It’s November and the cool weather has finally arrived! Please make sure your child has a coat or jacket for recess. We go outside around 10:30, when it is still cool and we won’t go outside if the temperature is below 40 degrees. We are trying our best to keep everyone healthy.

We have completed, but will always apply, what we have learned in our word work while analyzing the /ed/ ending. This week we will do the same with the /s/ and /es/ endings. I will be looking for these being used correctly in reading and writing. Our Guided Reading groups have continued with much emphasis on story elements, as well as, sequencing and vocabulary. Thank you for returning their blue reading folder. Be sure and always list this book on their reading log, as well as, any others they may read. Also be sure and study new spelling words at home.

Our math unit is the study of shapes and their attributes. We are analyzing shapes and learning the vocabulary that goes along with them. Problem solving, addition, and number sense will continue to be cycled through.

We will conclude our study of American Symbols and continue our social studies with Thanksgiving customs/traditions and differences and similarities of  Thanksgiving  then and now.

Things to remember:

Early dismissal- Nov. 13@11:00 Parent Conferences

Turn in any Box Tops you may have collected.

First Grade Thanksgiving Feast- Nov. 21 (Sorry, parents are not invited. It is just a special lunch in the cafeteria while turkey and dressing is being served.)

Thanksgiving Readers’ Theater-Nov. 25@11:45 in our classroom.

Early Release-Nov. 26 and then Thanksgiving Holiday

Thank you for everything!

Mrs. Benson

This week in our word word we will be alphabetizing words by the first letter and then move into putting them into order by the second letter. Practice this at home with spelling words or just words around the house.

This week marks the time to take our second benchmark in reading so I will be testing each student individually to see how much they have grown. At the end of this week the students will also end Unit 1 in math and will be assessed. We will continue composing numbers this week.

New spelling words will come home tomorrow and the test will be on Friday.

Upcoming Events:

Parent conferences- Nov 13th- You will receive a notice to sign up at a later date. This will also be an early release day.

Early Release- Oct 30- At 11:30 for teacher in-service.

Red Ribbon Week-Oct 28-Nov 1

Thank you,

Mrs. Benson

I can’t believe the first six weeks is over. We’ve had such a great start and the students have already learned a lot. Our first 30 days of school is over and school rules and procedures should be well into place. I know this has been a lot for our first graders to remember and apply but they were up for the challenge and are applying what they know.

In our word work we have worked through blends and digraphs and will continue to apply these in our reading and writing. This week we will explore syllables and use these to help us in our writing.

Guided reading will continue as students continue to grow and their levels continue to progress. Again, be sure to look for their blue Guided Reading folder that comes home about once a week.

In math, the students will continue to explore number sense, problem solving and this week will be introduced to composing and decomposing numbers. Example: How many combinations can you find to make 10?

In writing we will continue to use the writing process and illustrate what the words say. We will practice our spelling words and have a test this week. Remember the test can include any past spelling words in the dictation.

I will be out of the classroom on Tuesday, but I will be in the building at a teacher training. Please encourage your child to do his/her best for the sub and our student teacher, Mrs. Goodwin.

I hope you all have had a great weekend!

Mrs. Benson

The Elementary School collected over $4000 for “Coins for Cancer” and added an additional $5000+ after the Powder Puff football game. Our community and parents are awesome!

This past week we analyzed and applied the use of blends in our reading and writing. This week we are adding digraphs–sh, ch, th, ph, wh, gh. Guided reading groups continue. You may see a blue folder with another book in it with some sight words or an activity to do at home. This is the book your child has been working on in guided reading groups. Please read, do the activity or go over the sight words, and return it all the next day. If this book and their daily reader is read, list them both on their reading log.

In math, we are continuing to become more and more aware of our numbers. Some of the students are still confused with their teens. Practice these at home. Comparing numbers by knowing greater than, less than, and equal to are our primary focus with numbers up to 100. Problem solving is also a focus with addition and comparing.

In writing we are continuing to use the writing process. We are writing a class book entitled, Our Spooky Story. While writing we will be revising and editing for capitals, punctuation, spacing, spelling words, and building a story sequentially.

There will not be a spelling test this week. New spelling words will come home on Thursday along with their report cards. Please sign and return the report cards the next day.

Thank you for everything you do to support me.

Mrs. Benson

This week the elementary school will be collecting “Coins for Cancer” in support of Dinah Morgan, one of our 3rd grade teachers. Her daughter, Meredith, is also a member of our class. This is a great opportunity to teach our children that the feeling of giving is so much greater than that of receiving. Check the note that went home to see how each day will be celebrated and let’s really show our support!

This week will be a lot of the same, just expanded. Math will continue with comparing numbers with greater than and less than, as well as, numbers that come before and after other numbers. Guided reading groups will continue and in word work we will conclude long and short vowels and have an assessment of these on Friday. We will be using our spelling words in our writing.

Our season changes to Fall tomorrow so we will be discussing the four seasons and their differences in our science reading.

Remember, Wednesday is an early release day for Teacher Professional Development.

I hope you all have a great week!

Mrs. Benson

I want to thank all of the parents who were able to attend Parent Orientation. I also want to thank those parents who picked up a “Helping Hand” and donated supplies or gift cards to our classroom. You are super appreciated!

This past week the students had their first spelling test and received their next set of spelling words. Remember their graded papers come home on Mondays. Always go over their graded papers. Sometimes if a failing grade occurs, the student will have the opportunity to redo and return the paper for a better grade. This only applies to work that is not an assessment.

This next week we will continue evaluating sets of numbers, problem solving, and begin comparing numbers with greater than and less than comparisons. Word work will continue with long and short vowel sounds and we will have the second spelling test with dictation on Tuesday. Reading assessments will continue and small group guided reading groups will begin. Remember to read with your child every day and sign their reading log. In writing, the students are using the writing process to develop their stories. And in science we will examine the color wheel and rainbow to learn our color words.

Beginning this Monday, student teacher, Angie Goodwin, will be a part of our classroom for the semester. Please help make her feel welcome.

Thank you,

Mrs. Benson

I hope you all enjoy a long weekend with your families and friends as I enjoy mine and rest up for a short week but a  packed one. This past week was an awesome success getting to know all of our new students and teaching expectations. First grade expectations are set high but attainable by ALL students. Encourage good work habits and social habits with your child. When these are in place, academics fall into place much quicker and easier.

This next week we will continue our author/book study of Kevin Henkes and begin our word work of distinguishing between vowels and consonants. I will continue reading level testing with each student to find their individual level. Guided reading stations will be introduced as well as math stations. In math we will begin intentional problem solving with addition of small sums. Students will also begin spelling this week. The spelling words will come home on yellow/white writing paper. Be sure to look for these and study at home as well. The spelling test will not be until next week.

Several notes will come home this week to explain many of our academic/behavior expectations. Please read these so that you have a better understanding of what we do each day. There will be a parent orientation for first grade on September 9th at 5:30. There will be more information coming home about this next week also.

Please feel free to put any notes in your child’s planner. I check these each day and this is an easy way to correspond. I also encourage those who haven’t signed up for updates through text message to do so. Just call 903-374-0053 and text @d9b7. You will receive reminders from me via text message; however, these are group messages, not individual.

Hope you all have a great holiday!

Mrs. Benson

I want to welcome my new class and parents to my class blog. You can check it as often as you would like to find out upcoming information and instructional activities that will be occurring in the classroom. Be sure and leave a positive comment anytime. I’m looking forward to seeing each of one of those cute, smiling faces tomorrow morning. Get a good night’s sleep and come ready to begin a great First Grade Year!

Mrs. Benson

Parent Conferences will be the afternoon of Oct. 23rd, NOT Oct. 17th. Oct. 17th will be an early release day for teacher training but will not be for Parent Conferences. Sorry for the miscommunication.
Thank you,
Mrs. Benson

October is here and with it comes many new events and things to learn. The students will get their first report card this month on October 11th. Be sure and go over it with your child and note the things that should be worked on and those that are mastered. Sign and send it back the next day. Parent conferences will be the afternoon of October 17th and your child’s progress will be discussed then. Please look for a confirmation of conference time to come home with each student.
Also coming up this month: October 16-“Tortoise and Hare” Play Field Trip
October 17-Early Release
October 29-Nov. 2-Red Ribbon Week
October 31-Halloween/Dress-up Day
I’d like to thank all of you who attended the Parent Orientation. I hope it helped you to become more aware of everything we do in first grade. This month we will delve into Guided Reading. You will begin seeing a Blue folder coming home weekly or so with extra reading to do and sometimes activities to do with this reader. Our word work will extend into blends, digraphs, and chunks; as we have already covered beginning, ending and medial vowel sounds. In math we have begun addition with manipulatives and problem solving and will begin subtraction within the week. Please practice this at home with some type of counters. We will add and subtract up to the number 18. We have finished our study of color and the 5 senses and will begin combining these topics into our new study of “Change.”
Again, always email or call if you need anything. Thank you for being so supportive.
Mrs. Benson