We had a great time at our Thanksgiving Feast. We had placemats, Indian headbands, name cards, and a candlelight lunch. The children really felt like they were having a “formal” dinner. We have really been working hard on our readers theater. Although it won’t last long, it will be something you won’t want to miss. It is scheduled for next Monday, November 23rd, at 11:40. I realize many students will leave afterward; please just make sure you sign them out. Tuesday will be an early release day at 11:00. I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving and I hope the students will be rested and ready to get back to work when they return from the break.
A special thanks to those parents who signed up to help with our parties and for those that sent prizes for our “Store.” The kids love being a part of this.
Thank you,
Mrs. Benson

We have had a lot happen in the last couple of weeks. The students received their report cards and I hope that each of you checked out what your child should work on and what he/she is doing well in. Thank you for sending them back signed.
We have been learning our digraphs in phonics (sh ch th wh ph gh). Now we have moved on to the vowel-r blends (ar or er ir ur). Although many students know these in their reading, they still are not transferring this to their writing. We are currently working on our Thanksgiving Readers Theater in reading to again work on fluency and expression. In writing we have worked on sequencing and continue to do so. Math has covered adding and subtracting by counting up and back and by using the number line. Continue to check your child’s Monday’s graded papers to see if there is something that he/she needs to practice. Spelling words went home this week, but the test will not be until after the Thanksgiving break. These words are a little more difficult so we need more time to master them.
Today, your child should have brought home a packet of notes. Please fill out each one accordingly and send them back. If you choose to help with our Store, that would be much appreciated, but there is no obligation. Our Thanksgiving Readers Theater is this next Monday, Nov. 23, at 11:40. I hope you can come and enjoy this time with us. We get out early on the following Tuesday at 11:00. I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday with your family and friends!

I hope all of you were able to view our readers theater of The Lost Little Witch. The students did a great job. We will be working on another one in the coming weeks that you will be invited to come and watch before our Thanksgiving break. I invite all of you to subscribe to this blog to be kept up to date on what we are doing each week.
This past week we had 5 new spelling words and a spelling test on Friday. We will be getting new spelling words this week; however, the test will be the following week. Look for the exact date in your child’s planner. Also, this past week we learned about American symbols and what they mean to us. This leads us into our study of our history and past events that have made our country what it is today. Your child will be bringing home a Timeline on Monday to help with this activity. They simply need to make a timeline of their lives. Directions will be with the timeline. I hope you enjoy doing this home activity with your child.
Our reading and writing will continue with guided reading groups and writers workshop. Your child’s levels have been moved up on the books that he/she brings home. They may have an easy book and they may have a more difficult one. Both are good for them to read, no matter what their level.
This past Friday we had a BoxTop Pep Rally with the high school band, cheerleaders, twirlers, and players coming down to help us celebrate the number of BoxTops and the amount of money we have raised. The children loved it! But don’t stop now, please keep sending those BoxTops so we can earn more money for our school. I hope you all have a great week!
Mrs. Benson

This week we will be participating in Red Ribbon Week. This a drug awareness activity that the entire district will participate in. Be sure and check the notes that have already come home telling how we will show that we are drug free each day. I believe that Monday is “crazy socks and sunglasses.” Last week we learned how to help ourselves in times of danger in the WHO program. I believe this is a vital part of keeping our children safe.  Parent comferences will be this Tuesday. Don’t forget your scheduled time and I hope to see all of you.

This week we will be wrapping up several projects that we have underway. We will complete our Halloween Spooky Story, complete our Leo Lionne illustrations and writings, and finish up our science centers. We only have a couple weeks left until the six weeks is over.  Your children have really come a long way.

One thing  I would like you to do is, discuss with your child about being a CHAMP. It seems that some of us have forgotten some of our rules and agreements about behavior. These behavior expectations are put in place so that we all have the best learning environment. Please remind your child to always do their best on their work and their behavior.

Thank you so much for everything you do. Mrs. Benson

Yes, this Tuesday, October 20, we are headed to Pittsburgh for Paradise Gardens. We will be leaving approximately 8:30 and returning around 2:30. We will have our sack lunches and drinks ready for a picnic lunch. I am so excited and I know the children are too. Thanks for being so understanding about the postponement due to rain. 

This week we will continue going to the science lab to explore “change.” We will also concentrate our phonics lessons on syllabication. This will help in our reading as well as our writing. We are currently writing summaries of our favorite Leo Lionni book and will illustrate them using Leo Lionni’s medium of choice. In math, we will continue to work on subtraction; never forgetting about addition. These go hand in hand. We will also begin a reader’s theater about Halloween. This will reinforce our reading to be more fluent and it’s a fun way to practice this.

Continue to read with your child every night. They are all becoming such good readers. Some have asked to bring home 2 books, which is okay. If time doesn’t allow for both books to be read, just read one. I am so glad they are becoming excited about their reading! 

Remember, SEND THOSE BOXTOPS!!! We are more than halfway down the field!

Thanks for everything you do.  Mrs. Benson

We have a short week this week, but lots to do. Hope you all had a good day off on Monday. I had school, but learned a lot about technology. I hope there are many of you checking this blog regularly. Leave some comments . We would love to read them.

As you know, this Thursday is our field trip to Paradise Gardens. We are so excited! In case of inclement weather, of course, we will not be able to attend, but should be able to reschedule.  Don’t forget to send a drink and sack lunch.  Parent conferences are coming up on October 27th. You will be receiving a form to verify the time.  Also, school pictures are coming up on October 22nd.

Thanks to Mrs. Ray our science lab is up and running and we will be attending the science lab to explore “Change” for the next 2 weeks.  Again, keep sending those Boxtops for Education. We have moved way up on the Boxtop football field. Thanks for everything!

Can it really be October already? Wow! Well, Homecoming is over and our first six weeks is over. Thanks to all of you for returning your child’s report card quickly and if you haven’t, please get those back to me as soon as possible. I was happy to see all of you that attended the Parent Orientation. I hope the information was useful and answered a lot of  your questions. 

We just completed phonics skills work on beginning, middle and ending sounds. Now we are moving onto blends. These will be stressed in our reading ,as well as, our writing. We currently have 20 words on our No Excuse Word List. These are also known as our Spelling words. The class will be getting 5 more new words this week. Continue to go over all of the words regularly. The students are well underway in their reading groups and working on specific skills that target their needs in those groups. In math, we will continue to work on addition and begin subtraction with manipulatives and, as always, applying it to our problem solving skills. In science, we have studied “Change” in colors, seasons, and life cycles through an author study of Leo Lionni. We are currently getting our science lab ready for centers on “Change” to begin.

Coming up we have school pictures and parent conferences. Be aware of any notes or messages that come home in your child’s planner regarding these upcoming events. Also, PLEASE SEND BOXTOPS FOR EDUCATION! We have a good start on earning money with boxtops, but we need more. Send all you can. Thanks to all of you and I’ll see you at conferences.

The rain has finally stopped (for now) and the air is a little cooler. I can’t wait for it to feel like fall! Our calendar changes to fall this Tuesday the 22nd. This week in science we are studying our 5 senses which will lead us into using those senses to explore change in the seasons and environment around us.  This week we will be doing TPRI testing. This is a state mandated assessment that is done 2-3 times a year to monitor progress. We are moving into addition with manipulatives in math and using addition with our problem solving. Please be aware of the spelling lists that come home. Sometimes we will have a test that week, but sometimes it may take us longer to go over each word and the test will be the next week.  Check your child’s planner for specific testing dates.  I hope to see all of you at our Parent Orientation this Tuesday, from 6:00-7:00. Thanks so much for everything you do!

Can you believe we have already been in school for 3 weeks? I can’t. During our last 3 weeks we have really been focusing a lot on being CHAMPs and having good behavior. While doing an author/book study of Kevin Henkes picture books, we have learned a lot about how to be respectful and how to always do our best. Talk to your child about these qualities and how they can put them to use at school and home. As I still assess each student in reading and math, you will see books, center work, and graded papers come home regularly. Go over these with your child and discuss what was done right as well as what can be improved upon. In the coming weeks we will be comparing whole numbers in math and learning more about vowels in phonics. In science we will be discussing color as well as things that “Change” around us. Thanks again for reading daily with your child and checking that planner.

This week has been a busy one for sure. Learning all of the first grade expectations and rules is long process, but the students are doing great. This week will be more on schedule of what our day to day activities will be. We will begin reading centers and I will begin testing the students to find out their specific levels. Remember if a book is sent home that is too hard, just read it to your child. If it is too easy just read it over and over to improve fluency. Evaluating each student takes a few days so bare with me. Several notes will be sent home so be sure and read them carefully to explain some things your child will be doing in class. I look forward to another great week!