeting that help us start the day:

Sing our Class Song (to the tune of : You Are My Sunshine)

You are my family.
My school family.
I feel so happy,
When we are here.
I hope you know friends,
How much I like you!
(make eye contact and point to a friend)
When we're apart,
I'll keep you here!
(cross hands over your heart)

Say our Class Pledge

I choose to be a peacemaker. I pledge to praise others. I will never use put downs. I will seek wise people. I will speak up about hurt feelings, others or mine. I will solve problems. I will build peace at home. I will build peace at school. I will build peace in my community everyday!

Morning Routines

Here's what your kiddo will do every morning when they come to class:

1. Check-in at the Check-In Chart to see what their weekly job will be and to indicate if they are having hot or cold lunch for the day.

2. Put their backpack in their cubby. Put their lunch in the lunch basket. Put their snack in their desk.

3. Choose a way to say "Good Morning" to Mrs. Elliott. Choices include: elephant handshake, Bumble-bee hello, Butterfly handshake, Grandma's Heart hello, Ladybug hug etc.

4. Put a sharpened pencil in their desk.

5. Work quietly on a fun morning activity until our morning meeting.

Our classroom door is open at 8:10 and attendance is taken at 8:20 when school starts. Please make sure your child arrives at school on-time so that he/she can settle in before the day begins.

Your First Grader: Week 1

The First Week of School
For every first grader, the first week of school presents a major challenge. The BIG day is here. Most young children approach the first week of school with feelings of excitement and fear. At one moment, they want to shout for joy, so proud of growing up so fast. The next moment they are ready to cry, fearful of what the future may have in store for them. For parents too there can be mixed feelings: proud to have a child in the first grade, yet sad at the same time that the pre-first-grade years are now over.

What You Can Expect:
Most children approach first grade with joyous abandon, but at times they display contradictory behaviors:

• They're brash and combative one minute; hesitant, dawdling, and indecisive the next.
  
• They're affectionate now; antagonistic later.
• They're over-demanding and explosive this morning; delightful, co-operative, and polite this afternoon.
  

What is happening? Nothing more or less than being a typical growing child. Remember, first grade is a year of transition physically and mentally. Your child will be losing milk (baby) teeth and gaining their permanent teeth. Their body chemistry also changes making them more prone to infectious diseases. Infections of the inner ear as well as nose are frequent. Developmental changes are also occurring in their vision, nerves, and muscles.

Besides physical changes. Your child is now exposed to a much wider world than he or she can easily handle with his/her limited experience. Helping your child achieve balance requires tender and wise management. Praise is the magic tonic. Praise helps your child choose which of the many directions he/she will take. These weekly "Growing Up" advice posts will contain information about first graders that can help you understand and encourage your child in a successful transition from home to school.

*Compiled from the Growing Up Newsletter

Our Classroom Behavior Management Model

Hello Families!
I wanted to introduce you to the behavior management model that we use in Room 4 First Grade. I believe that each student in our class is special, valuable, and unique and it is my job to help them as they navigate school life and learn important social skills. Here are the values that you will see supported in our classroom:

• You are in charge. You can become the person you want to be. You can make good decisions.
  
• You are responsible for your feelings and actions. Your choices impact others. You can show respect to others.
  
• You can solve problems. Conflict is part of life. It presents us with opportunities to learn a missing skill or let go of a limiting belief.
  

Welcome Little Sparklers & Families!

I'm so glad that you are going to be a part of our classroom community this year. We will have many classroom adventures. You will be able to read and see pictures from the classroom on this website. I can't wait to get to know you!