Mrs. Snook’s 1st Grade News

Weeks of September 2 -12

Dear Parents,             

Here's hoping that your long Labor Day weekend was a great one!!!  It's always nice to have some extra family time at the lake, the beach, or even at home together.

This is my first Blog of the year and I hope that you will check it every two weeks for classroom updates.  The year has started off very well with lots of learning going on in our class.  I certainly have a sweet group of children!  They are a very chatty group so I would appreciate you speaking to your own child about the importance of listening and following directions....thanks!

It was so nice to see each of you at Open House on August 19th.  I wanted to talk about the report card which is new for the teachers in 1st, but not new for GM parents from last year.  I put stickers in the front of each child's folder on Friday listing a formative assessment and a summative assessment and how they are used.  For example, this past week I marked papers for the first time with "Assessment 2 or 3 depending on how well they each wrote the numbers 1 - 30 in correct order with no reversals.  Not every paper that I send home will have an assessment number on it---I will continue to use check marks, stars, or smiley faces to indicate I have looked over this paper and your child is doing what is expected of them.  I will also continue to make comments on them, if needed.  Again, for example, I make ask your child to practice more on the letter "p" that we've introduced in phonics as well as writing; or I may mention reversals (flip the letter or number).  These reversals are common at the beginning of first grade, but we as teachers and parents want to help them get the numbers and letters looking correct.  Another point I need to emphasize is using 3, 2, and 1 for the assessment levels---please understand that each nine weeks we are looking for certain assessments such as he/she can read 50 high frequency words from a list (which would be a 3 and a 2 would be fewer than 50 down to 38 and 37 or fewer would be a 1), but the next nine weeks it will be 100 high frequency words.  Each nine weeks the requirements for a 3, 2, or 1 increase with difficulty levels in all subjects.  Please talk to me if you have questions.

All Sally Foster orders are due by Friday, September 5th.....we are in 2nd place behind Mrs. Dion's class for having sold the most.  Keep up the good work!!!!  Other reminders would be an Early Release day will be Tuesday, September 16th with lunch at 11:26 - 11:56 and  dismissal at 12:30;  also, the CoGat tests for first grade will be Wed. - Fri., September17, 18, and 19th.  Please mark your calendars now with these important dates....thank you.  Don't forget to send in "Boxtops for Education."  This coming Friday, the 5th, will be Spirit Day--wear your GM shirt and also Dinner/Movie Night at Garrison Mill ---- Dinner at 6:30 and Movie at 7:00.

As you probably heard from your child, we read the chapter book Junie B. Jones, 1st grader, at last!!!  We did many different activities with Mrs. Whitson's class and I sent home last week your child's writing from different chapters.  We celebrated the book by drawing child-size pictures of the main characters---Junie B. May, Grace, Mr. Scary, Nurse Weller, and Herb.  We divided into cooperative groups and they had to come up with a describing word for their character along a noun.  For example, Mr. Scary had a rainbow tie, Junie B. had purple glasses, and Nurse Weller had a white lab coat.  Lots and lots of fun!!!  This past week we read The Napping House by Audrey Woods and Mrs. Druhot did several activities with describing words and nouns.  You will see an assessment paper come home on this.

CURRICULUM NEWS:

Literacy centers...I will be introducing these this week.  These are reinforcement activities from the curriculum that the class will do independently while we call different groups for guided reading.  They include:  Days of the week/writing and knowing them in order; Estimation jar; Listening center/writing title, author, and picture; Computer time; Art activity to transform a number 1 into a picture and write a sentence about it (example will be done for them to see); Read the room--literally, with a pointer, read words, poems, songs, lists around the room; Johnny Appleseed writing; Country counting math; an Apple booklet to color and read; a September Glyph, Read a Book, a Johnny Appleseed Adventure/sequencing the pictures; and a Social Studies activity using a compass rose to name the states that are north, south, east, and west of Georgia.

Math...we are finishing up our chapter on addition up to 10 with being able to make many different combinations for a number--for example, what combinations can make 9---5+4, 6+3,0+9, etc.  The vocabulary that has been introduced is sum, plus, is equal to, counting on, and addition sentence/addition number sentence.  Please practice flashcards at home with the sums 0 - 12.  Our test on this chapter should be either Friday or next Monday.  The next chapter will be on subtraction with us using a number line more to show the concept of take away/counting backwards.  At daily calendar math we work with patterns, tens/ones, counting on, days of the week/months of the year, money, skip counting by 2's, 5's, and 10's, odd and even numbers, and we will start telling time to the hour and half hour. These are curriculum standards that we review and practice each day. We also are learning/singing the words to "America the Beautiful" and "America".

Reading...formal reading groups will begin the week of Sept. 8th and Mrs. Whitson and I will be doing guided reading together.  She has a student teacher with her and I have Mrs. Druhot which means that we can see 8 reading groups a day with all 4 of us having 2 groups daily. We also have DEAR time (Drop Everything And Read) so that the children get to practice their reading skills.

Phonics...we have formally introduce the short "a" as in hat, but I have gone over each short vowel sound (they had these last year in Kindergarten) in practice to give them a "Key Word" to relate that sound to as in "a"=apple, "e"=elephant/egg, "i"=igloo, "o"=octopus, and "u"=umbrella.  Please try to use these key words with your child at home.  We have also talked about the magic "e"/silent "e" words as in cake, bike, or cute....point these out as you read with them nightly. We have introduced compound words and the class has made a GREAT list of these type of words! We've reviewed the consonants s, h, p, and n and we are learning to identify how many syllables (word parts) in a word. Writing also goes along with the vowel or consonant introduced that day.  We practice our writing with a trace/practice sheet and I will be looking to see if they continue to make these letters correctly as we practice them.  In our daily writing and DOL (Daily Oral Language), we constantly practice capital letters at the beginning of each sentence, names/special places capitalized, and either a ., ?, or ! at the end of each sentence.  Please practice asking sentences at home as many of them do not hear the inflexion in my voice to help them know it is a question...thanks.  Remember, WE ARE partners in Education and I do appreciate all of your help at home.

Social Studies...hopefully you have seen the Geography Booklet that came home on Friday.  Please let your child read this booklet to you.  As you can see, we have gone from the globe, map, 7 continents, North American continent, United States, Georgia, Cobb County, Marietta or Roswell, and we are all citizens of our United States.  This coming week we will introduce mountains, valleys, plains, dessert, and a plateau as different landforms on a map.  We've also identified 4 major oceans in the world---the largest being the Pacific, also the Atlantic, Indian, and Artic Ocean.  They have really enjoyed studying the earth.  Social Studies will continue learning and talking about Benjamin Franklin later in this month.

Science...our first chapters in science will be about weather.  With the seasonals change coming later in September, we will talk about the 4 seasons and different types of weather and water---stormy, cloudy, sunny, rain, hail, sleet, etc.  This will start the week of September 8th.

Computer Lab...we have already been to our first computer lab and practiced drawing with Kidpix and using clipart.  Our second time in the lab will be this Tuesday, September 2nd.

I hope that this newsletter has given you a good idea of what your child is doing in my classroom.  I promise that it won't be so long next time!!  Again, if your child has a change of transportation, please write me a note in the folder;  if your child is absent due to an illness, please also write me a note to turn into the office so that it can be an "excused absence".  Thanks for all of your help at home and continue to read nightly to or with your child---a September Reading Log came home in their folders on Friday.  PLEASE total each week with the number of minutes read.

Have a great week!  Happy Birthday, Wyatt, on Saturday, August 30th!!!!

Sincerely,   Peggy Snook

Week of May 5th......

  Dear Parents,

Happy Cinco de Mayo!!!  Last week was a very busy, hectic week culminating in our great 1st grade performances!  Everyone was fabulous and we all enjoyed those "happy smiles " on each face that night.  As you can see from the header above, we have started our study of Mexico.  On Friday we saw a video on the daily life of a seven year old in a small Mexican town....I showed it to the class on the Promethean board we have in our classroom.  The students are very excited about this "special board" that we can do so many things on....for example, we have done 2 digit addition problems and each child came up to the board to answer a problem;  we have done our Daily Oral Language and each child came to the board to make sentence corrections using the appropriate editing marks we learned all year;  we have watched a CD on Nutrition on the Promethean board; we have gone to websites to visit the panda at the Atlanta Zoo as well as a nutrition website and played educational games; and, I am learning more and more each day about what all can be done with this magnificent educational board!!!

As I mentioned above, we have begun our study of Mexico. We will start a "reading activity book" on Monday telling the story of what happens in Mexico on May 5th - Cinco de Mayo....should be a lot of fun and educational.  If any of you have items from Mexico that you would be willing to share with the class this next week, I would really appreciate it being sent in with your child and I'll put it on a display table.  We will study the people of Mexico and how they are alike and different from us, the language difference from English to Spanish and perhaps learn a few Spanish words, and we will also learn about the customs of the Mexican people as well as the landscape and typography of this country.  Should be fun!!

With only 3 weeks of school left, here are the important dates that you need to know:

Monday, May 5th - Last reading night for AR points in the Media Center from 6 - 8 pm.

Thursday, May 8th - Mrs. Wilson's Retirement Party  5 - 6 pm.

Friday, May 9th - Career Day and Volunteer Brunch.

Monday, May 12th - Author's Tea in the classroom from 8:05 - 8:40. (We have been invited to see the kindergarten "Under the Sea" presentation at 8:45) This is a special time with you and your child to celebrate the improvement that you will see in his/her writing over the last nine months.  Please plan on attending as it is very important to your child;  if for some reason you cannot, please let me know and I will get your child's 4th grade book buddy to be there.  Hopefully, you will be able to make arrangements for a parent or another relative to be there.  Thanks in advance for your attendance.

Wednesday, May 14th - K-2 Field Day

Friday, May 16th - Celebration Night   6 - 7 pm.

Friday, May 23rd - Last day of School.....This has been a wonderful year for me and hopefully for your children.  I have seen young 6 and 7 year olds enter my classroom in August of last year and grow by leaps and bounds during this school year.  I have thoroughly enjoyed having your children this year and I will look forward to them coming back next year as BIG second graders to read to my class....they are all treasures that each of you have shared with me this school year.  Continue to read over the summer, enjoy your family time together, and see you in August!!!!

This past week we had one of our "in house" field trips called "Zoo to You".  The children were able to see and/or touch several different types of animals.....a snake, a huge frog, a baby wallaby, to name a few.  It was a great success and enjoyed by all!!

I am sure there are other days and dates, but these are some of the most important ones.  We will also celebrate summer birthdays sometime during the last week of school....date TBA.

I will continue to do reading assessments (DRA - Developmental Reading Assessment) on the class as this week progresses....also, in Math we will continue to explore 2 digit numbers in both addition and subtraction.  While regrouping IS NOT a first grade skill, I have introduced it and shown it to the class when it has been appropriate. 

Here's hoping your week is a good one and look forward to NO MORE HOMEWORK OR SPELLING TESTS after this week!!!!!

Sincerely,   Peggy Snook                           

Week of April 21st.....

Dear Parents,

It's our first week back from Spring Break and all of us have had to get back in the mindset of school.  We have only five (yes, 5!!!) more weeks of school with lots going on in those 25 days.  First of all, we start 1st Grade play practice on Monday with rotating times for each class to practice in the cafetaria.  Mrs. White and I start the week off on Monday with practice from 8:15 to 9:00 and then on Tuesday, all classes practice together from 9:00 to 10:15.  I hope all of you have taken the time to read Ms. Zarin's letter about desk code for the performance on Thursday, May 1st at the PTA meeting.  Also, she has requested that each child bring in a small (10" or smaller) puppy stuffed animal to be used with one of their songs.  I will keep them together in the room to be used at practice time only.

Then, of course, the remainder of the week will be stressful on all of us.....the CRCT testing on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  Our time frame will have us finish each morning by 10:25 for specials.  On the homework sheet going home Monday, I am giving NO HOMEWORK this week so that you can help your child get the rest each one needs nightly and get a good breakfast each morning of tesing.  I am asking that you send in small bottles of water to be put on the floor beside their seats and for a hardly, healthy snack sent in daily.  This is a new situation for your children, so, they are going to be anxious about the unknown.  Please talk to your child about this testing and explain that the test is going to ask about things we have been doing in class.  It is their way to show us what all they have learned this year.  Please make sure your child is on time each of these days....if they are tardy, they will not be allowed in the classroom until there is a break in testing in our classroom.  They will be held in the Media Center during this time, if necessary, but I'd like everyone on time those three days.  That will make it less stressful on your child.  Walk Fit will be offered each testing day (7:20 -7:45) and this will be a good way for your child to get out and exercise for a few minutes before I ask them to sit for a long period of time.  I am expecting your child to do very well on the CRCT.  Please remind your child how important it is to listen and stay focused during testing.

With Spring upon us, I need to remind you about the dress code here at Garrison Mill:  No thin strapped or tank tops; no flip flops: and girls' skirts should be long enough that your child's fingertips touch the hem of the outfit. 

Dates to mark on your calendar:

**CRCT testing Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this next week.

**Thursday, May 1st - PTA Performance with our 1st graders.

**Saturday, May 3rd - Schoolwide Garage Sale

**Friday, May 9th - Career Day and Parents Volunteer Brunch at 8:30 am.

**Monday, May 12th - Author's Tea to celebrate your child's success in writing improvement this year.  This will be a 1/2 hour (possibly starting about 8:15 or 8:30) for you and your child to look through and read papers your child has done since August of last year.  You will be amazed to see the HUGE growth in their ability to tell stories and write about adventures they have taken!!!  If you are not able to attend, please try to get a grandparent or friend to come for your child.  It is a very special day for each child.

**Wednesday, May 14th - Field Day for K - 2.

**Friday, May 23rd - LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

Curriculum News:

**Earth Day is Tuesday, April 22nd and we will be learning about how to RECYCLE, REDUCE, AND REUSE things in our environment to help our earth stay HEALTHY. 

**We will be studying Mexico towards the end of this month and into May to learn about the people, their language, and cultural differences between our two countries.

**We have already started our study of Nutrition and what that means.  We are working with the food groups from the NEW vertical Food Pyramid.

This coming week will be hectic, busy, and challenging for all of us.  Encourage your child to do his/her best, listen, and stay focused with me during the test.

Also, one last note of news---there are new photos up in the hall from about the first of March until before Spring Break.  Do stop by and see them....the children always enjoy having them up in the hall.

Have a great week!!!    Sincerely, Peggy Snook

Week of March 24th

Dear Parents,

This will be my last blog to you until I get back from my trip abroad.  I will return to school with the students after spring break on April14th.  Jackie Weyrick will be my substitute teacher for the week of March 31st to April 4th.  She is wonderful and I know that she will do a great job with the kids!!  You may see things a little different during that week as I won't be doing everything that I usually do.  There WILL NOT be spelling words that week....an early spring gift from me.  Also, Mrs. Weyrick will not be keeping track of AR points as I do, so please do not expect a report home until after I return.  She will be continuing to practice CRCT questions and strategies with the students. The CRCT testing dates for 1st grade will be Wednesday, April 23rd through Friday, April 25th.  I will remind you of this later, but please plan on your child having a very good night's sleep before each testing day, a good, healthy breakfast each morning, and a small bottle of water that will be placed on the floor beside their desks.

Other reminders for you:

**I sent a note home recently in reference to our 1st graders performing at the May 1st PTA meeting.  Mrs. Zarin has requested that each of you return that note for her to know that she has your support and help, if you can offer that.  There is an organizational meeting coming up soon and I have noted that date on the homework sheet going home on Monday, March 24th.

**We teachers have been reminded by administration to talk about our Dress Code here at Garrison Mill.  With spring weather upon us, there can be no midriff tops, no spaghetti tops, no tank tops, shorts and skirt length must be where the student can stand and touch the hem, no flip flops (Crocs are fine), and K-2 will be given a warning and then sent to the office for a parent call.

**Spring Break will be the week of April 7 - 11 with school resuming on Monday, April 14th.  Parent centers are scheduled for Wednesday, April 16th.

**Reading Logs for March are due Monday, March 31st.  I plan on sending a new one for April this coming Friday.....read, read, and read some more.  Thanks for your help with this.

**Wednesday, April 2nd, is Kindergarten registration here at Garrison Mill.

**Thursday, April 3rd is a PTA meeting @ 6:30 and also the Art Show/Invention Convention.

**Friday, April 4th will be Spirit Day so, please wear your GM T-shirt.

Curriculum News

Reading - One of my groups is finishing a chapter book on Amelia Bedelia.  They have enjoyed reading about her unusual ways of doing things.  Another group has just finished a story on a girl named Collen and her first trip to Ireland to visit her grandparents.  We have learned about the continent of Europe and the capital of Ireland is Dublin.  New vocabulary for this group included legend, hedgerow, Celtic, and Irish, for example.  In this story Colleen learns about a story involving leprechauns and a man named Jack Fox.  My last group is reading a book about Animals Everywhere and learning about their habitats.  As you know all last week we read at least a dozen Jan Brett books and I do believe I have them hooked on her as an author!!!  She is a wonderful author as well as a fantastic illustrator and they class has certainly enjoyed her books this past week.  Ask your child about a character in many of her books named Hedgie.  She is a hedgehog and appears in many of her books even if Hedgie isn't a character in that particular story.  Also, check out Jan Brett's website at www.janbrett.com- good information on her books as well as activities for your child.    

Phonics - we continue to work on spelling/phonics patterns.  For example, the sound of the letter r being spelled "wr" as in write, wrong, wrinkle, wrist;  the letter n being spelled "kn" as in knight, knife, know, knew:  and we still are working on adding "ed" to words to mean the past, that the action is finished.

Math - we just took a test on Chapter 20 about clocks, time, schedules, informational graphs, longer/shorter time, and before/after.  I plan on going back to Chapter 15 and returning to subtraction and different strategies to use in problem solving.  Please add subtraction back into your flashcard practice at home.  Thank you!

Writing - I am going back to writing practice sheets as I see many of my students need to revisit how to make certain letters.  Many are becoming careless and sloppy in their writing and I want to do something about it now and not later.  Please encourage you child to do the best writing they can do on homework given to them.  We will also be doing some more writing on some of our Jan Brett stories.

Science - we will be starting a unit on Spring the week of March 31st and continue it after spring break.  We had an in-school field trip this past Tuesday at Garrison Mill.  The Science Guy came and did a program called Science for Everyone.  The kids loved him and his assistant as they had some exciting experiments to show them.  We will have another in-school field trip in May on animals.

Here's hoping that your Spring Break is restful, fun, and safe!!

Sincerely,    Peggy Snook

Week of March 10th

Dear Parents,         

What a busy few weeks we have had at Garrison Mill!!  Presidents Reports were absolutely wonderful---such a variety of ideas including a log cabin, board games, a replica of Monticello, a bald eagle, several different types of portraits of presidents, and many interesting facts about Presidents of the United States.  I hope that you have had a chance to see the collection outside our room.  There is also a new set of classroom pictures from January and February in the hallway....enjoy.  We had a good curriculum night last Thursday with many of you dropping by to see some good math ideas to do with your child at home.  One activity was using a 100's frame and a die with +10, -10, +1, and -1 on its faces.  Using a marker for each player, you would roll and move according to the plus or minus on the die....first one to get to 100 wins the game!  Another game is played with a deck of cards minus the Jacks, Queens, and Kings.  Ask your child how to play SALUTE as it's a good addition and subtraction practice game.

A note went home on Friday asking for your help in collecting items for your child to use in making his/her leprechaun traps.  Let me remind you that the items sent in will not be returned, so, please keep that in mind.  This is an exciting project for the students and they love all that goes into making their traps.  Please don't start sending in their items until at least Thursday. They will work in a 3 - 4 person cooperative group when doing this project....thanks.

Practice Testing material will continue to be sent home on Mondays.  Last week you received the Reading section to let your child practice the type of questions that they will see on the CRCT in mid to late April.  Today, March 10th, I will be sending home a Math Test Practice packet to do with your child.  Please do not return these to me as we will be doing our own practice testing in the classroom.  Then, next Monday, the 17th, I will send home a Language Practice Test for your child to do at home.  Don't forget that there are CRCT test practices on the Garrison Mill website...use the number that I gave you at conference time to access these practice tests.    Have fun!!!!

On Thursday, March 13th, we will have a Chick-fil-A party provided by Nicholas Lezaj who is a winner for his picture with himself and many Chick-fil-A cows on a football field....way to go, Nicholas!!!  He has earned us a platter of Chicken Nuggets which will be served to them after lunch...about 1:30 to be exact.  Since it serves 30 people, we will be inviting Mrs. Whitson's class to join us.  Should be a lot of fun.   Thanks, Nicholas!!!!!            

Upcoming Dates to mark on your calendar:   

Tuesday, March 11th - Texas Roadhouse Dinner Night

Friday, March 14th - Bingo Night @ Garrison Mill  6 - 8 p.m.

Monday, March 17th - HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY - Parent Centers 9:30 - 10:25

Thursday, March 20th - Report cards sent home for the 3rd Nine Weeks grading period.

Monday - Friday, March 31st - April 4th - Jackie Weyrick will be my substitute teacher for the week.  Have a wonderful and safe Spring Break!!!

Curriculum News:

Reading -Several of my reading groups have started chapter books.  One group is reading a fiction story about a girl named Colleen and her visit to Ireland and, of course, there are leprechauns involved in this visit.  Another group started an Amelia Bedelia book and her crazy ways to do things.  The last group will be reading a rebus story on leprechauns and answering some comprehension questions.

Math - We have just started our chapter on telling time, calendars, and charts/graphs.  We will be talking about digital clocks as well as analog ones....how to write both.  We do all of the above activities in calendar math each day, so, I expect the clock, a calendar, and charts/graphs will go very smoothly for this class.  Please continue to work on both addition and subtraction facts to 18 as we are now taking a 5 minute timed tests in addition with 50 problems.  For mastery of this skill, your child needs to get a score of at least 44/50 in 5 minutes.  Be sure not to forget about the subtraction facts--continue to practice those, too

Phonics - We will continue to talk about singular and plural nouns, but now we will not only add "s" or "es" to make plural nouns, we will learn to change the y to i and add es as in city/cities, lady/ladies, and baby/babies.  Also, we will continue to work on past tense verbs by adding "ed".  This is a skill that is sometimes hard for your child....as they reread written work to me, often they don't add "ed" to verbs even though they read it that way, they don't add it in their writing. I will introduce some basic dictionary skills to the class - definitions, understanding that the words are in ABC order, what part of speech it is with us consentrating on nouns, verbs, and adjective, and an introduction into what a guide word is and does for you in a dictionary.

Writing/Language Arts Skills:   One of the best skills your child can learn and put into practice is "REREADING" his/her own work.  It is sometimes hard for a first grader to do this, but, we all know that it will catch many mistakes and see if what they wrote makes sense to them.  I continue to assess each child on grammar in their writing--are they using the skills and lessons in their writing and sentences that we go over in our Open Court series and in our Phonic book?  It's important for me to see capital letters at th beginning of each sentence and some sort of puncuation mark at the end of each sentence.  Are they spelling correctly the words that we have had weekly in spelling and are they using the grammar skills in their daily work?   Answers to these questions are my assessment for grades in spelling (not just an E+ each Friday on their spelling test) and as well as their English Composition grade.  With report cards going home on the 20th of this month, I wanted to review with you how I mark the grades for each individual student.

Here are our February Reading Log Winners:

1st place - Shelly Chummar with 128 stickers;  2nd place - Jamie Cwalina with 68 stickers, and 3rd place - Bryce Daniels with 60 stickers.  Congratulation for a job well done!!!   Since I have upped the reading minutes to at least 75 minutes per week, I should see at least 300 minutes of monthly reading or 30 stickers on their chart.  Please continue to try and meet "at least" that standard of monthly reading.  You, as a parent, will begin to see a difference in your child's reading the MORE that you read with them!  Each of them love that special time with a parent....invest the time now and I promise you that it will pay off in the long run for your child!!!!!  The amount of AR reading done each week is growing and the AR points chart in the hall reflects that....keep up the good work, class!!!!

Here's hoping that your week is a good one and the weather stays warmer for us.  Have a great week!!

Sincerely,   Peggy Snook

Week of February 20, 2008

Dear Parents,       

WHAT A GREAT VALENTINE'S CELEBRATION WE HAD!!!!  It started with wonderful center activities last Wednesday with Stephanie Daniels, Shari Eggart, and Dawn Corner bringing them into the classroom.  We, of course, had a cookie decorating center with bits of everything to put on their cookie;  a money center where each child had "real" money to use and buy items at a store;  and then there was a HEART center with nouns, verbs, and adjectives on them along with "a, the, an, very, etc." where each child had to make a GOOD sentence using these words.  Everyone had a great time at each center and I thank each of these ladies for doing a wonderful job!!  Then, Thursday came---February 14th---and EVERYONE was SO excited to deliver their Valentine's to their friends' boxes!!!  The hardest part of the day for the children was waiting to get their boxes and see what Valentine's they had received!!!!!  Finally, it came towards the end of the day and WOW---what fun they had!!!!  I'd like to thank each of you for the delightful treats that I got from the children!!!!   THANK YOU!!!!    THANK YOU!!!!!

Here are so important dates to put on your calendar: 

***Wednesday, Feb. 20th - Six Flags Reading Club forms are due to me.  They will be turned in for your child to receive a free pass to Six Flags for this coming summer.

***Thursday, Feb. 21st - 5pm is Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night

***Monday, Feb. 25th - AR Reading NIght from 6 - 8 pm @ Garrison Mill Media Center

***Tuesday, Feb. 26th - Class Picture Day

***Friday, Feb. 29th - Feb. Reading Log is due and GM Talent Show @ 6:30pm where the TEACHERS will perform to open up the Talent Show.....should be fun!!!!

UPCOMING DATES FOR MARCH --- Tuesday, March 4th is an Early Release Day @ 12:20pm;  Thursday, March 6th is a PTA meeting @ 6:30 AND Curriculum Night;  Friday, March 7th is Spirit Day so wear your GM t-shirt, and that entire week, March 3 - 7th is Book Fair/Read Across America Week.  I've just received an email from our principal talking about "Read Across America on March 3rd----there will be a school-wide Pajama Day on that Monday, the 3rd, students will take a "reading oath" that morning on the annoucements, and I would welcome GUEST READERS anytime during that day to read to the class.  Please let me know if you are interested....I will probably ask either Mrs. Wilson or Mrs. Huffman to read to my class that day, too.

By now most of you have seen the President's Project I have sent home last Friday.  They are due on or before Thursday, Feb. 28th.  Your child may choose any president that they like and must fill out the 2nd page attached to the letter I sent home.  The cover letter gives you many examples of the other part of the project---writing a story, dressing up as a president, etc. and, as the paper says, you may come up with your own original ideas and present it.  Your children have learned many interesting facts about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.  You can view in the hallway each child's choice between the two above mentioned presidents that they are writing about in detail.  We also did a Venn diagram before they started the writing to give them a focus for what they wanted to say.  Please stop by and take a look!!  It's a work in progress at the moment.

Curriculum News:

Reading -Over the next 5 - 6 days, I will be assessing each child using the DRA (Developmental Reading Assessment).  To be on grade level reading for the third nine weeks grading period, your child needs to be reading a level G (12) to be considered "on level" for the report card in reading.  Please continue to read nightly to and with your child and record it on the monthly reading log.  *****DON'T FORGET TO TURN IN THE 6 HOURS SIX FLAGS READING TO ME ASAP.  I have to turn it in this week on Wednesday.

Math - We are starting the chapter on money and it is MOST important for you to send in the baggy of money (and quantities of each) that I requested early this month.  Please don't forget to put your child's name of the baggy.  We will use it often during this chapter and it will be returned to you later in the year......thank you.  As a fun game at home, let your child count your pocket change each night to get in the habit of adding on....please start with the biggest value of a coin from your pocket and add on using the next largest coin, and so on.  This nightly reinforcement will help your child greatly. Also, please don't forget to keep practicing on addition and subtraction facts to 18. 

Phonics - We continue to work on pattern in phonics.  For example, we have just reviewed the "ow and ou" spellings as in cow and round....please encourage your child to use these in their writing that is done at home.  We will review compound words, "er and est" works as in fast, faster, fastest, "aw and au" as in saw/law and author/fault.  We'll continue with the "oo" spelled ue, and u + e as in true/glue and rude/flute.  Also, "ew" spelling as in flew, grew, and stew---then, we will add the "oo" spelled oo as in look, Snook, and took.  Lots to work with, but hopefully we will continue to see improvement in each child's spelling/writing as they begin to use these sounds/spellings we've studied in phonics.

Social Studies - Our study of Washington and Lincoln will be a major part of this six week's grade along with the projects that they do on a  president of their choice.  We also will continue our writing on the presidents using a Venn diagram to compare and contrast Washington and Lincoln.

Health - February is Dental Health month and we are learning about our primary teeth and our permanent teeth - incisors, molars, and canines.  We will have a Wellstar presentation on "Smile Power" on Wednesday, February 20th.  We will also learn about the importance of brushing at least twice daily and using floss.

Attendance - We teachers have been reminded that we must call parents if your child has had 5, 10, or 15 absences even if they were due to illnesses.  It is a county policy and we must document that we have spoken with a parent to make them aware of the number of absences for their child.  I will be making phone calls this week to those of you that fall into the above category.  Thank you for understanding.

So, as you can see, we are very busy this month.  Thanks again for all that you do at home with your child.....keep it up, read nightly to or with your child, and enjoy each day with them.  They are our "treasures"!!

Sincerely,     Peggy Snook

Week of February 4th

Dear Parents,         

The penguin projects have been absolutely wonderful and informative!!  I hope that you will have an opportunity to come by the hall outside our classroom and view the variety of ideas, reports, stories, game boards, and many others creative ideas for presenting a "Penguin Project".

Conference week is over and we can get back to a normal schedule.....thank goodness.  Thanks to each of you that came in during your scheduled conference time.  I sincerely hope you were informed about your child's progress as of mid year in 1st grade.  Always know that I have an open door to discuss any concerns or problems that you may have. 

I sent home on Friday a written newsletter that covers our new February Literacy Centers and other reminders and information that you will need to know for the month of February.  Please read over it carefully as there are some important dates coming up.  On Wednesday of last week, Stephanie Daniels, Shari Eggart and Carol English came in for parent centers and I must say that they outdid themselves!!!  They presented three wonderful centers for your children---we made ice cream in small baggies using ice and rock salt to lower the temperature for a "quick freeze";  we put 8 winter words in ABC order alphabetizing to the second letter on some of them; and finally, we made penguins using geometric shapes such as cylinders, cones, spheres and other flat shapes as pentagons, ovals, circles, and diamonds to add features to our penguins.  They have been in the hall for a few days to dry and we have received many great compliments on the "adorable penguins" made with shapes!!!!   Job well done, ladies!!!!!

Scholastic Book Orders are due ASAP.....remember that this is optional.  Shari would like to send them off this week.  Thank you!!!  A reminder to be keeping your 6 Hours Six Flags Reading points on the form I sent home in December, I believe.  These forms will be due to me by February 20th.  Fingerprinting has been changed to February 11 - 12.  Also, please make sure you mark your calendar for February 19th and 20th as student holidays---President's Day and Professional Learning Day for teachers.  The Garrison Mill Talent Show will be on Friday, February 29th in the school cafetaria.....not sure of the time so I will let you know once I confirm it.

February will be a busy month with Valentine's celebration, groundhog day information, study of Washington and Lincoln, dental health month, and Black History month.  I mentioned on this week's homework sheet about each child making a Valentine's box at home (shoebox decorated in reds, whites, pinks, hearts, etc.) with their names on it and a slot cut in the top for Valentine's card to be delivered to each child.  These should be sent in by Tuesday, February 12th.....thank you for your help at home. I will be sending home this week a class list of names for making out Valentine's cards.   

Please read carefully the Newletter I sent home on Friday.....many, many important dates for this busy month of February, so, please mark your calendars accordingly.....thanks.

Have a great week.....     Sincerely,   Peggy Snook

 

Week of January 22nd

Dear Parents,            

The first of the year has started off very well.  I am tremendously pleased with the amount of AR tests I see your children taking on a daily bases.  I do believe the incentive of inviting a friend to lunch after earning 5 AR points has truly stepped up their reading.....whatever works to get them reading/test taking/comprehension check.  We started off the first week back learning and writing about resolutions for the New Year.  I hope you found their "promises" to change/make better certain things they want to work on interesting and insightful.  Those came home in the little Bell Book last week.

Last Wednesday/Thursday was beautiful with the snowfall.  The children had many stories to tell about their activities in the snow.....they also wrote and drew a picture about the adventure.  As you are aware of, we are studying Arctic and Antarctic animals particularly the polar bear and penguins.  This brings in our Social Studies standards using the globe, locating the Arctic and Antarctic areas of the world/talking about the northern and southern hemisphere, and the equator.  The projects that I sent home last week certainly give each child an opportunity to choose activities that fit his/her style.  These four (4) projects are due, at the latest, on Tuesday, January 29th.  If you want to send 1 or 2 in as your child finishes them, please do.  Each project will be presented to the class, so, this would certainly help me to NOT have 60 activities to share on January 29th.

Curriculum News:

Reading - Each of my three groups is reading a book on either January and its monthly activities or a story on penguins.  Lots of new vocabulary is being introduced in these books as well as working on certain skills as contractions and phonics practices.  Later in the month I will be starting chapter books with some of my groups. Also, a gentle reminder to total your child's weekly Reading Log minutes as that helps me tremendously at the end of the month.  December's Reading Log winners are:  1st place - Shelly Chummar 70+ points, 2nd and 3rd places to Brenden and Bryce Daniels with 60+ points.  I cannot emphasize enough how important nightly reading is with your child....reading to them, them reading to you, or shared reading....all of this helps so much in the long run for your child!!  I also need to remind you that your child should be reading AT LEAST 60 minutes weekly, if not more.  Later in the year, I will be increasing this to 75 minutes per week.  Recently, I sent home a Six Flags reading log that will earn your child a free admission ticket to the park this summer if they read 6 hours and list those books.  This completed copy will be due back to me by February 20th as I have to turn them in on that day for you to qualify for the ticket.  Please be mindful of that date.....thank you. Weekly reading minutes can be logged on the Six Flags minute, too.

Phonics -  We have reviewed adding "ing" to words and how to use it in a sentence.  Also, we have introduced new spelling for long a as in tray and "ai" as in rain.  The long i can be spelled with an "igh" as in right, night, light, the "y" as in try, shy, why, and "ie" as in pie, die, and tie.  Please continue to point out these patterns in your child's nightly reading----thanks!  These different spellings of certain vowels are certainly a good example for your child to incorporate their understanding and usage of these phonics skills that we work on daily.

Math - Since being back from the holidays, we have been working on solid and plane figures---check out our math drawings in the hall that use both solid and plane figures such as cone, cylinder, rectangular prism, sphere, pyramid, cube as well as square, rectangle, triangle, hexagon, pentagon, and circle.  Other new words/vocabulary being introduced are corner, side, vertex, and vertices.  The class seems to really be enjoying this chapter.  Coming up in math will be strategies to use in addition and subtraction such as doubles plus one and add on 10.  A website that will be useful to your child at home will be found on www.mathfactcafe.com  Here, your child can practice flashcards especially using the skill of doubles plus 1 --- go in under the "2nd Grade" section to find addition and subtraction patterns to practice.  Great Website site!!!

Writing - This week's snowfall has been a great jumping off point for the class retelling their adventures during a certain event.  Now, with more snowfall over this long weekend, we will continue to work on retelling stories and writing about them.  All the while in their writing, I am looking for spelling strategies we have studied (stop becomes stopped in past tense, story becomes stories, adding "ed" to verbs for the past tense, fox becomes foxes in plural form, and spelling words we have had spelled correctly).

Computer Lab - Last week and this week we are working on a Storybook Weaver writing project in the lab.  Each child chose either polar bears or penguins to write and make a picture of their animal.  We have read, watched, and studied many things in the classroom about the Arctic and Antarctic animals and now they are putting what they have learned into a writing project.  Look for them in the hall later this week.

Upcoming Studies - Towards the end of January we will start studying one of the two countries that are required in the 1st grade curriculum and standards---the other country is Mexico that we will study in May.  Georgia standards require that 1st graders are exposed to/learn about the people of this country, resources of Canada, be able to locate the country on a map, family life-how it is alike and different from ours,their flag, and the country itself.  We have several videos that will help us with all of the above.

In closing, let me say how forward I am to seeing each of you at conferences this coming week.  We will be following an Early Release schedule this week with lunch at 10:41 - 11:11, specials 11:30 - 12:00, and dismissal at 12:20. Conference week starts Tuesday, January 22nd and continues through next Monday, January 28th.  Also, I want to thank you for the warm reception that my letter got this past week about me joining my daughter, Kelly, in Australia/NZ in late March.  Hope to see you this coming Friday night, January 25th at the Garrison Mill Sock Hop from 6:30 to 8:30!!!!

Sincerely,   Peggy Snook

P.S.  Look for new photos in the hall sometime this week from before the Winter holidays.

Week of January 8th

Dear Parents,                

Happy New Year!  I'd like to thank you, as parents, for the beautiful AUBURN blanket I received from the class.....it kept me warm several times over the holidays.

Just a quick note to say "hello" and tell you that Tuesday and Wednesday have been two good days in school so far.  Yes, they are a bit tired, but we've still been working away with different skills.  On Tuesday we talked about what a resolution was for the New Year.  We are working on a booklet that has them write about 3 New Year's "promises" that they want to keep.  Hopefully, you'll see that by Friday or the first of next week.  I'm sure many of you have heard about us studying the Arctic and Antarctaria regions of the world and all of the animals that go along with the two areas - penguins, polar bears, sea lions, whales, snow birds, snow rabbits, etc.  I will do many of my curriculum skills through this study area  -  such as verbs, writing sentences, talking more about nouns both common and proper ones, winter math,  etc.

I promise to give a more detailed description of our class activities either in a news update sheet or on my next blog.  In the mean time, keep your child reading, reading, and reading!  Conference information comes home tomorrow, the 10th, so please return the bottom half of the letter to let me know your time slot is good.  If it isn't, please let me know when will be good and I'll rearrange your time.  Thanks for all you do as parents.....we are a team!

Sincerely,   Peggy Snook           P. S.  We can only hope for some of this weather in January!!!!

Week of December 10th

Dear Parents,

Can you believe that we are almost half way through the school year!!  We have been quite busy in class reading and preparing to make our Gingerbread boy or girl this week.   Thank you to all of you that have sent in supplies for this project.  Your child will do two writing activities with his/her gingerbread person---one will be to describe and tell about the person they made/decorated and the other one will be to write their own gingerbread boy/girl adventure.  We have ready both stories---The Gingerbread Man and The Gingerbread Girl.  We have done a compare and contrast on both versions and learned some new vocabulary along the way: for example---sly, devious, and outfoxed describe the fox and then what the gingerbread girl did to the fox---she outfoxed him.    I look forward to you seeing your child's creations!!!  We''ll be eating gingerbread cookies on Monday when we are working to create our own gingerbread person.

Also, a big thanks goes out to those of you that baked for the 1st grade Relay for Life Bake sale.  We did very well and were sold out before the bell at 7:55 that morning!!!  Please send in your can good for the Can-a-Thon which starts on Monday, the 10th and continues until the 18th.  We will start lining our cans up along the wall just outside the classroom door and hopefully collect lots of cans and boxed items (cereals, etc) for needy families.

On Monday, I will send home a conference note to help me plan out our times/days together in January.  Conference week starts on Tuesday, Jan. 22nd and continues until Monday, Jan. 28th.  My note will be asking you which days/times you ARE NOT available for a conference.  This will help me out in early Jan. when I sit down to make out my schedule for that week.  For those of you new to Garrison Mill, the children are released early that entire time just like an early release day....usually by about 12:20 each day.  Then, teacher will schedule 20 minute conferences starting about 12:40 or 1:00 each day.  I will share the 2nd nine week's report card with you at this time.  Please be thinking about anything you might want/need to discuss with me and make a note on your conference letter I'll send you in early January.

Now, for some curriculum news......

Reading - I have rearranged some of the students into different reading groups starting last week.  One group started reading a holiday story and learning about different traditions for different families; another group is reading about a girl making holiday cookies with her mom; and the third group started a story on the winter solistice and the tilt of the earth at this time of year.  We are highlighting new and interesting words in each of these stories and later this month, they will be able to share all of these with you at home!

Math - we finished up our chapter on graphing, tally marks, and understanding "more" and "less".  Last week our new chapter began with comparing and ordering numbers---greater than, less than, equal to, numbers between/before/after a given number. I also gave a substraction timed test last week--25 problems in 3 minutes--and I could tell many need to go back over substraction and review problems.  I will continue to give addition timed tests, also.

Phonics - I continue to see an improvement in your child's writing using many of the phonics rules I have introduced.  These are the ones we will be working on in the coming weeks.....long "e" spelled with ee or ea as in see, meet, each, and scream;  kw spelled "qu" as in quack, quick, quiet;  long "e" also spelled "y" and "ie" as in field, chief, party, duty;  review "bossy 'r' as in fire, care, share; and plurals different from adding just an "s" or "es"---words like baby/changing the "y" to an "i" and adding "es" as in lady, story to get babies, ladies, and stories.

Science - we are learning about normal body temperature (98.6 degrees), a fever when your body temperature goes up, and then, the freezing point of a liquid at 32 degrees.  This is of most interest to the children as we talk about when rain CAN turn into snow and THEY ALL WANT SOME SNOW!!!!            The class did very well in November with north, south, east, and west directions on a map and naming the oceans east and west of the United States as well as the Gulf of Mexico south of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

This past week you should have gotten your child's American Symbols booklet in his/her folder.  They thoroughly enjoyed reading and learning about different symbols that represent American---the grand, old flag, the bald eagle, the White House, the Statue of Liberty....and others we talked about such as the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Uncle Sam, and the Lincoln Memorial.  We will add to that list as the year goes on.

November Reading logs found many stickers being given for each ten minutes read at home.  Our top three readers were Jamie (86), Hana (73), and Jamal (65)....each with more than 65 stickers....way to go, guys!!!  Honorable mention should also go to Brenden, Bryce, and Shelly with 55 or more stickers!!!  Yea, keep up the good work, everybody!!!  In January, I will be increasing the nightly reading to 75 minutes a week on the Reading Log.....as always, thanks for your help at home----you do make a difference! FYI- please total out each week's worth of reading your child does---it helps me out tremendously    Thanks!

Just a reminder that our class holiday party will be on Wednesday, December 19th from 12:30 -1:30.  Thanks in advance to Stephanie Daniels, Shari Eggart, and the other parents that will be helping plan and carry out the fun activities.

We have two more week of school before Winter Break and please remind your child that we still have lots to do at school.  Listening and following directions is a part of our daily work and I would ask you to emphasize this to your child.....thank you.

Have a great week and try to imagine that this warm weather is not happening in December!!!

Sincerely,   Peggy Snook